I toured The Magic of Disney Animation before it opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Here’s what guests can expect from this nostalgic and interactive new experience.
After attending an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of The Magic of Disney Animation at Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios, I was able to see that it’s a space that welcomes guests of all ages to get lost in the stories of Disney’s past, cool off from the sun while playing in an Alice in Wonderland-themed playground, and even learn to draw from an Audio-Animatronics figure of Frozen’s Olaf.
The Previous Magic of Disney Animation
The Magic of Disney Animation is set to open in late summer 2026, and it’s actually in the same space where an attraction of the same name lived until July 12, 2015. What was so special about this attraction was that, for a time, it took place in the same space as Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida, where such films as Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, and Brother Bear were made.
In the old attraction, guests could actually walk up to a window and see actual animators at work, watch a film where Walter Cronkite and Robin Williams would guide guests through the different stages of animating a movie, and much more. While that studio was shuttered in 2005, the spirit of the work done there lived on until Star Wars Launch Bay took over in 2015. Soon, that building will once again teach guests how Disney films are brought to life in an interactive way.
The New Walt Disney Studios
Our tour began in the previous Animation Courtyard (now The Walt Disney Studios), which is now open to all guests. This courtyard, and the Roy E. Disney Animation Building inside of it with its iconic Sorcerer Mickey Hat, are inspired by the actual Walt Disney Animation Studios lot in Burbank, California. This welcoming space with grass, trees, and characters like Pua, Thumper, and Lucifer is meant for kids and kids at heart to have a space to run around, relax, have a snack, and more. It’s also filled with a ton of Disney touches, including Pluto’s Corner with the iconic Dopey Drive sign and a section of handprints like those found at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (Now known as TCL Chinese Theatre).
Photo Courtesy of Disney
While Hollywood’s theatre may be filled with the handprints of celebrities, these are hand (and paw!) prints from beloved Disney characters. Some of my favorites include Wreck-It Ralph taking up four squares and Simba’s paw being placed on top of Mufasa’s. Alongside other nods like posters and such, the courtyard is also home to The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure and the new show, Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! It’s also a space where Rapunzel may surprise guests with a game of Duck, Duck, Goose, or Pluto may start dancing in his corner. These emergent moments are already happening, and it’s fun to think of what else can be done in that space.
Photo Courtesy of Disney
When The Magic of Disney Animation opens later this summer, it will obviously be one of the main attractions of this whole area, as it features four distinct spaces that we’ll break down below, including the Drawn to Wonderland playground, Off the Page!, Olaf Draws!, and the Once Upon a Studio Theater.
The Magic of Disney Animation Tells the Story of How Disney Films Are Brought to Life
Drawn to Wonderland
The Drawn to Wonderland playground was the most completed part of The Magic of Disney Animation, and it looks like you’ve just entered the world of Alice in Wonderland, thanks to the concept art from Disney Legend Mary Blair that is filled with colors, imagination, and “whimsy.”
This play space is meant for kids ages six months to five years old, and it is even segmented in a way to keep kids of similar ages together. When you enter the space, you will be greeted by a kids-sized table recreation of The Mad Tea Party and the Mad Hatter’s House. Kids can go into the house and climb through a playground-like area with multiple levels, and this will all lead to the Queen of Hearts’ rose garden that is like a very easy hedge maze.
Photo Courtesy of Disney
The maze then takes you to the Cheshire Cat’s Tulgey Woods, and that section even has a roller slide that will feature some fun surprises for those who go down. Every corner, even the little section for the youngest explorers, is meant to immerse guests in the art of one of the most famous artists in Disney history and feel as if they are part of Alice in Wonderland. Oh, and when you just need a break and some A/C, Disney assured us there will be plenty of seating for adults.
Not only will this serve as an indoor playground that will give guests a reprieve from the Florida sun, but it is another part of the story The Magic of Disney Animation is trying to tell and a space that may help inspire the next generation of animators.
Off the Page!
Off the Page! is a space where guests will be able to meet their favorite Disney characters and learn more about how films are made. While this space wasn’t fully completed yet either, what I love is that it is set in the actual space the animators used to work at Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida. In a fun little detail, the office of Tangled director Byron Howard was actually where guests will be able to meet Rapunzel, and I think those details and honoring of the history of this place go a long way.
Photo Courtesy of Disney
Each of these spaces, once completed, will tell one part of how an animated film is made. For example, guests will be able to visit Mulan in the story department, where she will be standing in front of a giant storyboard panel. Speaking of Rapunzel, she will be in the Layout department and her backdrop will be inspired by the classic multiplane camera. This will be seen as layers of backgrounds and painted cells coming together to present a scene with depth and charm that was seen in Disney’s earliest films.
Elsewhere, guests will be able to meet Chip n’ Dale in Hand-Drawn Animation, Donald and Daisy in Computer Animation, Goofy in Lighting, and Stitch in Effects. And once again, Stitch was brought to life in this very building, and guests will be able to learn that history in a fun and engaging way.
The Studio Store
Photo Courtesy of Disney
Remember, I mentioned that guests used to be able to walk up to a window and see animators at work in the old attraction? That area has now become a sort of reception area that will feature even more Disney nods and fun moments, and it will be just a few short steps away from the exit to the new Studio Store.
Olaf Draws!
Olaf Draws! is a space that will teach guests of all ages how to draw their favorite Disney characters. We saw him sitting at an animator’s desk in Once Upon a Studio, and he will do so again in Olaf Draws! to help us make some art we can be proud of. And yes, he will actually be there in the room with us as a brand-new Audio-Animatronics figure, and Josh Gad even recorded original dialogue just for this experience.
Photo Courtesy of Disney
Olaf won’t be alone either, as he will be joined by some of the greatest Disney animators of the past, who will give us a pre-recorded, step-by-step guide on how to bring these characters to life with special tricks, techniques, and stories. As for what guests can expect, check out this list below;
- Mickey Mouse, with Dan Abraham, director (Once Upon A Studio, Baymax!)
- Minnie Mouse, with Hyun Min Lee, animator (Frozen 2, The Princess and the
- Frog)
- Donald Duck, with Austin Traylor, animator (Once Upon A Studio, Moana 2)
- Genie, with Eric Goldberg, animator (Aladdin, Hercules)
- Moana, with Samantha Vilfort, story artist (Encanto, Zootopia 2)
- Stitch, with Fawn Veerasunthorn, director and head of story (Wish, Raya and the
- Last Dragon)
- Olaf, with Trent Correy, director (Once Upon A Studio, Frozen 3)
- Ursula, with Michael Woodside, animator (Big Hero 6, Encanto)
- Judy Hopps & Nick Wilde, with Byron Howard, director (Zootopia, Zootopia 2)
Once Upon a Studio Theater
The Once Upon a Studio Theater is a place for guests to relax and watch the Walt Disney Animation Studios short film called Once Upon a Studio that was developed in celebration of The Walt Disney Company’s 100th anniversary.
This Emmy Award-winning short was actually another huge inspiration for this space, as it tells the story of what happens at this animation building when the animators go home for the day. As you can imagine, it means our characters come to life, and this will be represented here in some special ways.
While we didn’t get to see the space, they assured us that there will be portraits on the side of the theater that may come to life as you are watching the short film. There will also be an enchanted art gallery that features even more of these characters that really don’t like standing still in their portraits. Furthermore, these characters will be brought to life with brand-new animations made exclusively for this space.
Inspiring New Generations
I have been so excited for The Magic of Disney Animation since we first learned it would be coming back to Hollywood Studios for so many reasons. However, the main one is that it is another choice by Disney to honor its history while, hopefully, inspiring new generations to believe in the power of storytelling and animation.
From Walt Disney – A Magical Life to the changes being made to Carousel of Progress, like adding Walt himself, Disney, and Imagineering have shown that they are taking the over 100-year history of The Walt Disney Company very seriously. A lot of these projects aren’t necessarily the biggest ticket items, but they represent something even more and aim to teach in a fun and entertaining way. Instead of just thrills and spectacle, these attractions can also potentially offer something truly priceless – a spark.
It’s hard to fully understand where someone’s spark comes from, but spaces like this that bring stories to life in such a joyous way provide a chance for that idea to become something greater, something that drives a person to chase their dreams and truly believe they can come true, and that’s worth more than words can say.
