2
Credit: Inside the MagicDisneyland’s long-awaited Walt Disney animatronic is finally here — and it’s already dividing the fanbase. Set to debut officially on July 17, 2025, as part of a new immersive show in Disneyland Park, the new figure aims to pay tribute to Walt Disney himself, using sophisticated motion and facial technology to bring the visionary to life.
But for many fans, the first look hasn’t quite delivered the magic they were hoping for.
A Look at the New “Walt”
Disney dropped a teaser video this week revealing the animatronic’s motion and design, showing the figure standing behind a table and rising — presumably to address the audience in a show dedicated to the company’s legacy. Technologically, it’s impressive: the animatronic moves fluidly, capturing lifelike gestures and posture.
Still, fans couldn’t help but focus on one glaring detail: the face.
“This Isn’t Walt”
The reaction online was swift — and in many cases, brutal. A Reddit thread showcasing the animatronic quickly filled with concerned Disney fans poking fun at the figure’s size and facial resemblance (or lack thereof).
“He’s chonkier than I expected,” one user wrote, sparking a cascade of jokes about the animatronic’s build.
“Camera adds 10 pounds?”
“How many cameras are on him?”
“Some guy ate Walt!”
“How many cameras did he eat?”
Several pointed out that Walt, near the end of his life in the 1960s, was not particularly overweight — especially as he battled cancer in his final months.
“While he was thinner when he was young, he was also battling cancer when he was 65 and the last photo taken of him by the company had him looking thinner than the figure,” one user noted.
“That’s fair, but it’s a choice for sure to make him not look like the version we’ve all seen on TV for decades.”
One Redditor even drew a bold comparison, writing:
“This isn’t Walt Disney, this is the original owner of my local pizza place who passed in 2017.
Lunga vita a Signore Marino! Best Sicilian pizza on the West Coast.”
Another chimed in with a casting critique:
“Did you get a cast preview? It looks like Tom Hanks haha.”
“No Smoking Walt,” Better in Motion?
Even Walt Disney’s famous smoking habit became a sticking point, with one user joking:
“Disney’s anti-smoking policy has forced Imagineers to create Walt Disney, the non-smoking edition.”
Yet, not all reactions were negative. Some fans defended the figure, urging others to withhold judgment until they’ve seen it in motion rather than still images.
“Just watched the clips Scott Gustin posted and it’s definitely looking much more Walt in video versus photos, thinking maybe it’s just not captured as well in freeze frame. Encourage everyone to watch the clips.”
Others expressed cautious optimism:
“Honestly, it depends on the angle. The shots in the blog look fine to me. And I think he’s going to be free-standing, right? Looks like he leans on the table and stands up. I will lose it if robo-Walt walks around at all. That would just be too cool.”
“Oh dear – I hope it looks better in person 👀”
Why This Animatronic Matters
Walt Disney’s image and legacy are sacred to many fans, and for an animatronic meant to honor the man behind the mouse, expectations were understandably sky-high. Animatronics are a cornerstone of Disney’s storytelling tradition, from Abraham Lincoln in Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln to the iconic characters throughout Pirates of the Caribbean. But none have been quite so personal as this one.
And that may be why the backlash is so intense. This isn’t just a character — it’s the man who dreamed it all up. For many, any likeness that doesn’t immediately inspire awe feels like a disservice to Walt’s legacy.
So, What Now?
Disney has not yet responded to the controversy or offered any comment on whether changes will be made ahead of the figure’s public debut. But with just days to go before the official July 17 opening, it’s unlikely that major changes will occur before then.
Still, if the history of Imagineering tells us anything, it’s that Disney often fine-tunes based on audience feedback. Whether that means altering the facial mold or tweaking the lighting and presentation remains to be seen.
For now, Disneyland fans will have to wait until the full show launches to see if the animatronic lands with the reverence and emotional punch it’s intended to deliver — or if it will remain a point of debate for years to come.