By The Metropolitan Staff |The Metropolitan | Published January 30, 2023

Disney Animation: Immersive Experience is an innovative celebration that takes you inside the greatest films of Walt Disney Animation Studios, from their very earliest, groundbreaking features to the beloved hit movies of today.

Photo Credit: Disney Studios

Imagine stepping into the Casita with Mirabel from Encanto, being at Pride Rock as Rafiki presents Simba – surrounded by the animal kingdom as the sun rises. Imagine hopping on a train with Judy Hopps and going into Zootopia or taking a magic carpet ride with Aladdin and Jasmine, and so much more….

Now you can! Step into the art and legacy of Walt Disney Animation Studios and celebrate the music, artistry and animation from the creators of Frozen, The Little Mermaid, Big Hero 6 and many more.

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Walt Disney Animation Studios teamed with Lighthouse Immersive Studios, the producers of the blockbuster Immersive Van Gogh, to develop Disney Animation Immersive Experience, which will received its world premiere in Toronto December, 2022.

Creating iconic animated stories for all ages for nearly a century, Walt Disney Animation Studios joined forces with North America’s top creator of experiential projection exhibitions to present the music and artistry within Disney Animation’s canon of films—from hits of today like Encanto, Zootopia and Frozen, to all of the classics including The Lion King, Peter Pan and Pinocchio. Audiences will feel like they’ve entered the incredible worlds of beloved Disney characters and become one with them.

Disney Animation: Immersive Experience comes to Cleveland, Nashville, Detroit, Denver, Boston, San Antonio, Las Vegas, Minneapolis and Columbus in the first four months of 2023. Additional cities are currently being scheduled and Tokyo will be the first city outside of North America to receive Disney Animation: Immersive Experience.

 “It’s a dream to bring the best of animated storytelling together with the top experts in the immersive art experience. We can’t wait for audiences around the world, of all ages, to experience the great moments from our legacy of feature films in this incredible way,”said Clark Spencer, president, Walt Disney Animation Studios and two-time Academy Award®-winner (Encanto, Zootopia).

Lobby of Disney Immersive | Photo Credit: Lighthouse Immersive

“The work lends itself brilliantly to the immersive experience,” said Lighthouse Immersive founder Corey Ross. “I am confident this program will give our guests the opportunity to be engulfed in the world of Disney, making them feel like they’re standing next to their favorite characters and seeing the world through their eyes.”

The creative team for the Disney Animation Immersive Experience is led by Oscar®-winning producer J. Miles Dale (Best Picture 2018 –The Shape of Water) who said, “With such a wealth of material and a treasure trove of memorable characters, it will be a thrill to bring the work of all the great Disney animators and performers to life in a 360-degree immersive environment.”

Art of the Story Installation. Photo Credit: Disney Studios

Mexico City-based Cocolab is working with Dale and the Creative Legacy team at Walt Disney Animation Studios to develop the program for Lighthouse Immersive Studios. Special Projects Producer Dorothy McKim (Oscar-nominated, Get A Horse!) is spearheading the project for Disney Animation.

The audience experience will be further enhanced by Lighthouse Immersive’s Global Creative Director David Korins, (Tony Award®-nominee whose credits include more than 20 Broadway shows including Hamilton, and an Emmy Award® winner for Grease Live). Korins will develop never-before-seen interactive lobby elements that guests can enjoy before or after entering the gallery.

Immersive Experience. Photo Credit: Disney Studios

Ross captures the excitement both Disney and Lighthouse Immersive feel for the project as he describes how it begins: “Just imagine journeying through Zootopia with Judy Hopps, diving to the ocean floor with Ariel, flying on a magic carpet with Aladdin, and stepping into Casita with Mirabel and the family Madrigal. This is where the Disney Animation: Immersive Experience will take you.”

Collaborating with Lighthouse Immersive is the Creative Legacy team of Walt Disney Animation Studios, helping bring their library of films to audiences in a manner never before experienced.

Photo Credit: Disney Studios

The schedule of openings, on-sale date for tickets and prices will be announced at a future date. The public can sign up to receive more information at https://lighthouseimmersive.com/disney/.