Disney's Hollywood Studios is about to give Animation Courtyard a fresh identity. On September 14, 2026, The Magic of Disney Animation opens its doors — a multi-experience building that celebrates more than a century of Disney animated storytelling while introducing some genuinely new ways to interact with beloved characters.
At the heart of the space is Olaf Draws, a drawing lesson experience hosted by an Audio-Animatronics Olaf — voiced with original dialogue recorded by Josh Gad — seated at an animator's desk. Guests will follow along sketching characters including Mickey Mouse, Genie, Moana, Judy Hopps, and Nick Wilde, with guidance drawn from real Disney Animation artists. It's a concept that longtime park visitors may find nostalgic, recalling an era when learning to draw was woven into the Hollywood Studios experience.
Character meet-and-greets get a clever twist in Off the Page!, where different rooms represent actual stages of animation production. Mulan appears in Story, Rapunzel in Layout, Chip 'n' Dale in Hand-Drawn Animation, Donald and Daisy in Computer Animation, Goofy in Lighting, and Stitch in Effects — each setting tying the photo opportunity to the craft behind the films. Families with younger kids will also find Drawn to Wonderland, an indoor playground rooted in Mary Blair's original concept art for Alice in Wonderland (1951), with areas inspired by the Mad Tea Party, the Mad Hatter's house, the Queen of Hearts' rose garden, and Cheshire Cat's Tulgey Wood.
Rounding out the building is the Disney Once Upon a Studio Theater, which will screen a short film featuring Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters in a tribute to over 100 years of animation. The entire area draws design inspiration from Disney's real animation campus in Burbank, California, as well as the 2023 short film Once Upon a Studio.
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Animation Courtyard has been part of Hollywood Studios since the park opened as Disney-MGM Studios in 1989, though the surrounding park has transformed considerably over the decades. This latest chapter doesn't restore what once was — it builds something new around animation as its anchor theme. Disney Fanatic first reported the confirmed September 14 opening date.
