Construction has been ramping up at Disney World, and it won’t be ending any time soon. The philosophy is that Disney parks will never be complete, and the recent demolition of DinoLand U.S.A. at Animal Kingdom and other major construction projects at Disney World in 2026 demonstrate that.
Hollywood Studios is also in an active state of construction, and a recent permit filing has given some insight into upcoming changes. At Mickey Visit, we cover the latest Disney news, like five changes the new Disney CEO could make and a new Disney Vera Bradley collection. See the new Disney World addition here.
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New Permits for Animation Courtyard Revealed
Animation Courtyard has received two permits for installing brand new signage. This work will be done by Design Communications Ltd., a company that Disney has worked with numerous times for projects just like this one. One of the permits is for the theater where The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure lives, and looks to simply rename the theater itself to Studio Theater (as seen in the concept art above). The other pertains to the area where the already-demolished Hollywood Studios arch used to stand between the aforementioned Little Mermaid theater and the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant.
These permits are for Animation Courtyard’s overhaul into The Walt Disney Studios, set to open in summer 2026. This new renovation replaces Star Wars: Launch Bay with new attractions and experiences that give Hollywood Studios some of its original atmosphere back. Part of the new experience is The Magic of Disney Animation, a new family-oriented attraction that reimagines the former Star Wars: Launch Bay space with interactive experiences inspired by Disney’s animation legacy.
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Guests will explore playful studio environments where animated portraits come to life, watch a short film, and try their hand at drawing their own character sketches. There’s also a themed play area designed for younger visitors with oversized musical flower elements and character-themed playsets, plus plenty of opportunities for character interactions throughout the space. The overall experience celebrates the art of animation and offers hands-on, immersive fun for visitors of all ages.
More Changes to Hollywood Studios Coming Soon
Once completed, this newly renovated area will surely draw more foot traffic into the area than it previously saw, potentially bringing down wait times at the nearby Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, as well as other attractions throughout Hollywood Studios. This park tends to have incredibly high standby wait times in comparison to the other three parks at Disney World, so this would be a welcome change if it does indeed happen.
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But this is far from the only current construction at Hollywood Studios, or even at Walt Disney World as a whole. Disney is transforming Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith at Disney’s Hollywood Studios into Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, keeping the existing track but re-theming the experience around beloved characters like Kermit and the Electric Mayhem band with new Audio-Animatronics and music. The last day of operations for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith is March 1, 2026. The attraction will close permanently on March 2, 2026. The new Muppets retheme opening date has not been announced, but we do know it will be in summer 2026.
Meanwhile, Star Wars: Millennium Falcon – Smugglers Run is receiving a major storyline update that debuts May 22, 2026, featuring The Mandalorian and Grogu and new mission options. This refresh adds new destinations such as Bespin and Coruscant and enhanced graphics and narrative elements to keep the ride feeling fresh for returning guests.
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