DCA: Animation Studio

[Rainforest_Elf]

I think the Animation Studio sounds flippin awesome! Why do I rarely hear about it when people talk about Disneyland?? Also, i've never seen any pictures of the inside. Is it really bad lighting in there and no flash allowed?

 

[HydroGuy]

Well, the Animation Studios are not at DL but are at DCA. It has been a favorite in our family for many years. If you ask people about highlights at DCA you will hear about the Animation Studios pretty often.

 

[mariezp]

I think it is possible that it gets missed a lot because lots of people enjoy mainly the rides and don't leave lots of time to commit to attractions. I really enjoy the Animation Studio, but I must confess I never spend as much time in there as I would like, simply because we are always in such a hurry to be getting to the next ride. I am hoping that this year we will spend some extra time checking out everything since we have enough time we might not be in such a hurry.

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

I really enjoy the Animation Studios too. The A/C is always on and I just love sitting in the lobby and watching the Disney clips that they show on the big screens and singing the songs...

I really like going to see Crush too, he's always funny..

 

[ballarinamom]

Turtle Talk with Crush is in the same building. DH and DD can spend hours in there doing all of the different activities, especially the one where you speak the parts from Bambi and they play the scene back but with your voice as Thumper . We also pop in when we are in the area because we see so many characters floating around

 

[Dizneydaz]

We were just there on Wed. (9/17) and we did 2 sessions at the Animation Academy. Learned to draw Goofy and Donald. Plus, many times my DSis and DD will wait at AS for the rest of our group when we ride ToT.

I've taken pix inside the AS and AA. It's pretty dark inside AS, but they will come out.

 

[DesertBell]

These aren't great, but here are a few pictures from last March:

DD chasing the spotlights around:

DS in the Beast's Library

DD and DS in the Beast's library

DD with Tinkerbell:

DH, DD and DS in the Beast's Library

 

[BlueBayou]

We love it too. The theming of the Beauty and the Beast/Ursula area is wonderful.

 

[PigletGurl]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Turtle Talk!

 

[hartyrollins]

Also, be sure to check out the Toy Story Zoetrope, it is in it's own room on the left side. I can't begin to describe how awesome it is! For those of you who have seen it you know what I mean.

 

[Monkey Monkey]

Also, be sure to check out the Toy Story Zoetrope, it is in it's own room on the left side. I can't begin to describe how awesome it is! For those of you who have seen it you know what I mean.

My son could stand there and watch that thing over and over again! It's one of the coolest things I've ever seen too.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Next to Soaring Over Califiornia, I would say it is the best part of DCA. There's a lot of great stuff in there!

 

[PinkBudgie]

I dragged DH and my two teens boys in there. We all enjoyed the zoetrope. I wanted to go in the doors there and see what there was but no one else wanted to. I think my boys were afraid there would be something very uncool and beneath their age level in them so they just wouldn't go. When they went off on their own, we still never got over there. This summer, when it is just DH and I, we will finally see what's there.

We did Turtle Talk in 06 so I already knew what that was.

 

[avalon451]

Desertbell, your kids are TOO cute! Love the pictures!

We didn't get in there last time (except DH and I did Turtle Talk the one time we went into DCA for a quick hour by ourselves); and I'm looking forward to taking DD13 in there. She loves to draw and does a lot of manga-style artwork-- took a blue ribbon at the state fair this year for her art entry. Lately she has been drawing Anime-style Disney characters! I think she will really enjoy the artists' studio.

 

[Rainforest_Elf]

Aww the pictures are so lovely! Looks like a nice little place to get out of the California heat for an hour or two.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I dragged DH and my two teens boys in there. We all enjoyed the zoetrope. I wanted to go in the doors there and see what there was but no one else wanted to. I think my boys were afraid there would be something very uncool and beneath their age level in them so they just wouldn't go. When they went off on their own, we still never got over there. This summer, when it is just DH and I, we will finally see what's there.

We did Turtle Talk in 06 so I already knew what that was.

Budgie, do you still not know then? Highlight the white text below if you want to know what's behind those doors!

You know about Turtle Talk with Crush already, so I'll skip that.

There's also the Beast's Library, which you can enter. There are computers at which you can answer a series of questions about your personality, and it will tell you which Disney character you are most like.

From the Library you can continue on through Ursula's the sea witch's lair. I believe in here there are pencils and paper to make Disney character plate rubbings? But the real draw are the stations where you can choose a scene from a Disney movie, and re-dub the characters' voices! It's hilarious! I wish there was a way to preserve that clip!

The zoetrope is a big display in a round case. When I saw it, it was a series of cards with Jessie the cowgirl tossing a lasso. I've seen it a couple of times, but I can't remember if there was another zoetrope (in addition to the Jessie one) the 2nd time I saw it. In display cases around the walls of that room are memorabilia from the design and animation of Toy Story. Cool if you enjoy that movie! But not a room my young children will stay in long.

And the Animation Academy is something I've never done, but sounds neat. We didn't think our youngest would sit still for it, but basically it is an opportunity to learn how to draw a Disney character. There is a CM instructor who gives tips on drawing a particular character. And I've seen people who swear they cannot draw, and their drawings are pretty good!

I hope you get to see it soon. We go there at least once every visit.

 

[Rainforest_Elf]

And the Animation Academy is something I've never done, but sounds neat. We didn't think our youngest would sit still for it, but basically it is an opportunity to learn how to draw a Disney character. There is a CM instructor who gives tips on drawing a particular character. And I've seen people who swear they cannot draw, and their drawings are pretty good!

Sounds like there is a LOT of stuff to do!! How much time should we reserve to do this, if we're going to be doing the drawing academy and most everything else in the Animation Studio? 1 hour? 2?

 

[HydroGuy]

Aww the pictures are so lovely! Looks like a nice little place to get out of the California heat for an hour or two.

Exactly! When we visited with my folks and sister's family in June last year we parked my mom in the Animation Studios several times while we went to do things that were not her cup of tea (e.g., Tower of Terror). The air conditioned room was just right for her to relax for awhile.

Sounds like there is a LOT of stuff to do!! How much time should we reserve to do this, if we're going to be doing the drawing academy and most everything else in the Animation Studio? 1 hour? 2?

If you include Turtle Talk with Crush (about 20 minutes long plus time waiting in line) I would say the Animation Studios require a minimum of 90 minutes on a first visit with kids. And even then I bet you will have to drag them out.

 

[Pam963]

I never even went in the Animation Studio until last October when the park was not very crowded so I took the Guide they give you at the gate and checked each thing off as I did it. I could not believe I had been missing out on this! I even went to the academy twice - I drew Pooh and Vampire Goofy. I would have to agree this is one of the best things in DCA!

 

[IASWAM]

Here's a link to a video of the Toy Story Zoetrope.

It's better in person, though.