Disney World Makes Major Construction Progress on New Studios Lot Land Before Summer 2026 Opening
We, my friends, have dragons mature trees at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!!!! In a truly unprecedented move, Walt Disney World has reversed its decades-long strict “no shade” policy and is in the process of planting trees. Grand, glorious trees! Here’s the latest look at construction progress on the new-look Walt Disney Studios Lot land (area? miniland?), with a Salute to All Construction Progress, But Mostly Mature Tree-Planting.
In case you missed it, Animation Courtyard is currently being reimagined into the Walt Disney Studios Lot at Hollywood Studios. The biggest change is that the Roy E. Disney Animation Building is replacing Star Wars Launch Bay, and will house an all-new family experience, “The Magic of Disney Animation.”
The Walt Disney Studios Lot and “The Magic of Disney Animation” will open sometime in Summer 2026. The existing courtyard, minus the Little Mermaid musical, all closed late last September. Character meet & greets have been relocated around the park to accommodate the closure.
Construction crews have been hard at work on Animation Courtyard in the months since it closed. The biggest visible changes are pavement replacement and new hardscape work to add more green spaces for play and relaxation, as well as the transformation of Star Wars Launch Bay into the Roy E. Disney Animation Building. With that, a giant Sorcerer Mickey hat should soon be added–as discussed below, permits were just filed for that yesterday!
Now let’s turn to the latest construction progress, as there are some dramatic developments for dendrophiles! As always, All aerial photos courtesy of theme park eye in the sky bioreconstruct, a friend of the site who graciously provided these demolition photos & video:
The most obvious progress is the planting of new trees in the new central courtyard space. And we’re not talking about saplings here. Multiple, majestic mature trees stand proudly in place of what was once a sea of pavement. Gone are the dead mall vibes and concrete wasteland aesthetic, replaced by a greener and more lush environment. Like that of the actual studio lot in Burbank, California.
You may think the above is hyperbole, or the typical feigned excitement of a blogger with nothing better to talk about. Like 2012’s infamous Fantasmic Benchgate all over again (IYKYK). I promise, it isn’t. This actually is exciting news for enjoyers of theme parks…as parks.
Perhaps you’ve never spent any time at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the months of May through September. Maybe you’ve never walked from the old Animation Courtyard through Toy Story Land and into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in the summer sun and triple-digit feels like temperatures without encountering even one (1) mature tree. You haven’t managed to get sunburnt through your shirt (how does that even work?!), with your dorky bucket hat being no match for the Florida weather.
Aerial video of trees recently added for the Walt Disney Studios Courtyard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. pic.twitter.com/mpGD5QBmVc
— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) January 30, 2026
The lack of more mature trees, shade, and cover from rain is running criticism this website has had towards Disney’s Hollywood Studios, especially, but other parks as well. Our review of Epic Universe shared similar sentiment; it seems like most major projects only plant saplings. Mature trees are expensive.
I am curious as to what led to Walt Disney World blowing its budget on trees? Or maybe they didn’t, and these trees were transplanted from the Rivers of America or other construction sites around Walt Disney World. I don’t know the first thing about trees (except that I like them), so I don’t know how costly this process would be versus purchasing new mature trees. Either way, I’m happy about this terrific tree news.
I’m also hoping this new central courtyard is open as a play area and isn’t blocked off by benches. (The concept art is unclear.) Either way, it’ll be a tremendous asset. As a solo guest, I enjoy sitting in the shade. As a parent, one of my top Disney “attractions” is currently the dreaming tree area in Toontown at Disneyland. It’s impossible to overstate how much kids love stuff like this, even if it’s hardly unique to theme parks, and DHS could really use more spaces for play.
Beyond the planting of new mature trees, groundwork remains ongoing. Crews long ago completed removal of the hardscape, with infrastructure prep now being ongoing. Soon we should start to see new pathways, planters, and other landscaping elements take shape.
The only other real recent development is that the sounstages have been receiving fresh coats of paint. The exteriors now features a two-tone beige color scheme. This looks good; it’s not too muted and evokes the real lot in Burbank. You might even say that the warm, earthy colors complement the mature trees quite nicely, and will make this an even more welcoming space. (Okay, now that might be hyperbole.)
Along with this, Walt Disney Imagineering just filed a new Notice of Commencement construction permit listing Design Communications Ltd. as contractor. The description of the work is simply “install signage” at an address corresponding with the Animation Building at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We assume this is for the Sorcerer Mickey hat that’ll top the front entrance, which will be the major visual icon that draws guests into this land.
All in all, the Walt Disney Studios Lot is shaping up to be a formidable offering. It almost feels tailor-made to my families tastes: trees, benches, coloring, and the Hot Dog Song. What was once the worst land in all of Walt Disney World (after Dino-Rama closed), will soon become the area where we spend the most time at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. And that’s not even a slight exaggeration.
Walt Disney Studios Lot Opens in Summer 2026
Walt Disney World previously announced that the new Walt Disney Studios Lot will open in Summer 2026. This means the land/area/miniland itself, including those terrific trees. We expect this to happen around May 26, 2026, which is the kickoff to this year’s Cool Kid Summer, but an official date has not yet been announced.
Also expected to debut along with the trees in Summer 2026 is “Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!” This dance party features Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse embarking on a road trip to find some of their best pals – Goofy, Daisy and Pluto – for the party. This show is currently soon at DCA, and soon guests will be able to join the fun in the newly reimagined Walt Disney Studios area at Walt Disney World.
As someone who has experienced “Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!” dozens of times, it’s actually quite good. Better than it has any right to be, quite honestly. The only downside is that it ends (spoiler alert) with an abridged version of the Hot Dog Song, when really that should be played on loop. (Speaking of which, hopefully it is part of the BGM loop for the Walt Disney Studios Lot.)
Later in Summer 2026, “The Magic of Disney Animation” will invite guests to step inside the world of Walt Disney Animation Studios at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This will be the building itself, which will contain multiple offerings–as discussed below.
The Magic of Disney Animation Details
“The Magic of Disney Animation” begins as the animators have temporarily stepped away, but the building is still buzzing with activity as the characters have come to life and they’re ready to play. Guests will interact with and explore silly takes on the iconic Disney Animation headquarters, including the many different studio departments.
You’ll see portraits come to life before your eyes just like they did in “Once Upon A Studio.” You’ll find inspiration with a short film (with a twist, of course). You’ll even pencil in some time to learn how to draw your very own character sketch.
Another addition is the “Drawn to Wonderland” playground filled with an oversized flower garden with musical instruments, a Mad Tea Party playset and a Tulgey Wood exploration area, all inspired by the original “Alice in Wonderland” concept art from Disney Legend Mary Blair. It’ll be the perfect whimsical indoor play area for little ones to grow “curiouser and curiouser!”
Venture into “Off the Page!,” a collaboration between Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering. Here, you can meet characters across six unique departments from the animation studio, including Story, Layout, Hand-Drawn Animation, Computer Animation, Lighting, Effects. Each space will have unique meet & greets, like Mulan posing with an oversized storyboard panel in the Story department, or Rapunzel surrounded by a setting inspired by the classic multiplane camera in the Layout department.
There will also be lots of character encounters throughout the new-look land, and places to explore, play and create in the Walt Disney Studios Lot when this mini-land reopens in Summer 2026.
The Walt Disney Studios Lot Details
The reimagining of Animation Courtyard will extend beyond the walls of “The Magic of Disney Animation.” The Walt Disney Studios Lot will draw inspiration from several buildings found on the Disney campuses in Burbank, California.
While exploring the studio grounds and courtyard area, families can take a break to play, relax, or snack on tasty treats under lush trees. Make sure to look around, too. You never know who you might see playing in the branches, soaking up the sun or digging in the grass.
Disney Animation artists and Walt Disney Imagineers are working hand-in-hand to bring the wonder and nostalgia of WDAS films to the whole courtyard in new and fun ways families will love.
We’re really looking forward to the Walt Disney Studios Lot. This new-look area looks perfect for young families, and will definitely appeal to us more than anything else in Disney’s Hollywood Studios (for now). It’s the park that offers the least to do for toddlers, and this will help remedy that.
The Walt Disney Studios Lot might be a stopgap, singles and doubles-style project–but it has the potential to be a massive improvement over Animation Courtyard, and a true asset to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Losing the dead mall vibes of this area is a huge win. Gaining an outdoor space with mature trees that’s actually a pleasant, shaded place to spend time should be a massive win. Same goes for having an area and attractions that children who are too young for Toy Story Land can enjoy.
This has the potential to be a triple. Maybe even an inside-the-park home run that restores a certain quality from Michael Eisner’s opening day dedication that’s been missing for a while: “a state of mind that exists wherever people dream and wonder and imagine, a place where illusion and reality are fused by technological magic.” The Hollywood that never was — and always will be. We can’t wait for the Walt Disney Studios Lot to open in Summer 2026!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Excited about those majestic mature trees coming to DHS?! Optimistic about the Summer 2026 opening timeline? What do you think about Animation Courtyard being reimagined into the Walt Disney Studios Lot? Looking forward to an all-new ‘The Magic of Disney Animation’ coming to Walt Disney World? Any other thoughts or commentary to add? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I come here for writing like that first paragraph, thanks Tom!
Also genuinely very excited about the trees! We affectionately refer to this part of the park as the concrete dessert (or wasteland if we are feeling particularly snarky) – happy for the change. More of this Disney!
Some years ago, we were on a horticultural tour of World Showcase, given by an actual Disney Horticulturalist. The guide took a small group of maybe twenty people all around the countries during Flower & Garden and went into considerable detail about both permanent plantings and things added for the festival. One of the things that made the biggest impression on me from the tour was how they do mature tree relocations. They put an extremely sturdy steel pin right through a strategic part of the tree trunk, dig up the largest possible root ball of the tree, and lift the doggone thing up and put it on a truck. It is then brought to the prepared planting spot and lovingly replanted and nurtured carefully. They showed us on several trees the place where the pin was inserted – and has healed nicely. I’m still amazed.
I wonder if they will look to open the courtyard itself as quickly as possible to allow foot traffic & simply leave the two facilities closed until ready to allow guests to experience a more pleasant area & have less walls up
I love the mature trees coming to HS! I once believed I was a One-and-Done WDW Mom; instead we’ve become WDW regulars, now with a third generation celebrating major family moments. We’ve always made HS a quick, morning thing, then escaped when it became a radiant/reflective heat island. Heat wears you down and makes folks irritable. It’s potentially dangerous for young ones who lack the temperature controls, as well as folks on certain meds, etc. Our least favorite park. I remember Disneyland around 1990, when we briefly lived nearby and faraway family discovered they had to visit us — and Disneyland. Its huge trees and landscaping (and lower humidity) made the park a thing of beauty — itself a part of the magical frame. The more concrete without shade, the greater the heat and stress, and ironically the less “real” the environment. Huzzah for this development.
This is so cool!
Shade! What a treat! Oh to have the Hot Dog Song played on loop would be a dream to me (and a nightmare to some!) and would bring back memories to that being the call to action for our son ad cousins!
And I remember the days 10 years ago when we would hang out in Toontown at DLR in the play area (before the reimagining) as APs. We would sit, our boy would get the sillies out, and we would always have to say aloud “we are paying how much to do what we could do for free at our local park!?” But we know it’s not the same and have those core memories as proof.
We’ve had that exact same conversation several times back there (not to mention a park within walking distance versus Disneyland being quite the drive). It just isn’t the same, though, you’re right.
“It’s impossible to overstate how much kids love stuff like this, even if it’s hardly unique to theme parks, and DHS could really use more spaces for play.”
I have been sitting at a McDonald’s PlayPlace for literally 4 hours because the weather and ice is so bad here and I’m done debating iPad time at home. Spaces like this are nothing short of amazing for kids (almost nothing else that would entertain my son for four hours.) This should be a great addition to HS (if done well).
Yay! Return of the mighty sorcerer’s hat! Glorious day.
shade!!!!!!
Missing the strikethrough on “dragons” in the blurb/description under the thumbnail on the DTB page, and it threw me a for a second…but also probably drew me in (what are “dragons mature trees,” I wondered?).
As to those mature trees, I saw those overhead photos the other day and I’d also been wondering whether these were transplanted from ROA. Part of me thinks I’m being naive — like an old tree in that more “riparian” environment would be expected to be moved to a concrete courtyard and thrive? But another part of me wonders what happens to mature trees on property when they’re displaced by construction (ROA, Lakeshore Lodge, etc.)? Bound for the wood chipper or rustic fencing at Fort Wilderness, or repurposed alive elsewhere on property?
And on the flipside, where would Disney source mature trees for new projects — do they contract with a mature tree nursery somewhere in Central Florida? It does in many ways make most sense for them to take their own trees and move them somewhere else, if that’s arboriculturally feasible?
There are horticulture facilities at WDW, and some of them have trees, though I’m mostly familiar with their use as topiary farms between Flower and Garden Festivals. It seems that they try and move trees there when they’re clearing land and reusing them from there when they want trees. I couldn’t begin to guess their guidelines for doing that, but you can see farms near AK and HS on public satellite maps if you want to eyeball them yourself.
I’m thrilled that the reality of this plan matches the plans more than the treeless reality of World Celebration.