Credit: Lee (myfrozenlife), FlickrFor nearly ten years, Disney’s Hollywood Studios has had a blind spot that every parent could feel, but few executives openly acknowledged.
This is a park built for spectacle. Towering attractions. High-speed thrills. Loud, kinetic experiences designed to keep crowds moving from one queue to the next. But since the closure of the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids playground in 2016, there has been no dedicated space where a young child could simply play. Not queue. Not pose. Not strap into a ride vehicle. Just play.
On hot afternoons, the absence has been impossible to ignore. Families navigating the park’s wide, sun-soaked walkways often find themselves searching for shade, for stillness, for a break that doesn’t require another Lightning Lane reservation. Hollywood Studios has offered plenty of entertainment, but very little relief.
In Summer 2026, that changes.
Disney has shared additional details about The Magic of Disney Animation, opening in the former Star Wars: Launch Bay building, and while much of the information confirms what was previously announced, the full scope is now unmistakable. This is not just another character meet-and-greet complex. It is a structural correction. It addresses a decade-old problem that directly affected young families and reshapes a corner of the park that had long felt transitional.
A Disney Landmark Returns With Purpose
The transformation begins outside.
The building that currently houses Star Wars: Launch Bay will become the centerpiece of a reimagined Walt Disney Studios Lot courtyard. Topping it will be Mickey’s Sorcerer Hat, modeled after the version atop the Roy E. Disney Animation Building in Burbank.
This time, the hat is not being positioned as a controversial park icon or skyline centerpiece. Instead, it functions as a visual anchor for the land—a lighthouse drawing guests into a space devoted to the craft of animation. The surrounding courtyard will take inspiration from the real Burbank Studio Lot, extending the story beyond the building itself. The Studio Theater will remain home to The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure, while a refreshed Disney Jr. show will continue in the nearby soundstage.
The effect is cohesive rather than decorative. For the first time in years, this area of the park will feel intentional rather than inherited.
The Playground Families Have Been Waiting For
Inside, the most consequential addition is not a ride system. It is Drawn to Wonderland.
This indoor playground draws directly from original Alice in Wonderland concept art by Disney Legend Mary Blair. That creative choice matters. Mary Blair’s work is defined by bold shapes, vibrant color blocking, and stylized whimsy that translates naturally into physical space. Rather than defaulting to generic soft-play theming, Imagineering is grounding the design in authentic animation history.
The environment will feature oversized musical flowers, a Mad Tea Party playset, and Tulgey Wood crawl spaces designed for young explorers. These are tactile, interactive elements meant to encourage movement and imagination rather than passive observation.
Just as importantly, the space is fully indoors and air-conditioned. In a park that has leaned heavily into high-intensity attractions over the last decade, this kind of low-stimulation, climate-controlled environment is more than a novelty. It is operational strategy. It provides a pressure valve for families who need to reset without leaving the park or sacrificing their day’s momentum.
For nearly ten years, Hollywood Studios has operated without that safety net. Its return signals a shift in priorities.
Bringing Once Upon a Studio to Life
The entire experience is inspired by Once Upon a Studio, the Emmy Award-winning short that celebrated more than a century of Disney Animation by imagining characters coming to life inside the Burbank studio.
The Magic of Disney Animation extends that premise into a physical environment. Inside, guests will explore playful interpretations of studio departments, where portraits animate before their eyes and the creative process becomes interactive. The “Off the Page!” area will allow families to meet characters within themed spaces that represent different stages of animation.
Mulan will appear in the Story department, framed by oversized storyboard panels. Rapunzel will greet guests in a Layout-inspired setting that evokes the multiplane camera. Other characters, including Chip and Dale, Donald and Daisy, Stitch, and Goofy, will represent additional facets of the animation pipeline.
This approach does more than provide photo opportunities. It reframes beloved characters within the context of artistic creation. In an era where intellectual property often drives theme park expansion, centering the process behind the films feels deliberate and restorative.
The dedicated Once Upon a Studio Theater will screen the short film in an enhanced environment where characters appear within artwork along the walls, placing guests inside the story rather than in front of it. It is a layered experience that celebrates legacy while inviting new audiences to engage with it.
Olaf Draws! Elevates a Classic Concept
Perhaps the most technically significant upgrade comes with Olaf Draws!, a reimagined Animation Academy experience hosted by an advanced Audio-Animatronics Olaf.
Rather than relying solely on a live instructor and screen-based demonstration, this new iteration places Olaf at an animator’s desk, inspired by his appearance in Once Upon a Studio. Voiced with original dialogue recorded by Josh Gad, the character introduces guests to professional Disney artists who guide them step by step through drawing beloved characters.
Each session will feature different instructors and characters, ranging from Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse to Moana, Genie, Ursula, Judy Hopps, and Nick Wilde. The rotating format encourages repeat visits while reinforcing the educational component of the experience.
This is a subtle but meaningful evolution. It uses sophisticated Audio-Animatronics technology not for spectacle, but for intimacy. The goal is not to overwhelm, but to inspire. Young guests sit at sleigh-themed or animator-desk–style tables, sketching alongside guidance from the very artists who bring these characters to life.
In a park once dedicated to the magic of moviemaking, that return to creative mentorship feels significant.
A Strategic Pivot for 2026
Replacing Star Wars: Launch Bay with The Magic of Disney Animation represents more than thematic realignment. It signals a broader operational shift.
Hollywood Studios has, in recent years, leaned heavily toward thrill-driven capacity and high-demand intellectual property. That strategy delivered marquee attractions, but it also intensified stress points for families with younger children. By consolidating animation experiences into one cohesive indoor hub—and by closing Animation Courtyard and Disney Jr. Play and Dance! to prepare for the transformation—Disney is streamlining rather than scattering its offerings.
The result is a space designed for decompression as much as entertainment.
In the summer of 2026, when crowd levels and planning complexity remain high, the importance of such a space cannot be overstated. An indoor playground inspired by Mary Blair. An animation gallery where characters spring to life. A drawing academy hosted by a state-of-the-art Audio-Animatronics figure. These are not headline-grabbing thrill rides, but they are infrastructure for families.
After a decade without a true play area, Hollywood Studios is finally correcting its most glaring omission.
Not with nostalgia alone. Not with corporate fanfare.
With shade. With air-conditioning. With creativity.
And for families who have spent years navigating a park built largely for spectacle, that correction may matter more than any new coaster ever could.
What would you like to see added to Hollywood Studios in the future? Let us know in the comments section!