Disneyland’s Walt Disney Animatronic Is A Controversial Decision, But There’s A Big Reason I Think It’s The Right Choice

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2025 marks a significant milestone for Disneyland Resort, as it celebrates the 70th anniversary of Disneyland Park. Although there’s no major E-ticket attraction debuting this year, visitors can look forward to an array of exceptional entertainment and potentially one of the most revolutionary creations ever produced by Walt Disney Imagineering – a lifelike audio-animatronic figure of Walt Disney himself.

On May 16, 2025, during Disneyland Resort’s 70th anniversary, a fresh attraction titled “Walt Disney: A Magical Life” will debut at the Opera House. This new show is expected to replace “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln,” which featured an audio-animatronic of President Lincoln overseen by Walt Disney himself. While some visitors may not be thrilled about this change, I believe it’s a fitting decision that Walt Disney would have supported.

Disneyland Is Getting A Walt Disney Animatronic, And Not Everybody Is Happy About It

At D23 in August 2024, the announcement for a show titled “Walt Disney: A Magical Life” was made, with me sitting just a couple of seats from Roy P. Disney, the great-grandnephew of Walt himself, during its unveiling. This upcoming production will include an audio-animatronic portraying Walt Disney speaking to an audience. For those who are passionate about Walt, this sounds like it could be an exceptionally immersive experience.

On the other hand, not all members within the Disney clan are entirely pleased with this progression. In contrast to the joy, Diana Miller, Walt’s own granddaughter, expressed disapproval towards the move to construct an animatronic representation of Walt Disney, finding it a “disregard” for the visionary who brought Disneyland into existence.

Many fans share the sentiment that turning Walt Disney into an attraction within his own theme park might be overstepping boundaries. Some find it disrespectful and somewhat unsettling to create a robotic replica of a man who holds such deep emotional significance for so many people. It could potentially be seen as poor taste.

Based on my recent visit to The Walt Disney Family Museum, whose governing body consists mainly of Disney relatives who endorse the venue, I now hold a viewpoint contrary to what was initially presented in this argument. In fact, this perspective mirrors that of Walt Disney himself at one point.

Walt Created Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln As A Way To Connect Guests With The Real Man

At the 1964-65 World’s Fair, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln made its grand entrance, astonishing all who attended. This life-sized audio-animatronic depicted Abraham Lincoln, capable of rising from a seated position and speaking convincingly. The audience was so convinced it was an actor in disguise that many swore they saw a real person beneath the facade. However, this remarkable figure was entirely mechanical, brought to life only by the voices and programming of human operators.

Walt Disney harbored a deep affection for Abraham Lincoln, and he wanted others to appreciate Lincoln as much as he did. Recently, during my break, I made an initial visit (with plans for more) to The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, a fantastic venue to honor Disney’s life. While exploring the exhibit dedicated to the New York World’s Fair, I came across a statement from Walt that said…

We omitted delivering the Gettysburg Address in this context because it’s widely known and accessible. Many might believe that was the sole speech made by Abraham Lincoln, and others may mistakenly assume it was authored by someone named Gettysburg.

Reading those phrases, my perspective on a Walt Disney audio-animatronic shifted significantly. To Walt, this technology wasn’t about disregarding Lincoln, whom he deeply admired, but rather about creating an opportunity for increased reverence and comprehension for a figure who truly warranted it.

It’s possible to rephrase Walt’s idea, which is that people might not have fully grasped Lincoln due to lack of proper context or even doubt about his existence, in a similar way for Walt Disney. To some individuals, Disney may just be a name or a recognizable logo rather than a real person with complexities and intricacies.

Right at the start of the Walt Disney Family Museum, a Peanuts comic strip from 1963 (three years before Walt’s demise) can be found. In this comic, Sally is seen watching TV and inquires of Charlie Brown if they truly believe there is an individual named Walt Disney.

The majority of our knowledge about this person is derived from the classic TV program he used to host. It’s quite plausible for someone without full details to assume that Walt Disney was a fictional character portrayed by an actor on television.

Walt Disney Is An Important Historical Figure, Just Like Abraham Lincoln

100 years after Abraham Lincoln’s passing, an audio-animatronic representation of him was unveiled at a World’s Fair. By contrast, when Walt Disney: A Magical Life premieres at Disneyland in May, it will have been only around 70 years since Walt Disney’s demise. Regrettably, many who knew Walt Disney personally are no longer alive. In the recent past alone, Dick Nunis, former chairman of Disney Parks, and Richard Sherman, a renowned songwriter, both passed away. It appears that soon there will be no more individuals left to share their insights about Walt Disney, much like how he himself is now history.

Transforming the life story of Walt Disney into “Walt Disney: A Magical Life” has immense potential, especially when executed skillfully. This portrayal could uniquely safeguard Disney’s legacy, perhaps more effectively than many other methods. It would bring his story to life in a way that only audio-animatronics are capable of achieving.

If the technology was good enough for Abraham Lincoln, then it’s certainly fitting for Walt Disney. While Lincoln didn’t transform the world through artistic endeavors, he still managed to make a significant impact. Both of these men are among the greatest in their respective fields; if honoring one in this manner is acceptable, then it should be for the other as well.

In addition, it’s clear that the team at Walt Disney Imagineering is well aware of the delicate balance they must maintain. There’s another quote from Harriet Burns at the Walt Disney Family Museum, situated close to the one by Walt mentioned earlier. This quote highlights the intricate challenges associated with such attractions, as these were the same concerns addressed during the creation of Lincoln. Harriet Burns stated…

It struck me that our actions might lead to some trouble. Given that Lincoln is a well-known figure, and people have a clear image of his personality, any inaccuracies could lead us into serious problems.

As a movie enthusiast, it’s clear that Disneyland needs to nail it this time, there’s no debate about that. The Imagineers managed to do it with Lincoln, so I’ve got faith they can pull off the same magic with Walt.

When the release of “Walt Disney: A Magical Life” is approaching in May, Disney has clarified certain aspects about what viewers can expect and what they won’t. Crucially, they have assured that artificial intelligence will not be used to fabricate quotes attributed to Walt. Instead, all words spoken by him will be authentic statements he made during his lifetime. This authenticity is of utmost importance.

Additionally, it’s been mentioned that the animatronic version of Walt will be a cutting-edge innovation, employing technology yet unknown. This could potentially place animatronic Walt in the unsettling ‘uncanny valley’, but it’s a necessary step to strive for a realistic experience as much as possible.

It’s been proposed that Walt Disney might not have wished to be an attraction within his own theme park. While some of these quotes are debatable, it’s plausible to think he would feel that way. Unlike figures such as Lincoln, Henry Ford, or Thomas Edison whom he admired, Disney didn’t see himself in the same league. His endeavor to create Epcot was, in part, an effort to make a meaningful contribution to improving the world.

In my opinion, it could be said that Walt Disney’s impact on the world was equivalent to that of his legendary characters. Just like Abraham Lincoln, Walt Disney has become a timeless figure in history, known not only for his legends but also as a real person. Perhaps this new attraction serves to reveal more about the man behind the legend and offer us a glimpse into who he truly was.

As a die-hard movie enthusiast, I can’t guarantee that “Walt Disney: A Magical Life” will be flawless or even outstanding. But what I can assure you is that this production has the potential to be extraordinary and serves as an excellent tribute to the legendary figure that was Walt Disney.

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2025-01-11 01:37