The key thing I think is you have to keep the user in control.
I have the same rant about excessive animation in the user interface, and on reflection it is not exactly the animation that is the problem, sure, it is the exasperating factor, but the underlying problem is that you have removed the users control in favor of the animation, however, that being said, keeping the user in control requires an interruptible animation system, which requires more moving part and is harder to get right... probably for the best to just leave off the animation entirely.
I have the same rant about excessive animation in the user interface, and on reflection it is not exactly the animation that is the problem, sure, it is the exasperating factor, but the underlying problem is that you have removed the users control in favor of the animation, however, that being said, keeping the user in control requires an interruptible animation system, which requires more moving part and is harder to get right... probably for the best to just leave off the animation entirely.