Disney Character Walt Disney Unveiled as Surreal Animatronic Figure for Disneyland's 6-Decade Celebration
Disneyland Park is set to unveil a remarkable tribute to its founder, Walt Disney, with the introduction of the world's first-ever Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic figure. The technological marvel, developed by Walt Disney Imagineering over seven years, will be a central part of the new show, *Walt Disney – A Magical Life*, debuting on July 17, 2025, in the Main Street Opera House.
The animatronic figure, meticulously designed to replicate Walt Disney's movements, mannerisms, and even his trademark twinkle in the eye, is a testament to the advancements in technology and the art form of animatronics. Tom Fitzgerald, Imagineer and senior creative on the project, aims to bring a connection with Walt Disney to a modern audience.
The figure is dressed in a 1963-era suit and accessories, and initially seated before rising to deliver remarks entirely from archival voice recordings of Walt Disney himself. The show begins with a specially adapted cinematic biography, *One Man’s Dream*, which uses restored footage and audio recordings to narrate Walt's life and legacy, followed by the reveal of the animatronic in a recreated version of Walt's Burbank office.
Walt Disney himself was a pioneer in audio-animatronics technology, having helped create attractions like *Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln* in the 1960s. Imagineers view this new figure as an evolution of that original vision, reflecting decades of technical innovation and storytelling expertise.
The team spent a significant amount of time focusing on Walt Disney's mannerisms and appearance to make the figure as accurate as possible. Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz, portfolio executive creative producer at Walt Disney Imagineering, stated that the animatronic figure of Walt Disney has the most fluid performance of an audio-animatronics figure they've ever done.
The animatronic figure serves as a poignant tribute, allowing guests to "see and hear how it all began from Walt Disney" himself. The show, narrated by Disney CEO Bob Iger, shares Walt Disney's story in his own words, including details about his upbringing, creativity, and the creation of Disneyland.
The figure's muscle structure on the face has more believable animation, based on archival footage of Walt Disney. The experience includes a recreation of Walt's office and anecdotes about his work and influence on the company. The team believes that the figure is an homage to Walt Disney and aims to give back to the audience the love and inspiration that Walt Disney gave them.
Fitzgerald mentioned that humanlike animatronics are not a new concept for Imagineering, with previous examples including stationary likenesses of presidents and movie stars. He believes that Walt Disney's life lessons, such as following dreams, never giving up, and giving the world your best, are still relevant today.
Walt Disney - A Magical Life opens on July 17 at Disneyland, marking a significant milestone in the park's 70th anniversary celebration. The animatronic figure, a technological marvel and an emotional experience, is set to captivate audiences and honour the legacy of a global figure who believed in the power of dreams and hard work.
The animatronic figure, developed by Walt Disney Imagineering, is a testament to advancements in technology and the art form of animatronics, as seen in the world's first-ever Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic figure. This technological marvel, meticulously designed to replicate Walt Disney's movements and even his trademark twinkle in the eye, is a central part of the upcoming show, 'Walt Disney – A Magical Life', on IO9 and Gizmodo's radar. The figure's fluid performance is considered the most believable in the field of audio-animatronics by Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz, reflecting decades of technical innovation and storytelling expertise reminiscent of Walt Disney's pioneering work in the 1960s.
