Credit: D23Disney’s Hollywood Studios is undergoing significant changes that will make the park unrecognizable over the next five years. Gone, or soon to be gone, are park standbys like Muppet Vision 3D, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster featuring Aerosmith, and the Animation Courtyard.
Construction walls have already gone up around the former Muppets Courtyard area, and large portions of it have been demolished to make way for the new Monsters, Inc. Land. Muppets fans need not fear, the Jim Henson creations will be heading across the park next year to take over the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster from Aerosmith.
Later this month, construction walls will go up around the Animation Courtyard and Star Wars Launch Bay, as that gets turned into the “Magic of Disney Animation,” which will include drawing classes, new character meet-and-greet areas, and potentially the return of Mickey’s Sorcerer’s Hat to Hollywood Studios.
To prepare guests for all the changes coming to Hollywood Studios, Disney slightly changed an existing attraction that could foretell a preview of these bigger changes. Last week, Disney closed a portion of the Walt Disney Presents attraction that housed the Disney Wish cruise ship.
The Disney Wish preview opened in November 2021 and continued in its place even after the ship launched in July 2022. Finally, more than three years after its first voyage, Disney has removed the display.
However, this change is exciting news for fans looking to preview some of the changes coming to Hollywood Studios. In the past, Disney has used this space for 3-D models of other upcoming lands at the park.
In 2017, Disney used this preview space to create a model of the new Toy Story Land, and in 2018, Disney made a scale model of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge for the area.
If the past is precedent, Disney could use this new space to showcase The Magic of Disney Animation or Monsters, Inc. Land, or potentially both. With the Animation Courtyard transition opening in 2026, Disney could first use the space for that, then transition to Monsters, Inc. Land once that project is complete.
Either way, we could soon receive detailed models of upcoming attractions at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
What changes at Hollywood Studios are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments.