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Hollywood Studios vs Universal Islands Of Adventure

Which is better? Side-by-side wait times, ride counts, opening hours and a clear recommendation based on what you're after.

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Hollywood Studios
United States
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Hollywood Studios vs Universal Islands Of Adventure: at a glance

Choose Hollywood Studios if...

  • You want the experience described above - Hollywood Studios's character, rides and atmosphere
  • Live queue times show shorter waits at Hollywood Studios today (check the stats above)
  • You want to ride Hollywood Studios's headline coasters and themed areas without crossing them off a big list at Universal Islands Of Adventure
  • You're planning a single-park day and want to focus your energy on one place

Choose Universal Islands Of Adventure if...

  • You want the experience described above - Universal Islands Of Adventure's character, rides and atmosphere
  • Live queue times show shorter waits at Universal Islands Of Adventure today (check the stats above)
  • You want to ride Universal Islands Of Adventure's headline coasters and themed areas without crossing them off a big list at Hollywood Studios
  • You're planning a single-park day and want to focus your energy on one place

About each park

Hollywood Studios

Disney's Hollywood Studios is the movie-themed park at Walt Disney World, opened in 1989. Its major attractions are some of Disney's most technically ambitious rides: Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Slinky Dog Dash, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, Tower of Terror, and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. Galaxy's Edge and Toy Story Land are the two most popular themed lands.

Hollywood Studios often posts the longest queue times of any Disney park, with Rise of the Resistance and Slinky Dog Dash routinely over 90 minutes. US school holidays and special events drive the biggest crowds. Check live wait times immediately on arrival and head for Rise of the Resistance first. Use our crowd calendar to pick a lower-crowd date for your visit.

Universal Islands Of Adventure

Universal's Islands of Adventure is widely regarded as one of the best theme parks in the world. Its line-up blends record-breaking coasters with detailed themed lands: Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, VelociCoaster, The Incredible Hulk Coaster, Pteranodon Flyers, and the classic Jurassic Park River Adventure. The Wizarding World's Hogsmeade is the park's most iconic area.

Like its sister Studios park, Islands of Adventure stays busy year-round, with Hagrid's and VelociCoaster consistently posting the longest queues. Peak periods are US school holidays, Halloween Horror Nights and Christmas. Check live wait times immediately on arrival and head to Hagrid's first. Use our crowd calendar to pick the quietest possible date for your trip.

Common questions

Which is better, Hollywood Studios or Universal Islands Of Adventure?

It depends on what you're after. Hollywood Studios and Universal Islands Of Adventure both appeal to different crowds - this page shows live queue times, ride counts and opening hours side by side so you can judge against your own priorities. Generally: go for the park with shorter average waits today if you want to maximise rides, and pick on theme/nostalgia if you're splitting a longer trip across both.

Which has shorter queues, Hollywood Studios or Universal Islands Of Adventure?

Queues change hour by hour. Right now the live data above shows the average wait at both parks and the longest/shortest live queues. Mid-week visits outside school holidays give the shortest queues at either park. Use the Hollywood Studios best time to visit and Universal Islands Of Adventure best time to visit tools to pick a quiet day.

Can I visit Hollywood Studios and Universal Islands Of Adventure in the same trip?

Yes - both parks are in United States, so a two-park trip is realistic over a long weekend. Split the days so you start at whichever opens earliest and drive to the other in the evening.

How many rides does each park have?

See the live data above for today's ride counts - or jump to Hollywood Studios and Universal Islands Of Adventure for the full ride lists.

Is Hollywood Studios bigger than Universal Islands Of Adventure?

Park size is less useful than how many rides you can actually get on in a day - that comes down to queue times and opening hours. The comparison above shows ride counts and live wait times for both.

Want a different comparison?

Our custom comparison tool lets you pick any two or three parks from 88+ and see them side by side.

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