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February 23, 2026
Walt Disney World Resort is sharing more details about what’s coming to The Magic of Disney Animation experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios when it opens in late summer, with updates centering on hands-on fun, familiar characters and a behind-the-scenes look at how Disney movies are made.
The upcoming park area will include an all-new Animation Academy, new character encounters and interactive spaces that walk guests through the animation process from start to finish.
Drawing Disney Characters With Olaf
One of the biggest updates is a brand-new Animation Academy experience called Olaf Draws!. It’s hosted by Olaf from Frozen, who appears as a new Audio-Animatronics figure and serves as the guide for the class.
Guests of all ages will sit down in a studio-style space and learn how to draw Disney characters step by step. The room has playful Frozen-themed touches, with sleigh-inspired tables for kids and animator-style desks for adults.
The dialogue for Olaf was recorded by Josh Gad, the voice of the character. “I’m so thrilled that a whole new generation of kids can dream of becoming animators one day and can actually begin their journey right there on the studio lot,” Gad shared.
Since Olaf isn’t much of an artist himself, the class is taught with help from real Disney animators. Through prerecorded videos, animators, directors and story artists guide guests through the drawing process and share tips along the way.
Each session features a different character, so guests might learn to draw Mickey, Minnie, Donald, the Genie, Moana, Stitch, Ursula, Olaf, or Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, depending on the class.
Characters Step Off the Page
Another part of the update is Off the Page!, which brings characters into themed spaces inspired by different departments at the real-life Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, California.
Each area represents a step within the animation pipeline and features appearances by beloved characters who help bring the process to life. Guests might see Mulan in Story, Rapunzel in Layout, Chip n’ Dale in Hand-Drawn Animation, Donald and Daisy in CG Animation, Goofy in Lighting or Stitch in Effects.
The spaces are designed to be interactive and photo-friendly, while also giving guests a basic idea of how animated movies are created.
Art That Comes to Life
Guests will also walk through the Enchanted Art Gallery, which looks like a traditional gallery at first — until the artwork starts moving. New animations created just for this attraction bring Disney characters to life within the artwork itself.
The experience wraps up in the Once Upon A Studio Theater, where guests can watch the Emmy Award–winning short “Once Upon A Studio”. Enhanced effects inside the theater add a few surprises, with characters even appearing within the artwork on the walls.
This article originally appeared in TravelPulse.
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