If you’ve stepped into Disney’s Hollywood Studios lately, you might have noticed the park feels a bit like a masterpiece in progress. Scaffolding is the new street decor, and the sound of construction hums just beneath the iconic film scores. But amidst the dust of massive expansions, a touch of royal class has quietly arrived to reclaim the park’s soul.
As of May 2026, the “Studio” is officially coming back to Hollywood Studios. In a move that has surprised guests and delighted character hunters, Mulan and Rapunzel have officially debuted new, daily meet-and-greets. But in a twist that only a park in transition could provide, they aren’t in a palace or a garden—they’ve taken over Grand Avenue.
This isn’t just a random character shuffle. It’s the opening act for a total reimagining of how we interact with animation at Disney World.
Grand Avenue: The Unexpected Royal Residency
For years, if you wanted to see Mulan, you trekked to the China Pavilion in EPCOT. If you wanted to see Rapunzel, you waited in the air-conditioned (and often very long) lines of Princess Fairytale Hall at Magic Kingdom. Seeing them here, amidst the brick facades and “New York” vibes of Grand Avenue, feels like a breath of fresh air.
- The Location: You can find the duo meeting near the Disney Vacation Club kiosk, just a stone’s throw from the BaseLine Tap House.
- The Format: These are scheduled appearances that appear officially in the My Disney Experience app. They rotate throughout the day, so while you might catch Rapunzel sharing stories of her “best day ever” in the morning, Mulan often brings her warrior spirit to the street in the afternoon.
- The Why: This Grand Avenue residency is a strategic “soft launch.” Disney is keeping these heavy-hitters out in the open to draw crowds away from the heavy construction zones near the park’s center while they prepare their permanent home.
The Main Event: “Off The Page” Opens This Summer
While meeting a princess on a city street is a fun novelty, the real magic is happening behind the curtain. The Grand Avenue appearances are the “warm-up” for Off The Page, a revolutionary new character hub slated to open later this summer inside the newly reimagined Magic of Disney Animation building.
Off The Page is designed to be more than a photo op; it’s an immersive walkthrough that places guests inside the “departments” of a living animation studio. When it officially opens, Mulan and Rapunzel will move to their permanent, highly-themed studios:
The Six Departments of “Off The Page”:
- Story (Mulan): Guests enter a room filled with oversized, hand-drawn storyboards. Mulan meets guests in front of a “living” storyboard that shifts to show key moments of her journey as she interacts with you.
- Layout (Rapunzel): Using forced perspective and “multiplane” sets, this area makes you feel like you’ve stepped directly into the hand-painted backgrounds of Tangled.
- Hand-Drawn (Chip ‘n’ Dale): A tribute to the classics, where the mischievous duo “draw” themselves into the room using digital ink.
- CG Animation (Donald & Daisy): A high-tech “rendering bay” where the ducks show off their modern, three-dimensional look.
- Lighting (Goofy): An interactive room where Goofy “controls” the spotlight—often with chaotic results—for your photos.
- Effects (Stitch): A lab dedicated to “sparkles and explosions,” where Stitch creates digital havoc in the background of every shot.
The Big Picture: The Walt Disney Studios Lot
The arrival of these characters is just the tip of the iceberg. The entire Animation Courtyard is currently undergoing a massive rebranding into the Walt Disney Studios Lot.
Starting May 26, 2026, the “construction walls” are expected to pull back, revealing a land that celebrates the history of Disney filmmaking. The most anticipated returning icon? The Sorcerer Mickey Hat. While not returning to its massive scale at the end of Hollywood Boulevard, a reimagined, “studio-gate” version of the hat will serve as the entrance to this new land.
The Walt Disney Studios Lot will serve as the park’s “Legacy Hub,” featuring:
- Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!: A brand-new stage show for families opening on May 26.
- Drawn to Wonderland: A Mary Blair-inspired playground that brings the concept art of Alice in Wonderland to life.
- The Animation Academy: An expanded version of the popular drawing class, now featuring an Olaf animatronic as your guest instructor.
Muppets, Monsters, and a Park in Flux
You can’t talk about the princesses without acknowledging the “chaos” next door. Grand Avenue is currently the border between the old and the new. Just past where Mulan and Rapunzel are meeting, the former Muppets Courtyard is being transformed into Monstropolis.
With MuppetVision 3D officially closed as of earlier this year, work is progressing rapidly on the Monsters, Inc. Door Coaster. To appease the vocal Muppet fandom, Disney has moved the Muppets to Sunset Boulevard, where Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets is currently in technical rehearsals.
By placing Mulan and Rapunzel on Grand Avenue, Disney is providing a much-needed “win” for families who might be feeling the loss of other attractions during this massive park-wide shuffle.
Quick Tips for Your May 2026 Visit
- Check the App Early: Because Mulan and Rapunzel rotate in the same location, their “set times” are crucial. Refresh your My Disney Experience app at 9:00 a.m. to plan your stop at Grand Avenue.
- The “Swedish Chef” Strategy: Grand Avenue is now home to a Muppet-themed food takeover. Grab a snack at the Swedish Chef’s Meatball Hut while one parent waits in the character line—it’s the most efficient way to handle the 40-minute wait times.
- PhotoPass is King: This spot features some of the best natural lighting in the park. Make sure your Memory Maker is active, as the photographers here have been doing “Magic Shots” featuring Mushu and Pascal.
The Verdict: A Studio Reborn
Hollywood Studios has spent the last few years trying to figure out what it wants to be. Is it a park about being in the movies, or a park about how they are made?
The 2026 “Animation Takeover” suggests the answer is both. By bringing Mulan and Rapunzel to the streets of Grand Avenue and preparing the massive Off The Page hub, Disney is finally leaning back into the “Studio” name. They are reminding us that behind every $200 million franchise is a single artist with a pencil—and that, in itself, is the real magic.
Are you heading to Grand Avenue to see the new royal residents? Or are you counting down the days until Monstropolis opens? Let’s hear your 2026 park strategy in the comments!
