Hi Darlene,
Thanks for coming to the Disney Parks Moms Panel with your inquiry. Your memory does serve you well. There was indeed an animation academy, where you could participate and animate a character under the direction of a real animator. Unfortunately, that experience is no longer available. I, too, was hoping to take my children, who are budding little artists, when they got older and just missed being able to have them experience it on our last vacation.
Never fear, there are so many other wonderful attractions and experiences throughout the
Walt Disney World theme parks. Occasionally, you might find artists working at different
retail locations that sell fine art, such as
Art of Disney or
Arribas Brothers, and watch them as they work their artistic magic. These tend to vary by location and time of year, but I hope that you might come across one during your trip.
Have an amazing trip making wonderful memories!
~Allison L