Disney’s Animation Academy {FAVORITE Disney Tip}

Have you visited Disney’s Animation Academy at Disney’s Hollywood Studios?  If not,  you need to!  This past trip was the first time our family visited the Animation Academy, and it was SO very cool!  It’s located at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as you exit The Magic of Disney Animation.  As you exit, you enter into the Magic of Disney Animation, after you’ve watched the film about how Disney characters come to life.  Here is where you can meet and greet some characters-often Sorcerer Mickey is there, along with others like Winnie the Pooh, the Incredibles, Chip & Dale, etc.

Also in the Magic of Disney Animation you can visit small stations and see collectible figurines, or add a soundtrack or splashes of paint to an animated Disney cartoon.  But, tucked away in the Magic of Disney Animation is the Animation Academy.

In the Animation Academy, you get the opportunity to be the animator.  About 30 guests at a time are allowed into the academy, where a Disney Imagineer is at the front of the room waiting to teach you.  You sit on your own animator’s stool, with a piece of paper, pencil, and a backlit desk.  The trick….there are no erasers!  Disney Imagineers guide you through, step by step, to create a character!  To begin, the Imagineer asks for suggestions from the audience, and a “vote” is taken.  When we were there, we did the Animation Academy twice.  Once we drew Pluto, and the second time we drew Minnie Mouse.  The whole experience lasts about 20 minutes.

As your Imagineer walks you through step by step, shape by shape, you’ll be surprised how your character appears on your drawing paper.  I cannot draw to save my life…however, I was pretty pleased with my Minnie Mouse!  The boys LOVE to draw, especially the oldest.  He also doesn’t like to make mistakes, so not having an eraser was a challenge, and there were a few tears from my little perfectionist.  But, the best thing, is it’s free!  And, you’ll have a fun, unique souvenir to take home.  I had brought along a mailing tube, and we rolled our drawings up to tote them around and continue touring the parks.  I can’t wait to frame them and put them up on our house!  They’ll be great in the kids’ rooms, or maybe even a gallery wall!

Have you been to the Animation Academy?  What did you draw?  It’s for sure on our “do again” list for our next trip to Walt Disney World.  I highly recommend you check it out!  It was fun for our whole family!