Disney World Guests Have Less Than 1 Month Before Hollywood Studios Changes

One of the biggest changes coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios this year is now less than a month away.

After years of watching the park move further away from its original studio concept, guests are about to see Disney bring animation back into the spotlight. The Magic of Disney Animation is scheduled to officially open on September 14, 2026, transforming a longtime section of Animation Courtyard into something completely different.

Disney has confirmed the September 14 opening date on its official Walt Disney World website, describing the new destination as a place where Disney characters and stories will come to life while celebrating the company’s animation legacy.

For Hollywood Studios, this isn’t simply another attraction opening. It’s another major step in the decades-long transformation of a theme park that has repeatedly changed what it wants to be.

Disney Is Bringing Animation Back to Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios opened in 1989 as Disney-MGM Studios, when the park leaned heavily into movie production and behind-the-scenes experiences.

That identity slowly faded.

Over time, Disney replaced much of the working-studio concept with attractions and immersive environments based on its biggest franchises. The park eventually became home to areas such as Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

Now, Disney is revisiting one piece of its past.

The redesigned Animation Courtyard takes inspiration from the Walt Disney Animation Studios campus in Burbank, California. The project also draws inspiration from Once Upon a Studio (2023), which brought together Disney characters inside the company’s real animation studio.

The Magic of Disney Animation will become one of the most important pieces of that transformation when it opens September 14.

Several New Experiences Are Coming

This won’t be one traditional attraction.

Instead, Disney is filling The Magic of Disney Animation with multiple experiences designed around the animation process.

Olaf Draws will allow guests to sit down and learn how to sketch Disney characters. An Audio-Animatronics Olaf will appear at an animator’s desk while recorded instruction from Disney artists walks guests through the drawing process.

Character experiences are also coming through Off the Page!

Disney plans to place characters in settings representing different stages of animation. Previously revealed characters include Mulan, Rapunzel, Chip ‘n’ Dale, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, and Stitch.

Rather than simply standing in front of a themed backdrop, these characters will appear in spaces connected to areas such as Story, Layout, Hand-Drawn Animation, Computer Animation, Lighting, and Effects.

Younger Guests Are Getting Something New, Too

One of the biggest additions for families will be Drawn to Wonderland.

The indoor playground takes inspiration from Disney Legend Mary Blair’s concept artwork for Alice in Wonderland(1951). Disney says children will be able to explore a space inspired by her distinctive designs.

Previously announced elements include environments based on the Mad Tea Party, the Mad Hatter’s house, the Queen of Hearts’ rose garden, and the Cheshire Cat’s Tulgey Wood.

For Hollywood Studios, an indoor play area could fill an important role. It gives younger children something built specifically for them while offering families another place to spend time away from the Florida heat.

September 14 Starts a New Chapter

The Disney Once Upon a Studio Theater will round out the experience with a short film celebrating more than 100 years of Disney animation. Mickey Mouse and numerous Disney characters will be part of the presentation.

Other pieces of Animation Courtyard’s transformation have already arrived. The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure and Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! are already operating nearby.

Now, the biggest remaining piece has an official date.

Beginning September 14, guests will see a very different version of this longstanding Hollywood Studios area.

Disney has spent decades changing the park from its original studio-focused identity. This time, however, the company isn’t completely leaving the past behind.

It’s bringing animation back — just in a very different way.