Olaf Draws! Down at Hollywood Studios After Opening

Published September 22, 2026

Olaf Draws!, the animatronic-hosted drawing show inside The Magic of Disney Animation at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, was reportedly not operating on the morning of Tuesday, September 22, because of technical problems with the Olaf animatronic itself. As of 9:10 a.m. that morning, the show was down with no stated timeline for its return, according to reports.

As of Tuesday, September 22, the building housing the experience was also dealing with a separate audio issue affecting The Magic of Disney Animation more broadly, per the same reporting.

The Magic of Disney Animation opened earlier this month at Hollywood Studios, ahead of its originally scheduled September 14 debut. It occupies the former Animation Courtyard, now rebranded as the Walt Disney Studios Lot.

Olaf Draws! follows the step-by-step character-drawing format longtime guests will recognize from past Animation Academy-style offerings, with one change: the lesson is led by an animatronic Olaf rather than a live artist. Fans flagged the obvious risk when the show was announced — with no live performer, there is no one to step in when the figure goes down.

What we know

What’s not confirmed

Disney has not announced a reopening time for Olaf Draws!, has not said whether the downtime extends past September 22, and has not commented publicly on the cause or on the audio issues. There is also no announced alternative — such as a live artist substitute — while the animatronic is out.

What it means for your trip

If Olaf Draws! is on your Hollywood Studios list, treat it as a nice-to-have, not a fixed stop. A single-animatronic show with no live backup can go down without warning, so check its status the morning you’re in the park rather than building a slot around it.

The rest of the Walt Disney Studios Lot area is worth the walk regardless — the sketch displays, Drawn to Wonderland, and the Once Upon a Studio Theater are separate experiences.

Don’t spend prime morning hours waiting to see if it comes back. Those first hours are your cheapest ride time at Hollywood Studios; use them on Slinky Dog Dash, Tower of Terror, or your Lightning Lane Single Pass plan for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, and swing back to the animation building during the afternoon lull. SupaPark’s live operational status flags when an attraction goes down and when it comes back, which saves you the walk across the park to find a closed door.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Olaf Draws! closed permanently?

No. It was reported as not operating the morning of Tuesday, September 22, due to animatronic issues, with no timeline given for its return.

Is the rest of The Magic of Disney Animation open?

Reports indicate the building was open but experiencing separate audio issues on September 22. No closure was reported for Drawn to Wonderland or the Once Upon a Studio Theater.

Keep planning: How to Land Sci-Fi Dine-In for Lunch Without Wasting Your Park Day

Go deeper — the full guides: Star Tours Wait Times Are Cratering This September: How to Play It · Is Rise of the Resistance Too Intense for Kids? How to Decide (and Prepare)

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.