To make room for the new, Walt Disney World occasionally gets rid of the old. Attractions that have welcomed theme park guests for decades sometimes close permanently to make room for new experiences. Many beloved experiences fill the pages of Disney history, and seldom do those closed attractions ever get a new lease on life. That’s part of what makes Disney World’s newest attraction an anomaly that beats the odds.
Disney World is opening a new version of a defunct attraction 11 years after the former version closed. We got a first look inside, so let’s take a tour around. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including the list of celebrity narrators for this year’s EPCOT Candlelight Processional and the permanent closure of a food spot at Disney Springs.
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The Magic of Disney Animation Reopening at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The Magic of Disney Animation was an opening day attraction that debuted with Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney’s Hollywood Studios) when the theme park opened in 1989.
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The facility served double duty as part tourist attraction that fancifully celebrated Disney’s animated legacy, and part actual animation studio.
One of the most memorable components of the original version of The Magic of Disney Animation was a short film called Back to Neverland, starring Robin Williams and Walter Cronkite. In the film, Williams imagined himself in animated form as one of Peter Pan’s lost boys.
Beyond its theme park purposes, The Magic of Disney Animation was a functioning satellite branch of Walt Disney Feature Animation (now Walt Disney Animation Studios).
Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, and Brother Bear were all created, in their entirety, right here at Walt Disney World, as were significant portions of Aladdin, The Lion King, and others. Guests could even watch animators at work from behind glass.
In the mid-2000s, Disney closed the Florida animation branch. The studio facilities were converted to corporate offices for Walt Disney World cast members, but The Magic of Disney Animation remained, albeit as a less authentic iteration of its former self.
In its later years, its main attractions were a drawing class with a live instructor and a special meet-and-greet location that always hosted the newest Disney animated stars from current releases.
The Magic of Disney Animation closed in 2015 to make way for Star Wars Launch Bay, a museum-like showcase for all things from a galaxy far, far away. Launch Bay’s opening was synced with the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in movie theaters, and the newness of the sequel trilogy was enough to keep the attraction’s momentum going while Imagineers built the far more elaborate Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge land on the other side of the park.
Once Galaxy’s Edge opened in 2019, Launch Bay seemed redundant. Post-pandemic, it was reduced to character meet-and-greets only, with its other components remaining closed. It gave off empty mall vibes, and the writing was on the wall.
Launch Bay permanently closed in 2025, at which time Disney announced the return of the building’s old tenant, The Magic of Disney Animation. Mickey Visit was invited to see inside ahead of the attraction’s September 14 grand opening.
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Welcome to the Walt Disney Studios
The plaza outside of The Magic of Disney Animation opened earlier this year. It resembles a fantasy version of the real Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.
For the new version of The Magic of Disney Animation and its accompanying courtyard, Imagineers drew inspiration from Once Upon a Studio, the 2023 short film in which Disney animated characters from a century’s worth of films take over the building after the animators have gone home for the day. Imagineers collaborated closely with the directors of Once Upon a Studio to adapt the whimsy of the short film into a theme park space.
Different characters from Disney Animation’s extensive portfolio interact with one another in the form of statuettes scattered throughout the plaza.
Guests can make a fun game of identifying all the characters by name, or quizzing each other on which movie each character is from. Many of the pairings are meant to bring together seemingly disparate characters that share personality traits, like Bolt hanging out with two of the 101 Dalmatians.
Mickey’s sorcerer hat from Fantasia stands tall above the threshold into the animation building, just as it does at the entrance to the real Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank.
The Magic of Disney Animation operates differently than most Disney World attractions. The overall building is home to individual mini-attractions, somewhat like an EPCOT pavilion. Guests walk directly inside and can experience the separate attractions in any order they’d like at their own pace. There is not a linear tour or correct sequence for where to go from one activity to the next.
The entrance corridors are lined with stills from favorite Disney animated films, like Robin Hood and The Emperor’s New Groove, pictured here, as well as posters for Hexed, in theaters November 2026.
An entranceway mural features a few dozen Disney favorites. Notice how characters from Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, and Brother Bear are grouped together. These films were all animated here at the park.
As guests make their way inside, a few more character statues greet them. This includes Robin, the Lost Boy character played by Robin Williams in the original version of The Magic of Disney Animation.
Once Upon a Studio
When starting from the front of the building, the first venue awaiting guests is the Once Upon a Studio Theater. Here, guests can watch the 2023 short film starring over 500 characters from a century of Disney Animation projects.
During the film, the artwork on the theater’s walls comes to life with new animation that enhances the idea that this is a place where characters are coming to life.
This is a small theater. Previously, this was where guests watched a sizzle reel of new Star Wars projects. In the old version of The Magic of Disney Animation, this theater was where a live cast member interacted with an animated counterpart of Mushu from Mulan for a brief intro to Disney Animation.
Drawn to Wonderland
As guests venture further into The Magic of Disney Animation, they’ll find Drawn to Wonderland. This indoor playground is inspired by Disney concept artist Mary Blair’s preproduction work for 1951’s Alice in Wonderland. There are two sections: one for kids ages 6-23 months old, and another for kids ages 2-5 years old.
Drawn to Wonderland emphasizes one of the main goals of The Magic of Disney Animation: the playground focuses on a component of animation as an art form. It’s based on concept art, not the finished film. While many guests will, of course, take Drawn to Wonderland at face value as a fun play space, those looking deeper can discover some edutainment value.
Mary Blair had a uniquely adorable yet sophisticated style to her work. She informed the art direction of many projects from Walt Disney’s lifetime, including Cinderella and especially “it’s a small world.”
Here’s Mickey Visit Founder Gavin Doyle standing in for scale. Everything is sized appropriately for small kids.
One of Drawn to Wonderland’s most unique elements is a “roller slide” featuring the Cheshire Cat.
Kids can “paint the roses red” by spinning the rose petals on these bushes from white to red.
We think Drawn to Wonderland will be a dream for guests with small kids. The low lights are a smart idea when kids (and parents) are overstimulated in the parks.
Off the Page!
Off the Page! is a collection of character meet-and-greets. Lots of characters are here: Donald & Daisy, Rapunzel, Chip & Dale, Mulan, Goofy, and Stitch. The characters have separate lines.
Adhering to the thesis of The Magic of Disney Animation, each photo-op highlights a different step in the animation process or a different tool that animators use to create characters. We were told that the photo-op is covered in blue lighting to represent the blue tint of the animators’ process.
Donald Duck and Daisy Duck’s spot is dedicated to Computer Animation. Their background shows a rendering of a broom from Fantasia adapted from its original hand-drawn form to computer-generated imagery.
Recreating the effect of a multiplane camera, Rapunzel’s Layout meeting space is built in layers that seamlessly appear as a finished “frame” when photographed from the correct spot.
Other characters and animation subjects at Off the Page! include Chip and Dale for Hand-Drawn Animation, Mulan for Story, Goofy for Lighting, and Stitch for Effects.
Mulan and Stitch are notable inclusions here, as their films were created here at the park in the days of Disney Animation’s Florida satellite branch.
Olaf Draws!
Olaf Draws! is a free class in which guests learn to draw a Disney character. However, instead of being taught by a live cast member like the former Animation Academy classes, guests are now under the tutelage of an Audio-Animatronics figure of Olaf from Frozen and a prerecorded video of a real animator or director from Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Each guest has their own animation desk and a spot to sit.
Here’s the full list of all 9 variations of Olaf Draws!:
- Mickey Mouse with Dan Abraham, director of Once Upon A Studio and Baymax!
- Minnie Mouse with Hyun Min Lee, animator on Frozen 2 and The Princess and the Frog
- Donald Duck with Austin Traylor, animator on Once Upon A Studio and Moana 2
- Ursula with Michael Woodside, animator on Big Hero 6 and Encanto
- Genie, with Eric Goldberg, animator on Aladdin and Hercules
- Stitch with Fawn Veerasunthorn, director and head of story of Wish and Raya and the Last Dragon
- Olaf, with Trent Correy, director of Once Upon A Studio, and Frozen 3
- Moana with Samantha Vilfort, story artist on Encanto and Zootopia 2
- Judy Hopps & Nick Wilde with Byron Howard, director of Zootopia and Zootopia 2
A sign outside the auditorium displays which class is up next.
The drawings make for a great free souvenir! Here’s our take on Mickey.
Olaf Draws! is super cute. It combines the video teaching and Olaf nicely. There is beautiful carpeting in here. The background music matches the character you’re drawing. For example, “Friend Like Me” and “Prince Ali” played during the Genie session.
The Olaf Audio-Animatronics character is expressive and impressive, but this is not the free-roaming Audio-Animatronics figure that went viral on social media earlier this year in World of Frozen at Disney Adventure World. Olaf in The Magic of Disney Animation cannot walk around. He’s stationary in his seat and does not interact with guests in real time.
The back of the entrance sign reads, “Behold…the backside of sign!,” recalling the famous Jungle Cruise line, “Behold…the backside of water!”
Galleries
A gallery space showcases both authentic artwork and fictionalized “props” from various Disney movies, including Cinderella’s glass slipper, Raya’s sword, and Lilo’s doll, Scrump.
Another display case features more “props,” like Rapunzel’s frying pan and Jiminy Cricket’s official conscience badge. The deepest cut here is definitely the Devil’s Eye and Penny’s message in a bottle from The Rescuers!
The gallery space also highlights authentic artwork from the upcoming film Hexed. This story about witches stars Hailee Steinfeld and Rashida Jones as daughter and mother.
A large bulletin board informs guests about the art of storyboarding by taking a look at a scene from Hexed.
Studio Store
As guests make their way toward the exit of The Magic of Disney Animation, the final space they encounter is the Studio Store.
Merchandise sold here includes items from the Ink & Paint collection, which highlights work-in-progress versions of Disney animated characters.
New pressed coins exclusively available here feature Tinker Bell, Minnie & Mickey, Moana, Rapunzel, Dumbo, Mulan, Chip & Dale, and Donald.
Details Throughout
Beyond the main attractions, the playful design of The Magic of Disney Animation lends itself to many fun details. In one area, guests can peer into an “animator’s” office, which Stitch has taken over. He spins around endlessly in the animator’s chair and even makes the smoke alarm go off.
We also enjoyed this wall displaying the posters for all 65 feature-length films from Walt Disney Animation Studios. How many have you seen?
Upon exiting the Studio Store, guests will see handprints, footprints, and autographs of famous characters who left their mark in cement. Pictured above are the etchings of Yen Sid from Fantasia, Maui from Moana, Cinderella (without one shoe!), and Oswald, Walt Disney’s pre-Mickey rabbit creation.
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