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Credit: DisneyDisneyland Resort’s 70th birthday is just three days away, and this special anniversary promises to introduce one of Imagineering’s biggest achievements to date: the first-ever audio-animatronic of Walt Disney, the man behind Mickey Mouse. On July 17, “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” will premiere at the Main Street Opera House.
Imagineering first announced the show at D23 Expo 2024. Walt Disney was fascinated by robotic people and animals and was instrumental in creating the now widespread audio-animatronic technology. For Disneyland Resort’s 70th anniversary, Imagineers wanted to honor Walt with the first-ever depiction of himself in audio-animatronic form.
Although many Disney Parks fans were delighted by the decision, some important figures have publicly slammed Disneyland Resort for making a robotic Walt. After viewing the audio-animatronic, Walt’s granddaughter, Joanna Miller, said she spoke to current CEO Bob Iger about the decision and begged him to reconsider.
“I strongly feel the last two minutes with the robot will do much more harm than good to Grampa’s legacy,” Miller said, echoing her comments to Iger. “They will remember the robot, and not the man.”
Miller also claimed that privately, Walt said he never wanted to be turned into a robot. Unfortunately, most of the company founder’s closest confidants, like Miller’s mother, have passed away.
“In all our research, we never found any documentation of Walt saying that,” Walt Disney Imagineer Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz said in response to Miller’s claims. “It’s anecdotal, and we can’t confirm private conversations.”
Imagineering said it collaborated closely with the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, which was founded by Diane Disney Miller and Walter E.D. Miller, when creating the audio-animatronic. Disneyland Resort also has the support of Walt’s grandnephew, Roy P. Disney, who attended the announcement at D23 Expo 2024.
Regardless of public debate about the audio-animatronic, Disneyland Resort is pressing ahead with “Walt Disney – A Magical Life.” On Monday, theme park journalist @ScottGustin on X (formerly known as Twitter) shared an official sneak peek at the long-awaited animatronic:
NEW: Here’s a new look at the Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic standing up from his desk in the new show “Walt Disney – A Magical Life,” debuting on July 17 at Disneyland.
NEW: Here’s a new look at the Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic standing up from his desk in the new show “Walt Disney – A Magical Life,” debuting on July 17 at Disneyland. pic.twitter.com/ApJhgSyfFY
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) July 14, 2025
Many Disney Parks fans were delighted.
“That’s genuinely amazing,” said @DirtyDanteFWC.
That’s genuinely amazing
— Just Just (@DirtyDanteFWC) July 14, 2025
“The clothes even fit like a human fit,” @AMentalMouse wrote. “Impressive.”
The clothes even fit like a human fit. Impressive
— A Mental Mouse (@AMentalMouse) July 14, 2025
Others argued that Imagineers failed to capture Walt’s likeness.
“Doesn’t look or sound at all like him….,” said @MacFanJohn3.
Doesn’t look or sound at all like him….
— MacFanJohn3 (@MacFanJohn3) July 14, 2025
“This looks awful and I can’t even imagine how distraught Walt’s family seeing his likeness screwed up this badly,” @oldmangamess agreed.
This looks awful and I can’t even imagine how distraught Walt’s family seeing his likeness screwed up this badly.
— Oldmangames (@Oldmangamess) July 14, 2025
Imagineers have three days to tweak lighting, makeup, or other special effects before “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” debuts on July 17.
Disneyland Resort has confirmed that a Virtual Queue reservation will be required to experience “Walt Disney – A Magical Life.” Guests can register for the queue on the Disneyland Resort app twice daily: once at 7:00 a.m. for single-park ticketholders with Disneyland Park reservations or Park Hopper ticketholders with a reservation to either park and once at noon for guests inside Disneyland Park or Park Hopper ticketholders inside Disney California Adventure Park.
After it opens on Thursday, “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” will temporarily replace Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln. After the initial run, the shows will eventually alternate performances.
What do you think of this sneak peek at the first-ever Walt Disney audio-animatronic? Inside the Magic would love to hear from you in the comments!