Animation Academy

Animation Academy is an attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios^[1] (return in 2026)^[2], Disney California Adventure, Walt Disney Studios Park, Hong Kong Disneyland and Disney's Animal Kingdom. The same attraction formerly existed in DisneyQuest, which closed in 2017.^[3]

Animation Academy
Disney Animation building at Disney California Adventure in 2008.
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Area	Animation Courtyard (The Magic of Disney Animation) (The Walt Disney Studios Lot) (The Magic of Disney Animation)
Status	Under construction
Opening date	May 1, 1989 2026 (reopening)
Closing date	July 12, 2015
Replaced by	Star Wars Launch Bay (Animation Courtyard)
Tokyo Disneyland
Name	Disney Drawing Class
Area	World Bazzar (The Disney Gallery)
Status	Closed
Opening date	1994
Closing date	September 30, 2016
Replaced by	Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
DisneyQuest
Status	Closed
Opening date	June 9, 1998
Closing date	July 3, 2017
Disney California Adventure
Area	Hollywood Land (Disney Animation)
Status	Operating
Opening date	February 8, 2001
Walt Disney Studios Park
Area	Toon Studio (2002–2025) World Premiere Plaza
Status	Operating
Opening date	March 16, 2002
Hong Kong Disneyland
Area	Main Street, U.S.A. (Art of Animation)
Status	Operating
Opening date	July 14, 2007
Shanghai Disneyland
Name	Marvel Comic Academy
Area	Gardens of Imagination
Status	Operating
Opening date	June 16, 2016
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Name	The Animation Experience at Conservation Station
Area	Rafiki's Planet Watch
Status	Operating
Opening date	July 11, 2019
Ride statistics
Attraction type	Animation class
Theme	Disney Animation
Duration	25–30 minutes

Tokyo Disneyland also features an almost identical attraction, named simply Disney Drawing Class, within The Disney Gallery in World Bazaar. The attraction was closed permanently on September 30, 2016, to make way for Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.^[4][5]

In Shanghai Disneyland's Marvel Universe, a similar attraction called Marvel Comic Academy is operating. This attraction features Marvel Comic's characters instead of Disney movies characters.

At Disney's Animal Kingdom, The Animation Experience at Conservation Station opened within Rafiki's Planet Watch on July 11, 2019, and its drawing classes feature popular Disney animals.^[6]

In July 2025, it was announced the attraction will set become part of The Magic of Disney Animation in a new land, The Walt Disney Studios Lot, since Animation Courtyard will be permanently closed on September 25, 2025.

Summary

The attraction opened together with DisneyQuest in Walt Disney World in 1998. It was also added ^[when?] to Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney California Adventure. It can be found within Art of Disney Animation at Walt Disney Studios Park. The attraction opened at Hong Kong Disneyland on July 14, 2007, and is located adjacent to the Opera House in Main Street, U.S.A.

The attraction itself is a drawing session with a Disney animator who teaches guests to draw a Disney character. Guests may take their own artwork home if they want after the drawing session.