Is DHS a 2 day park?

[savafan]

Here's our current plans for our upcoming trip in November.

11/1 - Arrival, Magic Kingdom
11/2 - Hollywood Studios
11/3 - Animal Kingdom
11/4 - Hollywood Studios
11/5 - Epcot
11/6 - Magic Kingdom
11/7 - Epcot
11/8 - Magic Kingdom, Departure


I am wondering though if Hollywood Studios is truly a 2 day park, or if one day there will be sufficient, and perhaps take the 2nd for an additional day at Magic Kingdom. What are your thoughts? Is there enough at DHS to spend 2 days there with 2 kids, ages 6 (boy) and 5 (girl)?

[IloveJack]

We like DHS for all it's exclusive characters, and it houses better thrill rides for the older ones; but I don't think DHS is a two day park. In fact, we were there in June, with 4 adults and 3 kids (5 and under) and had finished everything we wanted to do in the park by 7pm. We didn't watch a lot of shows, but we did a few. With kids that age, I would do one day at DHS and spend the extra day at MK.

Side note: DHS is definitely a two day park if something special is going on, such as the holiday lights spectacular, Star Wars weekend, or the new Frozen stuff. Those things take up a good bit of time, and aren't to be missed.

[1stGoofysGirl]

DHS can be a 2-day park if you want to see all the shows, enjoy the various street performers and meet the characters, without rushing; or if there is a special event also happening while you're there. During normal times, one day should be enough time.

AK can be a 2-day park, particular for kids. There is a lot to see and do. There are several shows, as well as "street performers" who involve the audience, especially kids, in the show, and also many opportunities to explore and visit many animal exhibits.

Have a great time

[DKA041177]

I am a big fan of DHS, and think there is a lot to do there (and sometimes we do spend a second day there). However, given the age of your kids, I would side with an additional MK day.

[eandrsmom]

I would agree that one day should be enough. Keep in mind that some of the shows may be too intense for young children. When my daughter was 5, she was frightened by the noise in the stunt show. She was also scared by the pyrotechnics in the Indiana Jones show. Depending on your children, you may need to skip some of the shows which would make one day sufficient.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

I think you have enough MK time (is there every really "enough" MK time?), but we usually spend two 3/4 days at DHS. One in the morning, and into the afternoon, and then the second arriving just after lunch and staying until close.

We find this gives us the best "spread" of shows and activities, and it is a beautiful park at night.

[RBrooksC]

I think it all depends on what you want to do. It is a half-day park if you don't do all the shows and watch the parades. That is the same for Animal Kingdom.

If we go for a longer trip, we will do AK with two 1/2 days and the same with DHS.

But then again, I can't remember the last time we went and saw a show.

[azcavalier]

We usually take two half-days, and that suits us well. But we rarely see the shows anymore, as we've done all of them multiple times. Except for American Idol. But i'm OK skipping that.

[joonyer]

Even if you can do everything in one day, we always visit more than once during our week long trips, simply because we like repeating our favorite attractions (ToT, RnRC, TSM, Star Tours, etc) over and over again several times during our vacations.

[disneymom15]

Even if you can do everything in one day, we always visit more than once during our week long trips, simply because we like repeating our favorite attractions (ToT, RnRC, TSM, Star Tours, etc) over and over again several times during our vacations.

Same here, but we rarely spend an entire day there ( we park hop ). That said, if we only had base tickets, we probably would spend that day in another park.

[#1donaldfan]

I would say the HS is a one day park. We typically do rope drop there one day, then another day we go back for nightime fun. The rope drop day we are done by noon, and that's riding, RRC, ToT, Star Tours, seeing muppets, great movie ride, Indy, and getting a pizza at Planet Hollywood before rolling out. The nighttime fun is usually just walking around and maybe standing in a line or two for rides, if it's not a two hour wait, then Fantasmic !!

[savafan]

(is there every really "enough" MK time?)

Ha, that's just it, there isn't. It's the one park we always wish we'd spent more time in.

[CaptSmee]

Its all up to you on how you tour the parks. We are going next trip to DHS for dinner & Fantasmic a night (after water park), spending a full day there mid-week (leaving at dinnertime for the boardwalk), then going one morning early to re-ride the biggies before hopping to Epcot the rest of the day.

[DizneyFreak2002]

My opinion, DHS isn't even a 1 day park, let alone a 2 day park... Half day park is more like it...

[RBrooksC]

My opinion, DHS isn't even a 1 day park, let alone a 2 day park... Half day park is more like it...

When we were there last year, we were able to use an employee ticket to visit the park.

It was a one day park hopper. We went to the MK first to see some of the new rides there and it just felt right going there to start the day.

We finished with Star Wars Weekends at DHS. We got there mid-afternoon and did what we needed to do.

At 6 PM, my wife and I were exhausted and decided to leave. With the exception of TSM, we got to see everything we wanted to see. I still don't feel like we left "early" that day. I think we spent 3 hours in the DHS that day with about five hours in MK.

[1DisneyNut]

My opinion, DHS isn't even a 1 day park, let alone a 2 day park... Half day park is more like it...

My thoughts exactly. In addition, if it wasn't so poorly designed and laid out, it would be easy to do in a half day. You spend a significant amount of time backtracking and crossing the same paths.

With small children, I don't see how it could take all day if you were only doing what they can do. Now if you are ride swapping for the adults to ride the big rides, it would add maybe a couple of hours.

[KAJUNKING]

if you plan to see all the shows i could see spending 2 days there especially if you take the time to check out all the streetmosphere people and such

[DizneyFreak2002]

if you plan to see all the shows i could see spending 2 days there especially if you take the time to check out all the streetmosphere people and such

Sorry, even doing that, DHS is only a half day park.. MAYBE you can spread it out to a full day... But 2 days? No way... That's a waste of a day...

They only have one park worthy of 2 days in WDW, and that's MK... Even Epcot is only worth one day... MAYBE a day and a half for Epcot..

DAK is half day as well...

[yankeesfan123]

Sorry, even doing that, DHS is only a half day park.. MAYBE you can spread it out to a full day... But 2 days? No way... That's a waste of a day...

They only have one park worthy of 2 days in WDW, and that's MK... Even Epcot is only worth one day... MAYBE a day and a half for Epcot..

DAK is half day as well...

Well, a lot of show times overlap. LMA is only shown twice a day sometimes. So, if you want to see all the shows, you might have to go back a second day.

[1stGoofysGirl]

Sorry, even doing that, DHS is only a half day park.. MAYBE you can spread it out to a full day... But 2 days? No way... That's a waste of a day...

They only have one park worthy of 2 days in WDW, and that's MK... Even Epcot is only worth one day... MAYBE a day and a half for Epcot..

DAK is half day as well...

Many guests enjoy more than just the "hot and most in demand rides"; as a result, they, myself and my family included, have no problem spending multiple days in any of the parks, and don't feel as though we are wasting our time.