Hollywood Studios Archway Removed Ahead of Walt Disney Studios Transformation

Written by Joshua Posted October 18th, 2025

Hollywood Studios has a different skyline this morning. Overnight, crews removed the park’s archway from the Animation Courtyard entrance. The work began Thursday night with the removal of the arch’s signage. Last night, it appears crews finished the job. There could be some remaining pieces to be removed, but Jaime, our photographer on the ground, doesn’t have arms long enough for us to be sure. Those construction walls are pretty tall.

Hollywood Studios without it's iconic archway — Photo courtesy of Jaime S.

Construction walls surround Animation Courtyard — Photo courtesy of Jaime S.

A crane inside Animation Courtyard — Photo courtesy of Jaime S.

Update: Bioreconstruct’s aerial photos confirm that the archway has been completely demolished. Its rubble can now be found in several dumpsters in the Animation Courtyard.

Footings for the Hollywood Studios archway — Photo courtesy of Bioreconstruct

Star Wars: Launch Bay and Animation Courtyard are currently under construction — Photo courtesy of Bioreconstruct

Dumpsters and construction equipment in Animation Courtyard — Photo courtesy of Bioreconstruct

Animation Courtyard after the Hollywood Studios arch was removed — Photo courtesy of Bioreconstruct

North American Crane and Rigging, LLC did the demolition, which is the first step in transforming the existing Animation Courtyard and Star Wars: Launch Bay into Walt Disney Studios and The Magic of Disney Animation, respectively. The reimagined space will take the park back to its studio roots, where “kids and kids at heart can laugh, draw, dream, and explore animated new experiences.”

Here is how the area used to look.