DHS Disney Animation-Inspired Experience Coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios

[Fox&Hound]

Guys, some people will always see the worst in everything. I would much rather be a glass half full kinda guy.

This looks adorable and people will love it!

 

[Andrew C]

This looks adorable and people will love it!

There it is! No expectations beyond that. I people wonder why they give us stuff like the Zooptia tree fiasco...

I’m excited for it. A big improvement over what was most recently there

Is it? It will look prettier...but again, why are we excited for the bare minimum when it comes to refreshing this space?

 

[SpectroMan93]

These boards are exhausting…

Definitely been finding value in the ignore feature. Filter out those here in perpetual misery.

 

[Casper Gutman]

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It’s Tough to be a Bug was a heck of a lot more entertaining than plenty of shows with live performers. So is American Adventure. I could not care less about whether this experience has live performers or not. Live performers have done this experience for years at other parks. Time to try something new and not just duplicate the same tired experience. Talk about unimaginative.

Execution is what matters and nobody will convince me otherwise.

I assume you’re aware that Disney (and Universal) have been slashing live entertainment across the resorts, from streetmosphere performers to musical acts to whole shows. Do you feel that’s a good thing? Disney World once had a strong reputation for excellent live entertainment- it no longer does. Does this hurt the parks?

that said, since you’re adamantly against “duplicating the same tired experience,” I assume you’re very much against this project, a weak copy of what once occupied the same space.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I wouldn't downplay Once Upon A Studio, I think it was a lot more special than you're giving it credit for. People at Disney clearly liked it enough to use it as an anchor for a new experience in the parks. Sure, I agree not enough people saw it, but I'm sure they will have it playing on loop so more and more people will fall in love with it every day.

This is the stupidity of the franchise mandate taken to a comic extreme. Theres no need for this one recent short to be the thing that defines an entire experience that on its own could have just been about Disney animation. It’s made all the more dumb because this facility was an actual Walt Disney Feature Animation studio that actually produced animated features.

 

[zemmyz]

Sounds better than I anticipated. Still putting life back into that area, which is great. No one on hand for each audience is my audible groan like others have done. Just like Villains, Mermaid, MK Parade, etc. I'm acknowledging taking steps forward to putting entertainment back, new offerings and updating, they start running the race, but then they just do not finish the race. Shortcuts/shortcomings with what they all can be. Same as I feel with the parade. Great, happy things like this are back, which should have never left, but not what they should or could be.

 

[HMF]

Here's a first look at Olaf Draws! - coming to the Magic of Disney Animation:

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More details:

Step into a new Animation Academy experience with Olaf Draws!, where everyone’s favorite snowman takes center stage as your cheerful host. With his signature warmth, optimism, and playful humor, Olaf invites guests of all ages to explore the art of character drawing.

Brought to life as an all-new Audio-Animatronics figure, Olaf welcomes you into a space inspired by one of his most memorable moments from Once Upon A Studio sitting at an animator’s desk, joyfully discovering the art of drawing.
Stepping into a reimagined animator’s studio with playful nods to Frozen, guests of all ages are invited to sit down and learn to draw. Young animators in the making can spark their creativity at sleigh‑themed tables, while animator‑desk–style workstations invite kids at heart to feel as though they’ve stepped right into the studio.

The happy snowman’s spirit of curiosity and encouragement is what inspired Josh Gad, the voice of Olaf, as he recorded original dialogue for the experience while also considering what it might spark 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.

Since Olaf can’t quite draw on his own, he turns to the expertise of some legendary Disney Animation artists whose pre-recorded guidance brings the class to life. Together, they guide you step-by-step through the creative process, sharing tips, techniques, and stories straight from the studio as you learn how beloved Disney Animation characters come to life.

Each class features a different character, inspired by timeless classics and modern favorites, giving you a unique reason to return again and again. You may find yourself sketching:

• 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)

Why is a CG creation like Olaf lauding the wonders of "Traditional Animation"?

 

[gorillaball]

There it is! No expectations beyond that. I people wonder why they give us stuff like the Zooptia tree fiasco...

Is it? It will look prettier...but again, why are we excited for the bare minimum when it comes to refreshing this space?

I believe I was clear, I’m excited for it > a big improvement over what was most recently there. There really is no way to word it more clearly.

 

[Brer Oswald]

Why is a CG creation like Olaf lauding the wonders of "Traditional Animation"?

Because within the timeline restrictions of the Once Upon a Studio short, he was the one at the animators desk. At least, that’s what I’m being told.

 

[HMF]

The only person on this list I would consider befitting the title ‘expert animator’ who has considerable animation history and decades of experience is Eric Goldberg.

Everyone else listed above are mostly ‘newbies’ who have been involved in more recent films…and many of them digitally animated efforts.

-

I am sure many of the new recruits can't even draw. Not that I can either, but I am not aspiring to be an animator.

 

[Gusey]

I am sure many of the new recruits can't even draw. Not that I can either, but I am not aspiring to be an animator.

It's weird that Disney keeps hiring people with supposedly no experience? How do you know that these directors, animators and story artists can't draw?

 

[HMF]

It's weird that Disney keeps hiring people with supposedly no experience? How do you know that these directors, animators and story artists can't draw?

It's not a job requirement anymore because they are only doing computer animation. Thankfully, Japan hasn't fallen into the same trap.

 

[Jedi14]

It's not a job requirement anymore because they are only doing computer animation. Thankfully, Japan hasn't fallen into the same trap.

You know there’s a concept art stage and storyboards. There is development from 2d to 3d.

 

[Gusey]

It's not a job requirement anymore because they are only doing computer animation. Thankfully, Japan hasn't fallen into the same trap.

Unless if you're creating storyboards for computer animation and character models, which I'm sure still happens at Disney to this day

 

[HMF]

Unless if you're creating storyboards for computer animation and character models, which I'm sure still happens at Disney to this day

Probably, but that doesn't mean "everybody" is required to. hand drawn and CG animation should co-exist, not one replacing the other. Pixar should make CG films since they literally invented them and WDAS should stick to the art form that made it famous. Sadly, that hasn't been the case for most of the last twenty years where WDAS has basically functioned as Pixar South.

 

[Gusey]

Probably, but that doesn't mean "everybody" is required to. hand drawn and CG animation should co-exist, not one replacing the other. Pixar should make CG films since they literally invented them and WDAS should stick to the art form that made it famous. Sadly, that hasn't been the case for most of the last twenty years where WDAS has basically functioned as Pixar South.

Still doesn't mean that the people who will feature in this attraction don't know how to draw like you claimed

 

[Jambo Dad]

You not liking the animatronics doesn't make them not exist and not be high tech modern animatronics. I'm also not a fan of the way they look (other than Pluto he's pretty great imo) but I'm not going to say they don't count because of that

Hopefully the new animatronics will slowly backfill all that projection mapping nonsense…

 

[MisterPenguin]

Donald has an animatronic from 71 in Epcot (which is still pretty impressive).

Don't forget Donald's DA in Philharmagic!

 

[MisterPenguin]

Isn't WDAS supposed to be doing a Figment film soon?

Someone asked Iger about it. And Iger expressed interested surprise that people keep asking about Figment content. So, he addressed a flunkie to look into it.

/end

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

Olaf is a miss…. Guests love the live drawing “lessons” - they were just having them at Epcot arts festival in American Gardens and of course it had been a reason that guests took the train over to Rafikis.

Having an AA teach the class is a total miss. They should have an additional AA experience with Olaf in this attraction - but not here.

Can we not pretend like those classes were stuffed either? They were mostly empty when I went to the ones at Rafikis