Images & Video from Disneyland: “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” Animatronic. “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” is about to make its debut at the Main Street Opera House theater at Disneyland this Thursday, July 17, 2025. The 70th anniversary of Disneyland park offered us a great opportunity to remind guests of Walt Disney’s incredible story — told in his own words — in both film and through the magic of Audio-Animatronics, the art form he pioneered.
This week Disneyland and The Walt Disney Company are celebrating the 70th Anniversary of Disneyland with a celebration of Walt Disney, his life, and career. But that isn’t all, Disney has celebrated Walt’s life with a new window on Main Street USA dedicated to his wife Lillian Disney, who was the one who gave Mickey Mouse his name. Along with the celebration at Disneyland, here at Walt Disney World, we get to join the fun with the updated The Last Verse being added to the “it’s a small world” attraction in Fantasyland.
“Walt Disney – A Magical Life”
Step into the theater to view “Walt Disney – A Magical Life.” The show begins with a film adaptation of “One Man’s Dream,” narrated by Walt himself, which follows his life from early endeavors through his dreams for the future.
The finale of the show will raise the curtain on the first Audio-Animatronics figure of Walt Disney ever created. Guests will discover him in a re-creation of his office at the Studio, where he’ll share a few stories and thoughts on his career and philosophy. Taken from recordings spanning decades, Walt’s words were seamlessly blended to create these “great moments” for the performance.
Images & Video from Disneyland: “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” Animatronic
Disney Did You Know:
Walt Disney Imagineering has put in more than seven years of work on this project, though creating a Walt figure has been an idea within Imagineering for years–decades, even.
The film “One Man’s Dream” leads from Walt’s early endeavors to the bright lights of Los Angeles and beyond. This beloved cinematic journey will be uniquely adapted for “Walt Disney – A Magical Life.” The attraction features the first-ever Walt Disney Audio-Animatronics figure and tells the incredible story of his life through historical footage and audio recordings featuring Walt’s own words.
Several historical sources featuring dialogue of Walt, spoken by him, are blended seamlessly to create the inspiring performance of the Audio-Animatronics figure. Walt’s attire was carefully researched, including his suit, shoes, ti,e and rings. Imagineers are pushing the art form and technology of Audio-Animatronics storytelling in every way possible to capture Walt’s likeness and mannerisms.
The creative team chose the approximate period of 1963 when determining Walt’s appearance. The office that appears in the attraction is inspired by Walt’s actual office in Burbank, similar to the office set developed for Walt’s many television appearances.
Walt Disney Imagineering redesigned the stage inside the theater to accommodate a rotating turntable, allowing for both “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” and “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” to play in rotation. For the first time, the Main Street Opera House will feature a new marquee with two titles, displaying in the center “Opera House now featuring two dramatic theater presentations!” with A Magical Life above Walt Disney’s name on the left, and to the right, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.
