Animation Academy — Local services in Anaheim

I was so excited to take part in a rough animation drawing of a Disney character. My daughter who was not with me is a graphic designer and I know she would have loved this workshop.

The sessions are in half hour segments and the board normally tells you what character you will be drawing during your chosen time. This way if there is a certain character you would like to learn to draw then you could come back at that time.

My husband and I decided to go with whatever was next in session. As we were waiting I looked around the changing animation in the main foyer and I recognized some of the art of Mary Blair who was responsible for doing much artwork in both the Disney movies and theme parks. Her rendition of Alice in Wonderland just blew me away!

We were then ushered into a pre queue area where each of us was given a large piece of paper to draw with. Shortly after we went into the classroom, took seats and attached our paper to a large board that had a pencil without an eraser.

Our instuctor Tom explained to us we would be drawing Miguel from Coco. Up on the center table are models of the various characters, a big screen where we could follow along and also watch him as he sat at the big drawing board off to the left.

He gave us pretty simple instructions but I just didn't have the talent. Nevertheless my sketch looked just "ok." My daughter told me when I got home that rough animators must learn to draw without erasers so that they could better improve their ability to draw.

The session lasted about an half hour and then he would be on hand to help us for a few minutes and answer any questions. The sketch we had drawn was ours to keep or dispose. Believe me I would have kept that but I thought of having to drag that thing all folded around the park with me would be insane.

I did manage to spend a few minutes chatting with Tom as we left and told him about our daughter. He then signed and gave me his sketch to give her!! That sketch was on standard paper and much easier to take home. Imagine her joy when I gave it to her! She was thrilled beyond all reason and plans on getting it framed.

Animation Academy has other attractions here including Turtle talk with Crush. Never got the opportunity to check that one out.

This is a great free attraction to bring out your Disney...

Animation Academy at Disney California Adventure is such a hidden gem and an absolute treat for anyone who loves Disney animation! 🎨✨ It's located inside the Disney Animation Building, and the atmosphere here is super creative and relaxing. The whole place is filled with art from classic Disney films, and you can feel the creative energy as soon as you walk in.

The best part? You actually get to learn how to draw your favorite Disney characters from real Disney animators! 🖌️🖼️ The instructors are patient and really good at breaking down the drawing process step-by-step, so even if you’re not naturally artistic, you’ll still end up with a drawing that looks pretty good. Each session focuses on a different character — I got to draw Mickey Mouse, which was so fun and surprisingly easy to follow!

The room is set up with drawing boards and big screens so you can see every detail clearly. The pace is just right — not too fast, not too slow — and the whole experience is super interactive. It’s a great way to take a break from the rides and do something creative. Plus, you get to keep your drawing as a free souvenir! 🖼️

If you’re visiting Disney California Adventure, don’t miss Animation Academy. It’s a unique experience that gives you a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the art of Disney animation, and you’ll walk away with both a cool memory and a piece of art you created yourself. Highly recommend for both kids and...

The Baseline: For a theme park attraction, a quality experiences must be provided, the attraction must be fun and engaging, an immersive environment must be established, the queue line must be themed, and safety must be a top priority.

Attraction: This is probably one of my favorite activities at Disney California Adventure. The experience is to sit down and be taught how to do a rough sketch of popular Disney characters which alternate with the season and the day on what you can draw. The characters are listed on a scheduling board so you can make sure to be there when they are drawing your favorite. Look for the artist’s choice times because those can be surprisingly fun.

Queue: Air-conditioned in the summer, heated in the winter. Comfortable line wait to get in to draw. Disney animations play in the hub area where we play guess the next IP in then rotation. Great queue to wait in.

Staff: The artists are awesome and engaging for this experience. Super nice and no one ever gets a bad comment no matter their personal artistic...