Walt Disney World has confirmed that free roaming characters will continue their spontaneous play in the reimagined Studios Lot courtyard even after the Magic of Disney Animation and its Off the Page meet and greets officially debut. The free playing characters have been a surprise delight offering since shortly before Memorial Day, replacing the former Animation Courtyard at Hollywood Studios. While The Magic of Disney Animation features dedicated character spaces inside, a different slate of characters will come to the courtyard once those indoor meet and greets are established. During today’s media event, representatives from Walt Disney Imagineering and Disney Live Entertainment confirmed that the spontaneous character play outside will continue, with even more opportunities added inside the new attraction’s lobby and queue areas. Joe Schott, the new President of Walt Disney World, suggested that more initiatives of this nature may come to other parts of Walt Disney World in the future, balancing traditional meet and greets with character encounters. The smash success of free play in the Animation Courtyard and during Cool Kids’ Summer has demonstrated that spontaneous character experiences work well at Walt Disney World, creating core memories for guests. This confirms what many observers suspected: that free roaming characters are not just a temporary measure but a permanent enhancement to the guest experience, with tremendous unrealized potential for leveraging beloved characters in playful ways across the resort.
Key Points:
- Walt Disney World confirmed that free roaming characters will continue in the reimagined Studios Lot courtyard after Magic of Disney Animation opens.
- The free playing characters have been a smash hit, with viral videos and hundreds of magical moments created for guests.
- Once the indoor ‘Off the Page’ meet and greets open, a different slate of characters will come to the courtyard.
- Free play will also be added inside The Magic of Disney Animation’s lobby and queue areas.
- Joe Schott, new President of Walt Disney World, indicated that more free roaming character initiatives may expand to other parts of the resort in the future.
- The success of free play at Animation Courtyard and during Cool Kids’ Summer has demonstrated that spontaneous character experiences work well at Walt Disney World.
- Traditional meet and greets will not be displaced by free roaming characters, creating a balanced guest experience.
- Free roaming characters have been a staple of Disneyland’s experience for years, with spontaneous encounters creating core memories.