The Disney Animation Building, found on Hollywood Boulevard at Disney’s California Adventure is probably one of the most overlooked hidden joys at the park. The outside may not look like much, but once inside guests are emerged into a whole new world of Disney animation!

As you enter the building, guests immediately are welcomed into the Courtyard Gallery, where guests can sit and relax on one of the comfy couches or just cop a squat on the floor. Surrounding the room are projections and songs from various classic Disney animated films. The film is on a 30-minute loop and is a lot of fun to watch.

While inside the Animation Building, guests can enjoy several different areas that will appeal to both young children and adults as well. Breaking off from the main lobby area are four different rooms. Each room is different and showcases areas of Disney animation. These rooms are the Animation Academy, the Sorcerer’s Workshop, Character Close-Up, and Turtle Talk with Crush. These attractions can be enjoyed in any order, but make sure to visit them all!

At the Animation Academy, guests find out that anyone can learn to draw. With the help from a Disney animator, guests will draw one of four characters. The characters drawn are rotated throughout the day between Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck and Winnie the Pooh. Paper and pencils are provided and the best part is that guests get to keep their drawing when finished.

Character Close-Up serves as a meet-n-greet location for some favorite big and small screen stars alike. Around the outside of the room is the Art of Animation Gallery. This gallery lets guests see what goes into their favorite characters that are seen on the big screen. Many of the characters displayed take guests on a journey from first concept to finished product.

Some real magic takes place inside the Sorcerer’s Workshop. Here guests walk down the sloped ramp into the workshop, which features several interactive areas. Guests can make their own animated strip or watch some that are showcased throughout the room. Many guests believe this is all there is in the Sorcerer’s Workshop, but that’s not the case. Just around the corner is the Beast’s Library where guests can take a short test to reveal their true Disney alter ego. There are several computer locations around the library, which is very well decorated complete with the forbidden rose on the mantle. As you are leaving the library, guests then enter Ursula’s Grotto where guests can get there 15 seconds of fame. Here, guests can choose a scene in which they would like to sing or act to and try their hand at some voice over work. Once they are satisfied with their work, guests exit the workshop and return back to the main lobby area.

Turtle Talk with Crush is a very unique show in which guests actually get to talk to Crush! Crush is the loveable turtle from the Disney-Pixar movie, Finding Nemo and has as many questions for humans as we have for sea turtles. During this interactive show, guests get the chance to ask Crush their questions, learn how to speak turtle and even get to answer some of Crush’s questions. Even if you aren’t a huge Finding Nemo fan, this show is something fun to go to just for kicks.

All in all, Disney Animation Building is one thing to add to the must-do list at Disney’s California Adventure. Spend as much or as little time as you would like. If nothing else, it’s a great place to get out of the sun and still do something fun on those warm California days!

Additional Trivia and Fun Facts:

* The Animation Building opened with the park on February 8, 2001 and has been making people smile ever since.
* There have been several shows that have come and gone in the Animation Building. A movie featuring Robin Williams and Walter Cronkite called “Return to Neverland” was the movie originally featured in the Animation Screening Room when Disney’s California Adventure first opened.
* When “Return to Neverland” closed, another movie called “One Man’s Dream”, narrated by Walt Disney himself took its place.
* Turtle Talk with Crush replaced “One Man’s Dream” and opened on July 15, 2005 with a female Olympic gold medal swimmer in attendance.
* Originally, the Drawn to Animation show featured a live Disney artist and an animated wise-cracking Mushu. This show closed in 2005 and was replaced with the Animation Academy.