Walt Disney has made a surprising return to his original Magic Kingdom, thanks to the innovative team at Imagineering. Celebrating Disneyland’s 70th anniversary, an advanced audio-animatronic representation of Disney himself is now stationed at the Main Street Opera House.
This animatronic, a significant advancement from the static figures of the past, serves as the centerpiece for the new show, “Walt Disney – A Magical Life.” It features Disney, with narration by Disney CEO Bob Iger, who guides audiences through the legendary creator’s story, bringing his voice and memories to life.
The show opens with Iger’s introduction, recounting Disney’s mythic personal history and providing insight into how his experiences shaped the family-friendly vision that became Disneyland. As the narrative unfolds, guests witness a recreation of Walt’s office, where the animatronic Disney shares anecdotes from his illustrious career and his passion for creativity.
Tom Fitzgerald, a senior creative at Imagineering, expressed excitement over the project, stating, “We’re excited to finally share this new version of the Walt Disney story with our guests. I mean, I grew up watching Walt Disney on television, like millions of Americans. And every week he would come into our living room, and he’d be leaning on the desk and telling us all about the exciting things that were in store for us. But we realized that a lot of that was long ago, and a lot of people didn’t have that connection with him, and [they] don’t understand that Walt Disney was a person as well as Walt Disney obviously being the company.”
Fitzgerald emphasized that the show aims to connect today’s audience with Walt, highlighting the life lessons derived from his journey: “Follow your dream, never give up, turn setbacks into success, and give the world your very best. I mean, those are messages that are as valid today as in Walt’s time.”
While Walt Disney was a complex figure, known for both his groundbreaking contributions and the criticisms of his legacy, this presentation offers a sanitized yet poignant glimpse into his persona. The animatronic even recites his famed mantra to “keep moving forward,” eliciting emotional responses from guests who resonate with Disney’s inspirational journey.
Fitzgerald noted the weight of responsibility that comes with recreating such an iconic figure, drawing parallels between this project and Disney’s own efforts to bring Abraham Lincoln to life in the 1964 New York World’s Fair. He remarked, “When you say, ‘I want to do an animatronic figure of Walt Disney,’ that brings enormous responsibility… This became a kind of, what we call, moonshot for our team, which is to say, how can we advance the art form and the technology to create a truly believable figure of Walt Disney?”
With technological advancements, the team has achieved remarkable realism; the animatronic’s eye movement now mimics the natural “corneal bulge” seen in real human eyes. According to Fitzgerald, this attention to detail includes the dynamics of facial movement, improved through archival footage of Disney himself.
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The lifelike animatronic poses questions about the ethics of this representation, yet it stands as a testament to Disney’s lasting influence. Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz, creative producer at Walt Disney Imagineering, highlighted the importance of accuracy in capturing Disney’s unique mannerisms: “If you get it wrong, it’s like, ‘No, that’s not how Walt would do that. He’d move his hand like this; he’d already put it back here.’”
As guests experience this captivating blend of nostalgia and innovation, they are encouraged to reflect on the dream that started with a mouse. Walt Disney – A Magical Life officially opens on July 17 at Disneyland.
