The Magic of Disney Animation has barely had time to settle into Disney's Hollywood Studios before its daily schedule is already getting trimmed. The experience officially opened September 14, 2026, with hours running from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. — a generous 12-hour window that gave guests plenty of flexibility, including late-evening visits.
That changes on September 28, when the attraction shifts to a 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. schedule. The new hours shave four hours off each end of the day, meaning guests who haven't made it inside by 6 p.m. will be out of luck. Disney hasn't offered a public explanation for the reduction, though the longer introductory hours likely reflected the buzz around opening weekend and the soft-opening preview period that preceded it.
The experience itself is housed in the former Star Wars: Launch Bay building and offers several distinct areas. Olaf Draws pairs guests with an Audio-Animatronics Olaf and recorded lessons from Disney Animation artists. Off the Page features character interactions in spaces designed around different animation departments. Younger visitors can explore Drawn to Wonderland, a Mary Blair-inspired playground themed to Alice in Wonderland (1951). The Disney Once Upon a Studio Theater rounds things out by screening the 2023 short Once Upon a Studio.
The Magic of Disney Animation is one of the last pieces of a larger Walt Disney Studios Lot transformation. Animation Courtyard closed in September 2025 for the redesign, the updated courtyard reopened in May 2026, and the animation building followed in September. Whether the shorter hours become permanent hasn't been announced, but for now, guests planning a visit should treat the experience as an afternoon priority rather than an end-of-night stop.
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Details were first reported by Disney Fanatic.
