- Disney is opening an animation-themed attraction at its Hollywood Studios park. The new area will let guests interact with characters and learn to draw them. It will also house an indoor playground for young children. It’s scheduled to open in 2026.
More change is on the way to Walt Disney World. Disney has announced plans to open a new area for families in its Hollywood Studios park that was inspired by a recent short film celebrating its 100th anniversary.
Modeled after the company’s actual animation headquarters in California, “The Magic of Disney Animation” looks to create an experience that lets park goers “interact with and explore silly takes on the iconic Disney Animation headquarters.”
That will take shape in many forms. Visitors will be able to learn to draw character sketches (an attraction that’s currently only offered in a fairly remote corner of the Animal Kingdom park). They’ll also see portraits come to life. And parents with small children that need a break from the Florida heat can take them to the “Drawn to Wonderland” playground, an indoor play area that’s described as “filled with an oversized flower garden with musical instruments, a Mad Tea Party playset and a Tulgey Wood exploration area.”
The attraction will open next year.
Disney also hinted there would be a several characters at the new attraction for guests to meet and interact with.
The Magic of Disney Animation will take over the space currently occupied by Star Wars: Launch Bay, where visitors can currently meet Darth Vader, BB-8 and Chewbacca and see exhibits of costumes, models, concept artwork and movie props. That facility will close on Sept. 25.
That entire courtyard will be reimagined and dubbed “The Walt Disney Studios.” It will continue to host “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” and will include a new Disney Jr. show.
The concept behind The Magic of Disney Animation sprung from a 2023 short film that saw a slew of animated characters coming to life to celebrate the company’s 10 decades of filmmaking. The film won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Animated Program.