Disney invited us and a few others into the secret halls of Walt Disney Imagineering to witness the remarkable project of bringing their founder back to life through the magic of Audio-Animatronics for Walt Disney - A Magical Life, in celebration of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary. The project is brimming with respect, authenticity, meticulous detail, and quintessential Disney magic.

Walt Disney - A Magical Life is set to debut at Disneyland's Main Street Opera House on July 17, 2025, marking exactly 70 years since Disneyland's opening. The show will invite guests from around the world into Walt’s office to explore his story and his transformative impact on the entertainment industry.

Although we didn’t see the actual Audio-Animatronic of Walt Disney, the insights and details shared during our visit have instilled confidence and excitement that Disney will execute this ambitious and meaningful project with spectacular flair.

One Man’s Dream

Upon entering a room at Walt Disney Imagineering for the presentation, we were introduced to what guests can expect from Walt Disney - A Magical Life and the significance of this moment for Walt’s return to the only Disney Park he ever walked in.

“It's a huge responsibility, as I'm sure you can imagine, bringing Walt Disney to life in Audio-Animatronics,” said Tom Fitzgerald, senior creative executive of Walt Disney Imagineering. “We are giving the same care and attention that Walt and his team did with Lincoln many decades ago. We worked closely with The Walt Disney Family Museum and our archives department, reviewing countless hours of footage and interviews to craft the most authentic presentation possible. We believe Walt's story remains as valid and relevant today as it ever was. It’s about following your dream, overcoming setbacks, and turning those setbacks into success. No matter what, follow that dream.”

The team emphasized their commitment to bringing Walt back the right way, without rushing the process. This project has been in development for over seven years, and the concept of a Walt figure has been considered at the company for decades. However, it only felt right to proceed now.

The experience of seeing the life-size model of Walt was indescribable; it felt as though Walt Disney was in the room with us. “We have worked diligently for many years with the Walt Disney Family Museum and members of the Disney and Miller families, as well as the board,” said Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz, executive producer at Walt Disney Imagineering. “We’ve taken great care to ensure the family is part of the journey and that we present a faithful and theatrical representation that keeps Walt alive in the medium he pioneered and the way we tell stories in our parks.”

To achieve authenticity, the Imagineers are recreating Walt’s expressive hand gestures, his animated eyebrows, and even the glint in his eye, which many who knew him described. The words spoken by Walt in the show are his own, sourced from interviews over the years and carefully pieced together.

While we didn’t see the actual Audio-Animatronic, the presentation included a storyboard and a life-size model of Walt, which was used as a reference. Seeing this model was a moment I’ll never forget. Walt was depicted leaning against a desk, a pose he often used when speaking, and every detail was meticulously crafted. His hands were modeled from a bronze casting from the 60s, his suit was made from the same material he wore, each strand of hair was individually placed and styled with his preferred grooming products, and he wore his beloved Smoke Tree Ranch tie.

The attention to detail went beyond clothing; there were skin blemishes, small hairs on his hands and nose, wrinkles around his eyes, and even manicured nails that reflected his daily life. That glimmer in his eye, often described as cliché, was genuinely effective, enhancing the model's realism through Imagineering magic.

We’ll have to wait to see the final Audio-Animatronic, but the model left us speechless, feeling as though we were in the presence of Walt himself, witnessing a masterpiece crafted by top-tier artists.

“Today, with smartphones, every guest can zoom in and do an extreme close-up of our figures,” Fitzgerald explained. “We had to reinvent how we portray them. They must look good from a distance and up close. This is new for us, especially with human figures. We’ve innovated to create a look that’s as realistic and authentic as possible, bringing Walt to life in the way he did with Abraham Lincoln, but for a new era.”

The timing for bringing Walt back is a mix of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary, advanced technology, and the right team to honor his legacy.

A Legacy Well Preserved

Walt Disney’s daughter, Diane Marie Disney-Miller, who passed away in 2013, co-founded the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, which opened in 2009 and houses over 30,000 Disney-related items. The museum played a significant role in this project, and I spoke with its director, Kirsten Komoroske, about Walt Disney - A Magical Life and the family’s feelings about the project.

“Disney informed us about Walt Disney - A Magical Life early on to ensure the family, including Walt's grandchildren, were involved and felt comfortable,” Komoroske said. “Walt was fascinated by technology, and the Imagineers felt their tech had advanced enough to capture his essence accurately. The project was approached thoughtfully and respectfully.”

The museum donated over 30 items for the exhibit, including artifacts and furniture from Walt’s private apartment above the Fire Station on Main Street, such as a green velvet upholstered rocking chair, glass lamps, and a floral embroidered tilt-top table, which have never been displayed at Disneyland before. Guests will also see many of Walt's awards and humanitarian accolades, including his 1955 Emmy Award, the 1964 Presidential Medal of Freedom, and a plaque from the Racing Pigeon Association for his 1958 film ‘The Pigeon that Worked a Miracle.’

These items will be part of the "Evolution of a Dream" exhibit, opening alongside Walt Disney - A Magical Life, offering a deeper look into Walt’s life and work. Komoroske believes this exhibit continues Walt and Diane's mission of preserving his memory.

“Diane wanted to tell her father's whole story, from humble beginnings to significant failures, like losing Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and unfavorable distribution deals,” Komoroske said. “Despite these setbacks, he kept pushing forward, trying new things. He could have retired after Mickey Mouse, but he ventured into animated feature films, live action, and theme parks. Diane wanted to inspire people by showing that your journey through life matters more than where you start. The family is very grateful to have this message more prominently featured at Disneyland.”

A Step Back in Time

The Walt Disney in the show will be from around 1963, inspired by his well-known Fletcher Markle interview on Canadian Broadcasting. “This was when Walt was at his pinnacle,” Fitzgerald said. “He had the New York World's Fair shows in development, Mary Poppins, the Secret Florida project, and Disneyland was thriving. He was full of life and excited to share it all with us.”

Walt will be standing in his office, welcoming guests to learn about his story. The office will be a blend of his actual Burbank office and the set used for his TV appearances, filled with Easter eggs for keen observers, including a photo of Abraham Lincoln and plans for Disneyland. It’s designed to feel like you’ve “dropped in and can have some great moments with him.”

Tom Fitzgerald and Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz with a model of the stage. While the exact content of Walt’s talk remains a mystery, the message is clear.

"Walt will start by discussing his legacy, but he’ll conclude with a profound thought," Shaver-Moskowitz said. "He achieved so much in storytelling and animation, but his greatest gift was understanding the simple virtues of life and connecting with people. Despite being an industry titan, he remained humble, and we're excited to highlight this humanitarian aspect of Walt.”

Throughout the presentation, there was a deep reverence for Walt’s legacy and a commitment to doing the project right. I also spoke with Disney historian Jeff Kurtti, who has written extensively about Disney and currently serves as Chapman University’s Presidential Fellow for Walt Disney Studies. He echoed these sentiments.

“Since Walt's death, there has been no consistent way to present his reality, persona, and philosophy to new generations,” Kurtti said. “This attraction offers a means for new generations to see Walt Disney as a real person, not just a brand name, and to understand the philosophies that still guide the Disney Company today and resonate in world culture. Walt Disney is as unfamiliar to modern audiences as Abraham Lincoln. This is an excellent opportunity to bring Walt into current conversations.”

Kurtti emphasized that this project is not about driving attendance or profit. “There's a sincerity in investing time, talent, and funding to celebrate the identity and ideals of the company's founder, for those who remember him and for new generations,” he said. This sincerity gives hope that Walt Disney - A Magical Life will achieve its lofty goals, preserving Walt’s legacy in a meaningful way for guests of all ages.

We still have a bit to wait until Walt Disney - A Magical Life debuts at Disneyland, but the journey itself echoes one of Walt's most famous quotes: "Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world." The show will be complete, but it won't tell the whole story of Walt or of each visitor. Instead, it aims to inspire millions to follow their dreams, showing that they can come true, just as Walt did.

For more on Walt's story, explore our feature on a century of Disney magic from the Disney 100th anniversary.