We have been watching Disney’s Hollywood Studios transform in real time for a while now, and we will be honest — it is one of the more exciting parks to follow right now from a construction standpoint.
New shade structures, new seating areas, a full land transformation replacing Animation Courtyard, and a Galaxy’s Edge timeline shift that is going to bring in characters we have never seen in that land before.
There is also a new snack stand coming to Toy Story Land, which obviously means we have more places to find Pepperoni Pizza Spring Rolls and we are fully on board with that. Here is everything happening at Hollywood Studios right now, what just opened, what is still being built, and what it all means if you have a visit coming up.
The Savi’s Workshop Construction Walls Came Down
Construction walls have finally been removed from the Savi’s Workshop courtyard in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, revealing a completed shade structure that has been under construction since September 2025. Blog Mickey documented the reveal and the full courtyard is now accessible to guests. The new canopy provides overhead coverage and is a cleaner visual than the umbrellas that came before it.
Construction Walls Removed, New Canopy Provides (Some) Shade at Savi’s Workshop in Galaxy’s Edge https://t.co/JBHWyRD01C
— BlogMickey.com (@Blog_Mickey) April 6, 2026
That said, Blog Mickey also flagged something worth knowing: the new shade structure might actually provide less coverage than the previous umbrella setup, even if it looks nicer. The landscaping around the area is also rough right now — more scrap material and pine needles than finished theming — as it recovers from both the construction work and the cold snap earlier this year. A speeder bike that used to sit in the space below has not come back yet either.
The outdoor queue area for Savi’s was mostly unaffected, with just a few new poles added for the canopy support. The shade project appears to be part of a coordinated push to make Galaxy’s Edge more comfortable ahead of the Florida summer, which also includes a new shaded seating area elsewhere in the land. We appreciate the effort because standing in that courtyard in August without shade is a commitment.
New Seating Near the Toy Story Land Galaxy’s Edge Entrance
A new guest seating area near the Toy Story Land entrance to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is complete. Blog Mickey confirmed this one too — the project started last summer alongside the construction of the new Popcorn and Snacks kiosk just a few steps away in Toy Story Land.
The seating includes benches that look carved from rock work, wooden tables and stools, light posts for evening use, and trash cans. And before you say “so what, it is just seating” — this is a genuinely big deal for anyone who has tried to eat at Woody’s Lunch Box and found zero available tables. The Toy Story Land seating situation has been a point of frustration for a long time and the new area directly addresses that, especially now that Disney is adding another snack option right next door. Somewhere to sit with your food is not a luxury. It is the whole thing.
The Galaxy’s Edge Timeline Shift Is Still Coming to Hollywood Studios — Just No Date Yet
Here is the big one, even though we are still waiting on specifics for Hollywood Studios.
Disney has confirmed that Disneyland Resort’s version of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is making the timeline shift on April 29, 2026 — moving half the land to the original Star Wars trilogy era for the first time since the land opened in 2019. Walt Disney World has not confirmed a date for the same change at Hollywood Studios.
When it does happen here, the changes are going to be significant. Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Leia Organa will join Chewbacca and the sequel characters in greeting guests around the land. The First Order Cargo store is being rebranded as Black Spire Surplus with merchandise shifting toward Galactic Civil War era artifacts. Oga’s Cantina is getting minor thematic updates to align with the earlier timeline. We wrote about the Oga’s changes in detail when those rolled out — the updated notice board alone is worth a read if you want the full lore breakdown.
For Hollywood Studios guests right now, Galaxy’s Edge is still in its sequel-era setting. But the shift is coming and when it does, the original trilogy fans are finally going to have their moment in that land.
The Walt Disney Studios Lot Is Being Built Right Now
The former Animation Courtyard is becoming the Walt Disney Studios Lot, and things are moving. Construction walls in the area have recently shifted to open new guest pathways, fresh pavement has been poured for the incoming space, and the former Star Wars Launch Bay building has been repainted with new theming stripes as the retheme into The Magic of Disney Animation continues.
The Walt Disney Studios Lot opens in phases through the summer. The outdoor courtyard area is expected to open this month or in early May, ahead of the Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! show debut on May 26. The Magic of Disney Animation experience in the rethemed Launch Bay building comes later in the summer.
Here is what The Magic of Disney Animation will include when it opens. Off the Page character meet and greets will feature Mulan in a Story department setting and Rapunzel in a Layout department environment built around the classic multiplane camera. Olaf Draws! is a new Animation Academy experience hosted by Olaf from Frozen, focused on character drawing instruction. An Enchanted Art Gallery features Disney Animation artwork that comes to life with interactive animations. The Once Upon a Studio theater screens the Emmy Award-winning short film with enhanced in-theater effects and character appearances in the surrounding artwork. And Drawn to Wonderland is an indoor playground for young guests inspired by original Alice in Wonderland concept art from Disney Legend Mary Blair — we are talking an oversized flower garden with musical instruments, a Mad Tea Party playset, and a Tulgey Wood exploration area.
What This Means for Your Hollywood Studios Visit
The Savi’s Workshop courtyard is fully open and the new Galaxy’s Edge seating area is ready to use. The Walt Disney Studios Lot courtyard is close to opening, with the full Magic of Disney Animation experience following later in the summer. The Animation Courtyard area still looks like an active construction zone for guests visiting before the first phase opens, which is worth knowing before you walk over there expecting a finished product.
And the timeline shift at Hollywood Studios is coming — we just do not have a date yet. Keep checking back because when that date lands, it is going to be one of the more significant Galaxy’s Edge announcements the park has seen since 2019.
We will be back with food coverage from the new Popcorn and Snacks kiosk in Toy Story Land the moment it opens, because that is what we do and we have been waiting.
We are following every phase of the Walt Disney Studios Lot opening and the Galaxy’s Edge timeline shift for Hollywood Studios. Our full park guide is on the site with current construction status and everything worth knowing before your visit. Check it, update your plans for whatever phase is open on your dates, and then come find us when you are ready to eat something in Toy Story Land.
