Anticipation and planning are the real keys to a fantastic Walt Disney World® vacation.  We recommend that you start planning at least eight to twelve months in advance by doing your homework on choosing where to stay.  Disney allows you to book your resort reservations six or more months in advance, so you should preview Accommodation options, locations, and costs now.  Restaurants may be booked 180 days ahead.  Early flight arrangements and saving for the vacation should begin.

Disney offers a vacation for every individual, family or group.  Even if you spent 30 days at Disney, you still could not experience every attraction, attend all of the entertainment, or eat at every restaurant.  So planning the specific attractions, entertainment, tours, and dining that meet your party's interests and ages is very important if you want to make the most of your limited time.

Here is where this book helps.  It's an "all-in-one" adult information guide; interactive scrapbook to involve children in choosing what they most want to do at Disney World; a dining guide complete with menus; an autograph book for Disney character signatures; and a keepsake photo album to store and share memories after the trip.  Take it with you into the park, read it during waits in line, and keep it as a record of favorite moments.  It may be the only Disney's Hollywood Studios book you'll need!

Extremely Important Tips:
You want to start educating your children about each theme park attraction so that they recognize each by its name and location within the Hollywood Studios.  As you enter the park make sure that each child has a park map and that you have set up a Lost & Found location so that if your party decides to separate, everyone knows where and when to regroup.  Be SPECIFIC!  If you say, "Meet us at Toy Story," you'll have a hard time finding each other.  If you say instead, "Meet us at Toy Story in front of the FASTPASS sign," you won't lose fun time searching for your party.

Overview
Disney's Hollywood Studios celebrates Hollywood's Golden Age.  Films like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Wizard of Oz and Indiana Jones are showcased.  There are also two thrill rides including the famous Rock-in Roller Coaster and Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.  Steam Boat Willie was Disney's first character to make a big hit in the film industry.

The parade at DHS is a very high energy attraction featuring pop dance music and the characters from A Bug's Life, Monsters, Inc.  and Toy Story from Pixar films.  The parade stops twice along the route and performs for about 12 minutes.  This parade was actually transferred from the Disneyland Resort California Adventure to Disney's Hollywood Studios in March 2007.

Arriving at the theme park you start your Disney's Hollywood Studios experience by going through security where they inspect your carry-ins.  As you pass through the theme park ticket gates the first time, Disney will scan a finger or thumb.  I suggest you and your party use the thumb so everyone can remember and not hold up the line.

Now you're IN!  As you stroll down Hollywood Boulevard, make sure that you pick up several maps to use as a reference while in the park and to take home with you as cheap souvenirs.  As you stroll down Hollywood Boulevard look for shops to browse while waiting on the afternoon parade.

Disney's Hollywood Studios is divided into four neighborhoods with additional shows and parades.

• Hollywood Blvd.
  
• Sunset Blvd.
  
• Animation Courtyard
  
• Pixar Place
  
• The Backlot
  
• Parades