Aerial photographer @bioreconstruct on X shared a new round of photos taken from the skies above Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Bio captured a first look at the new “Walt Disney Studios” sign at Animation Courtyard as well as the completion of pavement. The courtyard’s reimagining is inspired by the real Walt Disney Studios in Burbank.
Walt Disney Studios Sign
The new sign is located where the courtyard’s archway used to be. “The Walt Disney Studios” is in silver lettering on a reddish-brown element in a planter. Plants have yet to be added so the planter is just filled with dirt right now.
Other nearby planters are still under construction. The sign is in the center of the courtyard’s main entrance, with brick walls to the sides. Right now, guests walk between construction walls on one side of the sign to reach the Studio Theater, home of “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure.”
In the photo above, the number 2 marks rolling planters ready for use when construction walls come down. And at number 3 is freshly laid turf outside the Disney Jr. soundstage, a.k.a. Stage 1.
Walt Disney Studios Courtyard
Behind the construction walls, paving appears to be complete or near completion. The old pavement was completely torn up and a new stretch of grassy space with trees was added to the center. Some new planters were also added outside “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure.”
Colorful squares of pavement directly outside The Magic of Disney Animation building will feature character handprints and autographs. More metallic plating has been added to the front of the Animation building’s marquee, inspired by California’s Roy E. Disney Animation Building.
On the right, there appears to be a new sign covered by scrim for the building’s gift shop. This was the Launch Bay Cargo gift shop when the building housed Star Wars: Launch Bay, but had already been closed for a while before the rest of the experience was shuttered last year.
Billboards were recently removed from both soundstage buildings, likely to be replaced by new ones. The “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!” sign was installed on the Disney Jr. soundstage’s entrance archway. There are also new planters outside that building where character meet and greet spaces used to be.
Instead, characters will roam the courtyard and there will be meet and greets inside The Magic of Disney Animation.
Here’s a look at one of bio’s recent photos side-by-side with concept art.
The courtyard is expected to open on May 26 when “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live!” opens for Cool Kids’ Summer. Disney has not announced an opening date for The Magic of Disney Animation.
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