Big changes continue at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, with a kid-approved new attraction slated to take over Star Wars Launch Bay in 2026.
Hollywood Studios is going back to its roots – well, kind of. The Disney World theme park, which originally opened as a working studio lot, is getting a brand-new experience that’s wonderfully kid-friendly for all ages. And this new attraction is directly inspired by the history of Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Called “The Magic of Disney Animation,” this new experience will transform an existing portion of Hollywood Studios and bring the Burbank, California animation studios to life in a new way. Below, we’re sharing everything we know (so far!).
“The Magic of Disney Animation” Brings Animation to Life
“The Magic of Disney Animation” will bring the storied history and heart of Disney animation to life in fresh ways inside Hollywood Studios. Housed in a building reminiscent of the Roy E. Disney Animation Building – complete with Mickey’s iconic Sorcerer’s Hat, once the icon of Hollywood Studios – the experience will invite kids to draw, dream, and try their hand at brand-new animated experiences.
Inside, it’ll feel like Disney animators have stepped away for a minute – all while characters have come to life. Guests can visit the many different studio departments alongside their favorite faces from beloved Disney stories.
Parents and kids alike will love the playful, interactive opportunities in “The Magic of Disney Animation.” Portraits will come to life (just like they did in “Once Upon A Studio”), short films will play, and guests can even draw their own character sketches.
For the littlest kids, there will also be some special fun here: The “Drawn to Wonderland” playground will feature oversized flowers, musical instruments, a Mad Tea Party playset, and a Tulgey Wood exploration area. Kids can climb, play, and explore in a space inspired by Mary Blair’s original Alice in Wonderland concept. (And good news, parents: It’ll be entirely indoors!)
Of course, you can also expect some character encounters to happen at “The Magic of Disney Animation,” too.
Off the Page
Photo Courtesy of Disney
Character meet and greets will also be available at “The Magic of Disney Animation”! “Off the Page!” is a collaboration between Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering, where you can meet Disney characters across six unique departments from the animation studio:
- Story
- Layout
- Hand-Drawn Animation
- Computer Animation
- Lighting
- Effects
This will include the chance to meet Mulan in the Story department, posing in front of an oversized storyboard panel. Rapunzel will be in the Layout department, in a setting inspired by the classic multiplane camera. When you align your camera just right, you’ll see layers of backgrounds and painted cells come together.
When Will “The Magic of Disney Animation” Open?
“The Magic of Disney Animation” is slated to open in the late summer of 2026.
Existing Attractions Will Close to Make Way for “The Magic of Disney Animation”
In order to bring “The Magic of Disney Animation” to life, Hollywood Studios will be reshaped in a few ways.
The experience is slated to take over the current home of Star Wars: Launch Bay in 2026. The building that houses Star Wars: Launch Bay will be transformed into one inspired by those at Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank. And, as a result, the rest of Animation Courtyard will also be reimagined to look like the studio.
This also means a popular attraction for toddlers, preschoolers, and young kids will close: Disney Jr. Play and Dance!
On September 25, 2025, both Disney Jr. Play and Dance! and Animation Courtyard officially closed to make way for these changes. However, guests can still catch “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” and Walt Disney Presents after these closures happen.
