Episode 41: Disney's Hollywood Studios (Greatest Dark Rides Ever)

When it comes to thrills at Walt Disney World, there are more to be found at Hollywood Studios than any other park in the resort, and while I loved Animal Kingdom yesterday, I was ready for some adrenaline!  I loved the immersive themed Toy Story and Star Wars lands, was charmed by Slinky Dog Dash and Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, and had my mind blown on wild thrill rides like Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Rise of the Resistance, and Tower of Terror.  

So join me for my first-time reactions to everything at Hollywood Studios as I experience Disney World for the first time as an adult!

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Transcript

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Okay, Disney…………I see you.  And that’s not just a memorable quote from Avatar, but my acknowledgement of an abundance of amazing adventures yesterday at Animal Kingdom.  I loved my flight of passage, the music and visuals of the Na’vi River Journey, and my escape from the Yeti on Expedition Everest.  The atmosphere, ambiance, architecture, and appearance were absolutely awesome, but there’s another “A” word I anticipate more than anything on this trip: adrenaline!  And if that addictive attribute is available anywhere on Disney property, it’s automatically assumed to be at Hollywood Studios.

If ever there was a thrill park at Disney, this would be it.  A stunt show featuring flames, a roller coaster with inversions, a terrifying drop tower, and a dark ride escaping the dark side are all here, so color me intrigued.  I was curious how this would stack up against Universal Studios, the other movie park in Orlando, and yet I’m nervous.  I only have two Lightning Lanes, and there’s so much more to do than Animal Kingdom.  I considered that park the warm-up, and now it’s time for the big leagues.  I only have one day to spend, so will I triumph and ride everything, or will crowds overrun the park leaving me disappointed?          

Welcome to Episode 41 of Coaster Redux.  My name is Erik, and this is the story of my revived roller coaster fandom. For years, I’d all but forgotten my coaster obsession from high school and college, but since the pandemic, I’ve been on a mission to ride as many new coasters as I can.  I know as a roller coaster fan that one of my favorite parts of the hobby is getting the reaction of somebody coming off a ride they’ve never ridden before.  That’s what I want to share with you. 

And with that, join me for my first-time reactions on some of Disney’s most epic thrill rides, complete with more in-park audio than I’ve ever brought you before.  So prepare to go in-depth on Rockin’ Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, Rise of the Resistance, and more.  It’s gonna be complete sensory overload at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and it starts right now on Coaster Redux.

I awoke with a start as my alarm buzzed at 6:45 am.  I silently cursed Disney for making this theme park trip feel like work, but I gotta get me one of those virtual queues so I have a leg up on the crowds at Hollywood Studios.  I tried doing this yesterday and it didn’t work, so I resolved to try again in the wee hours of this morning.  I opened the My Disney Experience app, tapped Join Virtual Queue, and refreshed like a mad man from 6:59 to 7:04 to no avail.  There were no virtual queues available to join.  Flummoxed, I rolled over and snoozed a bit longer.

Flash forward to present, I just re-watched the virtual queue tutorial online, and what I missed is that you have to select which ride you want to queue for before attempting to join the queue by refreshing at 7am.  I never figured this out while at Disney, and I’m fine with that, because after this failed attempt to join the virtual queue, I abandoned the idea of waking up at the crack of dawn, simply resolving to enjoy my time in the parks without the added pressure.  What will be will be and it is what it is.  That’s my preferred theme park formula anyway.

So after catching a few more Z’s, I got up, cleaned up, and drove back across I-4 bound for Disney’s Hollywood Studios.  I entered yet another expansive parking lot and paid the $35 fee before being directed to the next available spot.  It was another perfect Florida winter day.  Clear skies with temps in the upper 70’s.  I had a decent walk to the front gate, but it wasn’t so far that I felt the need to wait for a tram.  

Now, every park at Disney World has its icon.  Animal Kingdom has the Tree of Life, Magic Kingdom has Cinderella’s castle, and EPCOT has the golf ball.  The cool thing about Hollywood Studios is that its icon is Tower of Terror.  It’s basically the only structure visible in the distance as I approach, and I love that it’s a thrill ride. Yet while I was anxious for some adrenaline, on this morning, my plan was to start small.  I had a Lightning Lane for Rockin’ Roller Coaster at 11:15, and it was just before 10am, so my plan was to ride Slinky Dog Dash before taking on Disney’s only looping coaster.

The front entrance is pure art deco, painted seafoam green with cream accented pillars rising above.  I stepped up to the gate and held my phone up to the orb like a seasoned pro while placing my finger on the reader.  The orb dinged green, and I stepped onto Hollywood Boulevard.  It’s straight out of the 1930’s, built to resemble the golden years of Hollywood filmmaking, and it’s a gorgeous main street.  Kinda reminded me of Deco Drive in Miami, whereas I haven’t spent much time in SoCal.  Tall Mexican Fan Palms flank the thoroughfare of shops, all based on Tinseltown landmarks.  The Chinese Theater stands proud at the end, home to Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.  While it was still relatively early in the day, the heat radiated off the concrete, and I broke out in a sweat as I turned right past Commissary Lane bound for Toy Story Land.   

Disney’s first computer animated movie came out as I was growing out of that type of film, but I did enjoy it as a tween.  Then as I walked into the immersive land that is Andy’s back yard, my jaw dropped.  It’s almost as grand a reveal as Super Nintendo World at Epic Universe, and Woody was right there to bid me a greeting.  

The idea here is that we’re shrunken down to toy-size.  Maybe not quite as tiny as Honey I Shrunk the Kids, but almost.  Woody’s probably 20 feet tall, and the scenery is an impressive mix of Tinker Toys, building blocks, and Jenga, all towering overhead connected by Christmas lights.  Even pathway railings are built with K’Nex.  It’s awesome!

I paused to watch the Slinky Dog coaster gently weave above.  Visually it’s very impressive, but my high spirits upon entering this fantastic land were dampened by the thought of my first endeavour.  Slinky Dog Dash had a posted wait of 50 minutes, and from everything I’ve heard, it’s tame as tame can be.  But I’m a roller coaster enthusiast, and I have to get the credit, so I decided to chin up, suck it up, soak in the theming, and get my day started, knowing full well that there would be plenty of thrills ahead.

I walked across the Tinker Toy bridge to find the ride entrance with a sign Andy drew with crayon on notebook paper.  He didn’t remove the fringe from the wire binding which would have been a one-way trip to punishment in the thinking chair at my elementary school.  Fortunately, this is play, so such a digression is permissible.  I took a deep breath and stepped into the queue, anticipating my own punishment as I entered a nearly hour-long line for a highly themed kiddie coaster.

Toy Story Land opened in 2018 as Disney’s second immersive IP-based land, just one year after Pandora - World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom.  Disney was rushing to catch up with Universal following the incredible success of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  It’s home to 11 acres of themed entertainment including the Alien Swirling Saucers flat ride, two restaurants, one shop, and the Toy Story Mania shooting dark ride which opened in 2008.

But the headlining attraction is Slinky Dog Dash, a multilaunch roller coaster from Mack Rides.  It dominates the landscape of Andy’s backyard with its red track weaving throughout the land with beautifully detailed trains completing the aesthetic. 

The details in the queue were incredible, and kept me quite entertained as I swiftly moved through the switchbacks.  The ride was built from the Dash & Dodge Mega Coaster Kit.  The box is placed on building blocks to create the station roof, complete with a warning that assembly is required.  Apparently Andy didn’t use all the track pieces for this custom layout as several are sprinkled around the queue.  What’s more, he used his imagination to make this coaster extra special, as is evidenced by crayon drawings on the kit’s instruction manual.  It seems that he figured out how to wrap Slinky Dog’s coils around the kit’s coaster trains, and he crossed out “Dodge” from the kit name resulting in Slinky Dog Dash.  Even better, this coaster comes equipped with launches to quote unquote “Supercharge your mega coaster with motorized action!”  

Not gonna lie, I absolutely loved everything about this storyline, and it’s not told with a pre-show, just with cleverly placed details throughout the queue.  I just wish this playset existed when I was growing up!

Then, before I knew it, I was ready to board.  Gotta commend Disney for efficiency as the line moved steadily the whole time.  I was assigned somewhere in the middle of the train, and that empty Slinky Dog advances into the station almost as quickly as Expedition Everest yesterday.  Must be a Disney thing.

I climbed aboard, lowered the simple lap bar, and it was time to go!  You leave the station and turn right to engage the first LSM launch.  You’re rolling uphill and gradually pick up speed before releasing and banking right, before turning left and descending.  You pass Woody at the entrance to the land and cruise over a bunny hop before a lefthand upward helix.  You dip down, reverse to the left, and bank right before coming to a stop and rolling back.  

Here’s where that motorized launch section kicks in, and Slinky Dog has to make sure we’re in the right position.  We pause, and little flame pylons on either side begin spinning up as we begin moving forward.  The train surges ahead, faster and faster as we pass beneath brightly colored archways reading Go!  Go!  Go!  It’s not a forceful launch, but it’s got enough zip to be fun, and we’re climbing upward before a quick turn to the left into those four consecutive bunny hops.  There’s nothing resembling airtime here, it’s just something a kid would put together that looks cool.  You then dip down to the left, and bank right for the final turn into the station, where you’re serenaded with Weezy the penguin’s rendition of You’ve Got a Friend in Me.  

Slinky Dog Dash was a pleasant surprise.  Maybe my expectations were so darn low that I would have been impressed by anything, but this was a great family coaster!  It’s not totally forceless.  You’ve got some solid whip and laterals in the transitions, and the main launch is decently punchy.  What’s more is the theme and execution is just so charming and fun.  I loved this ride, and while it’s not one I’d wait 50 minutes for any time soon, it’s successful in its execution and very much deserving of its popularity in this park.

I exited Toy Story Land, and headed left towards Sunset Boulevard.  This midway extends off the main entry path with more classic California flair and is anchored by the Hollywood Tower Hotel, home to Tower of Terror looming tall at the end of the road.  That wasn’t my destination, however.  When I reached the base of the Tower, I turned left into a secluded enclave where I found Rock’n’ Roller Coaster.  

The entrance sign is a 40-foot tall Fender Stratocaster in bright red with its strings extending around the plaza like a roller coaster.  It’s a sweet emotion if ever there was one.  Now Aerosmith was my first favorite band growing up, and I rocked out Dude Looks Like a Lady on the Permanent Vacation cassette on my Sony Walkman before transitioning to CD’s for Get a Grip and Big Ones.  And while I was beyond pumped to ride an Aerosmith roller coaster, I didn’t want to get my hopes up too high.  I mean, this is a Vekoma looping coaster built in 1999, sooooo how smooth would it be?  

The clock struck 11:15, and it was time to find out.  I goofily stepped up to the Lightning Lane entrance, not sure how to access my skip-the-line.  Of course the cast member was friendly and directed me to scan my park ticket at an orb just like the entry gate.  Again, it dinged green, and I was in!

I walked up a ramp bypassing most of the stand-by line and came to a stop just outside the entry way.  After a few minutes, we were ushered into the waiting room for G-Force Records.  

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster opened in 1999, the same year as Universal Islands of Adventure, which focused on thrill rides. The theme park world was enveloped in the Coaster Wars, and guests were looking for height, speed, and inversions, but you know Disney wasn’t just gonna throw up a mega coaster and call it a day.

Following the success of Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris in 1995, an enclosed looping coaster from Vekoma, Disney again tapped the Dutch manufacturer for this new project.  Seeking a rock and roll theme, they courted the Rolling Stones, KISS, and U2 before eventually settling for Aerosmith, hoping to ride the wave of their smash hit “Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” from the movie Armageddon.  

Now because I had a Lightning Lane, I missed the pre-show, but it goes like this.  Aerosmith is in the recording studio when their agent rushes in telling them they’re late for a concert across town.  There’s a limo waiting outside, but before the band climbs inside, they lament leaving their fans waiting in the studio, so they direct the agent to call for a super stretch to accommodate everybody for a ride to the concert along with backstage passes.  Pretty sweet deal.  Guests are ushered out the studio door to the alleyway to board the limo and brave LA traffic en route to the show.

Here’s where Lightning Lane guests enter the experience.  We exit the waiting room into the alley and watch the silver limo trains launch away into a tunnel.  It’s awesome for building anticipation.

A few dispatches later, the shiny silver Cadillac-style limousine rushed into the station on a mission to get us to the concert.  I was seated in row six, and I lowered Vekoma’s ratcheting horse collar restraint.  It feels just like an Arrow, and I prepared for whatever was to come.

I self-checked my harness at the cast member’s request, we left the station, rounded a 90 degree turn to the left and paused.  The onboard audio comes to life. An electronic billboard above scrolls through messages.  Freeway jammed ahead.  Prepare to Shake, Rattle and Roll.  All roads jammed.  Then all of a sudden, All lanes open so FLOOR IT!

The LSM’s hurdle you from a dead stop to 57 mph in 2.8 seconds, and you’re rapidly pitching up into a sea serpent roll, but it’s all in the dark and completely disorienting.  The Aerosmith music comes in loud, and I’m listening to FINE, an older song from the Pump album.  Each of the five trains plays a different soundtrack, and I’m jamming as we careen past a sign for the civic center en route to the concert venue.  We whip through a corkscrew and pass more glow-in-the-dark blacklit signs.  Donuts.  Watch crossing traffic.  Stop.  We didn’t.  We’ve got places to be.  

We finish out the ride entering the VIP entrance to the concert with Aerosmith’s Love in an Elevator beautifully altered to cap off the experience.                  

So story, presentation, and music were awesome!  I’m a lifelong Aerosmith fan, so this ride hits home.  As for the roller coaster itself, it’s fine.  It wasn’t as rough as other period Vekomas, but there was a headbang or two, and by modern standards the layout isn’t a show stopper.  Still, props to Disney for creating an experience that still garners a 90-minute plus wait in its 26th year of operation.

Regrettably, as I record this, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is closed, and I’m so glad I got to experience it in its original form.  The licensing agreement with Aerosmith has expired, and Disney is giving the ride a refresh.  It’s the most high-thrill roller coaster on property pulling five G’s with three inversions and a top speed of 57 mph, yet there’s not another rock band waiting in the wings of this stage.  No, this marquee thrill ride will be re-themed to the Muppets.  And that’s all I have to say about that.

I left Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and it was just about lunch time, and while scrolling through the app, I happened upon Fairfax Fare.  Located at the corner between Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror, it’s a small stand featuring several varieties of culinary waffle bowls.  They’re like waffle cone sundaes, but mashed potatoes replace ice cream, and meat and veggies are the toppings.  I opted for braised pork belly in Korean barbecue sauce, topped with Korean salad and green onions to top my mash.  $15.29 plus another $5 soda, and it was awesome!  The sauce was sweet and spicy, the pork belly was tender, and the salad was like a cole slaw adding a creamy finish with crunch.  I devoured the whole thing, waffle cone included as hints of all the ingredients permeated into the sweet shell.  This was theme park food at its finest.

Feeling nourished and refreshed, I headed back down Sunset Boulevard towards the middle of the park.  I was heading to my most anticipated land of the trip: Star Wars - Galaxy’s Edge.  When it first opened in 2019, I was just getting back into the theme park hobby, and podcasts and YouTube were aglow about this massive expansion.  A full-sized Millennium Falcon, walk-around characters, and a massive scale dominated the newsfeeds, but the land opened in August without its e-ticket attraction, Rise of the Resistance.  

Reviewers praised the size and detail of Galaxy’s Edge, but the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run attraction received mediocre reviews.  Meant to be a supporting attraction to Rise, it didn’t meet enthusiasts’ expectations, and wasn’t sufficient to carry the land on its own.

Once Rise of the Resistance opened in December, everything changed.  It was heralded as the single greatest theme park attraction of all time.  That stuck with me as I began re-discovering my love for roller coasters over the last few years.  Now after riding incredible new dark rides at Epic Universe like Monsters Unchained and Battle at the Ministry, I was anxious to see how Rise would compare.

I left the Hollywood vibes of Echo Lake behind as I entered a long tunnel towards Galaxy’s Edge, specifically created to transport us into this distant world.  The rockwork features a mix between human-machined edges and natural formations with artificial lighting strung throughout.  Upon exiting, we’re officially in Star Wars.  

The land itself is called Batuu, a fictional planet located on the outer rim of the cinematic galaxy.  While it was never featured in the film series, it feels a bit like Luke Skywalker’s home planet of Tatooine, but with some greenery. It’s home to a cast of characters from smugglers and traders to Resistance and the First Order.  While Imagineers took some creative license bringing Batuu to life, the vibe is unmistakably Star Wars, and that’s enough for me.

Rockwork forms boundaries on both sides of the pathway.  Lighting and fences along the sides feature thick wires between fixtures, looking simultaneously dated and futuristic, just like the Star Wars brand.  I passed the entrance to Rise of the Resistance on the left.  60 minute wait.  I’ll come back after I soak in the rest of the land.  

Batuu is home to the Black Spire Outpost, named for giant petrified trees that rise from the hillside on the left.  As I wandered further, I passed a full-sized X-Wing fighter, the type used by the Rebellion and the Resistance to counter enemy tie-fighters.  It’s so cool.

Continuing further in, I reach the Black Spire Outpost itself.  This bustling hub is home to restaurants, shops, and experiences, continuing the aesthetic of orange brown rockwork and complicated electrical components making it all work.  It’s wildly impressive, and I can’t begin to describe it accurately.

As I continued through Batuu, it just kept going.  It’s easily twice the size of any land at Universal.  I was looking for the Millennium Falcon, and that I’d walked this far without finding it left me baffled.  I finally rounded a corner by Oga’s Cantina and there it was, in all its clunky spit and glue glory.  It’s gotta be about 100 feet long and 30 feet high, and it’s hidden deep in a canyon with towering rock walls on all sides.  Musta been Chewy who landed it here.  I wanted to ride the Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run first, the work my up to Rise of the Resistance, but the wait was 75 minutes.  With Rise being shorter, I reversed course.

There is no entrance sign for Rise of the Resistance, because why would there be?  As recruits for the Resistance, we wouldn’t want to draw any First Order attention, would we?  We pass by a silver and blue blaster turret and begin navigating switchbacks heading for the hillside.  Fortunately, they’re empty until I enter the indoor portion, and it’s blissfully air conditioned.  While Hollywood Studios is a pretty park, it’s mostly themed to city streets meaning it’s all concrete and shade is only found in shadows.  I’d been sweating all day, and this was a welcome reprieve.

The queue winds through an underground passageway with varied supplies and provisions stacked throughout.  Again, the tunnels are a blend between manmade and natural caverns.  We pass a weapons and munitions storage bay, a uniform and flight suit locker, before encountering the first Resistance cast member.  It’s only been about 25 minutes in line and the attraction is about to begin!  

As new Resistance recruits, we’re escorted into a room where we meet BB-8 who facilitates a holographic message from one of our leaders.

With the mission set, we exit from the other side of the room back outdoors.  We’re on a tarmac, and we head directly towards the waiting transport shuttle.  Once onboard, we’re greeted by Lieutenant Bek, a Mon Calamari with that squid-like appearance.  He’s a stunning animatronic completely mistakable for an actual pilot, but there’s no time to marvel.  We take off in 20 seconds.

The transport shakes and rumbles as it takes off, and we prepare to make the jump to hyperspace, but we’re too late.  Tie fighters from the First Order overcome our tiny caravan.  Evasive action is futile, and we end up caught in the tractor beam, being pulled directly towards a lumbering Star Destroyer.

We succumb to the tractor beam and are sucked directly onto the flight deck of the Star Destroyer.  Lieutenant Bek reminds us to maintain the secret location of the base at all costs.  Upon landing, the doors open, and we’re taken by the First Order.

Now I talked extensively about grand reveals at Epic Universe, but this must be the bar none best I’ve seen yet.  We exit the transport onto the flight deck of the Star Destroyer to eerie silence.  An entire platoon of Storm Troopers stands with blasters ready between us and the vastness of space beyond.  The deck is probably four stories tall, and Kylo Ren’s red Tie Fighter is secured to the bulkhead.  Fortunately, the immersion is broken for a second here to allow for photos and videos of this spectacular set, but don’t take too long or the First Order guards will prod you forward.

We proceed down a long corridor in the Star Destroyer and are prepped for interrogation.  We’re directed to stand in lines as we wait. 

This is probably the only place in Disney World where cast members are intentionally rude, and I love how this sells the story.  Even rat ears are required to be removed before entering the interrogation chamber.  Eventually, the doors open, and we’re heading to meet our fate.

As Kylo leaves, the wall on the right begins glowing red.  A plasma cutter is creating an escape route for us!  We’re rushed aboard a pod operated by a droid, and Finn gives us a briefing.

The ride that follows is nothing short of brilliant!  It uses a trackless vehicle that’s omnidirectional and able to move freely over the floor.  Subsequent sets are grand and exciting with character interaction, animatronics, screen-based battles, flight simulations, and some special tricks.  I won’t give the ride experience away, but as expected, after several close calls, you manage to land safely back on Batuu.

So that same trackless ride vehicle exits outdoors and glides sideways into an unload bay.  I stepped off and I was completely blown away.  Greatest. Dark Ride.  Ever.  Period.  I couldn’t get past the realism, the scale, being inside and outside throughout the experience, and the total immersion.  Plus, I consider that the ride begins with that first pre-show since it’s non-stop action from there to disembarking.  I recorded audio for the entire attraction, and when I hit stop, I had over 22 minutes worth of exciting themed entertainment.  No podcast or YouTube hype can fully prepare you for Rise of the Resistance, and it completely blew my mind in every way.

I returned to Smuggler’s Run and it was still 75 minutes, so I decided to postpone that lengthy wait for later.  I returned to the main midway and saw that the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular started in about 20 minutes, and I figured that would be a nice way to take a break, so I grabbed an ice cream sundae at Hollywood Scoops and returned to watch the show.

The idea is that it’s a live action explanation of how stunts are completed on a movie set, and it reminded me of some of the older shows at Universal, as indeed this was part of the park on its opening day.  There’s hand-to-hand combat, gunfire, and plenty of pyro.  In the grand finale, Indy rescues Marion from an airplane before the entire German airfield bursts into flames.

The show was super fun, and filled with high-octane energy.  It runs several times per day and gives you an opportunity to sit down and relax for a few minutes.  Highly recommended.

I left the stunt show and walked across the midway to the Chinese Theater for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and settled in for another hour long line, however it went down just a few minutes in, so I decided to return to Galaxy’s Edge to ride the Millennium Falcon.

The wait was down to 30 minutes, but even better, I found that the single rider line was open.  Upon taking this option, I ended up missing the majority of the queue and the pre-show, but I was fine with that.  I breezed almost directly onboard.  The storyline?  We’re being recruited by Ohnaka Transport Solutions as pilots, gunners, and engineers for scheduled cargo runs.  We should expect heavy turbulence, sharp turns, and sudden drops along the route. 

I was grouped with a party of five.  Six positions are available in every flight, and single riders will usually be assigned to the engineer position at the back of the cockpit.  Fine by me.  Smuggler’s Run is an interactive flight simulator, and every position has a role, hitting flashing buttons at the appropriate times throughout the experience.  

My group is boarded, strapped in, and we’re ready to go.  It’s time to fly, and I can’t think of a single thing that could go wrong.  

We have a bit of a bumpy take-off, but fortunately the Falcon’s about as durable as they come.  We make the jump to lightspeed and arrive on a dark urban planet occupied by the First Order.  We’re attempting to steal some kind of valuable coaxial to help the Resistance, and of course make a profit!  We fly through canyons that appear to be part of a Star Destroyer, all the while chasing a suspended train carrying coaxial.  After securing two loads, we make our escape and return to Batuu.

So I liked this ride.  There wasn’t so much to do as an engineer that I couldn’t enjoy the visuals.  The screen is crisp, the motions are realistic, and I thought it was great!  I guess I could see how fellow thoosies would criticize it before riding Rise, as I’m sure expectations for this land were beyond sky high, and while Smuggler’s Run is fun, it certainly isn’t groundbreaking.  

Fortunately, Rise more than fulfills that role in the land, and as I headed back towards Hollywood, it sported a meager 35 minute wait.  Now bear in mind that Disney appears to count the entire pre-show before boarding the trackless system as part of the wait, so a 35 minute wait meant a mere ten minutes before boarding the transport, so that’s basically a walk on.  I was beyond thrilled to get a second ride on this attraction with such a short wait, and it was awesome to pick up on more nuances on my second time around.

Night was beginning to fall as I left Galaxy’s Edge, and I returned to the queue for Runaway Railway.  I really had no idea what I was in for with this attraction, but I’d heard it’s a must do in the park.  It opened in 2020, just before the world was shuddered for the Pandemic. Posters outside the theater promote the feature film, Mickey Mouse in Perfect Picnic with Goofy as engineer on a steam train in the background.  The line was 45 minutes, and we snaked our way through the outdoor switchbacks before entering the theater.

The lobby is tall with ornate Asian details of reds and golds as we wind our way around brass stanchions and chains.  After several minutes, we finally enter the theater.  Mickey and Minnie serenade us in song as they load up their red convertible heading to the park for a picnic.  On the way, Goofy passes the happy couple in a steam train and invites them to join him for a ride.  Then, disaster strikes.  Pluto and the picnic basket are bounced from the car’s trunk as they cross the tracks, and a pie lands in the locomotive’s smoke stack, resulting in an explosion, a broken engine, and a crack in the screen.  

Now, Goofy invites all of us theatergoers to walk through the screen, entering the cartoon for a train ride while he fixes the locomotive.  We’re led into the screen by a reluctant usher and enter the load station for the Runnamuck Park Trains.  I guess Goofy managed to fix the train because it pulls into the station good as new with the bell ringing.  The open cars are burgundy red with gold upholstery, and we’re invited to climb aboard.

We exit the station into a cartoonish representation of the park, and we meet up with Mickey and Minnie in their car.

The train then splits apart, and I didn’t have any idea that this is another trackless dark ride.  We move through several scenes in fantastical locations chased by Mickey and Minnie trying to rescue us.  Again, I don’t want to give away the surprises, but through a twist of fate and some daring do, the train rejoins Goofy and we conclude our scenic journey around the park. 

Charming.  I already used this word to describe Slinky Dog Dash, and I can’t come up with a better one for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.  It’s curiously the first ride-through experience featuring Mickey Mouse at a Disney park, and it’s got the old-timey feels of a classic Mickey short.  It’s silly slapstick comedy of the past combined with an ultra-modern ride system.  It’s everything you could want in an old school Disney dark ride, but the new-age tech gives it a unique twist.  It’s so much fun.

I exited the Chinese Theater bound for my final attraction of the night.  I had a Lightning Lane for Tower of Terror at 6:15 and it was just about that time.  I returned to Sunset Boulevard, and looked up at the menacing tower.  The facade of the Hollywood Tower Hotel is fully illuminated.  Windows briefly open and close as the elevators plummet above.  It’s a grand Mediterranean-style structure painted in coral with evidence of fire damage across its facade.  Like Expedition Everest, the tower is 199 feet tall to dodge the requirement for red aircraft warning lights.  I still had a few minutes, so I took a water break and sat down watching the ride in action as the clock ticked downward. 

As the clock struck the bottom of the hour, I headed for the entrance, scanned my phone at the orb, and entered the queue.  I walk through the dilapidated lobby of the hotel.  What was clearly the pinnacle of Hollywood luxury is now in complete disrepair and covered in cobwebs.  But what happened here?  We’re ushered into the Library, and it’s time to find out.

A bolt of lightning struck the Tower, and in that moment, an actor, a singer, a child star, her nanny, and a bellhop all vanished along with an entire wing of the hotel.

Now that’s a freaking introduction if I’ve ever heard one, and I’ve already got goosebumps guys.  We’re led out of the library into the boiler room, deep in the bowels of the hotel where we prepare to board that elevator.  A cast member directs us to one of 21 positions on the floor, corresponding to seats on the ride vehicle.  Then, the doors to the service elevator open, and we grab our seats.            

It’s a box with three rows of seats, and I ended up in the second row.  I was surprised to find nothing more than a seatbelt across a molded plastic bench to hold me in.  I thought this was supposed to be a high thrill attraction, but with such a tiny restraint, I assumed this would be more on the mild family thrill side.  Guess I gotta temper my expectations at Disney.

We were directed to self check the seatbelts by pulling the yellow loops, then raise our hands while the loading gate closed.  Here we go, let’s see what this ride is about.

The doors close, and we begin ascending into the Twilight Zone.  The doors open, and there’s an empty corridor ahead.  Figures of the five lost hotel guests flicker into view in black and white, then disappear with a flash of electricity.  We’re truly in our own episode now, and the doors close and we continue climbing.  

One stormy night long ago, five people stepped through the door of an elevator and into a nightmare.  That door is opening once again, and this time it’s opening for us.

A dark corridor stretches ahead, barely illuminated by amber incandescent lights.  They flicker, and then we move forward.  I was not expecting this! I mean, this is a drop ride, and elevators don’t just leave their shafts.  But then again, we’re firmly in the Twilight Zone now, so apparently anything can happen.  As we reach the end of the hallway, the lights go out, and we’re staring into the abyss of space.  We’re in pitch black, and the elevator comes to a stop.

Then it starts.  A sequence of sudden drops and ascents that completely took me by surprise.  The doors open and I’m looking outside over the park, paused for a split second.  We drop again.  Second window.  Then we’re back in the thick of the fifth dimension as this demented elevator bucks us out of our seats more times than I could count.  I’m talking ejector airtime people, and it’s prolonged and repetitive with nothing more than a seatbelt preventing me from hitting the ceiling.  It’s so exhilarating and completely shocking.  Alas, after the longest drop tower sequence I’ve ever experienced, we finally came to a stop.

Holy crap Disney.  I don’t think I’ve ever been blown away by any attraction like I was with Tower of Terror.  How is this even a Disney ride?  It’s so intense, and I can’t believe you get that kind of airtime with nothing more than a seatbelt.  This is a drop tower turned up beyond the fifth dimension.  It’s not just one drop, but a series of vertical movements that lasts forever.  Then add in that incredible build up from the story?  Chef’s Kiss.  Bravo.  Five stars.  Move over Falcon’s Fury.  This is the absolute best drop ride ever and it’s not even close.  And what a way to end out my night at Hollywood Studios.  

On that incredible high, I headed for the exit.  It was a phenomenal day, and pretty much everything I did exceeded expectations, and that’s saying something.  This park has some of the greatest dark rides ever.  I mean Rise of the Resistance is number one by far for me, but Tower of Terror is a dark ride too, right?  And Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, kinda?  And I loved Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.  They’re all different and enjoyable in their own ways.  I loved my food, the two immersive lands were over the top, and it was just a great time.  What’s more, I was able to ride everything I wanted to, and didn’t feel too much line fatigue.

So, how does this compare with Universal Studios Florida?  I’d say they’re close, but different.  I think Diagon Alley is the best of the three immersive lands, but I’d take Rise of the Resistance over Gringott’s.  Hollywood Studios has the edge for having a second immersive land in Toy Story.  Mummy versus Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster?  Probably a draw.  Universal has more dark rides, but not all of them are particularly good.  Hollywood Studios gets a slight edge for atmosphere.  Tower of Terror is stalwart.  Rip Ride Rock-It wasn’t.  I think Fast & Furious will be world class when it opens, but I’m getting ahead of myself.  Hollywood Studios has the Monsters, Inc. door coaster under construction, so either way, there’s a lot to look forward to.  At the end of the day, I don’t really want to pick a favorite.  They’re different, but equally great.  I’m glad they both exist, and they’re in my backyard.  

I climbed into my car and locked in what’s becoming an Orlando tradition, a deep dish pizza from Uno’s Chicago Grill.  I’ve gotten these the last few times I’ve been up this way because I love this style pizza, and I simply can’t get them back home, so it’s a rare treat.  Sure, it’s a chain restaurant, but Orlando’s probably got more of those than any U.S. city, so why not indulge? 

I picked up my pizza to save on Uber delivery fees, and returned to my hotel to feast.  I’m now halfway through my Disney adventure, and I’ve saved the two biggest parks for last.

Join me for the next episode when I return to Disney’s most iconic park for the first time as an adult.  I’ll get back on Space Mountain and hopefully enjoy it more than last time when I was too scared, experience beloved treasures like Pirates of the Caribbean, the Disney World Railroad, the Haunted Mansion and more, plus I’ll check out their newest roller coaster, TRON Lightcycle/Run on a monster episode at the Magic Kingdom.

But before that drops, I have a major announcement to make about my plans for the summer, so I’ll have a Redux Rundown episode announcing my biggest theme park trip ever, complete with an interview with some special guests.  That’s all coming very soon on Coaster Redux.