The Magic of Disney Animation Gets Its Date: September 14
Disney finally handed us an opening date for the revived attraction, the centerpiece of the reimagined Animation Courtyard over at Disney's Hollywood Studios. In a July 15 post, the Disney Parks Blog confirmed the new collection of experiences opens September 14, 2026, so mark the calendar.
Back to the Drawing Board
The name is a callback, and we love a good one. An earlier walk-through attraction, also called The Magic of Disney Animation, ran in this exact building until it closed on July 12, 2015, and after that the space got turned into Star Wars: Launch Bay. Launch Bay and most of Animation Courtyard were then permanently closed in September 2025 to clear the way for this revival. The new building is styled after the Roy E. Disney Animation Building out in Burbank, right down to Mickey's Sorcerer Hat sitting up on top. How proper.
What's Inside the Studio
Per Disney's press release, this thing bundles up a handful of experiences and there's a lot going on.
- Drawn to Wonderland is an indoor playground pulled straight from Mary Blair's Alice in Wonderland concept art, and it's got a Mad Tea Party, the Mad Hatter's house, and the Queen of Hearts' rose garden.
- Off the Page! stages character meet-and-greets themed around the animation departments.
- Olaf Draws! sticks an Audio-Animatronics Olaf at an animator's desk, and it takes the place of the old Animation Academy.
- Rounding it all out you've got the Once Upon a Studio Theater, which screens the Emmy-winning short, plus an Enchanted Art Gallery.
For the Trip Planner
If you log your park experiences like we do, note the swap here: the Star Wars walk-through is gone for good, and a whole new slate of character and family experiences shows up September 14. Disney hasn't detailed reservations, hours, or any admission requirements just yet, so we'll be watching for that.