Magic of Disney Animation Returns September 14

Reports on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, said Walt Disney World is opening a new version of The Magic of Disney Animation at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The reported grand opening date is September 14, 2026, in the former Star Wars Launch Bay space.

As of Wednesday, September 9, the report says the returning attraction brings back a defunct Disney’s Hollywood Studios concept 11 years after the previous version closed in 2015.

The original Magic of Disney Animation opened with Disney-MGM Studios in 1989 and operated partly as a guest-facing attraction and partly as a real Florida branch of Disney animation production. The report notes that films including Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, and Brother Bear were created there in full, with portions of other animated features also produced at Walt Disney World.

The attraction’s later years were more guest-experience focused, including a live-instructor drawing class and character meet-and-greet space tied to newer animated releases. It closed in 2015 to make way for Star Wars Launch Bay.

Star Wars Launch Bay later became less central after Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened in 2019. According to reports, Launch Bay permanently closed in 2025, and Disney announced that The Magic of Disney Animation would return to the building.

What we know

What’s not confirmed

The report does not include the full attraction lineup, daily operating hours, Lightning Lane availability, or whether a drawing class will return in the same form guests remember from the older version.

Disney has not confirmed in the provided source facts whether any opening-day procedures, previews, or capacity limits will apply on September 14.

What it means for your trip

If you are visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios on or after September 14, treat this as a potential first-stop curiosity if your group loves animation history, drawing activities, or character-style experiences. It is not yet clear from the report whether this will be a high-capacity walkthrough, a scheduled activity, or something that builds a line quickly on opening day.

Do not rearrange your whole Hollywood Studios morning around it until Disney confirms the operating details. Slinky Dog Dash, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and Tower of Terror are still the bigger planning pressure points for most families.

The smarter play is to watch the first few days of wait and operating patterns before treating it like a must-do. SupaPark can help you monitor live status and wait changes once the attraction is running, so you are not guessing from old Launch Bay habits.

Go deeper — the full guides: Surviving the Launch: How to Avoid Motion Sickness on Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster

SupaPark tracks live wait times and crowd forecasts, and pings you the second a hard-to-get reservation opens or a ride goes walk-on — free to start at supapark.com.