LAKE BUENA VISTA — Disney’s Hollywood Studios will open The Magic of Disney Animation on Sept. 14, introducing a collection of indoor experiences that puts the craft of animation back near the center of the park’s identity.
The attraction occupies a building modeled after the Roy E. Disney Animation Building in Burbank, California, complete with Mickey Mouse’s familiar Sorcerer Hat above the entrance. It anchors a broader reworking of the former Animation Courtyard, now styled as the Walt Disney Studios lot.
The timing carries some history. When the Florida park opened in 1989, guests could see working animators and learn how characters moved from sketches to the screen. Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida later produced work on films including “Mulan,” “Lilo & Stitch” and “Brother Bear” before the studio closed in 2004. The park’s original Magic of Disney Animation attraction remained until 2015.
The new version is not a recreation of that tour. Instead, it is a family-oriented mix of play areas, drawing instruction, character greetings and galleries inspired by “Once Upon a Studio,” the Emmy-winning short that brought characters from across Disney Animation together.
A hands-on return to drawing
One of the main experiences, “Olaf Draws!,” invites visitors to follow recorded instruction from Disney artists while an Audio-Animatronics Olaf appears at an animator’s desk. The rotating lessons may feature characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Moana, Stitch, Ursula, Genie, Olaf, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde.
For younger visitors, “Drawn to Wonderland” turns concept art associated with Disney artist Mary Blair into an indoor play space. Its rooms draw from “Alice in Wonderland,” including the Mad Hatter’s house, the Queen of Hearts’ rose garden and Tulgey Wood.
The “Off the Page!” area uses character encounters to introduce stages of animation production. Disney says guests may find Mulan in a story setting, Rapunzel in layout, Chip and Dale in hand-drawn animation, Donald and Daisy in computer animation, Goofy in lighting and Stitch in effects. Character availability can change, but the settings are designed to make the production process part of the meeting rather than a backdrop.
Details aimed at longtime fans
Disney says all 64 of its animated feature films are represented somewhere in the complex. Props and visual references include Eeyore’s tail, the Sundrop Flower from “Tangled,” Lilo’s doll Scrump and an animation desk preserved from the former Animation Academy.
The Once Upon a Studio Theater will screen the short film with added environmental effects, while an enchanted gallery uses new animation to bring framed character artwork to life.
For Florida visitors, the opening adds a mostly indoor, multigenerational attraction at a park known for live shows and thrill rides. It also restores a visible link to Hollywood Studios’ earliest years, when the process of making entertainment was itself part of the entertainment.
That balance of nostalgia and participation may be the attraction’s clearest appeal. Adults who remember the former animation tour can recognize the setting’s history, while children get room to draw, play and meet characters without needing to know what occupied the building before.
The Magic of Disney Animation opens Monday, Sept. 14, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Park admission and a valid reservation, when required, are needed. Guests should check Walt Disney World’s official schedule before visiting.
