'Magic of Disney Animation' Attraction to Close on July 12

Fans of 2D animation, especially those who are concerned with Disney’s now-faded ties with the medium, might not like this news.

Catoon Brew reported that on July 12 (two weeks from now), Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park in Florida will close down the much-loved Magic of Disney Animation attraction.

It was one of the first attractions at the park when it opened as Disney/MGM Studios in 1989 and was famous for being a destination where attendees got to witness the actual work of Disney animators and be immersed in the art of hand-drawn animation. From Mulan to Lilo & Stitch and everything in-between, people got to see artists work on these films in real-time, in addition to taking art lessons in an area of the attraction known as the Animation Station.

The attraction also had an art gallery displaying hand-drawn work from multiple Disney animated films. That area will be closed down sometime in late August.

The news comes as part of a $3 billion overhaul of sorts that is currently taking place at Hollywood Studios. This includes making way for new themed attractions (possibly based off Pixar films and Lucasfilm properties like Star Wars and Indiana Jones) and even changing the name of the theme park itself.

Other features that were discontinued at the theme park include the Studios Backlot Tour, The American Idol Experience, and the iconic large-scale replica of Mickey’s wizard hat from Fantasia.

I’m not exactly sure what this says about Disney that (arguably) one of the last monuments to Disney’s history in traditional animation is going away, but it’s clear that the company is marching on, with a clear focus on the now.

What do you think? Is Disney making the right move by laying this attraction to rest? If you’ve been there, what are your favorite memories about the attraction?