Surprise Soft Opening for Magic of Disney Animation Attraction at Hollywood Studios

The Magic of Disney Animation has quietly soft opened Friday morning ahead of its scheduled debut on Monday, September 14, 2026! Here’s the latest on the attraction in the new-look courtyard at Hollywood Studios, and what you can expect if you visit during these technical rehearsals.

As basic background, this multi-attraction experience is located in the Walt Disney Studios Lot, which is a reimagining of Animation Courtyard at Hollywood Studios. The outdoor area has been open since shortly before Memorial Day, and Disney is once again referring to it as Animation Courtyard. What was not open until today is the Roy E. Disney Animation Building, which takes over the former Star Wars Launch Bay space.

The Roy E. Disney Animation Building houses a ‘what’s old is new again‘ return of “The Magic of Disney Animation,” but with all-new experiences. The Magic of Disney Animation features the Once Upon a Studio Theater, Olaf Draws Animation Academy, Drawn to Wonderland Play Area, and “Off the Page” Character Meet & Greets. As of Friday, September 11, 2026, all of this has soft opened.

If you’re unfamiliar with soft openings, they’re also known as trial operations or technical rehearsals, and are an unannounced and controlled test period. They provide an opportunity for theme parks to open an attraction prior to its official opening and conduct operations and Cast Member training in a more forgiving and lower stress environment.

Typically, soft openings are not publicized. They are a ‘surprise & delight’ experience that draw significantly fewer crowds than official openings as a result. They’re a nice perk for guests who are already in the park and the most plugged-in Walt Disney World fans.

Since soft openings are unpublished, they can end at any time. In this case, that means that the Magic of Disney Animation could reach capacity and turn away additional guests, or it could close mid-afternoon or prior to park closing. That’s not what we expect, though. In all likelihood, the Magic of Disney Animation has a full schedule of regular hours for the next few days.

Walt Disney World had moved away from soft openings in the last few years, before bringing them back with TRON Lightcycle Run. That was the last big attraction to offer soft openings, although Test Track 3.0, Disney Starlight Night Parade, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, and Soarin’ Across America all did more recently.

Soft opening the Magic of Disney Animation is a very savvy move, as it should offer a release valve on crowds and demand among Floridians who want to be first, Annual Passholders, bloggers, vloggers, influencers, etc. Pulling forward some of this demand today and over the weekend should help address opening day overcrowding.

Even though it’s a fairly large building, the space is subdivided into multiple separate areas. None of these are big enough to accommodate the demand they’re going to see. The Magic of Disney Animation is going to resonate with guests and, most likely, be an incredibly popular offering upon debut.

Even after the initial fanfare dies down in a week or two, I still expect it to be very popular, even during the off-season. Then it’s fall break in a few weeks…followed shortly thereafter by Veterans Day/Jersey Week, Thanksgiving, etc. There’s no reason to expect demand to die down for The Magic of Disney Animation at all this year.

I’m not even sure where the queue is going to go for Olaf Draws (more on this subject soon). Right now, Olaf Draws is using a traditional standby line during soft openings, but that could change at any point. There is very little space for a physical queue, and seating is relatively limited inside.

Walt Disney World also confirmed that spontaneous free-playing characters will continue to appear both outside and inside the Magic of Disney Animation, even now that the “Off the Page” meet & greet location opened.

During a recent preview, we ran into characters from Alice in Wonderland and more (that’s them with Disney Legend Eric Goldberg above–excuse the low-quality phone photo, but it was a magical moment that I just couldn’t pass up sharing), although there’s no guarantee as to who will be included among the ‘regular rotation’ in Animation Courtyard. My personal hope is a rotating assortment of rare characters.

Suffice to say, if you’re at Walt Disney World today, we’d highly recommend making your way over to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, ideally before locals get off work, and experiencing the Magic of Disney Animation. Once there, you’ll definitely want to prioritize Olaf Draws. It’s only going to get busier as the day goes on.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Magic of Disney Animation, here’s a rundown of what Imagineering drew up inside the building…

Drawn to Wonderland Play Area

Younger animators-to-be can step into the whimsical world of “Drawn to Wonderland,” an indoor playground inspired by the original Alice in Wonderland concept art from Disney Legend Mary Blair.

From the playful chaos of the Mad Tea Party and Mad Hatter’s house to the Queen of Hearts’ vibrant rose garden and the Cheshire Cat’s mysterious Tulgey Wood, the area invites young guests to explore. Kids will be able to climb, wander, and create their own adventures in this new playground.

We’re really looking forward to this one. Walt Disney World needs more well-done playgrounds, and DHS needs more for young families. This adds one that’s also indoors, which makes it an outsized win for parents of toddlers!

Off the Page Character Meet & Greets

You’ll also be able to venture into “Off the Page!” This is an area where you can meet some of your favorite friends from Walt Disney Animation Studios stories while celebrating the artistry behind every frame.

Characters you may spot in Off the Page include:

Mulan in Story
Rapunzel in Layout
Chip ‘n’ Dale in Hand-Drawn Animation
Donald and Daisy in CG Animation
Goofy in Lighting
Stitch in Effects

Every corner of “Off the Page!” is designed to immerse guests in the craft of animation, as this experience is a collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Olaf Draws!

Step into a new Animation Academy experience with Olaf Draws!, where everyone’s favorite snowman takes center stage as your cheerful host. With his signature warmth, optimism, and playful humor, Olaf invites guests of all ages to explore the art of character drawing.

Brought to life as an all-new Audio-Animatronics figure, Olaf welcomes you into a space inspired by one of his most memorable moments from Once Upon A Studio sitting at an animator’s desk, joyfully discovering the art of drawing.
Stepping into a reimagined animator’s studio with playful nods to Frozen, guests of all ages are invited to sit down and learn to draw.

You’ll go step-by-step through the creative process, guided by Disney Animation artists through recorded tips, techniques, and stories from inside the studio. Add in Olaf’s playful humor, and it becomes a fun, laugh-filled experience that leaves you feeling inspired.

Young animators in the making can spark their creativity at sleigh‑themed tables (our daughter loved sitting in these), while animator‑desk–style workstations invite kids at heart to feel as though they’ve stepped right into the studio.

Since Olaf can’t quite draw on his own, he turns to the expertise of some legendary Disney Animation artists whose pre-recorded guidance brings the class to life. Together, they guide you step-by-step through the creative process, sharing tips, techniques, and stories straight from the studio as you learn how beloved Disney Animation characters come to life.

Each class features a different character, inspired by timeless classics and modern favorites, giving you a unique reason to return again and again. You may find yourself sketching:

Mickey Mouse, with Dan Abraham, director (Once Upon A Studio, Baymax!)
Minnie Mouse, with Hyun Min Lee, animator (Frozen 2, The Princess and the Frog)
Donald Duck, with Austin Traylor, animator (Once Upon A Studio, Moana 2)
Genie, with Eric Goldberg, animator (Aladdin, Hercules)
Moana, with Samantha Vilfort, story artist (Encanto, Zootopia 2)
Stitch, with Fawn Veerasunthorn, director and head of story (Wish, Raya and the Last Dragon)
Olaf, with Trent Correy, director (Once Upon A Studio, Frozen 3)
Ursula, with Michael Woodside, animator (Big Hero 6, Encanto)
Judy Hopps & Nick Wilde, with Byron Howard director, (Zootopia, Zootopia 2)

The Olaf Audio Animatronics is awesome and kids will love it, but the lack live animators is a definite loss. Everything else about this reimagining is an unequivocal win, so it’s disappointing to see the otherwise warm and welcoming reimagining tainted by losing the human touch.

Once Upon a Studio & More

In the Once Upon A Studio Theater, you can enjoy the Emmy Award-winning short film that inspired it all, Once Upon A Studio. Inside this dedicated theater honoring more than a century of Disney Animation storytelling, enhanced effects add an extra layer of magic.

As you enjoy the film, you may spot characters popping up within the artwork along the theater walls, placing you right in the middle of this enchanting story.

You can also discover an enchanted art gallery, a beautifully curated space filled with artwork featuring beloved Disney Animation characters. At first glance, it feels like a traditional gallery, but with a little pixie dust, your favorite character may spring to life in all-new animations created exclusively for this experience.

Ultimately, the Walt Disney Studios Lot is another strong ‘singles & doubles’ addition; one of several such in 2026. This land has gone from one of my most-hated in all of Walt Disney World to one where our family is going to be spending a lot of time in the next few years.

The Magic of Disney Animation continues this trend, modernizing an experience that I loved as a kid for my daughter’s generation. She loved everything about this experience, from the ‘rolling slide’ to the meet & greets and Olaf teaching her how to draw (although the surprise hit was simply watching Stitch spin around in an office chair). This land has gone from one of my most-hated in all of Walt Disney World to the land where, realistically, our family is probably going to be spending the most time in the next few years. I’m already looking forward to more time in the Magic of Disney Animation!

Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!

YOUR THOUGHTS

Excited to experience the Magic of Disney Animation? Heading out to DHS today or this weekend for soft openings to beat the crowd? Pleased to see that free roaming characters are sticking around? Have you spent any time in the Walt Disney Studios Lot? 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!