Disneyland has unveiled its most advanced Audio-Animatronic figure yet: Walt Disney himself, ahead of the public debut of the new show “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” on July 17, the park’s 70th anniversary.
The attraction, located in the Main Street Opera House at Disneyland Park, features a cinematic presentation of Walt Disney’s life followed by an encounter with the lifelike Walt animatronic figure in his recreated office.
When Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955, Walt Disney delivered a dedication describing the park as a place “where age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future.” Seven decades later, his spirit remains at the heart of the park’s identity. Using archival footage and restored audio recordings, Imagineers have created a show that aims to share Walt’s own words and story with new generations of park guests.
The figure depicts Walt circa 1963, widely considered the pinnacle of his career, with historically accurate costuming and meticulous attention to his mannerisms and expressions during that time. Imagineering describes the Walt Disney figure as a breakthrough in Audio-Animatronics technology, addressing challenges in creating convincing human likenesses for close-up viewing.
During an interview on Monday, creative leads emphasized their focus on authenticity, relying solely on original audio clips of Walt, carefully restored and edited for the show.
Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz, executive producer at Walt Disney Imagineering, said the team wanted to give guests the experience of being in Walt’s office listening to him talk about his vision.
“It always goes back to that moment of wish fulfillment that, you know, there’s only a handful of people alive in 2025 who had that moment of being in the presence of Walt Disney,” Shaver-Moskowitz said during an interview panel on Monday.
Disney creatives have been working on the project for more than seven years and said the animatronic has the most fluid motion they have ever created.
“We’ve created many Audio-Animatronics figures over the years, but to create Walt Disney is both an honor and a challenge,” said Tom Fitzgerald, Senior Creative Executive at Walt Disney Imagineering. “Our goal is to capture the nuances that made him unique: the twinkle in his eye, his expressive face, and the way he used his hands to punctuate ideas.”
The Main Street Opera House has also been updated and renovated to accommodate a rotating stage, allowing “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” to share the stage with “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln,” which will return at a later date. Disney has not provided a timeline for when the rotating shows will begin.
The lobby and pre-show areas have also been updated to reflect the dual programming. A new marquee promotes both shows, marking the first time the historic venue has advertised and presented two productions simultaneously.
The new show was first announced by Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro at the D23 fan convention, highlighting it as the first Audio-Animatronics figure of Walt Disney.
D’Amaro said the idea of creating a Walt figure had existed within Imagineering for decades, waiting for technology to match the creative vision.
“So much of Walt’s philosophy is timeless, and as valid today as it was in his lifetime,” said Tom Fitzgerald, Senior Creative Executive at Walt Disney Imagineering. “We wanted the show to appeal to all ages. Even those less familiar with Walt Disney can find his story inspirational: follow your dreams, turn setbacks into success, and never give up.”
Fitzgerald added, “As Walt said, ‘we keep moving forward.’ This show is a clear illustration of that. It will be the most lifelike human figure we have ever created—a labor of love that we hope Walt would be proud of.”
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