Disney Hollywood Studios Opens New Immersive Animation Experience in September 2026

Olaf Draws! is hosted by an animatronic Olaf, with real animators appearing in pre-recorded segments; the drawing papers feature the Roy E. Disney Animation Building.
The Once Upon a Studio Theater includes brand-new hand-drawn and computer-generated animation created exclusively for the attraction in partnership with Walt Disney Animation Studios. Some large portraits can also be activated using MagicBand+.
The reception area is modeled directly on the Walt Disney Animation Studios lobby in Burbank, California, including a large tile color-wheel mural and a paint chandelier whose colors shift with the lighting. Some chandelier brushes carry film-department color labels such as “Simba 103.”
The Lost and Found display includes more specific film artifacts than those highlighted in the summary, including the Black Cauldron, the Shepherd’s Journal from Atlantis, a glowing Tangled lantern and Figaro napping on the box.
At Off the Page!, character meetings are staged against backdrops representing different animation departments; Disney’s first-look materials specifically identify Mulan as one of the characters guests can meet.
Disney's Hollywood Studios is opening a new air-conditioned animation experience on September 14, 2026, called The Magic of Disney Animation. Click Orlando reports that the attraction puts guests inside a recreation of Walt Disney Animation Studios, letting families draw, meet characters, and explore at their own pace with no height requirements or fixed route.
The experience includes four main attractions: the Once Upon a Studio Theater with brand-new hand-drawn and computer-generated animation, Olaf Draws! led by an animatronic Olaf, Off the Page! character encounters, and the Drawn to Wonderland playground inspired by Mary Blair's Alice in Wonderland artwork. Disney Food Blog notes that the design recreates the Walt Disney Animation Studios lobby in Burbank, complete with a large tile color-wheel mural and a paint chandelier.
Olaf Draws! offers families a chance to learn drawing from a real animatronic Olaf character. Disney Food Blog reports that the class includes pre-recorded segments featuring real animators sharing their techniques. Students receive drawing papers that feature the Roy E. Disney Animation Building, connecting the experience to Disney's actual animation home.
The Once Upon a Studio Theater showcases brand-new animation created exclusively for the attraction through a partnership with Walt Disney Animation Studios. WDWNT explains that some large portraits can be activated using MagicBand+ technology, making them come alive. The theater floor even contains sketches embedded in the carpet, adding hidden details for observant guests.
Off the Page! allows guests to meet Disney characters staged against backdrops representing different animation departments. DAPS Magic reports that Mulan is among the characters guests can meet within these themed settings. Each backdrop represents a different part of the animation studio, immersing visitors in the creative process.
The reception area mirrors the Walt Disney Animation Studios lobby in Burbank, featuring a large tile color-wheel mural and a paint chandelier whose colors shift with the lighting. Disney Food Blog notes that some chandelier brushes carry film-department color labels like "Simba 103." A Lost and Found display includes specific film artifacts such as the Black Cauldron, the Shepherd's Journal from Atlantis, a glowing Tangled lantern, and Figaro the cat napping on a box. The Drawn to Wonderland playground rounds out the experience with Mary Blair-inspired artwork and interactive play areas.
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