Disney animation has always started with an idea, a pencil and an artist willing to imagine something that doesn’t exist yet. Beginning September 14, guests at Disney’s Hollywood Studios will get a closer look at that creative process when a reimagined Animation Courtyard brings the spirit of Walt Disney Animation Studios to Walt Disney World.
The centerpiece of the transformation is The Magic of Disney Animation, a collection of experiences inspired by the legendary Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, California. Rather than simply celebrating finished movies, the new area explores how Disney characters and stories move from an artist’s imagination to the screen.
For longtime Walt Disney World fans, there is another layer to the story. Animation has deep roots at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and the new experience brings that history forward while introducing interactive elements designed for a new generation.
A Little Piece of the Disney Studios Lot in Orlando
The reimagined Animation Courtyard takes inspiration from the architecture and atmosphere of Walt Disney Animation Studios in California. The centerpiece is a building modeled after the Roy E. Disney Animation Building, complete with Mickey Mouse’s familiar Sorcerer Hat.
Around it, the courtyard has been designed as a more relaxed, park-like setting where families can spend time between attractions, grab a snack and keep an eye out for Disney characters and unexpected details.
Those details are a major part of the experience.
Disney says all 64 Walt Disney Animation Studios animated feature films are represented somewhere within the setting. That turns a walk through the area into something of a scavenger hunt for animation fans.
Some references are obvious. Others may require a much closer look.
Hidden Details Reward Disney Animation Fans
Inside the reception area, guests can look overhead to discover a playful Lost and Found Department filled with objects connected to Disney animated films.
Among the treasures are the Map Sphere from Treasure Planet, Eeyore’s missing tail, the Sundrop Flower from Tangled and a vase depicting Hercules battling the Hydra. Figaro keeps watch from above and appears to have claimed a few treasures for himself.
Even the chandelier has a story.
Paintbrushes incorporated into the colorful fixture have been individually named by members of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Ink and Paint Department. Nearby decorative tilework also connects the Orlando experience to California, drawing from designs found inside the Roy E. Disney Animation Building.
Throughout the space, guests can find pencil sketches of characters including Oliver from Oliver & Company, Mr. Toad from The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, and Tod and Copper from The Fox and the Hound.
The collection goes beyond sketches. Character maquettes — small sculptures animators use to study characters from different angles — are also incorporated into the experience. Look carefully and you may find young Tarzan or Taffyta Muttonfudge from Wreck-It Ralph.
Disney Treasures Hidden in Plain Sight
Another stop, Treasures Untold, brings together keepsakes and recognizable objects from across Disney Animation history.
The collection includes Jiminy Cricket’s suit and gold star pin, a box of Kanine Krunchies from One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Scrump from Lilo & Stitch, collars belonging to the Aristocats, and Kuzco’s crown and earrings.
The Animator’s Office continues the attention to detail.
Designed to look as though an animator has simply stepped away from work, the room includes an especially interesting piece of Disney’s Hollywood Studios history: an animation desk preserved from the park’s original Animation Academy.
Guests who spend a little time studying the room may also notice a Moana cap, artwork, keepsakes and a miniature Walt Disney Animation Studios maquette.
It is the kind of space where slowing down pays off.
Step “Off the Page!” With Disney Characters
One of the new experiences, “Off the Page!”, combines character encounters with a look at different stages of animation production.
Instead of placing characters against generic backgrounds, each encounter is connected to a particular department within an animation studio.
Guests may meet Mulan in the Story department, where an oversized storyboard panel helps set the scene. Rapunzel appears in Layout, with a setting inspired by the multiplane camera technique that creates depth by layering backgrounds and artwork.
Other potential encounters include Chip ‘n’ Dale representing Hand-Drawn Animation, Donald Duck and Daisy Duck in CG Animation, Goofy in Lighting and Stitch in Effects.
The result should make these encounters especially appealing to families who want photographs while giving animation enthusiasts something more to examine.
The experience is a collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Animation Studios, connecting the people creating Disney’s newest attractions with artists working on its animated stories.
Learn to Draw With Olaf
For many guests, one of the most intriguing additions may be “Olaf Draws!”
The new attraction places Olaf at an animator’s desk as guests learn how to draw Disney characters. An Audio-Animatronics version of the Frozen snowman serves as a cheerful companion throughout the experience, with Josh Gad recording original dialogue for the attraction.
Disney Animation artists provide recorded instruction, taking participants step-by-step through the drawing process while sharing techniques and stories from the studio.
The character lineup reaches across generations of Disney Animation.
Depending on the class, guests could learn to sketch Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Genie, Moana, Stitch, Olaf, Ursula or Zootopia favorites Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde.
The artists providing guidance include names closely associated with Disney Animation, including Eric Goldberg, Byron Howard, Fawn Veerasunthorn, Samantha Vilfort and Dan Abraham.
There are plenty of details to discover here, too. Olaf sits atop The Illusion of Life, the influential animation book written by Disney Legends Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. Shelves surrounding him hold vintage VHS tapes, character maquettes and nostalgic Disney toys.
Even the marquee gets in on the fun, with an Olaf-created tribute to the Jungle Cruise.
“Drawn to Wonderland” Gives Younger Guests Room to Explore
The new Animation Courtyard isn’t just about looking at artwork.
“Drawn to Wonderland” is an immersive indoor playground designed with younger guests in mind and inspired by Disney Legend Mary Blair’s concept artwork for Alice in Wonderland.
Blair’s unmistakable use of bold colors, unusual shapes and whimsical environments provides the visual foundation for the space.
Children can explore areas inspired by the Mad Tea Party, Mad Hatter’s house, the Queen of Hearts’ rose garden and the Cheshire Cat’s Tulgey Wood.
For parents, this could become a useful stop during a busy Hollywood Studios day: an indoor environment where younger children can play and explore while the family remains immersed in Disney storytelling.
Watch “Once Upon A Studio” in Its Own Theater
The transformation has a direct connection to the Emmy Award-winning Disney short Once Upon A Studio, which imagined Disney characters coming to life inside the animation studio.
Guests can watch the short in the dedicated Once Upon A Studio Theater, where additional effects and animated surprises extend the experience beyond the screen.
Characters may appear within artwork along the theater walls, creating the impression that the studio itself is coming alive.
An enchanted art gallery carries that concept further. What initially appears to be a traditional collection of Disney Animation artwork can unexpectedly spring into motion through new animations created specifically for the experience.
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live Brings More Family Entertainment
The surrounding area remains home to additional entertainment, including “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” at the Studio Theater.
Families with younger children also have another reason to visit Animation Courtyard with “Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!”
Inspired by Disney Jr.’s Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+, the live production invites the audience to become part of the action.
Mickey and Minnie are preparing for a celebration, but their friends are missing. That sets off a musical search that encourages children to clap, cheer and dance along until Goofy, Daisy Duck and Pluto arrive to complete the party.
A New Chapter for Animation at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The Magic of Disney Animation feels particularly appropriate for Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Animation was an important part of the park’s identity for years, and many longtime visitors still remember watching artists work and learning to draw Disney characters during earlier versions of the park’s animation experiences.
This new interpretation doesn’t attempt to simply recreate the past. Instead, it takes inspiration from Disney Animation’s history while building something more interactive around it.
There are places to draw, places to play, characters to meet, artwork to study and enough hidden references to keep dedicated Disney fans searching long after their first visit.
Most importantly, the experience puts the creative process at the center of the story.
Children who know Olaf, Stitch, Rapunzel or Moana from the screen can see some of the work and imagination that goes into creating those characters. Adults who grew up with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Alice in Wonderland or The Jungle Book have their own pieces of Disney history waiting to be discovered.
And with references to all 64 Walt Disney Animation Studios animated features scattered throughout the experience, one visit probably won’t be enough to catch everything.
The Magic of Disney Animation opens September 14 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World.
For Orlando visitors and Central Florida residents planning a Disney day this fall, keep following OrlandoEscape.com for more Walt Disney World news, attraction updates and ideas for exploring everything Orlando has to offer.
