Disney’s Hollywood Studios has rebuilt Animation Courtyard to feel like the Walt Disney Animation Studios lot in Burbank, and the centerpiece opens September 14. It’s called The Magic of Disney Animation, and it lives inside a building modeled on the Roy E. Disney Animation Building. Mickey’s Sorcerer Hat sits on top, same as the real one in California.
The whole thing grew out of Once Upon A Studio, the Emmy Award-winning short where Disney characters step off the screen and wander the studio lot. Disney says all 64 animated feature films are represented throughout the space, the first time that’s happened at Walt Disney World.
What’s hidden inside The Magic of Disney Animation?
Start in the reception area and look up. The studio’s Lost and Found Department holds the Map Sphere from Treasure Planet, Eeyore’s tail, and the Sundrop Flower from Tangled. Figaro keeps watch from above, flicking his tail over treasures he’s clearly decided are his now.
Overhead, a colorful chandelier hangs full of paintbrushes. Each one is individually named by a member of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Ink and Paint Department. That’s a tribute almost nobody will notice, and it’s the best thing in the room.
The tilework is pulled straight from the Roy E. Disney Animation Building lobby. Pencil sketches of Oliver, Mr. Toad, and Tod and Copper turn up along the walls. In “Off the Page!,” maquettes include a young Tarzan perched on a tree trunk and Taffyta Muttonfudge from Wreck-It Ralph.
Then there’s Treasures Untold, a gallery of artifacts from Disney Animation history: Jiminy Cricket’s suit and gold star pin, a box of Kanine Krunchies, Lilo’s doll Scrump, and Kuzco’s crown and earrings.
The last stop is the Animator’s Office, staged like someone just got up from the desk. That animation desk is preserved from the park’s original Animation Academy.
What else is in the reimagined Animation Courtyard?
The courtyard itself is a shaded, park-like area with snacks, lush trees, and details like Pluto’s Corner tucked in. Disney says character surprises are hidden throughout, so keep an eye on the branches and the grass.
The Studio Theater still houses “The Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure”, and a neighboring soundstage hosts “Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!”
That one’s already open. Inspired by Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+, the show starts with Mickey and Minnie throwing a party, except their friends have gone missing. The search turns into a sing-along, and Goofy, Daisy Duck, and Pluto eventually turn up to finish the celebration.
Inside the new building, portraits come to life the way they did in the short, and you can sit down and learn to draw a character sketch. The lineup of experiences includes “Drawn to Wonderland,” “Off the Page!,” “Olaf Draws!,” and the Once Upon A Studio Theater.
Shark Take: If you’re at Disney’s Hollywood Studios before September 14, the courtyard and “Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!” are the parts you can already do. The Magic of Disney Animation itself opens on the 14th.
Source: Disney Parks Blog
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