Disney's Hollywood Studios gives eligible Disney Resort and select hotel guests a 30-minute Early Theme Park Entry period. Most of the park's rides are included, but the headliners sit in Toy Story Land, Galaxy's Edge, Sunset Boulevard, and the center of the park. Pick one area before you reach the tapstiles.
Slinky Dog Dash remains the best first ride from the front of the hotel-guest crowd. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is the better choice when Galaxy's Edge is your priority. Thrill groups now have a useful third option: Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets followed by Tower of Terror.
Choose one of these four starts
- From the frontRide Slinky Dog Dash. Leave the line if it already stretches well outside the normal entrance before Early Entry begins.
- Star Wars firstRide Rise of the Resistance, then use Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run as the nearby backup.
- Sunset BoulevardRide the Muppets coaster, then Tower of Terror. If the coaster is delayed or already near a 40-minute wait, start with Tower.
- Families and repeat visitorsRide Toy Story Mania!, then Alien Swirling Saucers. This route gives you the best chance to finish two rides during the first hour.
CrowdLevels pulled 90 days of operating wait samples through July 17, 2026. The Muppets coaster profile covers 53 operating days after its May opening. Closed and downtime-only samples are excluded from the hourly averages.
Most Hollywood Studios rides open for Early Entry
The current Hollywood Studios Early Entry list includes Alien Swirling Saucers, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, Slinky Dog Dash, Star Tours, Rise of the Resistance, Tower of Terror, and Toy Story Mania.
That list gives you choices in four areas. Walking between them costs time. Toy Story Land to Sunset Boulevard is roughly the opposite end of the park, and Galaxy's Edge adds another turn. Check the app before leaving the hotel, then pick the first area.
Slinky Dog works from the front
Slinky Dog Dash averaged 62.0 minutes across the latest 90 days. The 8 a.m. hourly average was 52.0 minutes, followed by 62.0 minutes at 9 a.m. and 65.4 minutes at 10 a.m. A resort guest can still reach a long line before the regular park opening.
Use Slinky when you are near the front and the queue is moving into its normal entrance. Move to Toy Story Mania when the line already fills the outdoor approach. Slinky posted an 88.7 reliability score across the 90-day profile, the lowest score among the six rides in the main comparison. If it is delayed, leave quickly.
Slinky's Lightning Lane Multi Pass availability had an average actionable sellout time of 9 a.m. across 27 completed days with data. Book it first when your group plans to buy Multi Pass. That lets you use Early Entry in Galaxy's Edge or on Sunset Boulevard.
Rise needs a Galaxy's Edge backup
Rise of the Resistance averaged 36.6 minutes in the 8 a.m. hour, 52.7 minutes at 9 a.m., and 57.0 minutes at 10 a.m. The opening period saves time when the ride is operating, though the 91.0 reliability score leaves a real chance of a delay.
Smugglers Run is the nearby backup. It averaged 17.0 minutes in the 8 a.m. hour and 25.8 minutes at 9 a.m., with a 99.6 reliability score. Ride it when Rise is delayed or when the Rise queue already reaches farther into Galaxy's Edge than your group wants to wait.
Do not wait outside a delayed Rise for the entire Early Entry period. Smugglers Run and Star Tours can be completed while the rest of the park opens. You can check Rise again later or buy its Lightning Lane Single Pass.
The Muppets coaster gives Sunset Boulevard a full route
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets now has 53 operating days in the CrowdLevels profile. It averaged 41.7 minutes in the 8 a.m. hour, 53.4 minutes at 9 a.m., and 63.5 minutes at 10 a.m. The full operating-period average was 65.2 minutes.
Ride the coaster first when your group wants it and the opening line is moving. Tower of Terror is a short walk away and averaged 13.7 minutes in the 8 a.m. hour, 25.9 minutes at 9 a.m., and 40.7 minutes at 10 a.m. Tower's 98.8 reliability score makes it the safer first ride when the coaster is delayed.
The Sunset route suits thrill groups, repeat visitors, and anyone with Slinky already booked through Multi Pass. It also keeps you away from the larger Toy Story Land and Galaxy's Edge opening crowds.
Toy Story Mania gives families two quick rides
Toy Story Mania averaged 16.1 minutes in the 8 a.m. hour, 30.8 minutes at 9 a.m., and 43.5 minutes at 10 a.m. Alien Swirling Saucers averaged 7.3 minutes at 8 a.m. and 17.6 minutes at 9 a.m. Both rides carried reliability scores above 97.
This route works for families skipping Slinky, groups with smaller children, and repeat visitors who want to finish rides quickly. Ride Toy Story Mania first, then Alien Swirling Saucers. Check Slinky after both, but expect its queue to be long.
Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway is the central choice for groups that do not want a coaster. It averaged 26.3 minutes in the 8 a.m. hour, 35.8 minutes at 9 a.m., and 45.0 minutes at 10 a.m. Its location also makes it a practical backup before you commit to a longer walk.
Book Slinky first when you buy Multi Pass
Hollywood Studios Lightning Lane Multi Pass puts Slinky Dog, Runaway Railway, Smugglers Run, and the Muppets coaster in the first-choice group. Rise of the Resistance uses Lightning Lane Single Pass.
Slinky had the earliest current Multi Pass pressure. Its actionable availability sold out at 9 a.m. on average across 27 completed days. The Muppets coaster averaged 12:37 p.m. across 30 days, Toy Story Mania averaged 12:34 p.m. across 27 actionable sellout days, and Tower of Terror averaged 2:14 p.m. across 28 actionable sellout days.
Book Slinky first when everyone wants to ride it. Use Early Entry for Rise or Sunset Boulevard. If you buy Rise Single Pass, use the morning in Toy Story Land. Groups skipping both products should choose one headliner and accept that a second major queue may take longer.
Four Hollywood Studios morning plans
Toy Story Land: ride Slinky Dog first, then Toy Story Mania. Add Alien Swirling Saucers when its posted wait is still below 20 minutes.
Galaxy's Edge: ride Rise first, then Smugglers Run. If Rise is delayed, go directly to Smugglers Run and check Rise again later.
Sunset Boulevard: ride the Muppets coaster, then Tower of Terror. Reverse the order when the coaster is delayed or already near a 40-minute wait.
Family route: ride Toy Story Mania, Alien Swirling Saucers, and Runaway Railway. This route avoids the park's larger coasters and still uses the opening wait advantage.
Hollywood Studios Early Entry FAQ
What rides are open for Hollywood Studios Early Entry?
Disney's current Hollywood Studios Early Entry list includes Alien Swirling Saucers, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, Slinky Dog Dash, Star Tours, Rise of the Resistance, Tower of Terror, and Toy Story Mania. Attraction availability can change.
Is Slinky Dog Dash worth rope dropping during Early Entry?
Yes, when you are close to the front of the hotel-guest crowd. Slinky averaged 52.0 minutes in the 8 a.m. hour and had the earliest current Multi Pass pressure, with a 9 a.m. average actionable sellout.
Is Rise of the Resistance better than Slinky Dog Dash first?
Choose Rise when Star Wars is the priority. It averaged 36.6 minutes in the 8 a.m. hour, compared with 52.0 minutes for Slinky. Choose Slinky when your group wants the family coaster and you are near the front of the hotel-guest crowd.
Should you rope drop Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets?
Yes, for thrill groups that want the coaster and Tower of Terror. The coaster averaged 41.7 minutes in the 8 a.m. hour and 53.4 minutes at 9 a.m. Tower of Terror averaged 13.7 minutes at 8 a.m.
Hero image: CrowdLevels. Inline images: Walt Disney World.