Step inside the Magic of Disney Animation
Walt Disney World last week opened its new Walt Disney Studios land at the Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park. But let's look inside what is coming next.
Walt Disney Studios at Walt Disney World. Photo by author
A reimagining of the former Animation Courtyard, the now-opened space includes new character decorations and seating around a grass space in the courtyard. Around that stands Disney's new The Little Mermaid stage show, which debuted last year, and the new Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! show, which opened last week after last year's debut at Disney California Adventure.
But the big new attraction in the land will be the Magic of Disney Animation - a revamp of Disney's old animation production studio that most recently housed the Star Wars Launch Bay. That is not ready for guests yet, but I was invited to take a construction tour of the site during Disney's press event last week.
I was not allowed to take photos or video inside. Not that you are missing anything. As of last week, the building was pretty much a work-in-progress warehouse space, with a lot of exposed infrastructure and only a few decorative elements installed. Disney has shared some concept images of what it is building in the space, which is themed to an Open House at the original Walt Disney animation studios in Burbank, California.
Magic of Disney Animation building at Walt Disney World. Map courtesy Disney
The new space will include:
- the Olaf Draws! step-drawing class, led by video of leading Disney animators, joined by an in-room Audio Animatronic Olaf,
- the Off the Page! character meet area (Disney loves exclamation points!), with Mulan in front of a sketch board, Rapunzel in a multi-plane layout, Chip n' Dale at a hand-drawn animation desk, Donald and Daisy in front of a digital production set-up, Goofy in a lighting studio, and Stitch in a special effects studio,
- the Once Upon a Studio Theater, showing the 2023 short film tribute to Disney's first 100 years,
- and the Drawn to Wonderland play area, themed to Alice in Wonderland concept art from Disney Legend Mary Blair.
Here is a look at the Drawn to Wonderland play area, which will include a tea party table, climbing structures, slide, and a soft pad play area for toddlers.
Concept art courtesy Walt Disney Imagineering
The single best thing about the entire project is the addition of the thing that Disney's Hollywood Studios most desperately lacks - air-conditioned places to sit that do not require a dining reservation. In between the attractions, Magic of Disney Animation will offer lounge spaces where guests can sit and literally chill out and recharge after enduring the hot sunshine of a Central Florida vacation day.
Magic of Disney Animation will open in late summer.
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Replies (5)
I can't believe they missed an opportunity to bring to Florida the single greatest space at Disney's California Adventure: the animation building lobby. I could sit there all day watching the clips and listening to the music in the AC.
@DangerGoat - I just don't think they really had the space to do that in DHS without a massive renovation of backstage areas. The proposed interior layout looks like a simple reworking of the existing space, which wouldn't really work to create a large, spacious, atrium/plaza with high ceilings like at DCA.
The new Animation Courtyard is getting rave reviews, though the common refrain is a skepticism that Disney will stay committed to the free-roaming character concept (works at Disneyland because well, it's Disneyland, but WDW guests always find a way to mess up a good thing - see MNSSHP where formerly free-roaming meet and greets have turned into 2+ hour ordeals) and the statues that pose potential liabilities as climbing structures for little ones - one nasty fall and these get put behind fences or get removed altogether because of the clutter they create in an otherwise wide open space.
Man I loved the animation building. Also, the irony it opened just before the Disney Renaissance kicked in. My fave bit was the lobby with drawings and statues etc for upcoming projects and to see Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Lion King and more in the early form was fun.
Is that a Keyblade I see in Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!? It's probably nothing. It IS nothing. But still...those Disneyland 70th keys could have been prototypes for something...
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How about a nice, big water feature? Take out the theater that currently houses the Beauty and the Beast show and put in a giant fountain or something. Call it the "lakes of America" or something. . . Now that would be small ball!