Disney has revealed a top-secret project to bring Walt Disney to life in an animatronic in a new show in Disneyland Park.
This is an announcement no one saw coming and we have all the details on this new project and where to find it. Imagineers have been considering a project like this for years and the time is finally right to bring this idea to life.
Keep scrolling to read about the care and devotion Disney Imagineering is bringing to this project with this new show in development at Disneyland so guests can feel like they are in the presence of Walt Disney. Details below on the show’s opening date!
Walt Disney Show Coming to Disneyland Opera House
The Walt Disney animatronic will be part of a new show called “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” debuting in 2025 at Disneyland’s Opera House. This show will run on a nonstop basis and then after its initial run will play in rotation with “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.”
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This is a perfect fit as it acknowledges Walt Disney’s advances with audio-animatronics with “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.” I can’t think of a more fitting space for this new show to go. Visitors to Disneyland will get a chance to imagine what it would be like to stop by Walt’s office and according to D’Amaro, experience what it would be like to stand in the “presence” of Walt.
The past, present and future are coming together, giving visitors the chance to imagine what it would be like to stop by Walt’s office. Who knows what he might be dreaming up inside? Only time will tell with Walt.
The announcement at D23 closed with a live performance of Walt Disney’s favorite song “Feed the Birds.”
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Walt Disney Show Opening Date
Disney has revealed that the new show will be opening at the start of the Disneyland 70th Anniversary celebration on May 16, 2025 in the Main Street Opera House. We anticipated that the show would align with the kickoff of the 70th Anniversary and would be a key aspect of the celebration.
After the initial announcement that the show would debut at the start of the anniversary celebration, Disneyland shared that the opening would be delayed. It will now open on July 17, Disneyland’s 70th birthday. You can see everything about Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary celebration here!
When they originally released the opening date for the show, they shared this updated description:
The attraction will feature a cinematic presentation of Walt Disney’s journey, culminating in a visit with Walt in his office, brought to life for the first time ever through the magic of Audio-Animatronics storytelling.
Disney Imagineering Creating Walt Disney Animatronic
Josh D’Amaro, Chairperson of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, revealed this stunning news at D23 and expressed how much care and devotion is being brought to this project.
D’Amaro mentioned that creating the first Walt Disney animatronic figure has been a project “whispered in the halls of Imagineering for decades” but they just needed to wait for the “right technology” to give it the justice Walt Disney deserves.
Walt Disney Animatronic “Huge Responsibility”
D’Amaro acknowledges what a huge responsibility this is and why it was so important to wait until the right moment to take this project on.
He shared how Disney Imagineering invited Walt Disney’s great nephew to visit the project, “Creating our first Walt figure is a huge responsibility, and we’ve brought members of the Disney family along with us for every step of the journey.” D’Amaro went on to explain how they incorporated the Disney family into this project, “His great-nephew, Roy P. Disney, visited the Imagineering campus recently to see our progress. And he’s here tonight. Thank you, Roy, for helping us fulfill this dream.”
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