It’s been a bittersweet year for Walt Disney World fans and a time of transition, as we’ve had to say some tough goodbyes ahead of demolition and construction for major new projects that’ll open in the next few years. Some of those have been more difficult than others.
For the most part, the closure of Animation Courtyard and Star Wars Launch Bay has been a satisfying good riddance. The ‘land’ was arguably the worst at Walt Disney World, right up there with Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama. That was another satisfying good riddance that 2025 brought, and two big reason to look forward to the future, even if there are some bittersweet elements of the overhauls.
With Animation Courtyard, that’s the loss of the iconic Disney-MGM Studios archway. That has been a fixture of the park since it opened back in 1989, and first served as the entrance for the studios park’s thesis attraction–the multi-hour backlot tour. Obviously, a lot has changed since then. The archway hasn’t served its original purpose or made much sense for more than half of the park’s existence.
Before we get too deep into this weekend’s news, let’s start with a quick recap. Animation Courtyard is being reimagined into the Walt Disney Studios Lot at Hollywood Studios. The biggest change is that the Roy E. Disney Animation Building is replacing Star Wars Launch Bay at Hollywood Studios, and will house an all-new family experience, “The Magic of Disney Animation.”
The Walt Disney Studios Lot and “The Magic of Disney Animation” will open sometime in 2026. The existing courtyard, minus the Little Mermaid musical, all closed back on September 25th. Character meet & greets have been relocated around the park to accommodate the closure.
Now let’s turn to the latest demolition development, which is that the iconic archway is now gone. As always, All aerial photos courtesy of theme park eye in the sky bioreconstruct, a friend of the site who graciously provided these demolition photos & video:
Not really much extensive analysis to offer here. We knew the archway would be demolished, as it wasn’t in the new concept art, permits were filed for its demolition, etc. So no real surprise here. We’re pleased that the work was accomplish overnight while the park was closed in a single evening, as opposed to dragging out the carnage in guest view.
Construction crews have wasted no time in getting to work on Animation Courtyard in the ~3 weeks since it closed. You can see the large dumpsters filled with junk removed from the buildings. Notably, the Star Wars Launch Bay marquee is gone, as are awnings for character meet & greet and other facade elements. Disney has also already repainted the dance party space.
The biggest visible work we’ll see here is pavement replacement and new hardscape work to add more green spaces for play and relaxation, as well as the transformation of the former Star Wars Launch Bay facade into the Roy E. Disney Animation Building. With that, a giant Sorcerer Mickey hat will be added.
RIP Disney-MGM Studios Archway
The iconic archway had been around since the opening day of the Disney-MGM Studios in 1989. It was one of the few surviving remnants of the original park, which arguably died 20 years ago. It been limping along until Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land reinvented the park.
Since I’ve been a fan, this gateway has gone through many different color and logo changes, but it’s nevertheless managed to stick around even as so much of the park has gone extinct. From that perspective alone, it will be missed–and its removal is bittersweet.
We’ve lost the Earful Tower and everything else on the backlot. Grauman’s Chinese Theater survived the replacement of Great Movie Ride, thankfully. That or Tower of Terror are probably the park’s visual ‘icon’ now, but this archway was a close second for many fans. I have countless family photos from over the years with this serving as the backdrop.
Losing the archway does feel like the end of an era, and I’m somewhat sad to see it go. Emphasis on somewhat.
While I have my nostalgia for the arch–as do many other longtime fans–I also think a strong case can be made for ditching this. It’s an entranceway to a “land” that exists off the main hub of the park, and feels like it’s almost gating-off what should be a more open and inviting space. The archway made sense back when it was the backlot tour entrance, but that hasn’t been the case for ages.
It’s difficult to shake the glasses of nostalgia, but if the park were built today from the ground up, fans would view this archway as awkwardly-placed. Even if not, there’s something to be said for replacing this with the actual studio lot entrance signage, and letting the Sorcerer Mickey Hat be the “wienie” deeper inside the Walt Disney Studio Lot that beckons guests into the area.
Clearing that sightline to make this area more inviting is a smart move, and a potentially beneficial one. It’s surprising just how dead Animation Courtyard has felt over the years despite being right there in the dead-center of the park.
Although the removal of the archway does feel symbolically-significant for the demise of the Disney-MGM Studios, the substance is what matters more. Not only that, but the demise of the Disney-MGM Studios occurred ages ago. This is just a small nail in a coffin that had long ago been sealed.
More importantly, “The Magic of Disney Animation” is a return-to-form and the first “studios park” change at DHS in a long time. It’s ironic that we’re getting this while losing the archway, but it’s a change that makes sense.
In short, it’s possible to be both sad about the loss of the archway given its historical significance, while also acknowledging that it should’ve been removed years ago. Walt Disney World nostalgia and sentimentality is a tricky thing, but I am incredibly optimistic about the overall direction of this new area. Just let me mourn the past and wax poetic about the studios park that once was for a few days. I’ll move on quick.
Animation Courtyard Reimagining
In 2026, “The Magic of Disney Animation” will return to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Topping the building will be Mickey’s iconic Sorcerer Hat, which is just like the real building in California.
“The Magic of Disney Animation” begins as the animators have temporarily stepped away, but the building is still buzzing with activity as the characters have come to life and they’re ready to play. Guests will interact with and explore silly takes on the iconic Disney Animation headquarters, including the many different studio departments.
You’ll see portraits come to life before your eyes just like they did in “Once Upon A Studio.” You’ll find inspiration with a short film (with a twist, of course). You’ll even pencil in some time to learn how to draw your very own character sketch.
Another addition is the “Drawn to Wonderland” playground filled with an oversized flower garden with musical instruments, a Mad Tea Party playset and a Tulgey Wood exploration area, all inspired by the original “Alice in Wonderland” concept art from Disney Legend Mary Blair. It’ll be the perfect whimsical indoor play area for little ones to grow “curiouser and curiouser!”
There will also be lots of character meet & greet experiences, and places to explore and create in the newly-reimagined Walt Disney Studios Lot. There will be plenty of play opportunities for families when this mini-land reopens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2026.
This all sounds similar to the temporary experiences over the last several months during “Cool Kid Summer.” That event was likely a proof of concept, and this is that type of experience realized in fuller form with permanent venues and actual high-quality Imagineering and placemaking.
The reimagining of Animation Courtyard will extend far beyond the walls of “The Magic of Disney Animation.” What’s currently the Animation Courtyard will be reimagined into The Walt Disney Studios Lot. The new-look land will draw inspiration from several buildings found on the Disney campuses in Burbank, California.
This special nod to the legendary Walt Disney Studios Lot includes the Florida version of the Studio Theater, which will continue to house “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure.” Over at the soundstage, you’ll find a fresh Disney Jr. show.
While exploring the studio grounds and courtyard area, families can take a break to play, relax, or snack on tasty treats under lush trees. And make sure to look around, too. You never know who you might see playing in the branches, soaking up the sun or digging in the grass.
Disney Animation artists and Walt Disney Imagineers are working hand-in-hand to bring the wonder and nostalgia of Disney Animation films to the whole courtyard in new and immersive ways families will love.
As noted above, “The Magic of Disney Animation” and the Walt Disney Studios Lot will open sometime in 2026.
Walt Disney World has not provided a specific opening date or even a season. One thing to note is that they have announced Cool Kid Summer will return in 2026. Given that, it’s possible there’s a sense of urgency to have this project finished by Memorial Day 2026.
The exterior hardscape could certainly be finished by then. Given how quickly crews have already moved to demolish the old Animation Courtyard, it’s conceivable that exterior work could be done by Winter 2026, if Disney so desired. That’s just a portion of the project, though.
Then there’s the “Magic of Disney Animation.” This is an attraction that already existed before; the space inside the building was lightly retrofit for Star Wars Launch Bay, so it’s possible they could go in there pretty quickly and restore the old experience.
This is the type of project with a wide range of possibilities. It might be an incredibly ambitious plan to breathe new life into Animation Courtyard for decades to come or a “low dough” project aimed as offering a stop-gap until bigger picture plans for this area are ready to be initiated in the 2030s.
This project might be finished by Spring 2026, or it might struggle to be done by Christmas 2026. No one has any clue at this point, so it’s silly to try to predict anything. My guess is that Memorial Day weekend is the target. That’s when Cool Kid Summer kicked off this year, and we would expect the Walt Disney Studios Lot to be a centerpiece of that event in 2026 if at all possible.
This might be a stopgap, singles and doubles-style project–but it has the potential to be a massive improvement over Animation Courtyard, and a true asset to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Losing the dead mall vibes of this area is a huge win. Gaining an outdoor space that’s actually a pleasant, shaded place to spend time would be a massive win.
The Walt Disney Studios Lot has the potential to be a triple. Maybe even an inside-the-park home run that restores a certain quality from Michael Eisner’s opening day dedication that’s been missing for a while: “a state of mind that exists wherever people dream and wonder and imagine, a place where illusion and reality are fused by technological magic.” The Hollywood that never was — and always will be.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Is it the ‘end of an era’ for DHS with the archway demolished? Or did that era end two decades ago? What do you think about Animation Courtyard being reimagined into the Walt Disney Studios Lot? Looking forward to an all-new ‘The Magic of Disney Animation’ coming to Walt Disney World? Any other thoughts or commentary to add? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
