A Great Day 5 At Hollywood Studios | Lightsabers, Tower of Terror, MuppetVision 3D
We are at the exact mid-point of our Walt Disney World Vacation and we are at Disney's Hollywood Studios. We are hitting up some of the big rides, saying good-bye to an attraction and a restaurant and I finally get to build my lightsaber!
Day 5: Hollywood Studios & A Dream Come True
We’re halfway through our Walt Disney World vacation, and I’ve got something really exciting planned.
Hey everybody, welcome to the channel! I am Joe, and today is day five of our Walt Disney World vacation. If you haven’t seen any of our previous videos, you can check out the first one and I’ll leave links down below as well.
Today, we’re heading to Disney’s Hollywood Studios—and I’m finally doing something I’ve never had the chance to do before due to past cancellations… I’m building my lightsaber.
Now, that might not be much of a surprise given you can probably spot one in the background and on the thumbnail—but it’s super exciting. I’m so happy I finally got to do it, and even more excited to share it with you.
Let’s get into it.
Arrival at the Park & Rise of the Resistance
We made our way via the Skyliner from Disney’s Pop Century Resort to Hollywood Studios. Our plan was to get to Batuu as fast as possible and beat the long lines for Rise of the Resistance.
Well… we thought we were being sharp.
We got into line in time for early entry, but Rise of the Resistance was down. So we waited things out. Eventually, we did get on the ride, though the pre-show had to be skipped—which was a bit of a bummer for the kids on their first experience.
We essentially took a route similar to the single rider path and entered where the Stormtroopers are. After the delay, the total wait ended up being about 70 minutes—but still worth it.
A Quick Trip on Star Tours
After that, we headed over to Star Tours for a quick ride before our first Lightning Lane. We got a fun sequence featuring a probe droid, Kashyyyk, Naboo, and a message from Admiral Ackbar.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Next up was our first Lightning Lane: Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
With a posted wait time of 50 minutes, we got on in just 5 minutes thanks to Lightning Lane—definitely a win.
Lunch at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater
After the ride, we made our way to an early lunch at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater.
I treated myself to a milkshake, and Carrie grabbed a Sam Adams seasonal draft. For food:
Reese had a cheeseburger
I had the classic American burger (minus cheese)
Abby had the “Beamed Up” burger
Carrie had the feature film burger (though we can’t remember which feature it was!)
The cook on all the burgers was excellent, and the fries and onion rings were perfectly seasoned and crispy.
Nothing particularly standout about the food—but the ambiance is what makes this place. It’s just a fun dining experience.
Saying Goodbye to MuppetVision 3D
Next, we headed to Grand Avenue to experience something close to my heart one last time: MuppetVision 3D.
The crowds were noticeably heavier than usual due to the announced closure. It was a bittersweet moment saying goodbye to such a classic attraction.
Finally Building a Lightsaber at Savi’s Workshop
Then came the moment we’d been waiting for.
We headed to Savi’s Workshop to build our lightsabers—something that was originally planned for our canceled 2020 trip.
I went with a Power and Control build, while also incorporating Peace and Justice elements for variety.
The experience itself? Incredible.
As someone who has lived and breathed Star Wars my entire life, nothing has ever felt quite like this. The storytelling, the atmosphere, and the care put into every detail made it truly special.
I do wish they still offered the “nature” category with wood and bone elements—Carrie definitely would’ve chosen that. And a few more customization options wouldn’t hurt either.
But overall? Absolutely worth it. A true bucket list experience.
Tower of Terror Thrills
After building our lightsabers, we dropped them off at the hotel and headed to the Hollywood Tower Hotel for a ride on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
Posted wait: 50 minutes
Actual time to pre-show: 4 minutes (thank you, Lightning Lane!)
Snacks, Toy Story Mania & A Pretzel
Outside Tower of Terror, I grabbed a Frozen “Fear” Lemonade from Joffrey’s. Very lemon-forward (as expected), with a hint of grape—super refreshing.
Next stop: Toy Story Land for Toy Story Mania.
Posted wait: 45 minutes
Actual wait: 6 minutes
Afterward, we grabbed a cheddar jalapeño pretzel from the Animation Courtyard.
Verdict? Delicious. Slight spice, great flavor, crispy outside, and gooey cheese inside.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Back to Galaxy’s Edge we went for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.
Fast-paced, chaotic fun—and always a blast stepping aboard the Falcon.
Dinner at Mama Melrose’s (With a Twist)
Dinner took us back to Grand Avenue for another farewell—this time to Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano.
However, things took a turn.
After Abby had been sick earlier in the trip, Carrie started feeling unwell again and had to head back to the hotel before dinner.
So the three of us carried on:
I had the chicken parmesan (top 3 I’ve ever had—juicy, flavorful, incredible)
Reese had spaghetti and meatballs
Abby had Mama’s pasta with shrimp, kale, mushrooms, and butternut squash
Desserts:
Reese: spaghetti & meatball cupcake
Me: cannoli
Abby: tiramisu (her favorite ever)
Everything was fantastic—especially the chicken parm and tiramisu.
One Last Ride & Solving the Mystery
To let Carrie rest, we squeezed in one more ride on Tower of Terror.
Fun fact: Abby’s leftover tiramisu turned into a “tiramisu smoothie” after riding. According to the kids—it was still good!
When we got back to the hotel, Carrie was feeling much better—and we finally figured out the issue.
It turns out the popcorn at Disney uses a yellow dye instead of butter, and a small percentage of people react poorly to it. Carrie had eaten popcorn both times she felt sick.
Once she stopped eating it? Totally fine for the rest of the trip.
Wrapping Up the Day
We didn’t do a ton that day—but what we did was big:
Rode Rise of the Resistance (eventually!)
Built lightsabers
Said goodbye to some favorite attractions
Enjoyed some great food
The kids didn’t build lightsabers—that was their choice. Reese actually did something else we’ll show in a future post.
Let me know in the comments—what’s your favorite Disney experience? Something like Savi’s Workshop, or something else entirely?
And until next time…
If you can’t see the magic, make it magical.
