Did you know you can take a Disney drawing class at different Disney destinations worldwide? Learn to draw your favorite Disney character on your next Disney vacation! You’re given paper, pencil and a clipboard or desk to draw on for these complimentary experiences. Then a Disney artist walks you through drawing a character, step by step, with pro tips and inspiration. The most popular Disney drawing class offering may have been the Animation Academy attraction that closed at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2015. A new drawing class has opened in its place. There are a few other places to animate the magic. Disney drawing classes are about 15 to 30 minutes long. Let’s take a look at some of the places you can take a Disney drawing class.
An artist teaches the Disney drawing class in The Animation Experience at Conservation Station at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park. This experience closed February 23, 2026.
Places You Can Take a Disney Drawing Class
Walt Disney World | Olaf Draws! in The Magic of Disney Animation Building at Hollywood Studios
Olaf Draws! is an updated version of the Animation Academy Disney drawing class. The renovated Animation Courtyard building offers a class hosted by Olaf that features instructional videos with legendary animators teaching you how to draw your favorite characters.
No live artist is present.
Which characters can you draw at the Disney drawing class at Hollywood Studios?
These are the characters you can learn to draw in The Magic of Disney Animation:
- 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)
Olaf with his Stitch drawing.
Olaf Draws! Drawing Class Reviews
So far I’ve experienced the Genie class and the Stitch class.
Both were funny and it’s fun to see the actual Disney animators teaching.
Here are my thoughts:
Genie drawing class review: Sitting in the second row from the back, the screen in the front felt too small and the overhead monitors were too close to see comfortably. The editing is tricky on this video. The animator’s hand is over the drawing most of the time. There was a moment when we were given time to catch up which I needed. Instead of letting us see the drawing to compare and catch up, a clip of Robin Williams is shown. I need to go again because I would really like to see this! At that moment I was overwhelmed and felt there hadn’t been enough time spent with the drawing on the screen for us to look at and draw ourselves. I liked how my drawing came out overall but I felt like I had to hustle a bit and didn’t have time to enjoy the details in the room, the dialogue or the show.
Sled seating in the front row of Olaf’s Disney drawing class.
Stitch drawing class review: One of the only seats left for this class was a seat in a sled in the very front. I loved it! I could see the video much better from here but some of the drawing is very light and hard to see even from this spot. The instruction pacing on this video was better and there were more details on how to draw certain parts of the character.
Sleds in the front of Olaf’s drawing class with bench seating behind them. There are a few different kinds of seats at this attraction, offering greater accessibility.
Can you choose which character you draw?
You can choose which class you attend which determines which character you draw. Some busy days, there is only one character available to draw for the day. A monitor outside the show has the character that will be drawn in the next class. There is also a countdown for when that starts which is very helpful. If the next drawing class is full, you can ask a cast member which character the following class will have. They can confirm if it’s the same Disney character or someone else.
This is very new and Disney is still working out how it will work so it may be different each day.
Walt Disney World | Animation Academy at Festival of the Arts at Epcot
Learn how to draw a Disney character in this outdoor session in the America Gardens Theatre. This complimentary class is included with your entry to the park. Clipboards, paper and pencils are provided. You may find what you draw is a Disney character from a film or inspired by this park like Dreamfinder or Figment.
Times for this have been 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m in the past.
Check the event guide on your visit.
The next Epcot International Festival of the Arts is January 15 through March 1 in 2027.
Disney drawing classes have everything that you need provided including a desk or clipboard, paper and pencil.
Disneyland | Animation Academy at Disney’s California Adventure
Animation Academy is the Disney drawing class at Disneyland Resort in the Disney California Adventure theme park.
I tried this on one of my visits to Disneyland years ago and this is how the experience operated back then. The building it’s in is absolutely incredible! I was so enchanted with the Disney movie montage playing stories high. Classes happen on the hour and half hour all day long from park open to park close! Check your times guide to be sure! There are no advanced reservations here. Unlike other Disney drawing offerings, the character being drawn at each class is listed so you can know and pick in advance. There’s not a way to guarantee you’ll get who you want if there’s a long line but I’m sure Cast Members will help guide you as much as they’re able.
Sally drawn at the Animation Academy.
Disney Cruise Line | Oceans of the World
Sailing the sea with Disney is one of my favorite things to do. There are so many things to do on the ship! You can learn to draw Disney characters while cruising too! Sea day is probably your best bet. Check your Navigator for times and location.
Closed Disney Drawing Animation Experiences
Walt Disney World | The Animation Experience at Conservation Station at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Closed in 2026)
This experience closed to make way for Bluey during the Cool Kids’ Summer 2026 offering.
The Animation Experience at Conservation Station is located at Rafiki’s Planet Watch in the back of the park at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. You can book a FastPass+ for this or just show up. Remember to allow time for the train ride to this area of the park and to arrive a little early if you don’t have a FastPass+. There is a very large capacity at this venue and multiple screens to view the live drawing instruction on. 10:45 a.m. 11:30 a.m. 1:45 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 3:15 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 4:45 p.m. These things sometimes change so check your times guide to be sure!
Walt Disney World | Art of Animation Resort Lobby (Not currently offered)
This Disney drawing class will be the most intimate at Walt Disney World. I’ve experienced it before and just a few people were there with the artist. You don’t have to be staying at Art of Animation to participate. Check with the resort for times. There are only a few each day.