Magic of Disney Animation Opens After UK School Holidays On 14th September

The Magic of Disney Animation opens at Disney's Hollywood Studios on 14th September 2026, bringing 5 new indoor attractions to the newly reimagined Walt Disney Studios area just over 3 months after the courtyard reopened. For UK families heading to Disney World this summer the opening date might be a bit disappointing, especially as this building offers so much for younger children to enjoy and provides a great escape from the Florida sun. Here’s everything that is opening on the 14th, and how this will change Hollywood Studios planning for UK visitors.

What’s Opening On 14th September In Hollywood Studios?

Here’s every indoor experience opening on the 14th September inside the Magic of Disney Animation:

What Is the New Magic of Disney Animation?

The Magic of Disney Animation is the reimagined Star Wars Launch Bay building at the back of the newly reimagined Animation Courtyard area, which is now known as The Walt Disney Studios. The building is going to be home to 5 new experiences, all indoors, and ideal for families looking for an escape from the noise of Hollywood Studios.

It’s the second major opening in this area since 26th May 2026, when the area reopened with:

• Disney Jr Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!

• The Walt Disney Studios Courtyard area

This area will be perfect for parents to escape the heat, and give tired younger kids a chance to cool down and blow off some steam on the play area.

Why It’s A Shame This Misses A Summer Holiday Opening Date

This opening is coming after all the children from the US and the UK will have returned to school, and this is an area that offers a lot for families. In particular, the Drawn to Wonderland playground, which if the first proper play space in Hollywood Studios since Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: Movie Set Adventure closed on 2nd April 2016. It’s even more relevant too with the closure of the Boneyard in Animal Kingdom on 1st September 2025, reducing that play space area younger children love. To have had this area for families over the hot summer would have no doubt helped make full summer days in Hollywood Studios easier.

An indoor, air-conditioned playground has its maximum value in the second week of August, when the afternoon storms roll in and everyone has run out of patience. It arrives once the worst of the heat, and the British families, have gone. While it’s great for families heading out with younger children and it’ll be open for October half-term; this opening date is just a bit frustrating.

Does This Attraction Opening Change How You Plan a Hollywood Studios Day?

Yes, it’s going to change how people plan their afternoons and down time within the parks. The Magic of Disney Animation area will give people the chance to stay in the park rather than leave when trying to avoid the burn-out that often comes in this park.

Hopping from Rise of the Resistance, to Tower of Terror, to Slinky Dog in Toy Story Land, by midday it’s hot and currently there’s just no attractions to escape into that will let you cool down at your own pace. A walk-through pavilion with air conditioning, a playground and character greetings is exactly the sort of thing you drop into to reset, to cool down, to let the kids catch their breath.

The Walt Disney Studios Timeline

The Walt Disney Studios area is going to feel more complete with the opening of Magic of Disney Animation; here is a brief timeline of how the area has transformed since last summer:

What This Says About Hollywood Studios Into 2027

When you step back and look at the wider changes here, the opening date is only part of the story as this park continues to refresh old IP’s and continue building an identity as the park families are most drawn to. This addition is all about ticking the boxes for younger kids, but the next reimagined land, Monstropolis is about giving the teens and adults another roller coaster experience.

Magic In A Minute

The Magic of Disney Animation opens at Hollywood Studios on Monday 14th September 2026. If you are travelling from late September onwards, or at October half-term, you get a fully operational indoor pavilion with a playground, a new Olaf animatronic and six character greetings, with no Lightning Lane attached.