The Magic of Disney Animation officially opened today, September 14, 2026, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney marked the occasion with a massive character cavalcade photo in front of the building’s iconic Sorcerer’s Hat facade. We went through the official photo character by character, and pulled in a few new opening day extras too, including a brand new Baymax Sipper and three debut pins.
For the full running tally of every character across the entire Walt Disney Studios Lot, including handprints, statues, and meet and greets, check our interactive character checklist and our complete character count breakdown, both updated as new characters are confirmed.
This might be the deepest character lineup Disney has assembled for a single Walt Disney World photo op in years. Alongside the expected Mickey and friends, Disney brought out several characters who almost never appear at meet and greets, including Kida from Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Yokai from Big Hero 6, and Clopin from The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Here’s everyone we identified, organized loosely by row:
- Mickey and friends: Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy (in both his classic look and a blue “Lighting” department overalls costume unique to the attraction), Pluto, Chip, Dale, Clara Cluck, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
- Princesses and heroines: Snow White, Cinderella, Ariel, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel, Moana, Raya, Alice, Kida (Atlantis: The Lost Empire)
- Sidekicks and animal friends: Thumper, Baloo, Meeko, Terk, Marie, Bolt, Rafiki, Pua the pig, Bernard and Bianca
- Heroes and leads: Peter Pan, Robin Hood, Milo Thatch, Genie, Winnie the Pooh, Merlin, Judy Hopps
- Modern favorites: Stitch, Olaf, Baymax, Vanellope von Schweetz, a Brother Bear-style bear (Koda)
- Villains: Captain Hook, Cruella de Vil, Ursula, Hades, Dr. Facilier, Yokai, and what appears to be the Sheriff of Nottingham
- Also on hand: Beast, Flora, Fauna, Merryweather, Clopin
That is more than 50 characters in one photo. A couple of the background faces were tough to pin down definitively even at full zoom, including someone in an orange tunic who reads as Hercules and a gypsy-style performer near him who reads as Esmeralda. If you were there and can confirm those two, let us know and we’ll lock in the caption.
New Baymax Sipper Debuts for $19.49
Disney also rolled out a brand new sipper for the occasion. The Baymax Sipper stands with his signature red medical satchel doubling as the base, and comes served with the “Ani-made,” a drink made with Minute Maid Premium Lemonade, Dole Pineapple Juice, and watermelon syrup, for $19.49.
Like most Disney sippers, it’s limited to two per person per transaction and available while supplies last, so if you want one, don’t wait around on this trip.
Three New Pins Mark the Occasion
Disney Pins also released three new designs tied to the opening:
- Olaf Draws! pin, showing Olaf at his easel with a paintbrush, matching the new attraction of the same name
- A limited release Mickey and Minnie pin, showing the pair in artist smocks and berets in front of the Sorcerer’s Hat
- A large framed cast pin, packed with characters from across the attraction’s artwork, including Tinker Bell, Dumbo, Pegasus, Rapunzel, Moana, Tiana, Baymax, Mulan, Geppetto, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Pua, Chip, Dale, Olaf, and Stitch
Our Take
What stands out here isn’t just the character count; it’s the casting. Disney could have leaned entirely on Mickey, the princesses, and whatever’s trending, and called it a day. Instead, they pulled out Kida, Yokai, Clopin, Terk, and a Sheriff of Nottingham-type character that most guests will need a second to place. That’s a deliberate signal that this attraction is meant to be a love letter to the full 65-film library, not just the marketable half of it, and as lifelong animation fans, we’re into it.
For everything else opening today at The Magic of Disney Animation, including Drawn to Wonderland, Off the Page!, and the new Once Upon a Studio Theater, stay tuned to our Magic of Disney Animation coverage on FLN.
