Animation Courtyard Experience Closing at 6 PM, Reports Say

By Priya S. · Resorts & getting around · Kissimmee, FL

Published September 29, 2026 · Updated November 2, 2026

The Magic of Disney Animation, the experience in Animation Courtyard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, is now operating on a schedule that ends hours before the park closes, according to reports published Tuesday, September 29, 2026. Disney’s posted schedule reportedly lists the experience from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with character meet-and-greets running 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

As of Tuesday, September 29, 2026, this is a reported schedule change, not an announced one. Hollywood Studios itself is not closing at 6 p.m. — only portions of this one building.

The 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. window reportedly applies mainly to the Once Upon a Studio Theater and Olaf Draws!, the interactive drawing session. The building itself appears to open at 9 a.m., but theater showings reportedly do not begin until 10 a.m., which leaves an eight-hour daily window for the theater.

Off the Page!, the character meet-and-greet component featuring characters in settings themed to animated films — Rapunzel and Stitch among them, per reports — is listed 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Some of those character experiences reportedly ended at 6:15 p.m. previously.

Hours across the building varied during the experience’s first weeks while Disney worked through its opening period, according to reports, and now appear to have settled.

What we know

Updated Tuesday, September 29 with new reporting.

• The Magic of Disney Animation (Animation Courtyard, Disney’s Hollywood Studios) — reportedly listed 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Once Upon a Studio Theater — showings reportedly begin at 10 a.m. and run until 6 p.m.
• Olaf Draws! — reportedly follows the same 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. schedule
• Off the Page! meet-and-greets — reportedly listed 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., up from a previous 6:15 p.m. end time for some
• The building appears to begin admitting guests at 9 a.m., before everything inside is running
• Once Upon A Studio Theater — opens later than the rest of the building; plan for after 10:00 AM.
• Main building character meets and interactive activities, including Disney Pals “Off the Page” — available from 9:00 AM park opening.
• My Disney Experience app vs. on-site signage — reportedly listing slightly different times for the venue.

What’s not confirmed

Disney has not issued a statement about the change, and the reporting comes from a single source. No end date, seasonal variation, or reason for the schedule has been announced, and it has not been confirmed whether these hours hold on days when Hollywood Studios operates later into the evening.

Planning around this? See crowds for my dates.

What it means for your trip

Stop treating Animation Courtyard as an evening filler. If the theater and Olaf Draws! matter to your group, slot them into a midday block — they are indoor, air-conditioned, and low-intensity, which makes them a natural 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. reset between headliners rather than a 7 p.m. add-on.

Build around the 10 a.m. start, not the 9 a.m. door. Arriving at 9:15 gets you into the building but not into a theater showing, so rope-drop a real ride first and come back.

Watch the collision with dinner. A 5:30 p.m. Sci-Fi Dine-In or Hollywood Brown Derby reservation plus a Lightning Lane return window is enough to eat the whole tail of this schedule. If you have a late dinner booked, do Animation Courtyard before you sit down.

Check posted hours on the day. Reported schedules for a recently opened experience shift, and 6 p.m. cutoffs are the kind of detail My Disney Experience updates quietly.

What Time Does Animation Courtyard Open and Close?

The Magic of Disney Animation, the main experience in Animation Courtyard, reportedly opens its doors at 9 a.m. Its last activities end between 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., depending on what you want to do. These are the hours reported on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. Disney has not confirmed them, so check the hours for your date in My Disney Experience.

Opening times

• Building doors and Off the Page! character meets: reportedly from 9 a.m.
• Once Upon a Studio Theater: showings reportedly start at 10 a.m.
• Olaf Draws!: reportedly starts at 10 a.m.

If you walk in at 9 a.m., you can meet characters, but the theater and the drawing session won’t be running yet.

Closing times

• Once Upon a Studio Theater: reportedly ends at 6 p.m.
• Olaf Draws!: reportedly ends at 6 p.m.
• Off the Page! character meets: reportedly end at 6:30 p.m., later than the 6:15 p.m. finish some of them had before.

These times are for this one building. Disney’s Hollywood Studios stays open after this building closes.

The smart read

If you want to see everything, plan to be there between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. If you only care about meeting characters, you can arrive as late as about 6:30 p.m. My Disney Experience and the signs at the venue have reportedly shown slightly different times. When they don’t match, go by the earlier closing time. That way your group doesn’t show up at 6:05 p.m. to a theater that has already stopped showings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Disney’s Hollywood Studios closing at 6 p.m.?

No. The park is not closing early — the reported 6 p.m. cutoff applies to portions of The Magic of Disney Animation in Animation Courtyard.

What time does Once Upon a Studio Theater start?

Showings reportedly begin at 10 a.m. and run until 6 p.m., even though the building appears to open to guests at 9 a.m.

Are the character meet-and-greets open later?

Yes. Off the Page! is reportedly listed from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., slightly longer than the theater and Olaf Draws!

What time does Animation Courtyard open?

The Magic of Disney Animation reportedly lets guests in from 9 a.m., and the Off the Page! character meets reportedly start then too. The Once Upon a Studio Theater and Olaf Draws! reportedly don’t start until 10 a.m.

What time does Animation Courtyard close?

The Once Upon a Studio Theater and Olaf Draws! reportedly end at 6 p.m., and the Off the Page! character meets reportedly run until 6:30 p.m. Disney’s Hollywood Studios stays open later than that.

Does Animation Courtyard stay open later when Hollywood Studios has late hours?

Disney hasn’t confirmed whether the 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. end times still apply on days when the park stays open later. Check your date in My Disney Experience before you plan an evening visit.

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