Rare Pixar Character Takes Over Disney Park

As Disney celebrates their 100th anniversary as a company, it is a daunting thought of how much entertainment they have created in a century. Disney fans all have their favorite creations from Mickey Mouse to Mary Poppins to Mushu. The Disney parks have made Disney character meet-and-greets a staple since the beginning. The mainstays of Donald Duck, Woody and Buzz, and Chip ‘n’ Dale are always crowd-pleasers, but to witness the sighting of one that never peaks out into the ‘Happiest Place on Earth’ is like capturing a unicorn.

The unicorn in this instance was spotted at Disney’s Animal Kingdom during the Disney Vacation Club Moonlight Magic event. He is a cherished Pixar character from the iconic film, A Bug’s Life. Manny the Praying Mantis made a magical appearance to greet guests during the festivities.

The character was a underappreciated magician of P.T. Flea’s Circus troupe. The magic-conjuring praying mantis was a naysayer to the likeable ant, Flik (Dave Foley), but they eventually become friends. His life is even threatened by the intimidating, Hopper (Kevin Spacey), when he refused to give up the Queen’s location to ensure her safety. Manny was known for his kind, courteous demeanor that was made all the sweeter by his British accent. The charming insect was voiced by legendary actor, Jonathan Harris. He built a career with featured roles on Toy Story 2 as the toy restorer and as Dr. Zachary Smith in the original Lost in Space.

Disney has a countless number of characters and while all cannot become a fixture at the Disney parks, it is always a delight to find a nostalgic figure. Their reemergence becomes a Disney lover’s personal scavenger hunt. While the rarities only seem to make an appearance during special events at the parks, hopefully Disney will listen to the fans, continue to tap into ‘generational nostalgia’ and bring these characters out of the Disney Vault more often. Bowler Hat Guy from Meet the Robinsons should be at the top of that list!

Which rare Disney character sighting have you seen at the parks? Who is your favorite?