Latest news with #WaltDisney—AMagicalLife
New York Post
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Walt Disney is being turned into a robot — and his granddaughter is ‘pissed off': ‘I started crying'
Disney World is the happiest place on Earth — but one member of the Disney family isn't smiling about a new park innovation. Joanna Miller, granddaughter of the late Walt Disney, blasted Walt Disney Co. for creating an audio-animatronic version of her beloved grandfather to honor Disneyland Resort's 70th anniversary in July. In a scathing Facebook post, Miller blasted the new park addition as 'dehumanizing' and said that the 'robotic grampa' went against the wishes of the family patriarch, who died when she was 10. 3 (L-R) Jennifer Goff, Tammy Miller, Joanna Miller, Walter Miller and Chris Miller speak onstage during The Walt Disney Family Museum's 2nd Annual Gala at Disney Grand Californian Hotel & Spa at The Disneyland Resort on November 1, 2016 in Anaheim, California. Joe Scarnici 'People are not replaceable. You could never get the casualness of his talking,' she wrote in the post. The Walt Disney recreation would live in the opera house on Main Street, U.S.A. for a new show, 'Walt Disney — A Magical Life,' which hopes to give parkgoers an idea of 'what it would have been like to be in Walt's presence.' Miller is one of the few who have actually seen the immortal animatronic, as Disney is notoriously secretive about its developments. 'I think I started crying,' Miller recalled of her reaction. 'It didn't look like him, to me.' Most of the current animatronics are either representative of the company's film characters or real-life political figures for the Hall of Presidents; most do not speak or move much. The incoming Walt Disney animatronic promises to be the most lifelike one yet, pulling dialogue from his speeches and more deliberate, subtle movements. 3 Walt Disney died when Joanna was 10 years old. Getty Images Miller, who lives an extremely private life, doesn't regret calling out the company. She does fear that speaking out against Walt Disney Co. might cause the entertainment company to retaliate by taking away her access to the park, a perk agreed upon when Miller's late father, Ron W. Miller, stepped down as Disney CEO in 1984. 'You just start to get pissed off. And you get tired of being quiet. So I spoke up on Facebook. Like that was going to do anything? The fact that it got back to the company is pretty funny,' she told the Los Angeles Times. Soon, Miller was face-to-face with current Disney CEO Bob Iger to discuss the animatronic. Miller makes it clear she isn't representing her five siblings or other family members — but, as she emphasized in a letter to Iger, 'I do speak for my grandfather and my mother.' Not long after sharing her concerns on Facebook, she was invited to view the figure in person and sit down with Iger and members of Walt Disney Imagineering, the behind-the-scenes team that brings the parks' immersive experiences to life. 'He was very kind,' Miller said of the CEO. 'He let me do my spiel.' Miller's main argument is that her grandfather did not want an animatronic version of himself. Her mother, Diane, founded San Francisco's Walt Disney Family Museum and rejected a robotic version of Walt. 'In all our research, we never found any documentation of Walt saying that,' Imagineer Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz said back in April. 'We know that it's anecdotal and we can't speak to what was told to people in private.' 3 Miller's main argument is that her grandfather did not want an animatronic version of himself. Getty Images That's one of the biggest challenges Miller is up against. The people she says best understood Walt Disney's wishes — her parents and trusted collaborators like former Imagineering head Marty Sklar — have all passed away. Unless others step forward, she's the last direct link to that legacy. Still, Miller isn't naive about the situation. In her view, the family's biggest misstep was selling the rights to Walt Disney's name, image, and likeness back in 1981 — a $46.2 million stock deal that effectively severed their control. As a result, the family has little to no influence over how Walt is portrayed in the parks. Imagineering, however, maintains that it consulted the Walt Disney Family Museum and current board-member descendants during the development of the animatronic tribute.
Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Walt Disney will live again as a robot. His granddaughter says he never wanted this
Joanna Miller was 10 — no, '10 and three-quarters,' she clarifies — when she lost her grandfather. Even then, in December 1966, she shared him with the world. For Miller's grandad was Walt Disney, a name that would emblazen one of the largest entertainment conglomerates in the world, and come to signify uniquely American storytelling, family-friendly optimism and the creation of the modern theme park. Front-page stories across the globe announced his death, hailing him as a 'world enchanter,' 'amusement king' and 'wizard of fantasy.' But to Miller, he was just 'grampa.' She peppers stories about Disney in her conversations, often going down tangents as she recalls heartwarming moments. Such as the Christmas season when Disney, despite having access to Hollywood's most renown artists, put Miller's drawings on a holiday card. 'The bad art we were doing when we were 6 years old? He treated them like they were great works,' she says. She pauses, a tear forming in her eye. 'He was just the greatest guy. The best guy.' Miller is, to put it mildly, protective of Disney. So is the Walt Disney Co., and as Disneyland Resort's 70th anniversary in July approaches, both share a goal — to remind audiences of the man behind the corporate name. Last fall the company announced that an audio-animatronic of Disney would grace the opera house on Main Street, U.S.A., long home to 'Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln.' The new show, 'Walt Disney — A Magical Life,' will give parkgoers a sense of 'what it would have been like to be in Walt's presence,' Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D'Amaro explained at the announcement. The way Miller sees it, it's an abomination. 'Dehumanizing,' she wrote in a Facebook post that went viral among Disney's vast fandom. Calling the figure a 'robotic grampa,' she wrote, 'People are not replaceable. You could never get the casualness of his talking.' She also argued staunchly that Disney was against such mechanical immortalization. She stands by the post — she's one of the few, she says, to have seen the animatronic in the fake flesh — but also nervously laughs as she reflects on the attention it has brought her. Miller has long lived a private life, noting she considers herself shy — she declined to be photographed for this story — and says repeatedly it pains her to take a stand against the Walt Disney Co. She frets that the company will take away her access to the park, granted as part of an agreement when her father, the late Ron W. Miller, stepped down as CEO in 1984. But as Miller sees it, she has to speak up. 'He's ours,' Miller says of Disney. 'We're his family.' Most robotic figures in Disney parks represent fictional characters or overly-saturated political personalities, such as those in Florida's Hall of Presidents, which includes President Trump and living former presidents. Few speak and most are limited to statuesque movements. And unlike an attraction in which the company has full narrative control, such as a Pirates of the Caribbean, 'Walt Disney — A Magical Life' represents real life and a person who happens to have living, vocal descendants. And real life is complicated. 'When you get older,' Miller says, sometimes when things go wrong in life, 'you just start to get pissed off. And you get tired of being quiet. So I spoke up on Facebook. Like that was going to do anything? The fact that it got back to the company is pretty funny.' Get back to the company it did, as Miller soon found herself having an audience with Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger. These days, Miller is in the midst of remodeling Disney's first L.A. home in Los Feliz, a craftsman bungalow owned in the 1920s by his uncle Robert and aunt Charlotte, who let Disney stay with them when he came from the Midwest. Miller envisions the house hosting events, perhaps workshops and artist talks for arts education nonprofit Ryman Arts. Its feel is of a mini museum. In the garage sits a Mercedes Benz, the last vehicle Disney owned. Black-and-white images of Disney furnish the walls, decorative 'Fantasia' dishware shares space with vintage toys in a glass-doored cabinet, and animation artwork, waiting to be framed, is laid out on one of the beds. 'I have been thinking a lot about this house and what it means,' Miller says. 'I wouldn't be here. Grampa wouldn't have met granny. This all started because people were helping out grampa. Aunt Charlotte was making peanut brittle in this house that they sold at Disneyland. So this house, there would not be Disney company if it weren't for this house.' Miller's relationship with the company has wavered over the decades. She's more excited to share memories of Disney than recall the tumultuous corporate period when her father oversaw the behemoth company. On Saturdays, Disney would often bring her and her siblings to the studio. There, they had the run of the place, cruising around the backlot in their very own mini-cars designed for Disneyland's Autopia ride. Those visits largely ended when Disney died, as her father dedicated his weekends to golf. Championing Disney, and preserving his legacy, runs in her family. Her mother, Diane, who died in 2013, was the guiding force behind the foundation of San Francisco's Walt Disney Family Museum. Miller, who long sat on the board, said the idea of creating an animatronic of Disney is not new, and was once considered for the museum. 'When we started the museum, someone said, 'Hey, let's do Walt as an animatronic,'' Miller recalls. 'And my mom: 'No. No. No. No.' Grampa deserves new technology for this museum, but not to be a robot himself.' Her mother, says Miller, 'wanted to show him as a real human.' Miller says she first heard of Disneyland's animatronic last summer, a few weeks before D'Amaro announced the attraction at the fan convention D23. The show will follow a similar format to the Lincoln attraction, in which a film plays before the animatronic is revealed. Lincoln, for instance, stands and gives highlight's of the president's speeches, doing so with subtle, realistic movements. Disney, promises the company, will be even more lifelike, with dialogue taken from his own speeches. D'Amaro said 'A Magical Life' had the support of the Disney family, singling out Disney's grandnephew Roy P. Disney, who was in the audience. Miller stresses that she does not speak for her five siblings or other descendants, but as she wrote in a letter to Iger, 'I do speak for my grandfather and my mother.' Shortly after her Facebook post, Miller was invited to see the figure and meet with Iger and members of Walt Disney Imagineering, the secretive creative team responsible for theme park experiences. 'He was very kind,' Miller says of Iger. 'He let me do my spiel.' But she wasn't swayed. She says she asked him to create a set of guidelines on how the company would portray Disney, and Iger promised to protect his legacy. 'But I don't think he has. They're different people. He's a businessman, grampa was an artist.' Imagineering and Disneyland discussed the project at a media event in April, but the animatronic was not shown, nor were pictures revealed. Imagineering did display an early sculpt used in modeling the robot to show the care taken in crafting Disney. The sculpt depicts Disney in 1963, when he was 62. One could detect age spots on Disney's hands and weariness around his eyes. Miller recalls her reaction when she saw the figure. 'I think I started crying,' Miller says. 'It didn't look like him, to me.' There are at least two Walt Disneys. There's the company founder, Mickey Mouse designer and Disneyland creator who, later in life, visited millions of Americans via their television sets on the weekly 'Disneyland' show and became known as 'Uncle Walt.' Then there's the man Miller knew, a grandfather who exists to the rest of us only via stories. Sometimes these public-private personalities overlapped, such as the moments Disney would be paraded down Disneyland's Main Street with Miller and her siblings in tow. Miller pulls out a photo showing her face buried in her lap as she tried to hide from Disney's adoring fans. Or the times fans caught Miller looking out from Disney's Main Street apartment, a place where she spent many nights as a child and that still stands today. She recalls Disney stopping to talk to people at the park. 'It was the dearest thing,' she says. He would take photos with fans and sign autographs. 'I never ever saw him not be less than tickled and honored that people loved him so much.' Imagineers argue that the two Walt Disneys are being lost to history. 'Why are we doing this now?' said longtime Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald. He cited two reasons, the first being Disneyland's 70th anniversary. 'The other: I grew up watching Walt Disney on television. I guess I'm the old man. He came into our living room every week and chatted and it was very casual and you felt like you knew the man. But a lot of people today don't know Walt Disney was an individual.' The company also says that animatronic technology has advanced to a point it can do Disney justice. Miller is sympathetic to Imagineering's arguments. It's clear she holds tremendous respect for the division, believed to have been the aspect of the company Disney held dearest to his heart. She gushes about Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, the most recent major addition to Disney's original park. 'It's amazing,' Miller says. Yet she doesn't buy into the theory that the company is simply out to preserve Disney's legacy. If that were the case, she argues, then episodes of his weekly 'Disneyland' show would be available on streaming service Disney+. Worse, she worries an animatronic will turn Disney into a caricature. The robotic Lincoln works, says Miller, because we lack filmed footage of him. She wishes the company had abandoned the animatronic and created an immersive exhibit that could have depicted Disney in his park. 'I strongly feel the last two minutes with the robot will do much more harm than good to Grampa's legacy,' Miller wrote in her letter to Iger. 'They will remember the robot, and not the man.' Miller has a number of letters and emails of support, some from former Imagineers, but has crossed out their names before handing them to a journalist. Most contacted for this story didn't return calls or emails, or declined to speak on the record, noting their current business relationships with the Walt Disney Co. The legacy of Disney is 'precious yet vulnerable,' said one such source, refusing to give a name because they still work with the company. 'Isn't it honorable when a granddaughter defends her grandfather? There's nothing in it for her.' Miller says she simply wants the company to respect Disney's wishes — that he never be turned into a robot. 'In all our research, we never found any documentation of Walt saying that,' Imagineer Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz said in April. 'We know that it's anecdotal and we can't speak to what was told to people in private.' And therein lies a major hurdle Miller faces. Those who Miller says knew of Disney's preferences — her mother, her father and Imagineers he was closest to, including confidant and former Imagineering chief Marty Sklar — are all dead. That leaves, unless someone else comes forward, only her. Miller, however, is realistic. Her family's biggest mistake, she argues, was selling the rights to Disney's name, likeness and portrait to the company in 1981 for $46.2 million in stock. It leaves the family little to zero say in how Disney is preserved in the park, although Imagineering says it has worked closely with the Walt Disney Family Museum and those descendants who are currently on the museum board in constructing the animatronic show. But there's one thing the Walt Disney Co. can't control, and that's Miller's voice — and her memories. On their trips to Disneyland, Miller's grandfather was happy to stop for autographs, but he also signed — in advance — the pages of an office pad. When the crowds became a bit much, he would hand a park-goer an inscribed piece of paper. 'After 10-15 minutes,' Miller recalls, 'he would say, 'Hey, I'm with the grandkids today, and we have things to do.''
Otago Daily Times
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Marking a magical milestone
As Walt Disney's pioneering Magic Kingdom gears up for its 70th anniversary, Mike Yardley unleashes his inner child in Anaheim. I'm a child at heart. In my book, nothing can reawaken your childhood quite like the escapist innocence, magic and sparkle of Disney. Recently I reacquainted myself with the enchantment of Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. If you're sizing up a Disney vacation, 2025 is a milestone year to swing through the Mouse House, because Walt Disney's original magic kingdom will be celebrating its 70th anniversary. A fitting tribute will debut on Main Street USA with the first Walt Disney Audio-Animatronics as part of a new stage show, "Walt Disney — A Magical Life." Full details of the milestone celebrations are yet to be revealed, but you can expect nostalgic nighttime spectaculars, returning parades and reimagined entertainment. If you're a history buff like me, a great way to immerse yourself in Disneyland's heritage is to book a place on the Main Street Story Tour, with behind-the-scenes stories and a visit to Walt's legendary apartment above the Disneyland Fire Station in Town Square. It's one of the enticing extras you should add to your Disneyland experience. Over 800million visitors have trawled through Disneyland since 1955. Hosting up to 140,000 daily guests, one of the biggest dilemmas is where do you start, after passing through the gates? Billowing queues soon form for every ride, so I suggest you head straight to Toon Town and line up for a personal photo inside Mickey's House with the mouse himself. Rinse and repeat, right next door with Minnie Mouse. Do this early, and you'll only have to wait about five minutes to get snap-happy. Toon Town is also home to one of the latest crowd-pleasing attractions, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway. Photo opportunities abound with a host of cartoon and big-screen characters, all over the parks. Some characters will be foot-loose around the parks, or you can take your turn getting selfies with a cast of characters around Disneyland's Town Square, and Royal Hall, Buena Vista Street, Pixar Pier and Avengers Headquarters are the best meet-and-greet character haunts in California Adventure. What are the do-not-miss experiences? Avengers Campus, a Marvel-themed land, is the biggest recent addition at Disney California Adventure. Avengers Campus features WEB Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure, a truly stunning interactive attraction featuring Spider-Man. Some of the original rides, reaching back to 1955, are still truly enchanting, like the Disneyland Railroad, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, It's a Small World, King Arthur Carousel, Mr Toad's Wild Ride, Peter Pan's Flight, Storybook Land Canal Boats, Mark Twain Riverboat and the iconic Mad Hatter's Tea Party spinning teacups. The Matterhorn Bobcats, Haunted Mansion and Indiana Jones Adventure should also be on your checklist. Across at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, definitely take a ride in the Millennium Falcon and be left agog at Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, as if you've been thrust into a full-throttle battle scene against the First Order. Disney's California Adventure is action-packed with big-screen movie hero and blockbuster cartoon attractions. One of my favourite rides is Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: Breakout. But there's a reason the queues are even more biblical in size for Radiator Springs Racers, as you zoom the undulating red-rock desert landscape of Cars Land. Start your engines! It's a rollicking ride in overdrive — and my runaway favourite. Take advantage of Lightning Lane access. Save time and skip the standby line with Lightning Lane passes on the most in-demand attractions, with considerably shorter queuing time. The way it works is you book a time to ride, via the Disneyland app. The multi-pass is available for a host of rides in both parks, while you can buy a Lightning Lane Single Pass for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Radiator Springs Racer. Great eats? There's only so many churros and Mickey Mouse waffles you can gorge on, right? Feast on New Orleans-inspired dishes at the recently opened Tiana's Palace, inspired by Disney's animated flick, The Princess and the Frog. It's a newly reimagined quick-service restaurant. Try the 7 Greens Gumbo, a beef po' sandwich and the gorgeous lemon-glazed beignets. For nostalgia buffs, head to the Golden Horseshow in Frontierland. It dates back to the park's 1955 opening — Walt and Lillian Disney celebrated their 30th anniversary here. You can still see Walt Disney's private box upstairs to the right of the stage. The interior of the saloon took its design cues from the 1953 Doris Day film Calamity Jane. The menu includes traditional American favourites like chicken tenders, funnel cakes and ice-cream floats. Another 1955 original is the Carnation Cafe, located on Main Street USA. Try the home-made meatloaf and Walt's chilli. I'm also a big fan of the Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe, on Main Street. This Mary Poppins-themed restaurant offers deli and cafe-style food items like fresh pastries, sandwiches and sweets. Munch merrily on some Matterhorn Macarons. Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo is known for being one of the best Disneyland restaurants in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. This restaurant is themed to that of a "farm fresh" style restaurant but in a galaxy far, far away. For great character dining, Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel is an insatiable hit, with a supporting cast of characters like Pluto, Aladdin and Jasmine, Chip & Dale and Pinocchio. How could you say no to a peanut butter and jelly pizza? Throughout the day and after dark, there's a slew of parades and the fireworks extravaganzas to take in, too. If it sounds exhausting, yes Disneyland can zap your energy. Don't try packing everything into one day. Your race against the clock is a recipe for stress. Buy a multi-day pass, whether it be two or three days, so you can strike out in the parks at a more leisurely, relaxed pace. I was struck by how many young families I saw in the late afternoon, in meltdown mode. So many children looked frenzied, as the post-sugar hit tantrums hit fever pitch and panicked parents tried to cram more experiences into the fading light of day. That's not a holiday and it's certainly not fun. Extending your stay is going to cost more, but it will be worth every cent! Stay on-site. It will eliminate the stress entailed getting to and from the park. Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is the most luxurious of the hotel offerings, beautifully designed with nods to the early 20th century arts and crafts movement and the woodsy lodge finery of Yosemite National Park in the soaring lobby and atrium. But it's also a superb place for extra-pampering. Plunge into a world of aquatic thrills in the Mariposa, Fountain, and Redwood outdoor-themed pools! An enormous waterslide extends from a redwood tree trunk. There's a vast range of accommodation options to please all tastes, but the greatest amenity of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel is undoubtedly its proximity to Disneyland and direct entrance into Grizzly Peak at Disney California Adventure. This entrance makes it the closest hotel to any Disney theme park in the United States. It's also an incredibly short walk to Disneyland Park (either through Disney California Adventure or Downtown Disney). This is a huge benefit, especially when coupled with your early entry perks. Guests who are checked in and staying at one of the Disneyland Resort hotels can take advantage of 30-minute early entry to a designated theme park every day of their hotel stay. Get a jump start on the crowds and head straight to Radiator Springs Racers in Cars Land! Try not to lose your cellphone. Of all the places in the world to misplace your phone, Disneyland wouldn't spring to mind as the ideal locale. However, my misadventure opened my eyes to the Herculean lost and found operation that happily hums behind the scenes at Disneyland Resort. Disney employs a vast cast of lost and found workers, who trawl the parks retrieving thousands of left-behind items and set about reuniting them with their owners. In my case, after a moment's inattention, my cellphone was duly picked up, dispatching to the sorting office and returned to me several hours later, after I filed a lost item form. Fun fact: of the tens of thousands of items that are handled by the lost and found department each year, that includes over 40,000 hats, 20,000 pairs of sunglasses and 8000 cellphones. The repatriation rate is remarkably high. And apparently the Matterhorn Bobsleds ride is notorious for parting people from their cellphones! Finally, if you want to accentuate your Disneyland Resort experience, dodge the peak seasons. For Kiwis planning a post-Christmas holiday in Anaheim, January, February and March are the quietest months for park visitors. In contrast, July and August are jam-packed. Mid-September to mid-November is also a quieter period, although the Halloween season spikes visitation. And try to book your visit for weekdays (particularly Tuesdays and Wednesdays) which are considerably less-trafficked than the weekends.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
It 'keeps Walt alive in the medium he pioneered': Imagineers defend new Walt Disney robot
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." That's one of Walt Disney's most popular quotes, often used in the context of the theme park marvels imagined by the company he created. Over the decades Walt Disney Imagineering, the secretive arm of the Walt Disney Co. devoted to theme park experiences, has dreamed up a room full of singing birds and flowers, brought to life a mini New Orleans, captured the idealism of space flight and re-envisioned modern transportation, to name just a few of its many varied accomplishments. For its latest trick, Imagineering will attempt to resurrect a life of sorts, that is to fully animate a highly accurate robotic creation of one of the most recognizable figures of the 20th century, Walt Disney himself. First unveiled last summer at the company's fan convention D23, the goal, said Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D'Amaro at the event, is to capture "what it would have been like to be in Walt's presence.' That means finding a middle ground between romanticism and realism. On Wednesday morning, Imagineering previewed for a select group of media the upcoming show "Walt Disney — A Magical Life," set to premiere July 17 to coincide with Disneyland's official 70th anniversary, when it will temporarily displace an attraction centered on a robotic Abraham Lincoln. An early sculpt of what would become the animatronic was revealed, one complete with age spots on Disney's hands and weariness around his eyes — Imagineers stressed their intent is faithful accuracy — but much of the attraction remains secretive. The animatronic wasn't shown, nor did Imagineering provide any images of the figure, which it promises will be one of its most technically advanced. Instead, Imagineering sought to show the care in which it was bringing Disney back to life while also attempting to assuage any fears regarding what has become a much-debated project among the Disney community. When D'Amaro unveiled "A Magical Life" last summer, he did so noting he had the support of the Disney family, singling out Disney's grandnephew, Roy P. Disney, who was in the audience. Yet soon a social media missive critical of the attraction from Walt's granddaughter would go viral. It raised anew ethical questions that often surround any project attempting to capture the dead via technology, be it holographic representations of performers or digitally re-created cinematic animations, namely debates surrounding the wishes of the deceased and whether such creations are exploitative. "Dehumanizing," wrote Joanna Miller in her Facebook post on the figure. Read more: He worked with Walt Disney to shape Disneyland. Now at 93, boy, does he have stories The animatronic somewhat represents a shift in thinking for the Walt Disney Co., as the majority of its robotic figures are representations of fictional characters or overly-saturated political figures such as those in Florida's Hall of Presidents, in which new politicians are added while they are living. Arguably, the Walt Disney Co. first tested the public's willingness to embrace a resurrected Disney via a holographic-like projection for its touring "Disney 100: The Exhibition," which initially raised some eyebrows. Longtime Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald, known for his work on beloved Disney projects such as Star Tours and the Guardians of the Galaxy coaster in Florida, said Wednesday that "A Magical Life" has been in the works for about seven years. Asked directly about ethical concerns in representing the deceased via a robotic figurine, Fitzgerald noted the importance of the Walt Disney story, not only to the company but to culture at large. "His life story had been told in these other formats already," Fitzgerald says, referencing the film "Walt Disney: One Man's Dream," which currently airs at Florida's Hollywood Studios. "What could we do at Disneyland for our audience that would be part of our tool kit vernacular but that would bring Walt to life in a way that you could only experience at the park? We felt the technology had gotten there. We felt there was a need to tell that story in a fresh way." Disneyland, in contrast to the company's other parks around the globe, places a premium on historical attractions, in part because it's the only park Disney walked in. The park's patriarch even had a small apartment on Main Street, U.S.A., in which he would occasionally spend the night. After its initial run during the 70th celebration, "A Magical Life" will play in tandem with 'Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln' thanks to a newly constructed revolving stage. A new pre-show gallery will feature a mini-re-creation of Disney's apartment and also unveil some never-before-seen artifacts, such as early master plans of Disneyland. Read more: Everything you need to know about Disneyland's biggest event of the decade The figure, essentially, was created in part to anticipate criticism. Fitzgerald notes modern audiences, with the ability to zoom in on a character via smartphone, are far more discerning. The animatronic will aim to represent Disney in 1963. Disney died in 1966 at 65. "He needs to be able to speak with his hands. Hands, very important," Fitzgerald says. "When you watch Walt Disney talking, he's very expressive with his hands when he talks. He also has expressive eyebrows, which many of you had heard about. When he speaks, he speaks with his eyebrows. ... One of the things I discovered in watching the footage, he doesn't blink when he speaks." Thus, when animating the figure's eye movements, Fitzgerald says, there was much discussion over his "blink profile," ensuring it matched up with filmed footage. Though the exact arc of the show, which will run about 17 minutes, wasn't revealed, Fitzgerald and fellow Imagineer Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz, who was instrumental in the recent reimagining of Disneyland's Toontown, noted that all dialogue will be taken directly from Disney's speeches. The setting will be in Disney's office, and for much of the show Disney will be leaning on his desk, although the figure was teased as being able to stand up. Fitzgerald and Shaver-Moskowitz note that they researched Disney's shoe size, looked at molds of his hands and even attempted — and failed — to find out which hair products Disney used. He will be wearing a tie emblazoned with the logo for Palm Springs' Smoke Tree Ranch, a favorite retreat of Disney's. "We didn't order an animatronic to look like Walt," Shaver-Moskowitz says. "We built a Walt animatronic to deliver a performance that was specifically Walt." Yet can any animatronic capture the essence of a human, even a theatrical interpretation of one? "You could never get the casualness of his talking," Disney's granddaughter Miller wrote in her post. While those who know the Disney family have confirmed the veracity of the post, attempts to reach Miller have been unsuccessful. Members of the Walt Disney family are said to be divided, with many supporting the animatronic and some others against it, say those in the know who have declined to speak on the record for fear of ruining their relationships. "He was so fascinated with technology, and also the intersection between technology and art," says Kirsten Komoroske, executive director of the Walt Disney Family Museum, of Disney. Multiple descendants of Disney's sit on various boards that the Family Museum is associated with, and Komoroske says those working with the institution have pledged their support of the animatronic. "They really feel that he would have liked this project." Others who knew Disney, such as legendary Imagineer Bob Gurr, the designer of the Disneyland Monorail, the Matterhorn Bobsleds and more, as well as a pivotal collaborator on the Lincoln figure, have confirmed that they have seen the animatronic but have chosen not to discuss it. 'I am embargoed,' Gurr told The Times, adding only that the public would have 'quite a reaction.' Imagineers were asked about Miller's comments. Dusty Sage, executive editor of Disney fan site Micechat, told the audience he has spoken with Miller and her primary concern was that Disney never wanted to be turned into a robotic figure. Read more: 14 places in L.A. that every Disney lover must visit at least once "In all our research, we never found any documentation of Walt saying that," Shaver-Moskowitz says. "We know that it's anecdotal and we can't speak to what was told to people in private and we can't speak to Joanna's specific feelings about the project. But we have worked very diligently for many years with the Walt Disney Family Museum and members of the Disney and Miller family. ... We've taken care to make sure that the family is along the journey with us and we feel that we've presented a faithful and theatrical presentation that keeps Walt alive in the medium that he pioneered." The Walt Disney Co. has made a significant effort over the years to mythologize Disney. Statues of Disney can be found at both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, and trinkets bearing his image, including an ornament of the latter, can occasionally be spotted for sale in the park's gift shops. The reality of who Disney was has arguably become obscured. "Walt Disney — A Magical Life" will walk a fine line when it opens, attempting to inspire a new generation to look into Disney's life while also portraying him as more than just a character in the park's arsenal. "Why are we doing this now?" Fitzgerald says. "For two reasons. One is Disneyland's 70th anniversary is an ideal time we thought to create a permanent tribute to Walt Disney in the Opera House. The other: I grew up watching Walt Disney on television. I guess I'm the old man. He came into our living room every week and chatted and it was very casual and you felt like you knew the man. But a lot of people today don't know Walt Disney was an individual. They think Walt Disney is a company." And now nearly 60 years after his death, Disney will once again grace Main Street, whether or not audiences — or even some members of his family — are ready to greet him. Sign up for The Wild newsletter to get weekly insider tips on the best of our beaches, trails, parks, deserts, forests and mountains. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
It ‘keeps Walt alive in the medium he pioneered': Imagineers defend new Walt Disney robot
'It's kind of fun to do the impossible.' That's one of Walt Disney's most popular quotes, often used in the context of the theme park marvels imagined by the company he created. Over the decades Walt Disney Imagineering, the secretive arm of the Walt Disney Co. devoted to theme park experiences, has dreamed up a room full of singing birds and flowers, brought to life a mini New Orleans, captured the idealism of space flight and re-envisioned modern transportation, to name just a few of its many varied accomplishments. For its latest trick, Imagineering will attempt to resurrect a life of sorts, that is to fully animate a highly accurate robotic creation of one of the most recognizable figures of the 20th century, Walt Disney himself. First unveiled last summer at the company's fan convention D23, the goal, said Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D'Amaro at the event, is to capture 'what it would have been like to be in Walt's presence.' That means finding a middle ground between romanticism and realism. On Wednesday morning, Imagineering previewed for a select group of media the upcoming show 'Walt Disney — A Magical Life,' set to premiere July 17 to coincide with Disneyland's official 70th anniversary, when it will temporarily displace an attraction centered on a robotic Abraham Lincoln. An early sculpt of what would become the animatronic was revealed, one complete with age spots on Disney's hands and weariness around his eyes — Imagineers stressed their intent is faithful accuracy — but much of the attraction remains secretive. The animatronic wasn't shown, nor did Imagineering provide any images of the figure, which it promises will be one of its most technically advanced. Instead, Imagineering sought to show the care in which it was bringing Disney back to life while also attempting to assuage any fears regarding what has become a much-debated project among the Disney community. When D'Amaro unveiled 'A Magical Life' last summer, he did so noting he had the support of the Disney family, singling out Disney's grandnephew, Roy P. Disney, who was in the audience. Yet soon a social media missive critical of the attraction from Walt's granddaughter would go viral. It raised anew ethical questions that often surround any project attempting to capture the dead via technology, be it holographic representations of performers or digitally re-created cinematic animations, namely debates surrounding the wishes of the deceased and whether such creations are exploitative. 'Dehumanizing,' wrote Joanna Miller in her Facebook post on the figure. The animatronic somewhat represents a shift in thinking for the Walt Disney Co., as the majority of its robotic figures are representations of fictional characters or overly-saturated political figures such as those in Florida's Hall of Presidents, in which new politicians are added while they are living. Arguably, the Walt Disney Co. first tested the public's willingness to embrace a resurrected Disney via a holographic-like projection for its touring 'Disney 100: The Exhibition,' which initially raised some eyebrows. Longtime Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald, known for his work on beloved Disney projects such as Star Tours and the Guardians of the Galaxy coaster in Florida, said Wednesday that 'A Magical Life' has been in the works for about seven years. Asked directly about ethical concerns in representing the deceased via a robotic figurine, Fitzgerald noted the importance of the Walt Disney story, not only to the company but to culture at large. 'His life story had been told in these other formats already,' Fitzgerald says, referencing the film 'Walt Disney: One Man's Dream,' which currently airs at Florida's Hollywood Studios. 'What could we do at Disneyland for our audience that would be part of our tool kit vernacular but that would bring Walt to life in a way that you could only experience at the park? We felt the technology had gotten there. We felt there was a need to tell that story in a fresh way.' Disneyland, in contrast to the company's other parks around the globe, places a premium on historical attractions, in part because it's the only park Disney walked in. The park's patriarch even had a small apartment on Main Street, U.S.A., in which he would occasionally spend the night. After its initial run during the 70th celebration, 'A Magical Life' will play in tandem with 'Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln' thanks to a newly constructed revolving stage. A new pre-show gallery will feature a mini-re-creation of Disney's apartment and also unveil some never-before-seen artifacts, such as early master plans of Disneyland. The figure, essentially, was created in part to anticipate criticism. Fitzgerald notes modern audiences, with the ability to zoom in on a character via smartphone, are far more discerning. The animatronic will aim to represent Disney in 1963. Disney died in 1966 at 65. 'He needs to be able to speak with his hands. Hands, very important,' Fitzgerald says. 'When you watch Walt Disney talking, he's very expressive with his hands when he talks. He also has expressive eyebrows, which many of you had heard about. When he speaks, he speaks with his eyebrows. ... One of the things I discovered in watching the footage, he doesn't blink when he speaks.' Thus, when animating the figure's eye movements, Fitzgerald says, there was much discussion over his 'blink profile,' ensuring it matched up with filmed footage. Though the exact arc of the show, which will run about 17 minutes, wasn't revealed, Fitzgerald and fellow Imagineer Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz, who was instrumental in the recent reimagining of Disneyland's Toontown, noted that all dialogue will be taken directly from Disney's speeches. The setting will be in Disney's office, and for much of the show Disney will be leaning on his desk, although the figure was teased as being able to stand up. Fitzgerald and Shaver-Moskowitz note that they researched Disney's shoe size, looked at molds of his hands and even attempted — and failed — to find out which hair products Disney used. He will be wearing a tie emblazoned with the logo for Palm Springs' Smoke Tree Ranch, a favorite retreat of Disney's. 'We didn't order an animatronic to look like Walt,' Shaver-Moskowitz says. 'We built a Walt animatronic to deliver a performance that was specifically Walt.' Yet can any animatronic capture the essence of a human, even a theatrical interpretation of one? 'You could never get the casualness of his talking,' Disney's granddaughter Miller wrote in her post. While those who know the Disney family have confirmed the veracity of the post, attempts to reach Miller have been unsuccessful. Members of the Walt Disney family are said to be divided, with many supporting the animatronic and some others against it, say those in the know who have declined to speak on the record for fear of ruining their relationships. 'He was so fascinated with technology, and also the intersection between technology and art,' says Kirsten Komoroske, executive director of the Walt Disney Family Museum, of Disney. Multiple descendants of Disney's sit on various boards that the Family Museum is associated with, and Komoroske says those working with the institution have pledged their support of the animatronic. 'They really feel that he would have liked this project.' Others who knew Disney, such as legendary Imagineer Bob Gurr, the designer of the Disneyland Monorail, the Matterhorn Bobsleds and more, as well as a pivotal collaborator on the Lincoln figure, have confirmed that they have seen the animatronic but have chosen not to discuss it. 'I am embargoed,' Gurr told The Times, adding only that the public would have 'quite a reaction.' Imagineers were asked about Miller's comments. Dusty Sage, executive editor of Disney fan site Micechat, told the audience he has spoken with Miller and her primary concern was that Disney never wanted to be turned into a robotic figure. 'In all our research, we never found any documentation of Walt saying that,' Shaver-Moskowitz says. 'We know that it's anecdotal and we can't speak to what was told to people in private and we can't speak to Joanna's specific feelings about the project. But we have worked very diligently for many years with the Walt Disney Family Museum and members of the Disney and Miller family. ... We've taken care to make sure that the family is along the journey with us and we feel that we've presented a faithful and theatrical presentation that keeps Walt alive in the medium that he pioneered.' The Walt Disney Co. has made a significant effort over the years to mythologize Disney. Statues of Disney can be found at both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, and trinkets bearing his image, including an ornament of the latter, can occasionally be spotted for sale in the park's gift shops. The reality of who Disney was has arguably become obscured. 'Walt Disney — A Magical Life' will walk a fine line when it opens, attempting to inspire a new generation to look into Disney's life while also portraying him as more than just a character in the park's arsenal. 'Why are we doing this now?' Fitzgerald says. 'For two reasons. One is Disneyland's 70th anniversary is an ideal time we thought to create a permanent tribute to Walt Disney in the Opera House. The other: I grew up watching Walt Disney on television. I guess I'm the old man. He came into our living room every week and chatted and it was very casual and you felt like you knew the man. But a lot of people today don't know Walt Disney was an individual. They think Walt Disney is a company.' And now nearly 60 years after his death, Disney will once again grace Main Street, whether or not audiences — or even some members of his family — are ready to greet him.
