Following final week’s shock announcement, Walt Disney World has filed the primary building permits for the overhaul of Animation Courtyard. This shares full particulars, plus our commentary in regards to the lack of this iconic archway that is likely one of the final remnants of the unique Disney-MGM Studios.
In case you missed it, Walt Disney World made an out-of-the-blue announcement that Animation Courtyard is being reimagined into the Walt Disney Studios Lot at Hollywood Studios. The largest change is that the Roy E. Disney Animation Constructing is changing Star Wars Launch Bay at Hollywood Studios, and can home an all-new household expertise, “The Magic of Disney Animation.”
The reimagined “The Magic of Disney Animation” is impressed by the fan-favorite brief, “As soon as Upon a Studio.” It begins because the animators have briefly stepped away, however the characters have come to life they usually’re able to play. Visitors will work together with and discover foolish takes on the enduring Disney Animation headquarters, together with the numerous totally different studio departments. You’ll see portraits come to life earlier than your eyes, discover inspiration with a brief movie, and might even pencil in a while to learn to draw your very personal character sketch.
The brand new-look land will draw inspiration from a number of buildings discovered on the Disney campuses in Burbank, California. This can embody the Studio Theater and different buildings, which can get new seems, plus a recent Disney Jr. present on the soundstage. There’s additionally going to be the “Drawn to Wonderland” indoor playground.
The brand new-look Walt Disney Studios Lot can also be reimagining the widespread areas of Animation Courtyard. It’ll have grassy grounds and a courtyard space the place households can take a break to play, loosen up, or snack on tasty treats below lush bushes. Disney has additionally implied that spontaneous character appearances will happen below these bushes.
The Walt Disney Studios Lot and “The Magic of Disney Animation” will open in 2026. As Walt Disney World prepares for this transformation, Animation Courtyard, together with Star Wars Launch Bay and Disney Jr. Play and Dance! will shut starting September 25, 2025.
Throughout this time, company will nonetheless be capable to go below the ocean with Ariel in “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey” and benefit from the displays and movie presentation at Walt Disney Presents.
This brings us to the brand new building permits which have been filed. The first allow is for 561 Stage Lane, the placement of the enduring Disney’s Hollywood Studios archway, which might be demolished as a part of the Animation Courtyard reimagining. This lists the scope of the work as “present labor, materials and/or electrical for building” and is assigned to Buena Vista Building Firm.
The second allow is for close by 551 Stage Lane. That is the tackle of the popcorn cart instantly outdoors Animation Courtyard. It is a cool cart and has been there for years–I’ve photographs of it relationship again some time–however I doubt anybody goes to shed tears over it. And in any case, the popcorn cart might be simply being briefly relocated throughout demolition and building.
One factor to notice right here is that Buena Vista Building Firm often handles smaller-scale initiatives; they’re Walt Disney World’s in-house contractor that handles fundamental upkeep and work. We haven’t actually seen their scope increase to embody full-scale demolition, so that is doubtless laying the groundwork for that. It’s not the precise demolition of the gateway entrance to Animation Courtyard.
BVCC handles less complicated issues like relocating that popcorn cart and coping with the underlying electrical; maybe one thing related with the archway. We’re hoping that the attractive bas-relief panels on the archway are preserved and relocated–hopefully, the primary allow pertains to that. We don’t anticipate this archway to go behind building partitions till late September; it’ll most likely be demolished as rapidly as doable as soon as it does.
In isolation, these permits aren’t all that important. We definitely won’t be doing a separate submit on each single inconsequential building allow filed for the Animation Courtyard, as there might be many. Nonetheless, we needed an ‘excuse’ to revisit this reimagining and alternative mission, and these permits provided that.
First, these permits ought to clarify the backdrop of the announcement within the first place. We’ve heard from quite a lot of followers who’re confused and/or enthusiastic about why the Walt Disney Studios Lot could be introduced a month earlier than Vacation spot D23. In any case, this information feels tailored for an occasion like that.
It’s a singles and doubles type win that replaces one of many worst areas in all of Walt Disney World, and does so by bringing again an extinct attraction, weaving in nods to the corporate’s historical past, and contains placemaking upgrades. That’s catnip for diehard Walt Disney World followers!
These within the “excited” camp have assumed that the Animation Courtyard information getting preempted from Vacation spot D23 signifies that there’s a jam-packed slate of reports. That that is mainly being bumped for time. It’s our understanding that that is not correct, and we’d strongly recommend adjusting your expectations.
In all probability, this Animation Courtyard announcement got here out of left area on a random morning as a result of Walt Disney World wanted to get out forward of building permits. In the event that they didn’t make an announcement, permits during the last couple of weeks would result in rampant hypothesis.
That hypothesis may result in disappointment, as there have been rumors about longer-term plans which might be formidable. As a substitute of being excited a couple of small near-term victory, there’s a model of this announcement that entails disappointment as a result of it fell wanting no matter we constructed up in our heads over the subsequent month.
One other factor we need to focus on is the lack of the enduring archway, which has been round for the reason that Disney-MGM Studios days. Since I’ve been a fan, this gateway has gone via many alternative colour and emblem modifications, however it’s however managed to stay round whilst a lot of the park has gone extinct.
We’ve misplaced the Earful Tower and every little thing else on the backlot. Grauman’s Chinese language Theater survived the alternative of Nice Film Journey, fortunately. That or Tower of Terror are most likely the park’s visible ‘icon’ now, however this archway was an in depth second for a lot of followers. I’ve numerous household photographs from through the years with this serving because the backdrop.
Shedding the archway does really feel like the top of an period, and I’ll be considerably unhappy to see it go. Emphasis on considerably. Whereas I’ve my nostalgia for the arch–as do many different longtime followers–I additionally assume a robust case may be made for ditching this. It’s an entranceway to a “land” that exists off the principle hub of the park, and feels prefer it’s nearly gating-off what must be a extra open and alluring area.
It’s tough to shake the glasses of nostalgia, however I really feel like if the park have been constructed in the present day from the bottom up, followers would view this archway as awkwardly-placed. Even when not, there’s one thing to be mentioned for changing this with the precise studio lot entrance signage, and letting the Sorcerer Mickey Hat be the “wienie” deeper contained in the Walt Disney Studio Lot that beckons company into the realm.
Clearing that sightline to make this space extra inviting is a great transfer, and a doubtlessly useful one. It’s shocking simply how useless Animation Courtyard has felt through the years regardless of being proper there within the dead-center of the park.
Though the elimination of the archway does really feel symbolically-significant for the demise of the Disney-MGM Studios, the substance is what issues extra. “The Magic of Disney Animation” strikes me as a return-to-form and the primary “studios park” change at DHS in a very long time.
Above all else, it’s heartening to see building permits filed so quick, and that the explanation this announcement got here earlier than Vacation spot D23 was as a result of Walt Disney World needs to start out shifting on the mission earlier than then. Initiatives introduced final 12 months are beginning to achieve momentum, and there’s lots to look ahead to in 2026 and past.
For Animation Courtyard to shut in late September and be reimagined within the span of roughly a 12 months is a very quick turnaround time. Simply take a look at how lengthy World Celebration in EPCOT took! Granted, that was “extra formidable” (air quotes) and delayed, however this received’t be as simple because it may appear. The reimagining seems to contain lots of placemaking, with facade work and upgraded widespread areas. That’s on prime of no matter modifications are made to transform Star Wars Launch Bay again into the Magic of Disney Animation.
Animation Courtyard is presently a sea of concrete that isn’t precisely an inviting place. I spent a while within the land on the day this announcement was made, and the realm was really the busiest I had seen it shortly because of Cool Child Summer season. Regardless of it being a ‘warmth advisory’ day, there have been lots of households and youngsters enjoying with characters, plus perpetually lengthy traces for the Little Mermaid – A Musical Journey.
I’m excited for a placemaking mission with a quicker turnaround time than World Celebration in EPCOT. I’m additionally pretty assured from the idea artwork and the overall objectives of the mission that the top consequence right here might be an precise enchancment. If something, my hope is that Imagineering is given sufficient money and time to do that proper. I’d somewhat have this open in Spring 2027 if that’s what it takes, particularly if this space might be round for a decade or longer.
This is likely to be a stopgap, singles and doubles-style mission–however it has the potential to be an enormous enchancment over Animation Courtyard, and a real asset to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Shedding the archway is bittersweet, however dropping the useless mall space is a big win. Gaining an outside area that’s really a pleasing, shaded place to spend time could be an enormous win. The Walt Disney Studios Lot has the potential to be a triple. Possibly even an inside-the-park house run.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you concentrate on Animation Courtyard being reimagined into the Walt Disney Studios Lot? Do you view the demolition of the Disney-MGM Studios archway as a giant loss, or a internet optimistic for opening up the realm and having the overhauled area be extra on-theme to Burbank? Wanting ahead to an all-new ‘The Magic of Disney Animation’ coming to Walt Disney World? Excited for this reimagined land? Or would you favor a blockbuster new land that connects Toy Story Land to Sundown Boulevard? Every other ideas or commentary so as to add? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
