Pixar’s ‘Hoppers’ has his movie theaters this weekend, looking for a strong box office performance after garnering positive reviews. Coinciding with the release is integration of the new movie into Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World. In this post, we’ll share the new Hoppers themed additions before adding our thoughts on the new film.

Starting with the park additions, I was happy to see the film and parks sides of the company work together to offer something more substantial than a poster here or there. This used to be commonplace, adding something as big as a float to a parade during the release of a movie was normal. That has really cooled during most of the 2000’s and I’ve never really understood why. Having characters from a new release out and about in the parks seems like a relatively low cost-high reward promotion.

Hoppers integration in the parks isn’t exactly that but it’s way more substantial than most of the recent Disney or Pixar releases. Here’s what is offered followed by our quick, spoiler-free review of Hoppers.

Disneyland Resort

Mabel’s Seek & Find at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail

Hit the trail and step into the shoes (or paws) of one of four animals with Mabel’s Seek & Find activity. Found inside the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail inside Disney California Adventure park (park ticket and reservation required), you can kick off the celebration of Pixar’s latest film by receiving a physical, keepsake map packed with exciting challenges guests of all ages can complete along the trail.

Each task brings you a step closer to finishing your adventure. Once you’ve explored each of the challenges and navigated a variety of twists and turns in the area, earn one Hoppers-themed sticker as a complimentary prize to celebrate. With King George, Ellen Bear, Insect Queen, or yes, even the iconic and already-beloved Tom Lizard featured on the stickers, you’ll be ready to wear it loud and proud across Grizzly Peak after your journey.

And recently, Piper Curda and Bobby Moynihan stopped by the park for a day filled with plenty of unforgettable moments:

Prepare for your next pursuit with activities along the Redwood Creek trail, available throughout the year:

• Cliff Hanger Traverse Rock Climb
• Hoot n’ Holler Log Slides
• Sequoia Smokejumpers Training Tower
• The Spirit Cave

Draw Characters from Hoppers at Animation Academy

Step into the animator’s chair and dive into the art of sketch with a new drawing experience inspired by Hoppers at Animation Academy in Disney California Adventure.

For a limited time, artists of all ages can learn step-by-step how to draw characters from the film including Mabel, Tom Lizard, or King George, guided by a talented animator. Whether you’re a first-time sketch artist or a seasoned doodler, this interactive experience lets you see how these lively characters take shape. Best of all, you’ll leave with your very own one-of-a-kind keepsake.

Classes occur every 30 minutes throughout the day inside the Disney Animation Building in Hollywood Land, and there are no reservations required for this creative experience. On the day of your visit, check the schedule outside of Animation Academy to see when you can draw a character from Hoppers.

Hoppers Magic Shots with Disney PhotoPass

Still looking for more Hoppers keepsakes? Disney PhotoPass service is debuting new Magic Shots for a limited time at Disney California Adventure! Visit PhotoPass photographers at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail or near Hyperion Theater, and you’ll be in for a surprise when you check your photo gallery to see which Hoppers friends joined the fun!

To download and share your Disney PhotoPass photos from the Disneyland Resort, including these Magic Shots, you can purchase Lightning Lane Multi Pass or Disney PhotoPass+ One Day, both of which include digital downloads of the photos from your day. Or, you may purchase Disney PhotoPass photos as individual digital downloads. You must link Disney PhotoPass photos to your Disney account to be able to download them.*

Pixar Place Hotel Art Gallery

Now available at Pixar Place Hotel for a limited time, this special gallery located on the second floor lobby brings the film’s creative journey to life through original concept art, sketches, and character maquettes. From Grandma Tanaka and Mabel to Beaver Jerry, explore the early drawings and designs that helped shape the world and inspired the final film.

Walt Disney World Resort 

“Hop into the Animal Kingdom” with the Disney Conservation Fund and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots

Since 1995, the Disney Conservation Fund has directed more than $140 million to community-based efforts that have helped protect more than 1,000 species of wildlife across every continent and every ocean, and connected millions of kids with nature. And for the past 35 years, Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, the youth action program of the Jane Goodall Institute, has empowered young people to be the change in their communities.

Building on this legacy, in celebration of Disney Pixar’s all-new film Hoppers and the 30^th anniversary of the Disney Conservation Fund, Disney and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots USA are teaming up to connect kids with nature and inspire 100K young people around the country to “hop in” to make a difference in their communities. In the all-new film, Hoppers, Mabel gets to “hop in” and experience the animal kingdom like never before. Now, Disney and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots USA are recognizing young people doing just that.

Know a young person making a difference? Encourage them to learn more and sign up for the Youth Challenge at www.rootsandshoots.org/Hoppers! Selected winners will be invited to a special celebration at Walt Disney World in fall 2026.

Hoppers Activity Packet

To celebrate the release of Hoppers, Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment has created a free digital activity packet filled with unique information about some truly amazing animals and fun activities to connect with nature. Whether you want to hop into your favorite animal or learn more about the important role beavers play in their habitat, download your free digital activity packet today!

EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival Displays

The EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival features immersive character displays, exciting new menu offerings and unique exhibits. This year, be sure to take a photo with character flats inspired by Hoppers. Fans can experience the flats for a limited time in the “wildlife crossing” festival space near The Land Pavilion.

Our Review of Hoppers

It’s no secret that Pixar has been looking for a return to form for years, both in terms of a critical hit and box office success. While sequels like Inside Out 2 have soared, original titles from a studio that was once known for being relentlessly creative have fizzled. Some of that was due to the pandemic as Turning Red was a quiet sensation but released straight to Disney+. Other originals have simply just fizzled.

Hoppers isn’t a complete return to form, this is not the most creative or, to put it plainly, best movie Pixar has made. But the movie is a step in the right direction for Pixar, having a zippy sense of humor paired with strong themes.

The film’s story is centered around Mabel, a college student who is dealing with family loss. A deep bond with her grandmother has given Mabel a fondness for nature, specifically animals. When politics threaten to take away one of her favorite outdoor spots, the main character stumbles into a mad scientist experiment at her school where professors are ‘hopping’ human consciousness into animal robots. This gives Mabel a beaver-eyed view of life in the wild while fighting to keep her favorite pond alive.

Hoppers is self-aware enough to get the Avatar joke out of the way early. There’s no denying that some of the story’s framing is similar but Hoppers wisely chooses not to focus heavily on the technology and more about some adorable animal friends.

Without getting into spoilers, Hoppers carried emotional resonance and was unabashed in its environment-friendly message. What excited me more than anything was a return to a strange, sometimes dark and surprising sense of humor. There were several moments in the movie where the theater gasped, not in fear but in surprise. That hasn’t happened in a Pixar movie in quite some time.

While I liked Hoppers, it’s not at the level of a Ratatouille or Wall-E. At this point, it’s fair to wonder if those days are gone. But Hoppers was an excellent animated movie that wasn’t afraid to get surprising. There will be a few characters that become hits immediately and I expect the movie to be liked by kids and adults. Pixar might not be all the way back but they finally have an original hit on their hands.

Are you excited to see Hoppers on the big screen and in the theme parks? Let us know in the comments below! Planning a trip to a Disney Park? Check out all of our Planning Guides to help you along the way. You can look for discount theme park tickets at this site. If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends, as well as like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email. All of those links are on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!