Disneyland's beloved founder, Walt Disney, did not undergo cryogenic freezing. However, in an inexplicable turn of events, it appears he periodically returns to life within the park.
Disneyland Park has unveiled a remarkable new attraction, **"Walt Disney – A Magical Life,"** which officially debuted on July 17, 2025, inside the Main Street Opera House. The attraction's centrepiece is a first-ever Audio-Animatronics figure of Walt Disney, created with an unprecedented level of detail and realism.
The animatronic figure, which bears a striking resemblance to the legendary founder, features a highly detailed recreation of Walt's appearance, using actual recordings of his voice taken from decades of archival material. The figure appears for about 90 seconds in a re-creation of Walt's office at the studio, where he shares stories and thoughts on his career and philosophy, creating a compelling and personal performance.
The attraction blends biographical film segments and exhibits showcasing Disneyland's design history and Audio-Animatronics technology, pioneered by Disney himself. New methods were developed to create more realistic skin and an actual "twinkle" in the eye of the Walt Disney figure.
The animatronic debuts in a new show that rotates with "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" in the same theater, marking a creative way for Disneyland to honour Walt Disney's legacy while integrating cutting-edge Audio-Animatronics technology.
The reaction among Disney's family has been mixed but notably emotional. While some family members, including three generations, were reportedly moved and touched by the animatronic in a private viewing, others, such as granddaughter Joanna Miller, have expressed opposition. Miller described the animatronic as a "robotic grampa" and expressed concern that it dehumanizes her grandfather. She reportedly broke down in tears upon seeing it and asked Disney CEO Bob Iger to halt the attraction, stating that the animatronic did not look like the real Walt to her and that her family prefers to remember him as a real person rather than a mechanized figure.
Despite this controversy, the show aims to convey a personal and intimate feeling, as if the audience is there with Walt Disney in his office. Easter eggs are peppered throughout the set, including a replica of Disney's briefcase, books on urban development, a map of Disneyland, and a photo of Abraham Lincoln.
The show highlights setbacks in Disney's life, such as losing the rights to his early character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. A 15-minute film narrated by Disney CEO Bob Iger about Walt Disney's life is also featured. The lobby area of the theater showcases early creations of Walt Disney, including Audio-Animatronics from attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean and Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room.
Another room displays the original furniture that Walt Disney and his wife had in their apartment inside Disneyland, above the fire station. During a media preview of the show, Kirsten Komoroske, executive director of the Walt Disney Family Museum, expressed being "gobsmacked" by the expertise and care that went into the project.
The show will initially use a virtual queue, allowing guests to reserve a spot using the Disneyland app. The Walt Disney figure is the first all-electric figure to have a lean-to-stand motion, a technological innovation achieved by Disney's creative team. Sitting in the audience, Komoroske felt as if Walt Disney was looking right at her, and she felt the impulse to smile back at him. The new figure is part of a theatre attraction about Walt Disney's life, focusing on his humble beginnings and challenging periods.
This new attraction rotates with "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" in the same theater, marking a creative way for Disneyland to honour Walt Disney’s legacy while integrating cutting-edge Audio-Animatronics technology.
The new attraction, "Walt Disney – A Magical Life," at Disneyland Park offers an entertaining blend of biographical segments, showcasing Disneyland's design history and the pioneering Audio-Animatronics technology, with a focus on celebrities like Walt Disney. The animatronic figure of Walt Disney, with striking resemblance to the legendary founder, not only provides a personal performance but also takes movie-and-tv lovers on a journey through Walt's career and philosophy.
