# Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida

Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida was a division of Walt Disney Feature Animation that operated from 1989 to 2004. Its offices were backlot of the Disney-MGM Studios theme park and visitors were allowed to tour the studio in The Magic of Disney Animation attraction to observe animators at work from behind glass-paneled overhead breezeways. The division had primarily animated Mulan, Lilo & Stitch and Brother Bear.

## History

Walt Disney Animation placed Max Howard in charge of starting up its Florida animation studio in 1988. Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida began operations in May 1989 with 40 employees. The division was originally planned to work on featurettes and shorts that they could do on its own. 70 animators including Disney veteran supervising animator Mark Henn were hired by 1990. After doing its first work, the Roger Rabbit short, Roller Coaster Rabbit, the division was enlisted to help finish The Rescuers Down Under and work on its companion featurette, The Prince and the Pauper. In the years to come, the Florida unit would continue to make contributions to several of Disney's animated features. On October 7, 1992, the Florida unit was incorporated. On April 22, 1998, Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida moved to a new $70 million facility at the Disney MGM Studios. In June 1998, the Florida division's first feature film, Mulan, was released. The unit continued as a division with its corporate form was merged out on September 30, 1999. Andrew Millstein took charge of the division as senior vice president and general manager of production in 2001 transferring in from The Secret Lab.
In January 2003, Disney initiated a reorganization of its theatrical and animation units to improve resource usage and continued focus on new characters and franchise development. Additionally, Feature Animation was transferred under the Walt Disney Studios in January 2003. In June 2003, 50 animators were laid off after Brother Bear finished up production. The division was developing A Few Good Ghosts (also known as My Peoples) until it was canceled on November 15, 2003. On January 12, 2004, Disney Feature Animation President David Stainton announced the shut down of Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida.
Some laid-off animators were offered transfers to the main studio while most chose to stay in Orlando or were recruited to work for rival animation studios. Other animators created their own startup studios. Legacy Animation Studios was formed by Eddie Pittman along with 15 artists previously laid off from the company. Laid off animators Travis Blaise, Todd Gilbert and Matt Gunther formed their own company, Magnetic Entertainment.
Project Firefly was set up by five former employees on Universal Studios Florida's backlot and worked on Curious George for Universal, alongside two direct to videos for DisneyToon Studios, Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie and Brother Bear 2 and Farm Force, a short/pilot as an internal project. Millstein was tapped to head up Florida's replacement and Pixar sequel division, Circle Seven Animation.

## Filmography

As Sole Producer
| Release date | Title | Notes |
| June 15, 1990 | Roller Coaster Rabbit | Released with Dick Tracy |
| July 17, 1992 | Off His Rockers | Released with Honey, I Blew Up the Kid |
| March 12, 1993 | Trail Mix-Up | Released with A Far Off Place |
| June 19, 1998 | Mulan | |
| October 30, 2000 | John Henry | |
| June 21, 2002 | Lilo & Stitch | |
| November 1, 2003 | Brother Bear | |
As Animation Service:
| Release date | Title | Notes |
| November 17, 1989 | The Little Mermaid | Ink and paint Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation |
| November 16, 1990 | The Prince and the Pauper | 10 minutes Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation |
| November 16, 1990 | The Rescuers Down Under | 10 minutes Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation |
| November 22, 1991 | Beauty and the Beast | 10 minutes including partial animation of Belle and the "Be Our Guest" sequence Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation |
| November 25, 1992 | Aladdin | 10 minutes and the partial animation of Princess Jasmine Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation |
| June 24, 1994 | The Lion King | 22 minutes including the "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" sequence Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation |
| June 23, 1995 | Pocahontas | 18 minutes Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation |
| June 21, 1996 | The Hunchback of Notre Dame | 4 minutes Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Feature Animation France |
| June 27, 1997 | Hercules | 10 minutes Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Feature Animation France |
| June 18, 1999 | Tarzan | Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Feature Animation France |
| January 1, 2000 | Fantasia 2000 | "Firebird Suite - 1919 Version" Segment Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Feature Animation France |
| December 15, 2000 | The Emperor's New Groove | Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Feature Animation France |
| June 15, 2001 | Atlantis: The Lost Empire | Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Feature Animation France |
| November 27, 2002 | Treasure Planet | Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Feature Animation France |