Theme park guests heading to Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the debut of The Magic of Disney Animation will need to pay close attention to the park calendar. Ahead of its grand opening on September 14, 2026, Walt Disney World has released official operating hours for the new walk-through attraction. While opening-week crowds will enjoy full-day access from park opening to park close, Disney is planning a permanent operational change on September 28, 2026, that will significantly shorten the attraction’s daily schedule compared to the rest of the park.
Opening Fortnight vs. Permanent Schedule Cut
When The Magic of Disney Animation officially opens its doors in the reimagined Animation Courtyard, Disney will initially run the attraction across full park operating hours to absorb opening crowds. However, starting September 28, the venue will transition to a permanent schedule operating from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily.
| Operating Dates | Daily Attraction Hours | Park Hours Comparison |
| September 14 – 17, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. | Full regular operating hours |
| September 18 – 19, 2026 | 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. | Full early opening hours |
| September 20 – 27, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. | Full regular operating hours |
| September 28 – Onward | 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | Opens 1 hour late, closes 3 hours early |
Why the Shorter Schedule Matters for Your Park Strategy
Because Disney’s Hollywood Studios generally opens at 9:00 a.m. (with Early Theme Park Entry beginning at 8:30 a.m. for resort hotel guests), the 10:00 a.m. opening time means visitors cannot rush to The Magic of Disney Animation first thing in the morning.
Even more impactful is the 6:00 p.m. daily closing time. Standard operating hours for Hollywood Studios typically run until 9:00 p.m. or later. Guests who like to save character greetings, galleries, and indoor walk-through exhibits for the cooler evening hours or after dinner will find the doors locked three full hours before the park closes.
Abbreviated schedules are fairly common for indoor exhibits and character halls across Disney World, such as Walt Disney Presents or character spots in EPCOT. However, because The Magic of Disney Animation is the headlining centerpiece of the newly rebranded “The Walt Disney Studios” area, parkgoers must explicitly build an eight-hour mid-day window into their daily itinerary to experience it.
What’s Inside The Magic of Disney Animation?
Taking over the former Star Wars Launch Bay building, the attraction serves as a multi-room celebration of Disney’s animation legacy, combining interactive technology, rare character meets, and screening spaces.
Here is everything guests will experience inside when the doors open:
- Olaf Draws: An interactive animation academy hosted by a state-of-the-art Audio-Animatronic Olaf alongside recorded Disney artists. Guests sit at drawing stations to learn, step by step, how to sketch classic characters. Disney has confirmed that Olaf Draws! will utilize a Virtual Queue via the My Disney Experience app to manage demand.
- Once Upon A Studio Theater: A dedicated screening venue showing the Emmy Award-winning short film Once Upon a Studio, which reunites more than 500 characters from across 100 years of Walt Disney Animation Studios history.
- Off the Page! Character Meet & Greets: A series of unique character encounters organized around different stages of the animation pipeline:
- Mulan in the Story department
- Rapunzel in Layout
- Chip ‘n’ Dale in Hand-Drawn Animation
- Donald and Daisy in Computer-Generated (CG) Animation
- Goofy in Lighting
- Stitch in Visual Effects
- Drawn to Wonderland: A whimsical, sketch-inspired indoor play space designed for younger children to burn off energy among interactive Alice in Wonderland artwork.
- Enchanted Art Gallery: A curated display featuring rotating concept art, physical character maquettes, pencil tests, and historical production artifacts from both classic and modern Disney animated films.
The Return of an Iconic Hollywood Studios Name
The opening of this experience holds greater nostalgic significance for longtime Disney fans. The original Magic of Disney Animation was an opening-day attraction when the park first debuted as Disney-MGM Studios in May 1989. For over two decades, guests could walk above actual animation bays and watch real Disney artists work on feature films like The Lion King, Mulan, and Lilo & Stitch.
That original tour closed in July 2015 to make way for Star Wars Launch Bay. Eleven years later, Disney has brought the classic name back to Animation Courtyard with an updated, highly interactive focus tailored for modern parkgoers.
How to Adjust Your Hollywood Studios Itinerary
To ensure you don’t miss out on The Magic of Disney Animation once the permanent 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. schedule takes effect on September 28, keep these planning tips in mind:
- Rope Drop High-Thrill Rides First: Do not head to Animation Courtyard at 9:00 a.m. Instead, spend your first hour riding headline attractions in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Toy Story Land, or Sunset Boulevard before looping back to the animation hall when it opens at 10:00 a.m.
- Join the Olaf Draws! Virtual Queue Early: If learning to draw with Olaf is on your must-do list, log in to the My Disney Experience app as soon as the Virtual Queue opens in the morning to secure a return group well before the 6:00 p.m. shutdown.
- Plan for Mid-Day Heat and Rain: Because the attraction is entirely indoors and air-conditioned, scheduling your visit between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. makes it an ideal retreat during peak afternoon temperature spikes and typical Central Florida rain showers.
By understanding these schedule constraints before you set foot in the park, you can enjoy all the character encounters, artwork, and drawing classes inside without getting caught off guard by an early closing rope.
