Credit: Patrick McGarvey, FlickrDisney’s Hollywood Studios faces a challenge in balancing its original concept as a tribute to Hollywood’s golden age with the need to incorporate modern franchises that appeal to today’s audiences. Since its opening as Disney-MGM Studios in 1989, the park has evolved through various reimaginings as it seeks to define its identity amid shifting interests.
The physical layout reflects this ongoing struggle, with areas like Animation Courtyard transitioning from animation tours to character meet-and-greets and more recent attractions like Star Wars: Launch Bay.
Currently, Animation Courtyard is being transformed into The Walt Disney Studios, a new space celebrating animation and designed to resemble the actual Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. This reimagining aims to provide a clearer identity for the park’s central areas, with progress toward a reopening this summer.
Trees Arrive in Animation Courtyard
Crews have planted three large trees in Animation Courtyard, fulfilling Disney’s promise of creating park space where guests can relax under lush trees. The trees represent visible progress toward the reimagined courtyard depicted in concept art released when Disney announced The Walt Disney Studios transformation.
One tree is positioned closer to the construction walls, while two are located closer to the former Star Wars: Launch Bay building. Crews spent several days installing the trees using cranes to position them in their permanent locations.
The trees are approximately where concept art shows green space in the new courtyard design. They provide shade to an area that was previously partially shaded by the Disney’s Hollywood Studios archway, which was torn down early in the demolition and construction project.
The Walt Disney Studios Vision
The reimagined Animation Courtyard will become The Walt Disney Studios, an area celebrating the art of animation through multiple interactive experiences. The space will resemble the Walt Disney Studios buildings in Burbank, California, creating visual connections to Disney’s actual production facilities where animated films are created.
Characters will roam the area between The Little Mermaid: A Musical Adventure and Disney Jr. soundstages. Both buildings have been painted beige as part of the aesthetic transformation, matching the Burbank studio architecture.
The new experience will include animation workshops, an indoor play space for children, character meet-and-greets, and a short film. Interactive moments will be incorporated throughout, with portraits coming to life similar to the animated short Once Upon a Studio, inspiration provided through film presentations, and opportunities for guests to learn to draw their own character sketches.
The iconic Sorcerer Mickey hat that once served as Hollywood Studios’ centerpiece will return as the welcoming element at the entrance to the new animation experience, providing nostalgic connections to the park’s history while serving a functional purpose in the reimagined space.
The Broader Hollywood Studios Transformation
Animation Courtyard’s reimagining represents one component of extensive changes reshaping Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The park is undergoing multiple major transformations across different areas, fundamentally altering the guest experience.
Grand Avenue closed earlier in 2025, eliminating Muppet Vision 3D and Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano to make way for Monstropolis, a new land based on Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. The centerpiece will be a suspended roller coaster themed to the film’s door sequence, representing a first-of-its-kind attraction for Walt Disney World.
While the Muppets lost their longtime home, they’re receiving a new presence through the retheme of Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, which will transform into a Muppets attraction expected to open in 2026. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster closes permanently on March 2, 2026, to begin the transformation.
Timeline and Reopening for This Disney Park
Animation Courtyard closed September 25, 2025, after final operations for Star Wars: Launch Bay and Disney Jr. Play and Dance. The reimagined Walt Disney Studios area is scheduled to reopen this summer 2026, providing a relatively quick turnaround from closure to reopening compared to some Disney construction projects that stretch across multiple years.
The summer 2026 reopening will coincide with ongoing construction elsewhere in the park as Monstropolis development continues and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster undergoes its Muppets transformation. Hollywood Studios will operate with significant portions behind construction walls while new experiences gradually open.
Impact on Disney Park Operations
The extensive construction and closures concentrate guest traffic into the remaining operational areas. Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will likely see increased crowds as popular alternatives, while other park sections remain unavailable. Attractions like Slinky Dog Dash and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance could experience longer wait times as guests seek available experiences during the transformation period.
The Walt Disney Studios area will provide additional capacity when it reopens, offering indoor air-conditioned spaces, character interactions, and interactive experiences that give guests activities beyond just attractions, helping distribute crowds across more of the park.
The Bigger Walt Disney World Context
Hollywood Studios’ transformation is part of a resort-wide expansion Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro previewed at D23 Expo 2024. Magic Kingdom is undergoing what Disney calls its largest expansion ever, with Piston Peak National Park, based on Pixar’s Cars, replacing Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America, plus the Beyond Big Thunder project bringing Disney Villains into the park.
Animal Kingdom’s Tropical Americas project, replacing DinoLand U.S.A., includes Pueblo Esperanza debuting in 2027 with Encanto and Indiana Jones attractions. EPCOT recently completed its extensive overhaul, highlighted by Test Track’s July 2025 reopening, leaving that park with fewer major construction projects currently underway.
What Guests Can Expect at This Disney Park
The ongoing transformation of Animation Courtyard at The Walt Disney Studios is evident with newly planted trees, signaling progress toward the summer 2026 reopening. These trees hint at a more inviting space, offering shade and relaxation, unlike the previous function as pathways.
This renewed focus on celebrating animation brings Hollywood Studios back to its filmmaking roots through interactive experiences and character encounters, moving away from outdated production tours.
For guests visiting Hollywood Studios during 2026, the park will present a mix of construction walls, newly opened experiences like The Walt Disney Studios, and ongoing transformations, creating a transitional period where the park evolves toward its next identity.