Hollywood Studios is about to get a lot more animated. Disney has confirmed that The Magic of Disney Animation will open at the park on September 14, bringing four separate experiences to the area now called the Walt Disney Studios Lot — a section reimagined after the real Disney studio campus in Burbank, California.
The centerpiece may be Olaf Draws, a drawing class hosted by a brand-new Audio-Animatronic Olaf — voiced by Josh Gad, who recorded original dialogue for the experience — where guests learn to sketch classic Disney characters alongside real Disney Animation artists. Each class features a different character, rotating through Mickey, Minnie, Stitch, Moana, Genie, and others, so repeat visits will yield different lessons.
A second experience, the Once Upon A Studio Theater, screens the Emmy Award-winning short film of the same name with added in-theater effects, including characters that appear to emerge from artwork on the walls. A third, Off the Page, offers character meet-and-greets spread across six themed departments of a mock animation studio, where guests might encounter Mulan, Rapunzel, Goofy, or Stitch depending on the day.
Rounding out the four is the Drawn to Wonderland Playground, a Mary Blair-inspired indoor play space for young children featuring an oversized flower garden, a Mad Tea Party playset, and a Tulgey Wood exploration zone — all drawn from Blair's original concept art for Alice in Wonderland.
The entire Magic of Disney Animation complex moves into the same buildings that once housed the park's actual working animation studio, replacing the Star Wars Launch Bay. Full coverage of opening day can be found at Disney Food Blog.
