Multiple updates have already surfaced regarding this new Disney World experience.
If you've got a Hollywood Studios trip on the books for later this month, there's a scheduling change you'll want to know about before you build your day around it. The Magic of Disney Animation, the new attraction that took over the old Animation Courtyard space, is trading its long opening-week hours for a much shorter daily window starting September 28.
Here's the rundown. From its September 14 debut, the building will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., a generous 12-hour stretch that makes it easy to work into pretty much any touring plan. Come September 28, that changes to a 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. schedule instead, an eight-hour day that's a full third shorter than what guests have gotten used to.
That matters more than it might sound like at first. If you're the type who heads straight for rope drop, you won't be able to make this building your first stop anymore, since it opens a full hour after most of the park does. And if you were planning to swing by in the evening, maybe after dinner or on your way to catch nighttime entertainment, you're out of luck there too. The new hours essentially carve out a midday-only window and close off both ends of the day.
Disney hasn't said publicly why the hours are getting cut. That said, it's worth keeping in mind that the original 9-to-9 schedule lined up with the attraction's preview and opening period, and it's fairly common for new Disney experiences to see their hours pulled back once that initial stretch wraps up. Still, trimming a third of the day this quickly after opening is a bigger adjustment than guests may have expected.
There's another new wrinkle worth mentioning, too. Olaf Draws, one of the drawing experiences inside the building, built around an Audio-Animatronics Olaf from Frozen, reportedly hasn't been pulling the crowds Disney was seemingly expecting. A post on X from user @Mattlegostar2 claims the attraction's virtual queue system was scrapped on opening day:
“Olaf Draws is NOT using Virtual Queue on opening day (10 minute wait) despite being advertised it would use one. You are free to walk up and join the line!”
For anyone unfamiliar, Olaf Draws walks guests through drawing their own Disney character, with instruction based on real techniques from Disney Animation artists, all guided by the animatronic Olaf. It's one piece of a bigger lineup inside the building that also includes Drawn to Wonderland, the Disney Once Upon a Studio Theater, and Off the Page.
If you're trying to map out a Hollywood Studios day, this is one more thing to juggle. The park already keeps guests busy with big-name rides, shows, dining reservations, character meet-and-greets, and evening entertainment, so squeezing in a new experience was never going to be simple. With the shorter hours, the margin for error shrinks even more. Want to hit both Olaf Draws and the Once Upon a Studio Theater in the same visit? You'll need to plan that out ahead of time rather than winging it.
It's a bit of an ironic turn, given how long this whole area was closed off. Disney announced the Walt Disney Studios Lot redevelopment in July 2025, and the old Animation Courtyard closed for good in September 2025 to make way for construction. The redone courtyard reopened in May 2026, but The Magic of Disney Animation wasn't part of that reopening; it stayed closed, leaving fans still waiting on one of the area's biggest draws. Disney eventually locked in the September 14 opening date after running cast member previews earlier that month.
After roughly a year of waiting for this corner of the park to fully reopen, moving to a noticeably shorter public schedule so quickly is a bit of a surprise.
Bottom line for your trip planning: if The Magic of Disney Animation is on your list for late September or after, don't leave it for the end of the day. Once the new 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. hours kick in on September 28, you'll have four fewer hours than guests had during the opening stretch.
Try to knock out Olaf Draws, Off the Page, Drawn to Wonderland, and the Once Upon a Studio Theater earlier in your day rather than saving them for the evening, and if you're specifically after Olaf Draws, it's worth checking current wait conditions before you go, since things there seem to be changing fast.
What are your thoughts on the new Magic of Disney Animation building? Let us know in the comments down below!
