Disneyland is in the midst of celebrating its 70th year, and between the magic and magicband+of the night, Disneyland will open what its most important tribute could be: ‘Walt Disney – A Magical Life’ – the latest attraction that will be placed near the park in Opera House.
And I spent time only twice on attraction. It begins with a 10 -minute film, which tells the story of Walt Disney, which features archival footage and statement from Disney, as well as in other parts spoken by the current CEO of Bob Igar, Disney.
Then, however, the curtain rises and you see an entertainment of the vault’s office and, more remarkably, seems to be vault disney. The latest audio-nematronic manufacture by Walt Disney Imagining standing in front of a theater with approximately 400 seats. It was a long order that was in the idea phase from July 2018 and under development for the entire seven years.
When the animatronic vault comes into life, speaking and moving forward, even bending from the desk, settling our arms, as we humans do, and then taking a step ahead or two steps ahead as if he is coming out for the audience, it is magic. True for Disney, it is a notable achievement of engineering and effectively creates an immersive moment.
In ‘A Magical Life’, Walt Disney looks like a real -world counterpart, who died in 1966. He walks like a human with full finger and takes quite naturally. It is like a less transformer than some other animatronics, including Disney’s Lincoln, with a certain feeling of much fluid body movements and grace.
Sitting in the audience, I could not find out how it works – no scene is harness or backing, not even from the desk. This is a completely electric figure to complete that lean-to-stand speed completely.
With both methods and equality, Disney Imagineing took great care to ensure a loyal entertainment here, working with Disney Archives and Walt Disney Family Museum. It is spread to match how Disney will move and mayer, as seen in the video, but also for the clothes used in the chosen dress and the materials used in the dress. Disney imagining shared that this version of Walt is from the 1963 deadline. Pay attention to pants hems, which match Disney’s pants from that era.
The team behind this audio-nimatronic also shared that two different areas were given special attention. First, with eyebrows, as the man was very expressive in this regard, the team needed to ensure that the eyebrows were just correctly.
There is also an assumption that Walt Disney has a glow in the eye, which requires the team to study the human eyeball and know about the cornea bulge of the eye, which is responsible for that shine. It is successfully built here, and I could see both on-axis centered and closed, although the effect was more than looking at the head.
The idea here was that Walt is going beyond the thing looking like Disney. This effect can be achieved by watching a video, as the team has done with archival footage. Disney’s R&D team told us that it was about immersion and performance.
“The most important thing is that we were emotional about creating an audio-nematronics figure specially designed for this attraction, which was given a portrayal, which has its nuances, hand gestures, facial expressions, and more features, which make a figure to make the performance of this figure a specific vault,”
This actually goes back to the story – I think for Disney’s fans, this attraction will be a cure, giving them a chance to return on time and see how the vault was in his office. The option of dialogue for animatronic performance, stating how important people are in the company, not forget where all this started – Mickey Mouse – and sharing some aspects of their life. For those who saw the ‘Wonder World of Color’, which Walt Disney hosted regularly, it would be particularly indifferent.
It is also clear that Disney wanted to make something really unique here and pursue technology. Instead of placing the figure of Walt Disney behind the desk, it is in front, bending on the desk, and then standing and moving towards the audience.
Beyond having a brand connection, the technique here, especially the use of robotics within an audio-anematronic, is incredibly impressive. This is better than most of the other people I have faced. No AI Voice Recreation was also used here – rather, the audio was selected together, cut off from films and shows, and kept together with other recording of Walt Disney’s voice.
If you have a chance to visit Disneyland in Anahem, California, Walt Disney – A magical life ‘will start daily on July 17, 2025After a period during the 70th festival at the park, it will run with ‘Great moments with Mr. Lincoln’. It also includes an achievement of engineering, as Disney Imaginizing had to be re -engineed to make the platform a turcut that allows both Walt Disney and Mr. Lincoln to run within the same place.
A funny fact – the new turnteable stage and its various parts were built as a complete object in Glandale, CA. Imagining had to break it to load it at Opera House in Disneyland via a small double door, then it was rebuilt. For everyone who is not visible, but will allow the show to run.