7MMO
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Walt Disney World is gearing up for the biggest expansion of its nearly 55-year history, as it is currently underway in bringing Villains Land, the Cars-themed Piston Peak, Monsters, Inc.’s Monstropolis, and much more to life. However, as exciting as it is to see Disney building new lands, its additional focus and care on revitalizing its beloved yet sometimes outdated historical attractions is what has really surprised me in recent years.
After attending a preview of The Magic of Disney Animation at Hollywood Studios, which will have its grand opening on September 14, I can confidently say this strategy is working and will now have the chance to inspire and create lasting memories for even more guests. Why do I say this? Well, I saw it first-hand (through tears of pride and love) as my 7-year-old son found something more than an attraction running through these halls that once created Lilo & Stitch, Mulan, and Brother Bear.
The Magic of Disney Animation Is More Than Just an Attraction
For a bit of context, The Magic of Disney Animation is replacing the derelict Star Wars Launch Bay at Hollywood Studios. It is, in fact, the second iteration of an attraction of the same name that was running during the now–shuttered Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida studio that developed those movies I mentioned earlier and more. Back then, guests could come in and watch animators at work and learn how these Disney films go from an idea in someone’s brain to a global box office success story.
This new take on the attraction has that same mission, even if it's presented in a different way as the studio is no longer there. Inspired by the short ‘Once Upon a Studio’ that was released for The Walt Disney Company’s 100th anniversary in 2023 and featured a nod to every animated film in the studios’ catalog, this is a space where the animators have gone out to lunch and the characters have come to life and are welcoming guests to come in and visit.
Guests can head over to an indoor, air-conditioned Alice in Wonderland-themed playground (with plenty of seating for adults and charging ports!) that is also a loving tribute to the art of Disney Legend Mary Blair, they can watch ‘Once Upon a Studio’ while seeing actual portraits around them come to life and react to what’s happening on screen, and they can meet their favorite characters in spaces inspired by the different stages of animating a film, including Mulan in Story, Rapunzel in Layout, and Stitch in Effects.
However, the one I want to spend a bit more time on is Olaf Draws! This is an experience where an Audio-Animatronics figure of Olaf and on-screen Disney Legends teach you how to draw Mickey, Genie, or even Olaf himself. While it may seem like just a fun excuse to hang out with everyone’s favorite snowman while escaping Florida’s heat, it quickly turned into a core memory as I saw my 7-year-old sit up in his Frozen-style sled and lean into this activity.
I, as the proudest Dad around, saw him take care with every pencil stroke. I saw him make a mistake and get frustrated and learn how to fix it himself. I saw him laugh when Olaf made a funny joke or bantered back and forth with the Legend on screen and, perhaps most importantly, I saw him sign his name and jump up in pride and run to us and show that he brought this character to life on this page. It was a moment I’ll hold in my heart forever.
As parents, all we want in this world is to see our kids soar and reach the stars and find their spark, and, if even for just a moment while being enveloped in Frozen music and a character he loved right in front of him, he found that in this place. This very same place that once housed animators and talented individuals who were working together to share their craft and vision with the world.
The Magic of Disney Animation brings that feeling back to Walt Disney World in a way that I believe has been missing, and it even extends out into the courtyard outside the attraction. The space is modeled after the actual Roy E. Disney Animation Building in Burbank, California, and it has character statues like Pua, Thumper, and Meeko littered about alongside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre-style cement blocks with the hand- or paw-prints of various characters, including Wreck-It Ralph’s that takes up four squares, or Simba’s, who has his paw inside of Mufasa’s.
And that’s not to mention the roaming characters inside and outside of the attraction that may just surprise you and your family. I saw Alice and the Mad Hatter crashing the Unbirthday Party in the playground (to the delight of the children and parents nearby) and videos of Rapunzel playing Duck, Duck, Goose with kids in the courtyard and Pluto posing by a recreation of the iconic Pluto’s Corner street sign that is also found on Disney’s lot.
This, in concert with the Disney music, concept art, historical images, a model Animator’s office with Stitch spinning around in a chair, HeiHei popping out of a trash can, Mushu and Cri-Kee playing Fix-It Felix, and countless nods to Disney history, a museum of sorts where characters have donated items (Maui lent his Fish Hook, Elsa her Orb and Scepter, and much more), there is this sense of legacy and care that just wasn’t present in this way before.
The Magic of Disney Animation brings that feeling back to Walt Disney World in a way that I believe has been missing...
I’m a little worried about capacity and crowd control, as I foresee this being a very popular air-conditioned place to rest, try to meet characters, and let your kids play to their heart’s content at the playground, so I’m hoping everyday guests will be able to experience this place as intended and not as sardines in a tightly packed can.
Disney Is a Carousel of Progress, Not of Standing Still
The Magic of Disney Animation not only shows that care of what came before makes a difference, but that Disney isn’t just prioritizing E-Ticket, mind-blowing experiences at every corner. Listen, this attraction isn’t meant to drive ticket sales through the roof or break new ground in technology, but that doesn’t make it any less of a priority.
I saw a similar notion with Disneyland’s Walt Disney - A Magical Life, which posthumously brought Walt Disney back as an Audio-Animatronics figure to the park he built. Disney (the very-much-alive company, I mean) didn’t have to do this. This attraction, which is literally steps away from the gate where guests walk in, isn’t the most popular or thrilling experience, but it's a tribute to and honor of what came before that stands alongside modern Disney attractions like Rise of the Resistance or the upcoming Avengers: Infinity Defense at Disney California Adventure. It also adds to the experience and didn’t remove the other show that stars an Audio-Animatronics figure of Abraham Lincoln and was one of Walt’s most prized attractions.
It makes for a more complete and meaningful parkgoing experience, and it allows for guests to take home something more than screams of joy and laughter, but also inspiration, hope, and the belief that they too can tell these stories and make their dreams come true.
Walt Disney himself was always about looking forward and immersing families in the stories they love, and he’ll soon also be part of the next big change over at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, as Carousel of Progress is currently closed and getting its biggest update ever.
Carousel of Progress first debuted at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair and looked back 60 years in the past to the turn of century before heading all the way to a glimpse of what the future may hold. The attraction has gone under multiple revisions over the years, but this new iteration that is planned to open in 2027 will bring it forward by decades and add another Walt Disney Audio-Animatronics figure to the intro.
Change can be tough, particularly for a place with as much nostalgia tied to it as a Disney theme park, but after speaking to some of the Imagineers in charge of this project, it’s clear they have a reverence for what Carousel of Progress means to so many guests while also understanding that it doesn’t resonate as much with today’s audience. This new take will start in the late ‘60s and take us through the moon landing, Halloween in the ‘80s, Y2K, and even the far, far future to a look at what life could be like off-planet in an attempt to not only stay relevant for a long time and not feel outdated, but to connect more with guests in 2026 who grew up with the times that will now be shown on stage. It’s also fascinating because it will now look 60 years in the past, just as the original did when it first debuted.
It allows for guests to take home something more than screams of joy and laughter, but also inspiration, hope, and the belief that they too can tell these stories and make their dreams come true.
Once again, Disney did not need to do this, but it understands that this attraction, like the company, is a Carousel of Progress and not a Carousel of Standing Still, and it needs to keep innovating and improving what it has so it can meet the guests where they are today and tomorrow and not yesterday.
These examples; Walt Disney - A Magical Life, The Magic of Disney Animation, and the upcoming new iteration of Carousel of Progress, show that honoring your past while also marching forward is a winning combination.
I’ll never forget that night in The Magic of Disney Animation, as I felt the history all around me while seeing our future generation play in a safe space that encouraged creativity and play and left room for the chance to be inspired and realize you are even more talented and wonderful than you may have believed.
We love coming to theme parks for the thrill of the giant drop of a roller coaster or coming face-to-face with our favorite characters or villains, but the true magic of places like these are those moments we don’t plan for. It’s turning a corner to a parade you didn’t know had begun or seeing your daughter in her Elsa dress spin through EPCOT and know that she can be the princess of her own story or watching your son find that he can draw a character he loves on screen and believe that one day he may see his own creation on the big screen or in a park.
These experiences matter and are just as important as the big lands and attractions that draw hours-long lines. These smaller, quieter moments are sometimes the loudest in our lives and can help define who we are, and that’s the real magic of these places and a testament to those who work to keep these experiences ready for the current dreamers of all ages that we hope will one day shape our world for the better.
Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.
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