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Hollywood Studios - Animation Courtyard

Four themed areas at Hollywood Studios have multiple attractions. This statement may surprise you given that only four rides are in operation at the time of publication. What you’ve forgotten is that this park features a tremendous amount of shows, most of which are fantastic.

Animation Courtyard hosts two of them. I’m going to throw out Star Wars Launch Bay for the purposes of this conversation, however, since it’s neither a show nor a ride, just a series of merchandising locations and character meetings. That narrows the list down to Disney Junior – Live on Stage! and Voyage of the Little Mermaid. That’s a no-brainer, as the storytelling in The Little Mermaid show is sublime. It’s clearly the best attraction at Animation Courtyard.

Echo Lake

Image: DisneyThis themed land is difficult to debate since the offerings are so diverse. Star Tours is the only true ride in this section of the park. Jedi Training – Trials of the Temple and Star Wars: Path of the Jedi are quality shows for fans of the Rebel Alliance. Meanwhile, other movie franchise fans might prefer the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! or For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration. I believe the strongest contenders are the Frozen show and Star Tours, but I favor the ride that has stood the test of time for more than 30 years now. Star Tours rules Echo Lake…although it will become the WORST Star Wars ride one day soon when Galaxy’s Edge opens.

Sunset Boulevard

Image: DisneyUp until now, the discussions at Hollywood Studios were easy. Now, we have a dog fight. Sunset Boulevard features an incredible roller coaster, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. It also claims one of the best rides of all-time, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. It also has a tremendous show, Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage. And that’s not all! The Fantasmic! fireworks exhibition also takes place here each night.

I believe that all four of these attractions are worthy of repeated rides/viewings. I’ve chosen to narrow the list to the best ride and the most enjoyable show. To me, those selections are Twilight Zone Tower or Fantasmic!. It’s extremely difficult to choose a favorite since they’re completely different, and I love both. I grudgingly settled on Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, although I must be honest that on any given day, my answer might flip. What’s your opinion on this one? I’m genuinely curious.

 
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