Disneyland Park is preparing to unveil a groundbreaking new attraction for its 70th anniversary on July 17, 2025: Walt Disney – A Magical Life. This ambitious show will feature the park’s very first Audio-Animatronic of Walt Disney himself, a move intended to bring the legendary founder to life through advanced technology. Guests can expect a multimedia experience culminating in a lifelike figure delivering Walt’s own speeches.
The innovation, however, has not been welcomed by all — most notably by members of the Disney family and some former Imagineers who view the tribute as misguided.
“They Will Remember the Robot, Not the Man”
Joanna Miller, Walt Disney’s granddaughter, has publicly criticized the project, telling the Los Angeles Times that the final animatronic segment “will do much more harm than good to Grampa’s legacy.” Miller, who met with Disney CEO Bob Iger and Imagineers to express her concerns, shared that the meeting was emotional, and the animatronic brought her to tears.
“I strongly feel the last two minutes with the robot will do much more harm than good to Grampa’s legacy,” Miller said, adding that the company’s portrayal risks overshadowing the real man behind the name. “They will remember the robot, and not the man.”
While Iger reportedly listened patiently, promising to safeguard Walt’s legacy, Miller was unconvinced. “They’re different people. He’s a businessman, Grampa was an artist.”
This is not the first time the family has voiced opposition to turning Walt into an animatronic figure. Miller’s mother, Diane Disney Miller — Walt’s daughter and founder of the Walt Disney Family Museum — once rejected the same concept when it was proposed for the museum. “My mom said, ‘No. No. No. No,’” Miller recalled. “She wanted to show him as a real human.”
Is Walt Disney’s Legacy at a Crossroads?
The debate reveals a tension between modern Disney Imagineering ambitions and the family’s desire to protect Walt’s authentic image. Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz, a Disney Imagineer involved with the project, acknowledged that there is no definitive record of Walt’s wishes about being immortalized as a robot. “It’s anecdotal, and we can’t confirm private conversations.”
Complicating matters, many close to Walt Disney who could speak to his preferences, including long-time Imagineer Marty Sklar and family members, have passed away. Miller now stands as the sole family voice publicly opposing the project, though she admits the family’s biggest mistake was selling rights to Walt’s name and likeness in 1981 — limiting their influence.
Despite Disney’s claim that the animatronic was developed with input from the Walt Disney Family Museum and relatives connected to it, Miller believes the company’s true motivation is more commercial than commemorative. She pointed out that if Disney truly wanted to preserve Walt’s legacy, more meaningful tributes would exist, such as making his classic Disneyland TV show widely available on Disney+.
Miller fears the robot will reduce Walt to a caricature. “People are not replaceable. You could never get the casualness of his talking,” she said, describing the animatronic as “dehumanizing.”
Several former Imagineers have privately supported Miller’s position, though none would comment publicly due to ties with the company. An anonymous source told the Los Angeles Times that Walt’s legacy is “precious yet vulnerable” and praised Miller’s courage in speaking out.
Miller also expressed personal concerns about potential fallout. Because her late father Ron W. Miller once served as Disney’s CEO, she has enjoyed lifelong access to the parks. Yet she worries speaking against the company might jeopardize those privileges.
“When you get older,” Miller said, “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.”
As Disneyland prepares to debut this unprecedented tribute, the clash over how Walt Disney should be remembered continues. The question remains whether the new animatronic will serve as a fitting homage or a misstep that overshadows the man who shaped a global empire.
Do you think Disney has made a mistake with its upcoming Walt Disney animatronic?
