A major section of Disney's Hollywood Studios has been off-limits since last fall, and with opening day now just over a month away, the walls surrounding the former Animation Courtyard are finally starting to shift.
What's Being Built
Walt Disney World Resort announced last year that the Animation Courtyard would be retired and rebuilt as the Walt Disney Studios Lot: a new land modeled after the real animation studio campus in Burbank, California. The area closed in September 2025, and construction has been underway since.
The centerpiece of the new land is the return of Magic of Disney Animation, an opening-day Disney-MGM Studios attraction making its comeback inside the former Star Wars Launch Bay building. The reimagined experience will feature six character meet-and-greets tied to different stages of the animated filmmaking process, an Alice in Wonderland (1951)-themed playground, and drawing classes led by an audio-animatronic Olaf.
Two shows round out the land. “Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!” will take over the soundstage that previously housed “Disney Jr. Play and Dance!”, bringing a preschool-focused entertainment offering already running at Disney California Adventure Park to Central Florida. “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure” is staying put and has continued performing throughout the construction period, even as everything around it has been transformed.
Walls on the Move
BlogMickey reported on April 6 that the construction barriers inside the former Animation Courtyard had been repositioned. The updated configuration still keeps the bulk of the area sealed off, but the new plywood layout carves out a noticeably wider walkway for guests leaving “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure,” complete with freshly poured pavement.
New themed paint has also appeared on the exterior of the Magic of Disney Animation building, which will eventually be crowned with a large blue Sorcerer Mickey hat.
The Walt Disney Studios Lot is scheduled to open at Disney's Hollywood Studios on May 26, 2026.
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