2026 has already been a big year at Hollywood Studios. The Muppets took over the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster, the Mandalorian and Grogu made their Smugglers Run debut, and now September promises more changes to the park that opened as the Disney-MGM Studios back in 1989.

From special events to a major opening and some perks disappearing, there are some major things that Hollywood Studios guests need to know before heading to the park next month.

Extended Evening Hours

Extended Evening Hours offer two extra hours to guests staying at Disney Deluxe or Deluxe Villa resorts at select theme parks on select evenings after the park closes to the general public. Hollywood Studios will host Extended Evening Hours on September 16th, 23rd, and 30th from 9 PM to 11 PM each night.

The following Hollywood Studios attractions are available during Extended Evening Hours:

• Alien Swirling Saucers
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
• Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets
• Slinky Dog Dash
• Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
• Toy Story Mania!

Extended Evening Hours are available to guests at the following hotels:

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
• Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
• Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
• Disney’s Riviera Resort
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
• The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort (The extended evening theme park hours benefit applies to Disney Vacation Club Cabins only)
• The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
• Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
• Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
• Shades of Green on Walt Disney World Resort

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After Hours Events

After Hours events are separately ticketed events that allow guests to enjoy beloved attractions with lower wait times for an extra two hours after the park closes to the public, plus enjoy snacks included in the cost of this ticketed event. They’re returning to the park for their final two 2026 dates in September, as Hollywood Studios will host After Hours events on September 2nd from 9:30 AM to 12:30 AM and September 12th from 10 PM to 1 AM.

The following attractions are available during After Hours Events at Hollywood Studios:

• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets
• Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
• Slinky Dog Dash
• Toy Story Mania!
• Alien Swirling Saucers
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

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The Magic of Disney Animation

Back in 2025, Disney announced that a new take on the opening day Magic of Disney Animation experience would be replacing the Star Wars Launch Bay (which is a bit of theme park inception, since the Launch Bay is what replaced the original Magic of Disney Animation over a decade ago). This new attraction is set to open on September 14th!

The new take on the classic will be split into 4 sections:

Olaf Draws

The Magic of Disney Animation will host Olaf Draws, a class where YOU can learn how to draw iconic Disney animated characters! These classes will be led by Olaf himself with the help of some legendary Disney Animation artists who will help bring the class to life.

Olaf will be a brand-new Audio-Animatronic as he welcomes people into a new 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, the voice of Olaf, returned to record original dialogue for the experience. “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,” Gad shared.

In Olaf Draws, each class features a different character, so you can return again and again! You may sketch any of the following in the class:

• 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 Character Greetings at “Off the Page”

Guests will meet beloved Disney characters across “six unique departments from the animation studio,” including Story, Layout, Hand-Drawn Animation, Computer Animation, Lighting, and Effects.

Though specific characters may vary, here are some examples of whom you may encounter, and where:

• Mulan in Story (posing in front of an oversized storyboard panel)
• Rapunzel in Layout (in “a setting inspired by the classic multiplane camera”)
• Chip n’ Dale in Hand-Drawn Animation
• Donald and Daisy in CG Animation
• Goofy in Lighting
• Stitch in Effects

Drawn to Wonderland Playground

This is a whimsical indoor play area for the “youngest animators-to-be!” featuring an “oversized flower garden with musical instruments, a Mad Tea Party playset, and a Tugley Wood exploration area.” This whole area is inspired by Mary Blair’s original concept art for Alice in Wonderland.

The Once Upon A Studio Theater

The Once Upon A Studio Theater will present the Emmy Award-winning short film Once Upon A Studio, upon which The Magic of Disney Animation is based. In addition, the theater will also present “enhanced effects that add an extra layer of magic.” For instance, “you may spot characters popping up within the artwork along the theater walls, placing you right in the middle of this enchanting story.”

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The End of Cool Kids Summer

September 8th will see the official end of the 2026 Cool Kids Summer promotion, which provided special experiences around the Disney World Resort, including Hollywood Studios.

If you’re heading to Hollywood Studios in September, keep these changes in mind as you’re making your way around the park, and stay tuned to DFB for further updates on Disney World and beyond.

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Are you heading to Disney World in September? Let us know in the comments below.