MUMBAI: Hong Kong Disneyland has launched "Art of Animation" that provides an artistic journey through the world of Disney animation.

Celebrating the classic Disney and Pixar stories and characters, guests will gain a better understanding of Disney animation, from past to present – from the creation of Mickey Mouse to The Incredibles.

Guests’ voyage will culminate in the form of a colorful life size Zoetrope, which demonstrates the fundamentals of animation in an innovative and whimsical way. The first of its kind in Hong Kong, the Zoetrope is set to bring exhilarating and electrifying experiences to Guests.

"The Walt Disney Company possesses the flawless ability to tell classic and moving stories that have inspired creativity in generations of children. The ‘Art of Animation’ is at its core, the history of animation within the company, and how we have taken from sketches and artwork, to combine all of these elements to create great characters, stories, movies and entertainment offerings," said Hong Kong Disneyland Resort vice president marketing Maple Lee.

Featuring characters from Toy Story and Toy Story 2, the Zoetrope which is situated inside the new attraction, is a simple mechanism that creates the illusion of movement by presenting a continuously changing series of images – actual 3-D figures – on a spinning disk. Through a flashing strobe light a sense of motion is created as the figures spin around.

Lee added, "Watching the Zoetrope in action is a mind-blowing experience, as the Toy Story characters come to life right before your very eyes. It is an entertaining demonstration of what Walt Disney once described as, ‘Animation can explain whatever the mind of man can conceive.’"

The moment Guests enter the "Art of Animation", they will be surrounded by conceptual artwork from the late 1920s to the present. Guests will be able to further their knowledge of how animation is created at Disney, which is the basis for many of the attractions and entertainment offerings at Disney theme parks around the world.

The "Art of Animation" is filled with maquettes, storyboards and background paintings of Disney Characters. The attraction is divided into Mickey and Friends; the Golden Age of Animation featuring films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Sleeping Beauty; the Renaissance of Disney Animation featuring films such as The Little Mermaid and Aladdin; and the Next Generation featuring films such as Toy Story and Ratatouille.

The "Art of Animation" is located beside "Animation Academy" in Town Square and is open during regular Park hours. The combination of the all-new "Art of Animation" and "Animation Academy" offers a unique corner in which young Guests can step into the enchanted world of animation; from learning the fundamentals of animation to a step by step tutorial on drawing beloved Disney Characters.