Il était une fois un studio

It was a great short. Left me teary eyed especially after the nod to Walt.

To have all the characters together both 2d and 3d is incredible.

I also liked how they reused dialogue from the films but mixed it with new ones.

The fact that those who are still with us came back to voice their characters for like a couple of seconds or more of dialogue is phenomenal.

I was surprised and glad to see characters from Disney's flops like treasure planet and Atlantis.

There's much to love and it's filled with nostalgia.

Thank you Disney for finally giving the audience something it wants and didn't know it wanted it.

I loved everything about it, it's a very magical experience.

I think this is what everyone wanted without knowing it. If you don't believe me, check the rating.

From Snow White to Asha, characters from every Disney era are involved in this special, and this special looks back at everything Disney has ever done. It reminds you of the magic and happiness Disney had brought you and all the magic and happiness it will continue to bring you... I hope the Walt Disney company is around for another 100 years.

Thank you Disney. You've really gone to infinity and beyond with this one. Thank you for reading my review, and I'm so glad that it's on Disney+ because I didn't get to catch it on TV last night (or October 15 2023 if you read this in the future).

A short made the celebrate the 100th anniversary of Walt Disney Studios, Once Upon a Studio is a neat short film that is more respectful to the company's past than most of their current offerings.

In the short, after the studio closes up for the day, Mickey gets the other animated characters from Disney films up to this point to do a group photo for the occasion. That's basically it, as characters from almost every Disney animated classic, be they drawn traditional, computer animated, or even done in Flash, joins in on this celebration.

Seeing this, I am amazed that Disney would do something that gives respect to their legacy (especially in a time when they are trying to bury it by making live-action remakes of their animated classics. They even went the extra mile to make sure all the voice actors are in their roles, either the right ones, the ones who took over for the past actors, or even archival recordings (they even went as far as to get Robin Williams' estate to okay using unused dialogue for Genie, which adds to the nostalgia factor). This is a charming special that actually decides to be respectful and have plenty of neat in-character gags instead of the usual problems that plague Disney's films today, and it makes me think if Disney could make more stuff like this, maybe it would get back to being a good studio one day.

Growing up back in the 90's, I've been very fond of Disney especially in terms of animation. Many of their films I consider to be good/great (The Lion King being one of them considering it was during my childhood) even if some aren't quite my favorites. But when I heard that the studio was releasing an 100 anniversary short, I became very happy and watched it on Disney+ today. To my surprise, it filled me with complete nostalgia.

Not only was it hilarious and cute, but it's also a great loving tribute to the studio and Walt Disney himself. The way it blends both 2D hand drawn and 3D CG animation, it's reuse of old archive dialogue while creating new ones, the way it incorporates other characters from other Disney films (including the ones from particular flops like The Black Cauldron), and the new rendition of When You Wish Upon A Star that's sung very well.

Overall, this will go down as one of my favorite shorts in Disney history. If you love Disney animation certainly check this one out and you'll have the same nostalgia as I did.

In honor of the Walt Disney Company officially turning 100 years old this month, filmmakers Dan Abraham and Trent Correy have put together an incredible tribute piece called Once Upon a Studio. Set entirely within the actual Walt Disney Animation Studios, the short focuses on nearly all of the iconic animated characters from the company's history coming together for an annual group photo. What sounds like a typical nostalgia based gimmick disguised as an anniversary present is actually more heartfelt and earnest than one might assume, as this short is a true love letter to the company's legacy.

As this short brings together an endless amount of characters from the company's history, both hand-drawn and computer animated, the amount of dedication the crew put into bringing these iconic characters together is nothing short of spectacular. Many fans of the studio's lineup will be thrilled to see at least one of their favorites from all 62 feature films produced there, let alone the likes of Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy. In addition, many returning cast members from the features today are included, along with appropriately mixed archival recordings and newer cast members to voice older characters. But of course, the inclusion of both animation veterans and the new generation of artists at the studio are what make the short work so well, including the work of 2D animation trainees like Austin Traylor and Tyler Pacana. With the likes of legends like Eric Goldberg, James Baxter, Ruben Aquino, Tony Bancroft, Nik Ranieri, and Will Finn returning, the immense amount of craftsmanship and admiration shown on display can not be overstated enough thanks to these legends.

But in regards to why this short works so well as an anniversary present, it taking place at the Roy E. Disney Animation Building is not as heartfelt as the inclusion of Walt himself. It's easy to be critical of the intensely complicated history behind the company's run, but one must not forget how the studio started off as just two midwestern brothers going out to California to pursue their dreams in the motion picture business. To this day, it's hard to think of another animation studio that has lasted as long as the company itself, especially when it paved its own way for live-action filmmaking, theme parks, merchandising and so much more. The inclusion of veteran Disney composer David Metzger's score adds to the magic so well, not to mention this being the final film featuring Disney story artist Burny Mattinson, one of the few people to stay at the studio since uncle Walt's time there. There's something almost chilling to see Mickey and the gang come together for such a big hurrah, and having them perform the company's national anthem should remind us all that faith steps in and sees you through.

100 years going on strong, the Disney company could not have picked a better anniversary gift than Once Upon a Studio. With the short now being available on Disney+ following its exclusive premiere on ABC, everyone and their mother should absolutely see this short, regardless if you're a Disney fan or not. There's a reason the studio has continued to inspire generations and generations since its inception, and that answer can be found through reminiscing the timeless characters and features that we've appreciated forever. Thank you Disney for the magic that has influenced us for the better.