Animation Academy in California Adventure is home to a number of fun exhibits. It is a great way to spend an afternoon or during a rain storm. As you enter, be sure to look for the Pixie Dust on the floor.
Courtyard Gallery features movie screens showing sketches, studies and finished footage from Animation projects. This film runs about 25 minutes and loops continuously.
Character Close up shows you how they take animation and make it into a movie. You can also see a three-dimensional version of Toy Story characters called the Toy Story Zoetrope.
The Animation Academy teaches you how to draw all your favorite characters. Each person gets a paper and pencil to draw one character to take home with them. Lasts about 15 minutes. The pencils have no erasers as it is all about having fun, not being perfect. Each mark the animator makes is projected on the screen above the stage. You can follow his drawing step by step. Each session teaches a different character so you can return throughout the day for a different one each time.
Sorcerer’s Workshop is a place where you learn the magic of animation. you also can learn which Disney character you are most like, and you get to interact with animation and sound. You can draw characters or objects on long strips of paper and then put the papers in drums to see your creation move. Watch for the mirror to come to life and tell the guests about the wonders that await them in other areas.
Beast’s Library features shelves of books, an animated hearth and the magic rose in a glass bell jar on the mantle. Periodically, thunder sounds and knocks out the fire in the hearth, the rose’s petals wither and claw marks slash the prince’s portrait. An animated Lumiere and Cogswell lead guests through a series of questions that reveal which character the guest most represent.
Ursula’s Grotto is a replica of the sea witch’s lair in The Little Mermaid. It is riddled with interactive screens where Ursula traps your voice and puts it into Disney films.
Turtle Talk with Crush is so fun. Crush comes out and talks with the audience. He will ask you questions, give you turtle names and answers your questions. This show runs every 30 minutes.
Don’t miss this list of Disneyland Attractions Not At Disney World.
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