Animation Academy

One of my favorite things to do at CA Adventure. I can’t draw, but somehow my drawings here look pretty good. If you want a nice way to relax from the chaos outside, go into the Animation Academy and chill out. It has AC, sweet! All sorts of interactive exhibits underground and a must see when you’re at the park.

The Animation Academy is my absolute favorite attraction at California Adventure and the Disneyland park as a whole. I don’t like waiting in long lines and Disneyland is a pain in general, but this place always offers some reprieve from the crowded madness of both parks. They have a detailed schedule of times and characters they will teach for the day; once you go in to the very spacious area, you get to pick up a huge clipboard, paper and pencil (no eraser) to start your character drawing. A usually very friendly animator teaches you how to draw the character using very simple techniques — all ages and skill levels welcome. There’s a screen that focuses in on what the animator is drawing so you can get a better look as to what is going on. You get to walk away with a great Disney souvenir you created yourself, or if you’re like me, several creations since I usually try to hit up this place multiple times during a visit. The only downside — the characters can sometimes be repetitive, so look at the schedule closely so you do something new. With the new Frozen craze, a lot of great characters were replaced with Frozen characters who I am not a fan of (seriously. I did not like that movie at all or get what all the hype was about… Tangled FTW!). Once you’re done here, I recommend walking around all the other attractions in the nearby area such as Turtle Talk with Crush.

I loved this little gem. Don’t over look this on your trip to DCA. You get to learn how to draw some of you favorite Disney Charcters. Classes start every 15 to 20 minutes or so. It can make even the worst artist look like they know what they are doing. I enjoyed learning how to draw Jack Skellington on my last trip to the Acadamy. I am sure this is also a great place to relax and get away from the hot sun in the summer. I was dissappointed to find out they close the one at Disney World as I have an up coming trip there and it would have been nice to do again. Any way that is neither here nor there. This will be a great little thing to give your day a break and take it easy for a bit.

Our little family loved the experience and drew 3 different takes on Mickey. The 7 year old loved it and so did his parents! Would love to see this be a 30 minute class instead of 20 minutes. As it stands, the instructions are easy enough for kids and adults to manage to create a recognizable drawing.

Disney is always coming up with unique ways to have you experience the magic of Disney, and this is definitely one of them. If you’re tired of the heat or even the cold, you can stop here at Animation Academy. Line appears long, but the studio is spacious and seats a lot. So, wait time for the class isn’t that bad. The characters that are being drawn depends on what month or season it is. We were there in January so they were drawing Olaf and Olaf’s brother Marshmallow. We had so much fun that we did it twice in one day.

Animation Academy is located in California Adventure. The academy offers classes in which you learn how to draw some of the most popular Disney characters! I went for the first time the other week and I had such a great time! The people that help instruct the class are full of energy and it seems like they really enjoy what they do.
On my most recent visit we drew Tigger from Winnie the Pooh! My drawing was absolutely horrible, but the best thing is that nobody will judge you and your drawing! If you have a specific character that you want to draw in mind, you should check out the schedule that they have in front of the building since they show you what time and what character you will be drawing.
I highly recommend coming here since it’s a lot of fun and it’s a nice change versus just going on the rides.

Learn to draw Disney characters!
This is located by Off The Page Shop in the Hollywood Backlot. A board is posted outside to show the schedule of drawings for the day.
Since it is October, they are featuring more of Jack Skellington and Nightmare Before Christmas characters. They are really good about the variety of characters offered. From the classic to tv characters to new movie characters. We were able to go into couple sessions (beat the heat and crowd) and drew Mickey, Pluto, Jack, and Sally.
Bonus: No need of materials when you go! In the academy, they provide clipboard, blank paper and pencil. The sketch artist will guide you step by step and in 20 mins later, you will have a created a disney character masterpiece.

I’ve never stopped for Animation Academy before, and on this trip, I cannot even count how many times we took the class! First, it was a great break from the summer heat. Second, my son LOVED it. He loves to draw, and although his skills are a bit limited, we all have to start somewhere! He was always so proud to show his art at the end, and he always made sure I kept our drawings.
The class moves at a pretty fast pace, but the drawings are broken down to easy steps, so I found it pretty easy to manage my drawing — even with some distraction from my son. It’s a fund break from rides, and you get AC! Don’t worry about where you stand in line. The auditorium is more than large enough.

This is really one of the most unique things in Disneyland. In here you get to be guided in drawing disney characters on papers you get to keep! In just 15 mins you can have your very own hand drawn character. They do different characters so you can definitely experience different things each time! Plus it’s a great souvenir.
Overall: A
Highly recommend

Love taking the animation academy classes. I’ve visited this attraction at Hollywood Studios countless times, but recently experienced the CA version on my first ever trip to the Disneyland Resort.
Although the attractions are similar in both locations, there are a few notable differences.
Advantages: The CA version features a much larger space, so the waits to draw are not nearly as long as they are at HS. I also really like that the schedule of characters is posted ahead of time. At HS, you don’t know who you’re drawing until you get in, so you may end up drawing the same character multiple times.
Disadvantages: I felt a lot more rushed at the CA attraction, as compared to HS. The HS class felt longer, and we are given more time to complete a step before the animator has moved on. Also, the CA version uses lap desks, whereas the HS version allows participants to use actual light up desks.
Either way, this is definitely a must do for anyone. You really don’t need talent — the point isn’t to have a perfect drawing — just have fun with it! It’s also a great break from the heat.

The Animation Academy is awesome! Visitors get the opportunity to learn how to draw different Disney characters from a Disney artist. My last visit, we drew Pooh Bear, and mine came out great! The artist who was teaching us this particular character was nice, funny, and easy to follow.
The Animation Academy is offered almost every 30 minutes for most of the day, which makes it an attractive place to go.

Yes the rides at DCA are fun and what most people spend their time doing, but I think there are so many other hidden gems in the park that many people don’t ever get to access. Perks of being an annual pass holder and going often, I guess ;)
But, I think everyone should take the 30 minutes to come to Animation Academy on their visit to DCA. Especially on a warm afternoon when you want a little rest break, but still want to do something worth while.
Animation Academy is great for people who love to draw, or not! I am NOT artistic at all, and even my character (Olaf) turned out pretty good, I think! The artist teaching class is so encouraging and breaks down the drawing process into simple steps. I also learned so many fun facts about trends in Disney animation.
Air-​conditioned room set up like a college class with stadium seating. The stage is decorated perfectly, of course.
My kids were a little young (3 and 4) to be able to follow along and participate, but I think 7+ would love it!

Located in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot–
One of my favorite non-​ride attractions in DCA! :) Every half hour you get to learn how to draw a different Disney character. And the instructor breaks it down so easily that everyone can do it!
You’ll feel like a real animator with the clipboard, paper, and pencil.
I’ve had the pleasure of drawing Jake Skellington, Mickey, Goofy, and Winnie the Pooh!
Great to get away from the crowds and relax for a bit! Plus you get to keep your own drawing but I never do since I take a picture: P

ONE OF MY FAVORITE ATTRACTIONS IN DCA. Hands down (:
Drawing classes are held every half hour and the schedule changes daily. The helpful staff manning the entrance will gladly tell you what’s of the schedule for today.
She even offered to let me take a picture of the schedule (probably to avoid me asking again… and again… Lol)
I’ve been here… Probably 6 or 7 times in my lifetime. Last week, I drew Winnie the Pooh and today, I had the pleasure of drawing Baymax from the new movie «Big Hero 6». Since his shape is so simple, they strayed from the purely portrait based class to a figure studyyyyy!!! SUPER COOL.
I’m always coming back for more (:

Wow! This place has five stars!
But I know why!
It’s excellent! Every thirty minutes, you can learn how to draw a character. They post the schedule outside by the entrance to the Animation building. They do begin to draw the same characters after a while, and you always draw just the face.
I’ve drawn Steamboat Willie, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Tigger, Olaf, and more!
This is a great place for children that like to draw. Also, its a great place to get out of the sun or the rain!
If you want to do more than one lesson, you’ll have to leave and go back around to the Animation Academy entrance. They won’t let you sit and wait. I guess, they reset the place afterwards.

Make sure you know what character you will be drawing but it’s a fun activity for a group to enjoy. Anything that takes me inside the Animation building is a good time.
When you exit the Academy there is one of the coolest experiences well, anywhere. There is a Giant Zoetrop This has all the Toy Story Characters — A lot of fun to stay and watch. This room also has classic representations of Disney Animation as well as there are often animation of upcoming movies as well.

We spilled into the Animation Academy, mostly to escape the brutal heat outside.
On several huge screens, you’ll see snippets of great Disney classics and the «secrets» to the animation marvel of Disney movies.
My child was transfixed. I was just relieved to be in super-​chill air-​conditioning.
But why do they have almost no seating? People were either sitting on the floor or sprawled out in every direction. For that they lose a star.

If you are ever in a need to just take a break in California Adventure and want to cool down for a bit and do something fun for the kids and yourself but don’t need to stand in long lines in the hot sun, then going to the Animation Academy is the perfect place.
Every 30 minutes, their is a well known disney character (the traditional Mickey/​Minnie to most recent ones) that you can get the chance to learn to draw!
There is always a cast member who will teach you how to draw a character within 15 minutes using very simple shapes and lines that are very understandable and easy for parents and kids to grasp and do! Don’t feel hesitant if your drawing abilities are only known to be stick figures, after one or two classes at the animation academy and you will feel like such a pro!
For all you Frozen fan’s they’re currently having drawing classes for Olaf, the fun sun loving snow man!
So if you’re ever in Disneyland California Adventures and your kid asks «Do you want to build a snowman?» you know just where to take them right now!

This show/​activity in California Adventure is too fun. Why did it take so long for me to check it out?! Within about 15−20min you learn how to draw a Disney character! Fun for all ages and you get to keep your artistic creation… or toss it in the trash on your way out. :P
I definitely recommend this to any aspiring artist young and old. :) The hosts/​instructors are entertaining and the lessons are easy to follow. They have shows through out the day so check out the schedule for a particular character you’d like to draw: D
Never stop creating. :)

The Animation Academy is a place that you could visit multiple times in one day! As you view the daily schedule posted in front of the facility, remember to be strategic when making your choices. If you opt to animate an incredibly popular character, anticipate showing up early to secure a spot inside. The room has a limited number of seats and cannot accommodate a lot of people. Once it fills up, you’re going to have to try and return at another time or date.
Even if you feel that you lack artistic abilities, this really is a fun place to explore. You will not be provided with erasers because you’re really working with a rough sketch. If you focus on perfection, you will miss key points and then the quality of your illustration will not live up to your expectations. I’ve enjoyed illustrating various Disney characters but the ducks, Donald and Daisy, have proven to most challenging for me.
It’s all about the experience in here and the ability to feel like you are a true part of the Disney family. Everyone should venture into The Animation Academy to really appreciate what the creative minds have to offer at Disney!