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Olaf Draws! Coming to Magic of Disney Animation Experience at Hollywood Studios

Joshua
Written by Joshua Posted
Olaf Draws! Coming to Magic of Disney Animation Experience at Hollywood Studios

Disney has revealed new details about the Animation Academy coming to The Magic of Disney Animation at Hollywood Studios. At Olaf Draws!, an all-new Audio-Animatronics Olaf will host hands-on animation classes where guests will learn how to draw Disney icons like Mickey Mouse, Moana, Ursula, and more.

Here’s how Disney describes the experience:

“Brought to life as an all-new Audio-Animatronics figure, Olaf welcomes you into a space inspired by one of his most memorable moments from Once Upon A Studio sitting at an animator’s desk, joyfully discovering the art of drawing.”

Josh Gad reprises his role as everyone’s favorite snowman. He shared his excitement about the project, saying:

“I’m so thrilled that a whole new generation of kids can dream of becoming animators one day and can actually begin their journey right there on the studio lot.”

The new venue will feature sleigh-themed tables and animator-desk-style workstations. It sounds like those Conservation Station clipboards may be headed into retirement.

While Olaf will host, he’ll be relying on guidance from some of Disney’s most iconic animators. Their segments have been pre-recorded rather than presented live, but the lineup is impressive:

  • Mickey Mouse, with Dan Abraham, director (Once Upon A Studio, Baymax!)
  • Minnie Mouse, with Hyun Min Lee, animator (Frozen 2, The Princess and the Frog)
  • Donald Duck, with Austin Traylor, animator (Once Upon A Studio, Moana 2)
  • Genie, with Eric Goldberg, animator (Aladdin, Hercules)
  • Moana, with Samantha Vilfort, story artist (Encanto, Zootopia 2)
  • Stitch, with Fawn Veerasunthorn, director and head of story (Wish, Raya and the Last Dragon)
  • Olaf, with Trent Correy, director (Once Upon A Studio, Frozen 3)
  • Ursula, with Michael Woodside, animator (Big Hero 6, Encanto)
  • Judy Hopps & Nick Wilde, with Byron Howard director, (Zootopia, Zootopia 2)

Disney has confirmed that Cast Members who previously led drawing classes at Rafiki’s Planet Watch will not be a part of this new experience.

Disney shared a video where Dan Abraham, a Walt Disney Animation Studios director, and Danny Handke, a Senior Creative Director at Walt Disney Imagineering, discuss the project. We also get to see and hear Josh Gad deliver his new lines.

Olaf Draws! will welcome animators-in-waiting when The Magic of Disney Animation debuts at Hollywood Studios in late summer.