Crews have started tearing down the Disney’s Hollywood Studios archway in Animation Courtyard.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios Archway Demolition
The small side archways have been completely torn away from the large archway. On the right side, a hole in the archway is covered by white scrim.
On the other side, there is only one piece of scrim. This leaves the steel infrastructure, wires, and pipes exposed.
The light-up “Disney’s Hollywood Studios” sign was removed from the top of the archway, too. As we reported earlier this week, lamps were removed from the front.
Above is the archway before being blocked by construction walls. The modern Disney’s Hollywood Studios logo was added to the archway in 2019 and it was repainted with a new color scheme. Below is what it looked like before that refurbishment.
Even earlier, the archway had the Disney-MGM Studios logo and a slightly different design, although the same color scheme. The bas-relief panels on the side archways featuring filmmaking scenes remained throughout all the changes.
Animation Courtyard Reimagining
The archway is being demolished as part of a reimagining of Animation Courtyard, which closed on September 24. It was the permanent closure of Star Wars: Launch Bay and the experience’s sign was removed this week.
Awnings have been removed from the Disney Jr. theater, which most recently housed the summer Get Animated! dance party. Disney Jr. Play and Dance! closed earlier this year. A new Disney Jr. show will open in the theater with the rest of the courtyard next year.
The courtyard will become the Walt Disney Studios lot, inspired by the real studio lot in Burbank, California. The theater housing The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure — which is remaining open during construction — will become the Studio Theater. The courtyard will have new park spaces and character appearances.
Check out our last look at Animation Courtyard and Star Wars: Launch Bay.
The Magic of Disney Animation
Star Wars: Launch Bay will be replaced by a new version of The Magic of Disney Animation, the Disney’s Hollywood Studios attraction that Launch Bay replaced. The original experience gave guests a look into the Disney Feature Animation building where classics like Lilo & Stitch were created.
It included the short film Back to Neverland starring Robin Williams and Walter Cronkite. Williams played a Disney–MGM Studios guest chosen by Cronkite to experience animation. His tourist outfit was later referenced at the end of Aladdin when Genie (voiced by Williams) dons the same costume for his vacation.
During Back to Neverland, Williams was turned into an animated Lost Boy, who is featured on a poster for the new version of the experience (along with Genie in his tourist outfit).
Though the Florida animation studio closed in 2004, The Magic of Disney Animation continued to honor the animation process with a show featuring an animator and Mushu from Mulan until 2015.
The new version of the experience will debut in 2026. It will be a “place where kids and kids at heart can laugh, draw, dream, and explore animated new experiences.” It will be partially inspired by Once Upon a Studio, the short film that honored 100 years of The Walt Disney Company and saw animated Disney characters coming to life. Williams’ Lost Boy was also in this short film.
Guests will enter a facade inspired by the real Roy E. Disney Animation Building. Inside will be an animation studio just after the animators have temporarily stepped away and the characters have taken over. Portraits will come to life and guests will “interact with and explore silly takes on the iconic Disney Animation headquarters, including the many different studio departments.” There will be a character drawing experience, Drawn to Wonderland playground inspired by Mary Blair’s Alice in Wonderland concept art, and character meet and greets.
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