To celebrate its 70th birthday on July 17, 2025, Disneyland Resort premiered an all-new show: “Walt Disney – A Magical Life.” The attraction features the first-ever animatronic of Walt Disney, and, like most things at the Disney parks, it’s controversial among fans.
Earlier this week, Disney shared a first look at the animatronic, showing Walt’s impressive lean-to-stand motion and the unmistakable glimmer in his eyes. Some Disney Parks fans were brought to tears over the lifelike robot, while others thought it didn’t look at all like the man behind Mickey Mouse.
Walt Disney Imagineering collaborated closely with the Walt Disney Family Museum, which was founded by Diane Disney Miller and Walter E.D. Miller, to create the animatronic. Walt’s grandnephew, Roy P. Disney, helped announce the show at D23 Expo 2024. However, other surviving members of Walt’s family begged Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger not to proceed with the project.
“I strongly feel the last two minutes with the robot will do much more harm than good to Grampa’s legacy,” said Joanna Miller, Walt’s granddaughter. “They will remember the robot, and not the man.”
Miller also claimed that her mother, Walt’s daughter, said the company founder never wanted to be turned into an audio-animatronic. However, no record of this conversation exists.
“In all our research, we never found any documentation of Walt saying that,” Imagineer Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz said in response to Miller’s allegations. “It’s anecdotal, and we can’t confirm private conversations.”
Nevertheless, Disneyland Resort pressed ahead, and “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” debuted in the Main Street Opera House on July 17, 2025. However, just a few hours after welcoming its first guests, the show’s star audio-animatronic experienced a disturbing malfunction. Instagram user @we_dont_wear_ears shared this video of the attraction’s abrupt shutdown at around 10:30 a.m., just two-and-a-half hours after Disneyland Park opened:
The Walt Disney animatronic malfunctioned right as he stepped forward from leaning on his desk, its most technically advanced movement. The show appears to have an emergency stop programmed in because the stage immediately went dark, and, although Walt’s mouth kept moving, the audio cut out, and the curtains closed.
As the audience booed, Disney cast members informed guests that they’d need to evacuate the Main Street Opera House.
“We do apologize,” a Disney cast member said. “We are having technical difficulties right now.”
Disney Parks fans were quick to point out that the show’s meltdown mimicked the opening day of Disneyland Park, which was wrought with attraction breakdowns, melting concrete, and overcrowding due to fake tickets.
“Same as opening day in 1955 
,” @sarah_c2photo commented. “It’s bound to happen … Walt sending some humor on the 70th.”
Still, others took the malfunction as a sign that “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” should never have opened.
“The spirit of Walt said ‘that ain’t me. Shut it down,’” @shelbyforgovernor wrote.
“Walt sending messages to change that animatronic because it looks nothing like him,” @bibiddibobbiditwoo agreed.
“Walt Disney – A Magical Life” eventually reopened following Thursday morning’s sudden shutdown. The attraction is currently only accessible via a Virtual Queue, which opens twice daily: once at 7:00 a.m. for guests with Disneyland Park reservations or Park Hopper ticketholders with Disney California Adventure Park reservations, and once at noon for guests inside Disneyland Park or Park Hopper ticketholders inside Disney California Adventure Park.
After its initial run, “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” will alternate performances with the original resident of the Main Street Opera House, “Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln.”
Have you seen “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” yet? In the comments, share your thoughts on the show with Inside the Magic!
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