Review: The Magic of Disney Animation Makes Fun and Delightful Return to Disney's Hollywood Studios, Even If More Fan Service Than Substance
First announced last year, I have been waiting with eager anticipation for the newest iteration of The Magic of Disney Animation at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. The official opening is nearly upon us (September 14) and I have already been fortunate enough to tour the offerings of the new attraction, bringing the Art of Animation to Walt Disney World after an extended absence (not counting the Animation Experience at Disney's Animal Kingdom) in favor of the Star Wars: Launch Bay, which was featured in the old Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida studio from 2015-2025. Or as I might say...far too long.
Granted, the building has not been a working animation studio and studio tour since 2004, but after that it was transformed into an interactive celebration of the artform with activities, characters, and experiences and remained that way until it closed for Star Wars in 2015. Now, the art of animation has returned (at long last) to Disney's Hollywood Studios with The Magic of Disney Animation once again, this time presented in a (mostly) whole new way, inspired by the acclaimed short film celebrating 100 years of Disney animation, Once Upon A Studio. The attraction is made up of four different experiences - Off The Page, Olaf Draws!, Drawn to Wonderland, and Once Upon A Studio Theater - so I've split up my commentary on each as such, with an added bonus section since there's a lot just on the walls and galleries between the spaces.
Once Upon A Studio Theater
When I first heard that Once Upon A Studio would have its own theater here, my first thought was initially "Why?" Disney has made that short easier to find than Orange Bird merchandise during EPCOT's Flower & Garden Festival. It's on YouTube, it's on Disney+, it was on ABC, it's a bonus feature on copies of Wish (admittedly, I might be the only person who owns that movie). Why, after the few years since its debut and easy accessibility are we devoting a full theater to it for people to spend precious time out of their day at the park if (statistically speaking) they can just play it on Disney+? Even while on their phone in a queue for something else at the park.
The acclaimed short inspired this whole iteration of the attraction, with the characters coming to life when the animators leave for the day. It's sort of built in and assumed knowledge when walking into the attraction space. So it does come in handy as sort of an introduction had someone not seen it. But the best part, for those who have seen it countless times already, is the theater itself.
Anchored on either wall are more frames of character art (similar to what's in the short) that feature brand new animation and even more characters, adding to the already stacked list of character appearances in the short. While initially that was quite exciting, the effort (likely since fans will be more attentive to the main screen at this point) sort of dwindles about halfway through, with no further appearances in the new content. That said, having this dedicated space with the unique new animation does give this a big boost and proves that its more than just another distribution point for an already easily accessible short film.
For me though, the real highlight of this aspect of the Magic of Disney Animation experience is the lobby just outside the theater doors. An enchanted gallery of sorts that features three interactive touchpoints (upon my visit both MagicBand+ and Disney MagicMobile through an iPhone worked) will be the clear draw to the space, offering up Xbox Kinect style interactive games featuring characters like Baymax and the Kakamora from Moana.
However, if you sit and enjoy the furniture in the area for more than a few minutes, the artwork around you comes to life. Not all at once, but a piece here and there, with custom animation designed for the space. For example, one frame might feature Thumper from Bambi above another image of the Seven Dwarfs sleeping. Thumper comes to life and starts, of course, thumping. Playing like it's an apartment building with neighbors, Grumpy wakes up in the image below and starts telling the neighbors, as it were, to quiet down. While it channeled the magical art on Disney Cruise Line ships, it plays well with the experience and content that awaits once inside the theater, and takes long enough to happen in the lobby that it warrants actually taking a moment to sit and breathe in the hustle and bustle of the park.
Olaf Draws!
The other theatrical experience is the Animation Academy-style drawing lessons featured in the new "Olaf Draws!" Don't get confused though, there are two marquees leading to the same experience, one saying "Animation Academy" above the doors, and another themed wooden plank that says "Olaf Draws!" In a way, it kind of says a lot about the experience that awaits inside.
Much has been said (and should be continued to be said) about the lack of a live cast member giving these drawing lessons - a practice still featured in the Disney Animation experience at Disney California Adventure that allows for dozens of DIFFERENT lessons throughout the day. While we can argue audience demographics between the two destinations and labor costs, etc., there is a bit of magic lost here.
Guests are ushered into the space, where an animatronic Olaf from Frozen is at the animation desk (just like in Once Upon A Studio) and is joined by a Walt Disney Animation Studios staffer via pre-recorded video. Fortunately, there are 10 different characters and animators that can appear, so it's not necessarily the same every time. However, this format gives it more of a show feel with a desk as opposed to an interactive experience, regardless of how hard they try.
Where this succeeds for me, is that some animators like Disney Legend Eric Goldberg tell anecdotes and fun facts along with the drawing lesson. I experienced a version with Trent Correy, co-director of Once Upon A Studio, and the upcoming Frozen 3, and has been on every project featuring Olaf in some way. Because of that, they played into Olaf talking with someone who animated him, and it was reminiscent of the original Drawn to Animation show (featured both here and at DCA) featuring prerecorded footage of Mushu from Mulan on one screen and his animators on the other. An unintentional homage that scored some points with me.
Overall the show is cute, though some might also be disappointed in the fact that Olaf largely has his back to the crowd during most of the show. But you're supposed to be drawing anyway.
Off The Page
A large swath of The Magic of Disney Animation is dedicated to Off The Page. This area - which occupies the space that was once home to all the animation desks and visible work being done back in the old days of the animation tour - is the bulk of the experience with numerous character meet and greets. There are multiple queues installed, with each greeting zone themed (loosely) to a different department in the animation process. I won't say much about the characters here as they can change by the day (with queue setups designed with digital displays for this very reason), but I like the space as it is full of character sketches along the wall and a trove of easter eggs and references to not just animation, but the Florida studio in particular.
One giant prop mentions sketches for M/LS/BB/MP. This is a reference to Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, and Brother Bear - the three films produced in full here at the Florida studio - and a cancelled project that was in-development at the studio before it closed - My Peoples. Though, one Cast Member tried to explain that it was Mary Poppins, so perhaps an additional training day is in order.
Speaking of giant props - I don't know if I missed it in the story for the space or what, but I don't understand why some of the character meet and greets feature giant pencils, mugs, and animation paraphernalia on such a large scale. It's not like Andy's Backyard in Toy Story Land, or even the former Honey, I Shrunk The Kids Movie Set Adventure where I was "shrunk" in some way for the experience. I'm at a studio, right?
That particular nitpick aside - the true downfall of Off the Page in my experience was with those automatic PhotoPass cameras. While meeting Mulan, the camera failed to activate at the appropriate time, leading to a series of photographs that were awkwardly timed and mid-posing. Much to the frustration of myself, the attendant, and likely Mulan herself though she'd never admit it like the strong warrior she is. I had the benefit of time to try and get a pic (eventually just handing my phone to the attendant) as there was no real queue, but I can't imagine this going over well when this place is packed to the gills.
It's worth noting that at the time of this writing, only Rapunzel and Mulan's meet and greet space had the automatic cameras. Photopass photographers are located at the numerous other greeting locations in Off the Page.
While the malfunctioning auto-camera provided perhaps the most memorable moment of my evening, I must say that was not the intent. But characters like Mulan who knew how to handle it and make the best of the situation are always the backbone of the memorable character moments at a Disney park, so its nice to have all these options in one spot with a theme I love - even if a bit disjointed at times, thematically. The guests greeting Donald or Goofy or whatever character will be in these locations regularly aren't going to ask why theres a coffee mug the size of a Buick next to them, but rather walk away with the memories of the fun they had with the character come to life.
Drawn to Wonderland
Just off of the Off the Page area of the experience is the Drawn to Wonderland playground. This playground is comprised of two sections - one geared for babies up to about two years old, and the other for 2 to 5 year olds. Bluntly, this is not for me. It's for those parents with that age group in tow, and gives a nice, indoor break while the kids can burn off some steam.
Or - what is more likely to happen - enjoy some fun while hiding out from an afternoon rainstorm or while waiting for family at the other experiences of The Magic of Disney Animation. It's a great offering for those who can use it.
However (and you knew there were going to be comments), it's a one and done for me. I love the theme, the look of it, right out of Alice in Wonderland with character figures and even appearances in the space by Alice herself. But the location, tucked into its own enclosed corner of the space, darkened, maybe even poorly ventilated, with ample seating for large crowds of parents and little ones, tells me that this might just become both the most desirable location in the park and the least desirable simultaneously. Especially in the wet, sticky, warmer Florida summer months.
The Florida Studio
Where the attraction as a whole truly shines for me is the celebration of animation as an artform and the legacy of that art at the Walt Disney Company for over 100 years. There is a lot of history in this very building that went overlooked, dare I say neglected, from 2015 until now in the favor of promoting any and all things Star Wars. While this experience as a whole is more in line (yet updated beautifully) with how the most recent iteration of The Magic of Disney Animation was when it closed, there is plenty of tribute to the original Animation experience that guests could tour and see animators at work in here at the park.
There is one section in particular that I really enjoyed that puts a special emphasis on the projects that came out of Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida while it existed at the park from 1989 to 2004 - namely Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, and Brother Bear - but also reveals to a crowd that never got to experience what they could have seen had they visited back then, with the Back to Neverland short film featuring Walter Cronkite and Robin Williams, and shows why Robin as a Lost Boy is featured throughout the attraction now.
While a bulk of this new version of The Magic of Disney Animation (right down to the character sketches adorning the walls of Off The Page) feels a lot like an advanced version of the Kids' spaces on newer Disney Cruise Line ships, it's nice to see an embracing of the heritage and history of this building return. Especially since, I believe anyway, a real working studio tour would never work in this day and age.
I was also incredibly happy to see that, like the old days, a section of the space gives a sneak peek as to what is coming next from the Walt Disney Animation Studios. Upon opening, this means a fully gallery devoted to the new film Hexed. Full of concept art, character studies, maquettes and more. Also featured along a gallery wall, posters (in small size) of each of the full-length features from Walt Disney Animation Studios thus far, with plenty of blank space for more. Which means, hopefully, this space will be dedicated to Animation once again for years to come.
It's a prideful feeling that was immediately juxtaposed when "props" from Animated films were on loan from their respective characters in the final gallery before exiting.
This includes Maui's Hook, an Atleantean Crystal, Robin Hood's Bow and Arrow, and more all dotting walls and display cases, seemingly expected to be taken as seriously as the Emmy that Once Upon A Studio won that is placed only a few feet away. It's fun and great fan service and sure to be a great photo spot, just oddly placed compared to the real production artwork and developmental materials for the next feature, and accolades for those productions.
And speaking of the exit, there is the requisite gift shop that appears to be filled with character-based apparel, merchandise, and toys. How this didn't become the park's Art of Disney location once again - which as of this writing remains at the gift shop at The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror - I'll never know.
All this to say - as honestly as I can put it - The Magic of Disney Animation is a glorified Character Meet & Greet zone with two fun little shows. There are fun touches, details, references, and great tributes to what this place once was, all honoring the heritage and importance of this location to the Disney Legacy - albeit in an arguably juvenile way, especially compared to previous iterations of the attraction. Like Once Upon A Studio itself, it serves as more fan service than actual substance, and I don't know that it will do what the original studio tour did and make a new generation want to become animators and artists, but it certainly is fun along the way. Still, the experience is a substantially better offering in the park than an out-of-place Star Wars museum, set to please families visiting for the first time, and delighting those long time guests and animation fans who hold this building in such high regard. 3.5 out of 5 pencils.
To see The Magic of Disney Animation for yourself at Disney's Hollywood Studios, be sure to reach out to our friends at Mouse Fan Travel who can assist with all your Walt Disney World planning needs!