Disney Confirms Free Play Characters Will Continue After Magic of Disney Animation Debuts
Walt Disney World has confirmed that the popular 'free play' characters in the reimagined Studios Lot courtyard will continue after the Magic of Disney Animation and its 'Off the Page' meet & greets debut. These free roaming characters have been a surprise hit, bringing unique experiences to guests such as Goofy leading games and Mulan teaching kids how to be warriors.
The Magic of Disney Animation, which replaces Star Wars: Launch Bay, features character-specific meet & greets in 'Off the Page.' However, these meet & greets won't replace the free roaming characters outside, but rather add to them. Joe Schott, President of Walt Disney World, stated that there will be more initiatives like this in the future, balancing traditional meet & greets with spontaneous character interactions.
The free play characters will change over time as new characters are introduced inside 'Off the Page.' Currently, characters such as Mulan and Rapunzel appear outside, but once they move indoors, other characters will take their place. The addition of these characters to the courtyard has been a capacity-add, making the area more appealing to guests.