This is Kyle (Seen in the opening shot and toward the end), and I want to say I was honored to have been there, short a time as it was. Thank you for including me in this documentary. I hope this attraction is never forgotten.

Amazing job, Dane! It was the absolutely best place to work, and I loved reliving all the beautiful memories. I am so fortunate to continue to be part of the magic.

I love this! I wanted to be an animator when i was in high school. But i was in love and scared to leave home. I would like some sketches and animation cells

I remember going into the WDW Animation Building back in 2005 and 2013 for both the Drawn Into Animation show (with Mushu from Mulan) & character meet and greets. It’s kind of sad for people to see it go, but I am actually okay with this. The Star Wars Launch Bay that is currently operating looks great!

An Amazing and Beautiful insight to an animation studio featured in a theme park ! ✨ I often got the animator’s drawings when I went to the drawing classes ✍

14:53 I really wanted to see this original video

This building was a huge part of my memories from my WDW College Program days. I could spend hours watching you draw The Lion King there. That movie will always be my top Disney movie simply because of that ability. I was an aspiring animator at the time and I am still in awe of the amazing talent hand-drawn animators have.

So fun. I caught my early 90's mullet in there a couple of times. When was this made?

❤❤

What a wonderful treat! Thank you!🙏

Great film. Thanks you for the memories😭

This manages to make me feel intense nostalgia for a workplace that I was born too late to even apply for, bravo

I got to ride in it in 2006.

Absolutely love this. I have always wanting to be a Disney animator in my heart and this documentary brings great joy. Wish that they would bring it back.

Thank you so much! I joined the Florida Studio in 1995 (from the Burbank studio) for Mulan until its heartbreaking closing in 2004. A very special place that will always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for the beautiful tribute. ...and I'm one of the ones who bought their desks! I'm sitting at it now.

I was 18, just graduated high school in the Netherlands and my parents promised to take me to Disney World, and we planned the entire trip around being able to visit “The Magic of Disney Animation”. The day came, I sent my parents to tour the park and I spent the day going in and out of the building, over and over and over, face pressed against the windows, watching the crew work on the additional Beauty and the Beast scene “Human Again” sequence and seeing the first artwork of Tarzan, and maquettes of Fantasia 2000 characters. And then when I came out of the attraction scribbling down what I had seen on napkins. It was absolute magic. A month later I started my academic journey to study animation. Just my own personal memories to that studio, which brought me so much indescribable joy and wonder! Thanks to all the artists who worked there! ❤

I love looking at Disney billboards

Hi Timmy..your wonderful!!!

I worked as a turgid at the studio in '93 and '94. It was a magical time.

This is honestly 1 million times better than anything Disney puts & churns out today! I'd pay a ticket to see this ASTONISHING documentary in theaters! I love 2D traditional animation, it is such a huge escape for me! Loving this film already 😊

I dunno if it’s the fault of the PC port in general, or if it’s new issues that were made when the Steam version was released. But this port is BAD, just from looking at Gameplay alone. I own the Gamecube version. And it might not be the best compared to the PS2 or Xbox, since I’ve had the game soft-lock on me a few times. But I can confirm, the game’s animation fps is not supposed to slow down and speed up as frequently as it did for you. And man, that draw-distance is terrible. I’ve looked up gameplay vids. And even the original PC port suffered that draw-distance issue. I also can’t explain the constant clipping issues. I’ve never run into that.

Absolutely wonderful documentary- thank you so much for putting this together. As a current animator in the industry being able to go back in time and work at this studio would be a DREAM. Visiting this place as a kid is what inspired me to pursue art as a job. I still remember walking in and looking through the glass while they worked on Brother Bear.

Thank you! I needed that. Was on the opening crew as a tour guide. Max was amazing and invited us behind the glass. Opening party with Roy Disney, celebrities, and the great people working there. One of my most cherished times in life.

1st to EVERYONE who worked on Brother Bear, Thank you! The songs in this movie mean so much to me and my now 3 adult girls. The movie is my oldest's favorite Disney movie. On her first trip to WDW in 2006 at the age of 5 (now 22) the ONLY thing that kid asked for was to get a Koda stuffed animal and despite all the princesses meet & greet, Koda and Keni were her favorite. We've been to WDW 4 times since and every time, she wants to see Koda, which hasn't happened since. For those that worked at the Animation Academy...thank you! It was always my dream to be an animator and sit at one of those tables, the Academy has been the closest I've gotten to that. We did the Academy in 2008 on our 2nd trip and along with my 3 girls, I took my mom. She was just starting to live with Alzhimer's. My passion for art comes from her since she drew a lot when she was younger. The instructor had us draw Minnie. For someone in her condition at the time, she did great...I still have it. Every single one of you should know what you mean to me and my (now 4) daughters! We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We truly love you all!

Super nice! I loved seeing all the home videos of the studio, and it's so cool they were a community who reached artistic highs as a group. It's such an interesting parallel with the accounts of Disney in the 30s, the community, the group growth as a group, into the highs of the early movies, and eventually the strike. Although every animation production is like that now 😅 you bond with the team, then you're out on your ass at the end of the project

I was there early on, 1989 to 1991!

Loads of Jews!

Imagine if the Florida studio still survived, we could've gotten a variety of styles

Thank you for well describing our collective traumatic experiences around the closing of WDFAF. My last day was the same as the one that Steve describes when he and Rich locked the doors for the last time, but I had packed up and left hours before. Disney was overly quiet about the things that were happening in those days, and as a result, I was denied customary acknowledgment of my 25th-year anniversary with the Company. Also of note, the following year my oldest daughter unexpectedly passed away. It is difficult for me to enjoy an animated film these days as I am haunted by the ghosts of days gone by.

I remember well that big meeting when they announced the closing of the studio and the cancellation of My People’s, a sad day indeed! It’s all business for the company! Wonderful documentary, by the way! Really well done!

I’ve watched this 7 times now

FANTASTIC!!!! You did an excellent job! This information is gold!!

:)

Having worked as an animator for 10 years in this studio, this documentary was outstanding. Well done!

I worked at Disney/MGM Studios during this time frame as a performer. I would go to the new animation building to eat linch at Nature's Table. I haven't been back in many years. I wonder what the building is used for today. (It was used for animation for such a short time!)

Beautiful job:) Was blessed to be there from 95-04. Watching this and hearing from old friends brings back wonderful memories and heart break too. Thank you for creating and sharing this honest story of a unique, lovely, and talented family.

Great documentary sad that all those talented artist were not utilized in other creative projects.

Rip Rob

#DisneyDiva

Missed Michael

Thank you for this. So important. So heartfelt. The work, dedication of you and the animators continues to be felt.

What a wonderful documentary, this is amazing!

Extraordinary documentary that touches the heart and soul of Florida animation…

Thrilled to be a part of this. Keep an eye out in the fall...working with Dane Tankesley to have a screening for the public at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design or some other venue. Would love it if some of you who worked there would consider being part of that in whatever way would work for you.

Great documentary

Amazing job! The original Disney MGM Studios was unique and special… now they just made the park a dumping ground for any IP… the park lost its message and soul :/

Best job ever. One of the luckiest people in the world. I started when I was only 18 years old. I grew up at WDFAF! Was there the entire 15 years. Still surreal that it's all gone, even after all these years. Great job, thanks for making this.

You created such an amazing documentary!!! You put so much work into this and it's really paying off. I'm so proud of you! ❤