As part of its 70th anniversary celebration, Disneyland Resort has announced an opening date for the previously announced Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic show.
Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic Show
“Walt Disney – A Magical Life” will debut at the Main Street Opera House theater at Disneyland park on May 16, 2025. 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.
The show will utilize archival recordings of Walt Disney’s voice. The figure wears one of Walt’s favorite ties and his old shoes. It’s leaning on a desk in a replica of his old office. A special light is pointed at the figure’s face to create a twinkle in his eye. Every hair has been individually placed on his head.
Tom Fitzgerald, Senior Creative Executive at Walt Disney Imagineering, told Fortune, “This has been a labor of love. It’s a new world for us, new challenges. But as Walt would say, it’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”
Fitzgerald’s team is using new Audio-Animatronic technology to animate Walt’s hands and fingers, as well as to make his skin look maximally lifelike.
This groundbreaking show will debut with an exclusive year-long run. Afterward, it will rotate with the iconic “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln,” giving visitors the opportunity to enjoy both experiences during their trip.
Main Street Opera House
While this is the first ever Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic, this is not the first time guests will have had an opportunity to learn about Disney’s life in the Main Street Opera House. The Walt Disney Store debuted, replacing “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” in 1973. The show included a 28 minute movie about the life of Walt Disney. In 1975, the show was modified, bringing Abraham Lincoln back for “The Walt Disney Story Featuring Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln”, which included shorter movie clips, and underwent various modifications until 2005.
In May of 2005, Disneyland would introduce “Disneyland: The First 50 Magical Years” which featured Steve Martin. It ran until 2009, when the Lincoln show returned once again in a new combined attraction: “The Disneyland Story Presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln”, which closed in April of 2024 to make room for this new experience.
Disneyland Resort will begin its 70th anniversary celebration on May 16th, 2025, which will run through summer 2026.
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