Take my Disney Mom card away because I had never actually been to Disney’s Animation Academy before last weekend. It was always on my to-do list, something I planned to get to during each vacation, but somehow an activity which always eluded me. I was so sad when they announced that it was closing at Walt Disney World Resort. Although, I am always happy to see what exciting things change brings, it’s hard to say good-bye to any experience. With the news of the closure, I made certain we would visit the one in California last weekend and my determination aided by the fact that it was only my mom and me made that dream come true.

First, the Disney Animation Building holds not only Disney’s Animation Academy, but also, Turtle Talk with Crush, the meet and greet for Anna and Elsa and Sorcerer’s Workshop. The Animation Courtyard in the center of the activities is a wonderful place to escape the rain, get out of the heat or just to take a break from the day. You are surrounded by Disney music and animation clips bringing your favorite characters and movies to life. Animation Academy classes usually run every 1/2 hour and offer a different character each time. We took two classes and adored them. It’s a quick activity, but there were Guests of all ages enjoying it. The best part is the free souvenir–your drawing! Your level of artistic talent doesn’t matter and you’ll be surprised with what you are capable of with a little instruction.

If you haven’t visited this experience yet, I highly recommend it. It was incredible and a nice break in our busy day!

I’d love to hear from anyone who has experienced the Animation Academy at either park and best yet, I want to see your sketches! Share a picture of your drawing on Twitter or Instagram, using the hashtag #DisneySketchLove. Let’s show our gratitude to the Disney artists teaching their trade and have fun sharing our work. No judgement will be made, it’s all for fun! I’ll start, here’s mine!