Hollywood Studios has already had a big year thanks to the opening of the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, the addition of the Mandalorian and Grogu to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, and the announcement that Monstropolis will open in 2027. Yet with all of that, with all that, even MORE is coming on September 14th!

The Magic of Disney Animation in Walt Disney Studios

On that day, the Magic of Disney Animation — a new take on an opening day MGM Studios experience — will debut in the park’s new Walt Disney Studios area. The area is replacing Star Wars Launch Bay (which is a bit of theme park inception, since the Launch Bay replaced the original Magic of Disney Animation over a decade ago).

This updated version will feature four distinct areas for guests to explore.

©Disney

Olaf Draws

The Magic of Disney Animation will host Olaf Draws, a class where YOU can learn how to draw iconic Disney animated characters! These classes will be led by Olaf himself with the help of some legendary Disney Animation artists who will help bring the class to life. Olaf will be a brand-new Audio-Animatronic figure as he welcomes people into a new space, inspired by one of his most memorable moments from Once Upon A Studio, sitting at an animator’s desk, joyfully discovering the art of drawing. Josh Gad, the voice of Olaf, returned to record original dialogue for the experience. “I’m so thrilled that a whole new generation of kids can dream of becoming animators one day and can actually begin their journey right there on the studio lot,” Gad shared.

“Olaf Draws” Concept Art ©Disney

In Olaf Draws, each class features a different character, so you can return again and again! You may sketch any of the following in the class:

• Mickey Mouse, with Dan Abraham, director (Once Upon A Studio, Baymax!)
• Minnie Mouse, with Hyun Min Lee, animator (Frozen 2, The Princess and the Frog)
• Donald Duck, with Austin Traylor, animator (Once Upon A Studio, Moana 2)
• Genie, with Eric Goldberg, animator (Aladdin, Hercules)
• Moana, with Samantha Vilfort, story artist (Encanto, Zootopia 2)
• Stitch, with Fawn Veerasunthorn, director and head of story (Wish, Raya and the Last Dragon)
• Olaf, with Trent Correy, director (Once Upon A Studio, Frozen 3)
• Ursula, with Michael Woodside, animator (Big Hero 6, Encanto)
• Judy Hopps & Nick Wilde, with Byron Howard, director (Zootopia, Zootopia 2

©Disney

Disney Character Greetings at “Off the Page”

Guests will meet beloved Disney characters across “six unique departments from the animation studio,” including Story, Layout, Hand-Drawn Animation, Computer Animation, Lighting, and Effects. Though specific characters may vary, here are some examples of whom you may encounter, and where:

• Mulan in Story (posing in front of an oversized storyboard panel)
• Rapunzel in Layout (in “a setting inspired by the classic multiplane camera”)
• Chip n’ Dale in Hand-Drawn Animation
• Donald and Daisy in CG Animation
• Goofy in Lighting
• Stitch in Effects

©Disney

Drawn to Wonderland Playground

This area will feature a whimsical indoor play area for the “youngest animators-to-be” with an “oversized flower garden with musical instruments, a Mad Tea Party playset, and a Tugley Wood exploration area,” all inspired by Mary Blair’s original concept art for Alice in Wonderland.

©Disney

The Once Upon A Studio Theater

The Once Upon A Studio Theater will present the Emmy Award-winning short film Once Upon A Studio, upon which The Magic of Disney Animation is based. In addition, the theater will also present “enhanced effects that add an extra layer of magic.”

©Disney

For instance, “you may spot characters popping up within the artwork along the theater walls, placing you right in the middle of this enchanting story.”

©Disney

On September 14th, the newly reimagined Magic of Disney Animation attraction is set to open at Hollywood Studios! Stay tuned to DFB for further coverage of this new attraction.

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