There are exciting things coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Imagineering is hard at work creating The Magic of Disney Animation in the location that previously was the home of Star Wars: Launch Bay. Inspired by Disney’s Once Upon a Studio animated short, this area promises to bring the wonder of animation to life like never before. This whole area will be a celebration of the history and legacy of Walt Disney Studios. There will be places to play, characters to meet, and a new version of Animation Academy to be experienced by guests who visit this area.
A new Animation Academy experience will be a part of The Magic of Disney Animation in the form of Olaf Draws! In this new experience, guests will get to learn to draw from everyone’s favorite snowman. This will create an environment for learning to draw under the tutorship of Olaf and his warmth, optimism, and playful humor. Olaf will invite guests of all ages to learn how much fun character drawing can be.
Disney Parks released a look at what this new experience will be like in the following video:
New Olaf in New Studio
As seen in the video, Olaf will be appearing as an all-new Audio-Animatronics figure. Olaf will be appearing in a recreation of the moment that Olaf appears in Once Upon a Studio, as he sits at an animator’s desk and joyfully discovers the art of drawing.
Guests of all ages will be able to join Olaf in this reimagined animator’s studio with playful nods to Frozen. Once there, they will be invited to sit down and learn to draw. For young animators, there will be some sleigh-themed tables. Older guests will get to draw at animator-desk-style workstations that will bring the feeling of being in the studio.
The Experience
The experience sees Josh Gad returning to bring the voice of Olaf to life. He recorded original dialogue for the experience and brings the happy snowman’s spirit of curiosity and encouragement, taking into consideration what might be sparked in young artists.
“I’m so thrilled that a whole new generation of kids can dream of becoming animators one day and can actually begin their journey right there on the studio lot,” Gad shared, underscoring how Olaf Draws! turns imagination into possibility.
It may come as no surprise to fans of Olaf to learn that he doesn’t necessarily know how to draw. To make up for this, he turns to the expertise of some legendary Disney Animation artists who come in with guidance to bring the class to life. In pre-recorded segments, they will guide everyone step-by-step through the creative process, sharing tips, techniques, and stories that are straight from the studio as they share how beloved Disney Animation characters come to life.
The Animators
As seen in the video above, legendary Disney animator Eric Goldberg will be assisting Olaf and helping everyone learn how to draw Genie. Disney shared the following lessons that will be a part of this experience:
- Mickey Mouse, with Dan Abraham, director (Once Upon A Studio, Baymax!)
- Minnie Mouse, with Hyun Min Lee, animator (Frozen 2, The Princess and the Frog)
- Donald Duck, with Austin Traylor, animator (Once Upon A Studio, Moana 2)
- Genie, with Eric Goldberg, animator (Aladdin, Hercules)
- Moana, with Samantha Vilfort, story artist (Encanto, Zootopia 2)
- Stitch, with Fawn Veerasunthorn, director and head of story (Wish, Raya and the Last Dragon)
- Olaf, with Trent Correy, director (Once Upon A Studio, Frozen 3)
- Ursula, with Michael Woodside, animator (Big Hero 6, Encanto)
- Judy Hopps & Nick Wilde, with Byron Howard, director (Zootopia, Zootopia 2)
What do you think of this new experience with Olaf? Are you excited to experience it when it opens with The Magic of Disney Animation late in Summer 2026? What character would you most like to learn to draw? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
