Key Takeaways
- What: The Magic of Disney Animation, a four-part collection of animation experiences inspired by the Emmy Award-winning short film “Once Upon A Studio”
- Where: The Walt Disney Studios area at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, inside the former Star Wars: Launch Bay building
- When: Opens Monday, September 14, 2026. The surrounding courtyard already opened on May 26, 2026
- Details: Includes “Off the Page!” character meets, “Olaf Draws!” with a new Audio-Animatronics Olaf, the “Drawn to Wonderland” indoor playground, and the Once Upon A Studio Theater
If you are looking for the confirmed opening date, the full experience lineup, the complete drawing class roster, and what this actually costs you, OPEN’s guide to The Magic of Disney Animation has the verified details you need before September 14. Walt Disney World Resort has now released its clearest look yet at the finished building, and the picture is far more complete than the July announcement. Here is the bottom line for your next trip to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
- Opening Date and Location
- The Walt Disney Studios Courtyard
- Hidden Characters in the Courtyard
- What Is Inside the Building
- Once Upon A Studio Theater
- Off the Page! Character Meets
- Olaf Draws! Drawing Classes
- Drawn to Wonderland Playground
- Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!
- Does It Cost Extra?
- OPEN Take
- Rumor Radar
- Frequently Asked Questions
When Does The Magic of Disney Animation Open at Disney’s Hollywood Studios?
The Magic of Disney Animation opens on Monday, September 14, 2026 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Walt Disney World Resort confirmed the date on July 15, 2026. The attraction sits inside the building that housed Star Wars: Launch Bay, which closed on September 25, 2025. That same building held the original Magic of Disney Animation from May 1, 1989 until July 12, 2015. Cast Member previews began the week of September 8, 2026, which is the standard final step before a public opening. Source: Walt Disney World Resort press release.
| Date | Milestone | Status |
|---|---|---|
| September 25, 2025 | Star Wars: Launch Bay closes | Complete |
| May 20, 2026 | Reimagined courtyard soft opens to guests | Complete |
| May 26, 2026 | The Walt Disney Studios officially opens with Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! | Complete |
| September 8, 2026 | Cast Member previews begin | Underway |
| September 14, 2026 | The Magic of Disney Animation opens to the public | Confirmed |
What Is New in The Walt Disney Studios Courtyard?
The Walt Disney Studios courtyard replaced Animation Courtyard with a shaded, park-like plaza modeled on the real Burbank studio lot.
The area opened to guests on May 20, 2026 and hit its official opening on May 26, 2026. Walt Disney Imagineering pulled the architecture straight from the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, California, including a central building modeled on the Roy E. Disney Animation Building. Mickey’s Sorcerer Hat sits on top of that building, matching the real structure in California. The plaza adds lush trees, seating, and a retail location called the Studio Store for anyone hunting Disney merch in the area. Source: Disney Parks Blog.
Which Disney Characters Are Hidden in The Walt Disney Studios Courtyard?
Sculpted character figures sit throughout the courtyard, including Lucifer from Cinderella, Abu from Aladdin, Pua from Moana, and Thumper from Bambi.
The impact here is on how you walk the area. Imagineering tucked figures into planter walls, tree branches, garden beds, and building signage instead of putting them on a single stage. Abu perches inside the letter O on the Studio Store marquee. The pavement carries handprints, footprints, and pawprints from characters including Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, the Big Bad Wolf, and Pocahontas, a direct nod to the Chinese Theatre forecourt at the front of the park. Pluto’s Corner anchors the space as a dedicated character spot. Source: Disney Parks Blog.
Lucifer, Abu, Pua and Thumper, and the character handprint pavement in The Walt Disney Studios courtyard.
What Is Inside The Magic of Disney Animation Building?
The Magic of Disney Animation holds four experiences under one roof rather than a single ride or show.
The four named offerings are the Once Upon A Studio Theater, “Off the Page!”, “Olaf Draws!”, and “Drawn to Wonderland.” Disney has also confirmed an enchanted art gallery with animations created only for this location, plus prop displays and interactive moments spread through the halls. Guests enter past a group of character statues holding an “Open House” banner, including the Mad Hatter, Flounder, Moana, Jaq, and Minnie Mouse. A walkthrough released on September 9, 2026 also showed MagicBand+ interactions with Baymax inside the galleries. Source: Walt Disney World Resort preview post.
What Happens Inside the Once Upon A Studio Theater?
The Once Upon A Studio Theater screens the Emmy Award-winning short film that inspired the entire project, with added in-theater effects.
Disney Animation released “Once Upon A Studio” in 2023 as part of the studio’s 100th anniversary, and the short remains available on Disney+. Inside the theater, artwork lining the walls comes to life as the film plays, so characters appear alongside the audience. The adjoining enchanted art gallery holds curated Disney Animation artwork where individual pieces animate on their own. Source: Disney Parks Blog.
Which Characters Will You Meet at Off the Page at Hollywood Studios?
“Off the Page!” pairs six animation departments with character meet and greets, including Mulan, Rapunzel, Goofy, and Stitch.
Each stop is built as a working department from the animation pipeline, so the backdrop teaches the process while you take the photo. Rapunzel stands in the Layout department inside a setting modeled on the classic multiplane camera, with layers of painted backgrounds stacked behind her. Mulan poses in the Story department in front of an oversized storyboard panel. The experience is a joint build between Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Animation Studios. Source: Walt Disney World Resort press release.
The “Off the Page!” attraction poster and the Layout department multiplane setting with Rapunzel.
| Animation Department | Character | Setting Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Story | Mulan | Oversized storyboard panel |
| Layout | Rapunzel | Multiplane camera setup with layered backgrounds |
| Hand-Drawn Animation | Chip ‘n’ Dale | Traditional pencil animation desk |
| Computer Animation | Donald Duck and Daisy Duck | Digital animation workstation |
| Lighting | Goofy | Scene lighting environment |
| Effects | Stitch | Effects animation environment |
Dan Abraham, a Walt Disney Animation Studios director and co-director of the “Once Upon A Studio” short, said the goal was to let guests see studio history alongside the characters, and to inspire the next group of animators the way the original building did.
How Does Olaf Draws Work at The Magic of Disney Animation?
“Olaf Draws!” is a seated drawing class hosted by a new Audio-Animatronics Olaf, with real Disney animators appearing through pre-recorded video.
The room is modeled on Olaf’s scene in “Once Upon A Studio,” where he sits at an animator’s desk and discovers drawing. The figure sits on a copy of “The Illusion of Life” by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, used as a booster seat. Josh Gad recorded original dialogue for the experience as the voice of Olaf. Guests draw on paper printed with “The Magic of Disney Animation” branding and an image of the Roy E. Disney Animation Building. Source: Walt Disney World Resort press release.
The “Olaf Draws!” poster and a rendering of the class in session.
Which Disney Characters and Artists Are in the Olaf Draws Class Lineup?
Nine drawing lessons rotate through the room, each led on video by a named Walt Disney Animation Studios artist.
The roster mixes hand-drawn classics with modern films, and the credits attached to each artist are the real value here. Eric Goldberg animated Genie in “Aladdin,” and he teaches the Genie lesson. Byron Howard directed “Zootopia,” and he handles Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. Source: Disney Parks Blog.
Disney Animation artists recording the drawing lessons at light tables.
| Character | Disney Animation Artist | Role and Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Mickey Mouse | Dan Abraham | Director (“Once Upon A Studio,” “Baymax!”) |
| Minnie Mouse | Hyun Min Lee | Animator (“Frozen 2,” “The Princess and the Frog”) |
| Donald Duck | Austin Traylor | Animator (“Once Upon A Studio,” “Moana 2”) |
| Genie | Eric Goldberg | Animator (“Aladdin,” “Hercules”) |
| Moana | Samantha Vilfort | Story artist (“Encanto,” “Zootopia 2”) |
| Stitch | Fawn Veerasunthorn | Director and head of story (“Wish,” “Raya and the Last Dragon”) |
| Olaf | Trent Correy | Director (“Once Upon A Studio,” “Frozen 3”) |
| Ursula | Michael Woodside | Animator (“Big Hero 6,” “Encanto”) |
| Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde | Byron Howard | Director (“Zootopia,” “Zootopia 2”) |
Who Is the Drawn to Wonderland Playground Built For?
“Drawn to Wonderland” is an indoor playground aimed at guests roughly six months to five years old.
The design pulls directly from Mary Blair concept art for the 1951 film “Alice in Wonderland.” The space includes the Mad Tea Party, the Mad Hatter’s house, the Queen of Hearts rose garden, and the Cheshire Cat’s Tulgey Wood. For families touring Walt Disney World with toddlers, this is an air-conditioned reset point in a park that has been short on them. Source: Walt Disney World Resort press release.
The “Drawn to Wonderland” poster alongside the Mad Tea Party and Mad Hatter play areas.
What Easter Eggs Are Hidden Inside The Magic of Disney Animation?
Walt Disney Imagineering built a full Animator’s Office packed with real studio artifacts, props, and film references.
The centerpiece detail is the animation desk itself, which was salvaged from the original Animation Academy at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The shelves hold a small model of the Disney Feature Animation building in Burbank and branded ping-pong balls that were once gifted to animators there. A bulletin board carries a molded Donald mirror with Huey, Dewey, and Louie that belongs to director Dan Abraham, along with a copy of “Rabbit Rabbit,” the studio’s internal magazine. A coat rack holds a “Moana” baseball cap and a “Hercules” jacket. Source: Walt Disney Imagineering.
Smaller props are scattered at eye level and below, so plan on a slow second walk through the halls. Confirmed finds include Lilo’s ragdoll Scrump strapped to a roller skate, a box of Kanine Krunchies from “One Hundred and One Dalmatians,” a Tinker Bell figure resting on a poinsettia petal between stacks of animation paper, and a color study of Winnie the Pooh’s honey pot set near a chandelier built from illuminated paint bottles and brushes. OPEN will keep tracking new finds at orlandopen.com as guests report them after opening day.
Scrump, Kanine Krunchies, Tinker Bell, and the paint bottle chandelier hidden inside the building.
Pencil production sketch murals also run along the walls, pulling deep cuts from the Disney Animation library. Confirmed characters in the murals include Oliver from “Oliver and Company,” Fix-It Felix Jr., Maid Marian, Mr. Toad from “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad,” Merlin from “The Sword in the Stone,” Captain Hook, and Tod and Copper from “The Fox and the Hound.”
Pencil production sketch murals lining the interior walls.
What Else Is Open in The Walt Disney Studios Area?
Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! and “The Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure” both operate in the same area.
Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! opened on May 26, 2026 in the soundstage that previously held Disney Jr. Play and Dance! The show is based on the series “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+” and runs as an interactive search for Mickey and Minnie’s missing friends, with Goofy, Daisy Duck, and Pluto appearing later in the story. The nearby Studio Theater continues to run “The Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure.” Walt Disney Presents also remains open on Mickey Avenue within the same land. Source: Disney Parks Blog.
Does The Magic of Disney Animation Cost Extra at Disney’s Hollywood Studios?
Walt Disney World Resort has not announced any separate ticket, upcharge, or paid reservation for The Magic of Disney Animation.
As of September 9, 2026, the attraction is presented as a standard part of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which means regular park admission and a park reservation. Disney has also not published a Lightning Lane Multi Pass assignment for the attraction or for any of the four experiences inside it. That matters for your wallet in a simple way: nothing here currently requires spending beyond your ticket, and anything you buy in the Studio Store is optional. Source: Walt Disney World Resort press release.
OPEN Take: What This Means for Your Next Hollywood Studios Day
This is a strong addition to Disney’s Hollywood Studios because it returns a hands-on activity the park lost in 2015.
The main point of debate has been “Olaf Draws!” running on an Audio-Animatronics figure and recorded video instead of a live Cast Member artist leading each class. Our read is that the format holds up. The recorded lessons put nine working Disney Animation artists in the room, including people who animated Genie and directed “Zootopia,” and no single live host could cover that range. Olaf’s dialogue adds pacing and humor that keeps kids in their seats for the full lesson, which is the part that decides whether a family finishes the drawing or walks out halfway through.
The Burbank recreation also lands. Anyone who has seen the real Walt Disney Studios lot from the outside will recognize the proportions, the signage, and the building shapes. That level of matching is not typical for a park retheme of this size.
Two things we want Disney to keep. First, the roaming characters in the courtyard. Free roaming character appearances make the plaza feel like an active studio lot instead of a walkway, and guest reaction during the summer phase was strong. Second, the six-department layout at “Off the Page!” That structure gives Cast Members a real rotation and gives guests variety on repeat visits, and pairing Donald and Daisy in the Computer Animation department is the kind of combination that rarely gets a dedicated meet location. For opening week strategy and updated appearance times, keep OPEN bookmarked alongside our Orlando events calendar.
Rumor Radar
Two open questions remain heading into opening day, and neither has been confirmed by Walt Disney World Resort.
Source: Absence of a Lightning Lane assignment on official Walt Disney World attraction listings and the My Disney Experience app, plus guest reports gathered during the May soft-open phase
The first is whether The Magic of Disney Animation gets added to Lightning Lane Multi Pass after opening. Walt Disney World Resort has published no Lightning Lane assignment for the building or its individual experiences. The second is whether the free roaming character appearances seen in The Walt Disney Studios courtyard during the summer phase become a permanent daily offering or shift to standard queued meet and greets once the building opens. Neither point has been addressed publicly.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does The Magic of Disney Animation open at Disney’s Hollywood Studios?
The Magic of Disney Animation opens on Monday, September 14, 2026 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, inside The Walt Disney Studios area that replaced Animation Courtyard.
What experiences are inside The Magic of Disney Animation?
The Magic of Disney Animation includes four experiences: the Once Upon A Studio Theater, “Off the Page!” character meets, the “Olaf Draws!” drawing class, and the “Drawn to Wonderland” indoor playground.
Which characters can you meet at Off the Page at Disney’s Hollywood Studios?
Guests may meet Mulan in Story, Rapunzel in Layout, Chip ‘n’ Dale in Hand-Drawn Animation, Donald Duck and Daisy Duck in Computer Animation, Goofy in Lighting, and Stitch in Effects.
Does Olaf Draws use a real animator or an animatronic?
“Olaf Draws!” is hosted by a new Audio-Animatronics Olaf figure, with nine Walt Disney Animation Studios artists teaching the individual lessons through pre-recorded video segments.
What age group is Drawn to Wonderland designed for?
“Drawn to Wonderland” is an indoor playground designed for young children roughly six months to five years old, themed to Mary Blair’s original “Alice in Wonderland” concept art.
Looking Ahead
The Magic of Disney Animation completes the phased rollout of The Walt Disney Studios at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
The courtyard landed in May, Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! followed on the same date, and the main building closes the project on September 14. Expect heavy crowds through opening week and into the first weekend, especially at “Olaf Draws!” where seating capacity limits throughput. Families with toddlers should plan around “Drawn to Wonderland” filling quickly during midday heat. OPEN will publish updated wait data, character appearance patterns, and any Lightning Lane changes once the attraction is operating with regular guests.
Follow the OPEN News Desk on X (Twitter) for real-time updates and structural tracking matrices.
