DATES ANNOUNCED for Permanent CLOSURES Set to Hit Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Next month, a pair of longtime Hollywood Studios attractions are closing for good, beginning September 25th.

The park that was once known as the Disney-MGM Studios is currently in a state of flux. The former Muppet Courtyard area, including Muppet*Vision 3D and Mama Melrose, was closed in June to make way for the upcoming Monsters, Inc. land. However, the Muppets won’t be in limbo for long, as the characters are going to be added to a newly rethemd Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster sometime in 2026. As if all that wasn’t enough, Disney announced the unexpected closure of the park’s current Animation Courtyard (featuring Star Wars Launch Bay and Disney Jr. Play and Dance!) – and its nostalgic replacement – in the summer of 2025.

After the Animation Courtyard’s current occupants have their last day of operation on September 24th, the area will be transformed. The former home of the Launch Bay will be turned into The Magic of Disney Animation experience.

Taking queues from the Emmy-winning Disney short Once Upon a Studio, the experience will be themed to a tour of Disney’s animation studios that has been overtaken by the company’s animated characters. Some of the features will include portraits that “come to life”, a sketching class, a short film, and the Drawn to Wonderland playground which will feature an oversized flower garden with musical instruments, a Mad Tea Party playset and a Tulgey Wood exploration area, all designed in the style of Disney Legend Mary Blair.

If all of this sounds somewhat nostalgic for you, you’re not alone. As someone who has been visiting Hollywood Studios for over 30 years, I recognize many elements of The Magic of Disney Animation as reminiscent of the original incarnation of The Magic of Disney Animation, which had operated in the space from the park’s 1989 opening until being replaced by the Launch Bay in 2015.

Beyond the building itself, the entire courtyard ill be undergoing a transformation to make it appear closer to the actual Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, California. This will include the removal of the land’s entry arch, and the remolding of the main building, including the addition of a giant replica of Mickey’s Sorcerer Hat. So yes, “the hat” is returning to Hollywood Studios in a new form.

The Animation Courtyard will see it’s final day of operations on September 24th, before on September 25th to be transformed into the Walt Disney Studios. Stay tuned to AllEars for more on Disney’s ever-changing world.

Rock ‘n; Roller Coaster Won’t Be Nearly as Chaotic as the CANCELED Disney World Muppets Ride from the 90s

Are you excited for this new take on The Magic of Disney Animation? Let us know in the comments below.