There's a quiet little corner of Hollywood Studios that longtime park regulars have genuinely missed, and it's finally open again. Vacation Fun, the animated short starring Mickey and Minnie, reopened to guests this week after sitting closed for nearly two months. For anyone who's used this show as a reliable escape from the Florida heat over the years, this reopening is a welcome return.
If a Hollywood Studios trip is on your calendar soon, here's why this matters, along with a look at everything else new happening throughout the park lately.
A Show That's Had a Strange Year
This isn't the first time Vacation Fun has gone dark in 2026. The show actually closed twice this year, both times for reasons unrelated to any refurbishment. It first shut down to serve as a special merchandise location tied to May the 4th, then closed again on August 9th to function as a pickup spot for the popular Annual Passholder Kermit the Frog Magnet. Two separate closures in one year for retail purposes is a pretty unusual pattern for a permanent theater attraction.
That most recent closure dragged on for close to two months before the show finally returned to guests on September 27. For a park that's constantly rotating its offerings, that's a lengthy stretch for any single experience to remain unavailable, particularly one that's become something of a low key favorite for guests needing a breather during a long day.
Why This Particular Show Has Earned Such Loyal Fans
Vacation Fun follows Mickey and Minnie as they get ready for a vacation, taking guests through flashbacks of Mickey's past trips, none of which went according to plan. Given his history, his nerves about this next vacation make total sense.
The short runs approximately ten minutes and shows throughout the day, making it easy to slot into a park itinerary without much advance thought. It's far from the biggest draw at Hollywood Studios, but it delivers something genuinely useful, a cool, dark, air conditioned space to sit down for a few minutes. Anyone who's spent a full day walking around Florida heat knows exactly how valuable that kind of low key attraction can be, sometimes even more than a headline ride.
Hollywood Studios Has a Lot Going On Right Now
The Vacation Fun reopening lands during a particularly busy period for Hollywood Studios overall. The Magic of Disney Animation opened days ahead of its planned September 14 debut, finishing off the transformation of the former Animation Courtyard into the new Walt Disney Studios Lot. The space centers on hand drawn artwork, classic Disney references, and character interactions that feel less scripted than a typical scheduled meet and greet.
Inside, guests can explore Drawn to Wonderland, a hands on drawing space, along with Olaf Draws! and the Once Upon a Studio Theater, which pulls from Disney's broader animation library rather than focusing on one particular film. Pencil sketches from older animated movies also line the building, including artwork tied to The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949) and The Fox and the Hound (1981). Operating hours have adjusted since opening too, settling into a 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. window starting September 28, considerably shorter than the hours guests had during the first couple weeks.
Meanwhile, over in Toy Story Land, a new character called Lilypad has joined the roster. Lilypad is a frog shaped smart tablet introduced in Toy Story 5 (2026), and rather than roaming the land as a traditional character, she appears on a large screen, offering interactive games and activities guests can enjoy without needing to wait in any ride line. Activities include guessing which character Lilypad is sketching and solving scrambled puzzles that reveal figures like Partysaurus Rex, plus playful home videos featuring the toys.
Lilypad also brought an expanded soundtrack to the land, mixing remixed Toy Story music with brand new original tracks like “Spin It Back, Lilypad” and “Pizza Planet Promo,” a nod to Partysaurus Rex (2012) through its own dedicated anthem, and even an instrumental version of “I Knew It, I Knew You,” the Taylor Swift written song tied to Toy Story 5.
Planning Time Around All the New Additions
None of this new activity necessarily requires reworking a trip that's already planned, but it does mean Hollywood Studios has considerably more to offer than it did just a few months back. For families who typically split up mid visit, with one person on a ride while another waits with a younger child, both the returning Vacation Fun show and the new Lilypad activities in Toy Story Land give everyone something engaging to do rather than simply standing around waiting.
It's also smart to budget time for The Magic of Disney Animation given its shortened hours beginning September 28. If that space is on your list, checking the current schedule before entering the park that day can help make sure you don't miss the window.
Between a returning fan favorite and several genuinely new additions, Hollywood Studios is worth revisiting right now, even for guests who've been through the park plenty of times before. Sometimes the smaller, quieter experiences end up sticking with people just as much as the headline attractions everyone races toward first.
Glad to see Vacation Fun reopened, or excited to check out Lilypad on your next visit? Tell us in the comments what you're most looking forward to at Hollywood Studios these days.
