We, my mates, have dragons mature timber at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!!!! In a very unprecedented transfer, Walt Disney World has reversed its decades-long strict “no shade” coverage and is within the technique of planting timber. Grand, superb timber! Right here’s the newest have a look at development progress on the new-look Walt Disney Studios Lot land (space? miniland?), with a Salute to All Development Progress, However Principally Mature Tree-Planting.
In case you missed it, Animation Courtyard is at present being reimagined into the Walt Disney Studios Lot at Hollywood Studios. The most important change is that the Roy E. Disney Animation Constructing is changing Star Wars Launch Bay, and can home an all-new household expertise, “The Magic of Disney Animation.”
The Walt Disney Studios Lot and “The Magic of Disney Animation” will open someday in Summer season 2026. The present courtyard, minus the Little Mermaid musical, all closed late final September. Character meet & greets have been relocated across the park to accommodate the closure.
Development crews have been arduous at work on Animation Courtyard within the months because it closed. The most important seen adjustments are pavement alternative and new hardscape work so as to add extra inexperienced areas for play and leisure, in addition to the transformation of Star Wars Launch Bay into the Roy E. Disney Animation Constructing. With that, a large Sorcerer Mickey hat ought to quickly be added–as mentioned beneath, permits have been simply filed for that yesterday!
Now let’s flip to the newest development progress, as there are some dramatic developments for dendrophiles! As at all times, All aerial photographs courtesy of theme park eye within the sky bioreconstruct, a good friend of the location who graciously offered these demolition photographs & video:
The obvious progress is the planting of latest timber within the new central courtyard house. And we’re not speaking about saplings right here. A number of, majestic mature timber stand proudly instead of what was as soon as a sea of pavement. Gone are the lifeless mall vibes and concrete wasteland aesthetic, changed by a greener and extra lush atmosphere. Like that of the particular studio lot in Burbank, California.
You might assume the above is hyperbole, or the everyday feigned pleasure of a blogger with nothing higher to speak about. Like 2012’s notorious Fantasmic Benchgate once more (IYKYK). I promise, it isn’t. This really is thrilling information for enjoyers of theme parks…as parks.
Maybe you’ve by no means spent any time at Disney’s Hollywood Studios within the months of Might via September. Perhaps you’ve by no means walked from the outdated Animation Courtyard via Toy Story Land and into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in the summertime solar and triple-digit seems like temperatures with out encountering even one (1) mature tree. You haven’t managed to get sunburnt via your shirt (how does that even work?!), together with your dorky bucket hat being no match for the Florida climate.
Aerial video of timber not too long ago added for the Walt Disney Studios Courtyard in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. pic.twitter.com/mpGD5QBmVc
— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) January 30, 2026
The shortage of extra mature timber, shade, and canopy from rain is operating criticism this web site has had in the direction of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, particularly, however different parks as nicely. Our evaluate of Epic Universe shared related sentiment; it looks as if most main initiatives solely plant saplings. Mature timber are costly.
I’m curious as to what led to Walt Disney World blowing its funds on timber? Or perhaps they didn’t, and these timber have been transplanted from the Rivers of America or different development websites round Walt Disney World. I don’t know the very first thing about timber (besides that I like them), so I don’t know the way expensive this course of can be versus buying new mature timber. Both means, I’m pleased about this terrific tree information.
I’m additionally hoping this new central courtyard is open as a play space and isn’t blocked off by benches. (The idea artwork is unclear.) Both means, it’ll be an incredible asset. As a solo visitor, I get pleasure from sitting within the shade. As a mother or father, certainly one of my prime Disney “points of interest” is at present the dreaming tree space in Toontown at Disneyland. It’s unattainable to overstate how a lot children love stuff like this, even when it’s hardly distinctive to theme parks, and DHS may actually use extra areas for play.
Past the planting of latest mature timber, groundwork stays ongoing. Crews way back accomplished elimination of the hardscape, with infrastructure prep now being ongoing. Quickly we must always begin to see new pathways, planters, and different landscaping components take form.
The one different actual current improvement is that the sounstages have been receiving recent coats of paint. The exteriors now incorporates a two-tone beige colour scheme. This seems to be good; it’s not too muted and evokes the true lot in Burbank. You would possibly even say that the nice and cozy, earthy colours complement the mature timber fairly properly, and can make this an much more welcoming house. (Okay, now that is likely to be hyperbole.)
Together with this, Walt Disney Imagineering simply filed a brand new Discover of Graduation development allow itemizing Design Communications Ltd. as contractor. The outline of the work is solely “set up signage” at an handle corresponding with the Animation Constructing at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We assume that is for the Sorcerer Mickey hat that’ll prime the entrance entrance, which would be the main visible icon that pulls visitors into this land.
All in all, the Walt Disney Studios Lot is shaping as much as be a formidable providing. It nearly feels tailored to my households tastes: timber, benches, coloring, and the Sizzling Canine Music. What was as soon as the worst land in all of Walt Disney World (after Dino-Rama closed), will quickly turn into the realm the place we spend essentially the most time at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. And that’s not even a slight exaggeration.
Walt Disney Studios Lot Opens in Summer season 2026
Walt Disney World beforehand introduced that the brand new Walt Disney Studios Lot will open in Summer season 2026. This implies the land/space/miniland itself, together with these terrific timber. We anticipate this to occur round Might 26, 2026, which is the kickoff to this 12 months’s Cool Child Summer season, however an official date has not but been introduced.
Additionally anticipated to debut together with the timber in Summer season 2026 is “Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Stay!” This dance get together options Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse embarking on a street journey to search out a few of their finest buddies – Goofy, Daisy and Pluto – for the get together. This present is at present quickly at DCA, and shortly visitors will have the ability to be part of the enjoyable within the newly reimagined Walt Disney Studios space at Walt Disney World.
As somebody who has skilled “Disney Jr. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Stay!” dozens of instances, it’s really fairly good. Higher than it has any proper to be, fairly truthfully. The one draw back is that it ends (spoiler alert) with an abridged model of the Sizzling Canine Music, when actually that ought to be performed on loop. (Talking of which, hopefully it is a part of the BGM loop for the Walt Disney Studios Lot.)
Later in Summer season 2026, “The Magic of Disney Animation” will invite visitors to step contained in the world of Walt Disney Animation Studios at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This would be the constructing itself, which is able to comprise a number of choices–as mentioned beneath.
The Magic of Disney Animation Particulars
“The Magic of Disney Animation” begins because the animators have quickly stepped away, however the constructing continues to be buzzing with exercise because the characters have come to life and so they’re able to play. Visitors will work together with and discover foolish takes on the long-lasting Disney Animation headquarters, together with the numerous totally different studio departments.
You’ll see portraits come to life earlier than your eyes identical to they did in “As soon as Upon A Studio.” You’ll discover inspiration with a brief movie (with a twist, in fact). You’ll even pencil in a while to learn to draw your very personal character sketch.
One other addition is the “Drawn to Wonderland” playground crammed with an outsized flower backyard with musical devices, a Mad Tea Celebration playset and a Tulgey Wooden exploration space, all impressed by the unique “Alice in Wonderland” idea artwork from Disney Legend Mary Blair. It’ll be the proper whimsical indoor play space for little ones to develop “curiouser and curiouser!”
Enterprise into “Off the Web page!,” a collaboration between Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering. Right here, you’ll be able to meet characters throughout six distinctive departments from the animation studio, together with Story, Structure, Hand-Drawn Animation, Laptop Animation, Lighting, Results. Every house may have distinctive meet & greets, like Mulan posing with an outsized storyboard panel within the Story division, or Rapunzel surrounded by a setting impressed by the basic multiplane digicam within the Structure division.
There will even be a number of character encounters all through the new-look land, and locations to discover, play and create within the Walt Disney Studios Lot when this mini-land reopens in Summer season 2026.
The Walt Disney Studios Lot Particulars
The reimagining of Animation Courtyard will lengthen past the partitions of “The Magic of Disney Animation.” The Walt Disney Studios Lot will draw inspiration from a number of buildings discovered on the Disney campuses in Burbank, California.
Whereas exploring the studio grounds and courtyard space, households can take a break to play, chill out, or snack on tasty treats below lush timber. Be certain to go searching, too. You by no means know who you would possibly see taking part in within the branches, absorbing the solar or digging within the grass.
Disney Animation artists and Walt Disney Imagineers are working hand-in-hand to deliver the marvel and nostalgia of WDAS movies to the entire courtyard in new and enjoyable methods households will love.
We’re actually wanting ahead to the Walt Disney Studios Lot. This new-look space seems to be excellent for younger households, and will certainly enchantment to us greater than anything in Disney’s Hollywood Studios (for now). It’s the park that provides the least to do for toddlers, and it will assist treatment that.
The Walt Disney Studios Lot is likely to be a stopgap, singles and doubles-style mission–but it surely has the potential to be an enormous enchancment over Animation Courtyard, and a real asset to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Dropping the lifeless mall vibes of this space is a big win. Gaining an outside house with mature timber that’s really a nice, shaded place to spend time ought to be an enormous win. Similar goes for having an space and points of interest that youngsters who’re too younger for Toy Story Land can get pleasure from.
This has the potential to be a triple. Perhaps even an inside-the-park dwelling run that restores a sure high quality from Michael Eisner’s opening day dedication that’s been lacking for some time: “a mind-set that exists wherever folks dream and marvel and picture, a spot the place phantasm and actuality are fused by technological magic.” The Hollywood that by no means was — and at all times might be. We will’t await the Walt Disney Studios Lot to open in Summer season 2026!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Enthusiastic about these majestic mature timber coming to DHS?! Optimistic concerning the Summer season 2026 opening timeline? What do you concentrate on Animation Courtyard being reimagined into the Walt Disney Studios Lot? Wanting ahead to an all-new ‘The Magic of Disney Animation’ coming to Walt Disney World? Another ideas or commentary so as to add? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
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