- Disney World is getting a new Olaf audio-animatronic
- The Frozen snowman will host a new drawing class experience
- It will be a main part of the new Animation Academy opening in late 2026
There’s a new Frozen addition headed to Walt Disney World, and just a few weeks after EPCOT’s Frozen Ever After attraction got a major facelift with multiple new audio-animatronics, another friendly face from the Frozen films is arriving at a different park.
This time, the iconic snowman Olaf will anchor a new Animation Academy at Hollywood Studios later this year.
We’ve known that a new Animation Academy will debut at Hollywood Studios later this year, but now we know it will feature an audio-animatronic of Olaf. While this figure won’t be in a true roaming robot form like the Olaf arriving in a few weeks at Disneyland Paris – and later in 2026 at Hong Kong Disneyland – Disney World might be getting the most meta version, one that truly harkens back to Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Olaf will take a position behind an animator’s desk – likely a near replica of a scene from Once Upon a Studio – serving as an in-room host guiding you through drawing classic characters, including Mickey and Minnie.
So yes, Olaf will teach you to draw Olaf, but considering he’s a snowman, there will also be pre-recorded segments from several Disney Animation artists who will teach you step-by-step.
Here’s the list of animators and the characters they’ll be teaching you to draw that Disney Experiences has released so far:
- 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)
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It’s an impressive list, and while these artists won’t actually be in the room instructing, it’s a nice pairing of Olaf’s audio-animatronic with the artists who worked on the films. It also ensures Disney can make the attraction repeatable for many guests throughout the day.
If you’re after a live session with a Disney animator teaching you to draw, Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, California, still offers that at the Animation Academy.
This segment, dubbed Olaf Draws!, will be just one part of the new Animation Academy when it opens in “late summer 2026” at Hollywood Studios. And if you’re wondering who Disney tapped to voice Olaf, have no fear – Josh Gad will be reprising his role and has already recorded voice lines.
Gad shared, “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,” about the project.
It’ll be a cool way to see the iconic scene from Once Upon a Studio brought to life in real life – a modern take on the Animation Academy at Disney World.
In this reimagined Animation Academy, Disney will roll out new character meet-and-greet areas designed to be more immersive, placing characters in environments inspired by the animation process rather than simple backdrops. ‘Off the Page’ locations will allow guests to meet characters in unique settings.
For example, Rapunzel’s area will still feature a forest background, but physical trees will divide the space in a multiplane camera–style layout. Mulan will appear in front of storyboards from the film, and other characters will be staged in environments representing lighting, CG, hand-drawn animation, and effects.
It’s a unique spin, paired with special portraits throughout the space that come to life, much like scenes from the films. It may even evoke the dynamic portraits Disney created for the Haunted Mansion Parlor aboard the Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny cruise ships.
Alongside a playground themed to Alice in Wonderland, the classic Sorcerer’s Hat topping the building – much like the Disney Animation building in Glendale, California – and other themed environments, there will also be a custom-built theater showing the Once Upon a Studio short film with some fresh special effects.
So while it won’t be a walking, talking Olaf, the addition of this drawing experience – anchored by the new figure – will likely prove that some art is worth melting for. Elsewhere at Disney World, major changes are also underway, including the awaited reopening of Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, The Mandalorian and Grogu arriving at Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run in Galaxy’s Edge, and the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster being reimagined with The Muppets in 2026.
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jacob.krol@futurenet.com (Jacob Krol)
