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Nearly sixty years ago, Disney trademarked its first audio-animatronic, introducing a groundbreaking concept to theme parks. Disney Imagineers developed a creation that was much more than just a robot. Today, audio-animatronics can be found in theme parks around the globe, with technology evolving beyond what we ever imagined.
One of Disney’s most beloved attractions, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, was one of the earliest to make significant use of audio-animatronics. Since then, numerous Disney attractions have featured these figures, making them a vital part of the park experience. However, not every animatronic has achieved success.
Credit: Disney
Here are just some of the best and worst animatronics we have seen from Disney over the years.
Best: Shaman of Songs – Animal Kingdom
In May 2017, a brand-new area called Pandora: World of Avatar opened at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park within Walt Disney World Resort. Designed by the acclaimed Imagineer Joe Rohde, this stunning land immerses guests in James Cameron’s 2009 film like never before, featuring breathtaking elements such as floating mountains and a bioluminescent rainforest.
Credit: Todd F. Burgess, Flickr
Two attractions debuted with Pandora: Avatar: Flight of Passage and Na’vi River Journey. On Na’vi River Journey, guests can experience one of the most intricate and impressive animatronics ever created by Disney Imagineers.
This ride takes guests along the Kasvapan River, where they encounter Pandora’s unique wildlife, including viper wolves, hexapods, wood sprites, papyri, and fan lizards.
At the end of the attraction, guests meet the Shaman of Songs, an extraordinary animatronic with fluid movements that truly bring the Na’vi to life. The Shaman leads a musical celebration honoring their connection to Eywa, known as the All-Mother or the Great Mother, the guiding force behind all ecosystems.
Credit: Jon Fiedler, Flickr
Related: Disney Debating The Future of Pandora – The World of Avatar
Worst: Ariel – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
Let’s be honest: The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure at Disney California Adventure Park is a delightful ride, featuring beloved songs, bright colors, and an impressive Ursula animatronic. However, that’s not the animatronic we’re discussing.
While much of the ride is fantastic, the Ariel animatronic in one scene falls short of expectations. Guests are taken into Ariel’s secret chamber, where she keeps her human world treasures, including a life-sized statue of Prince Eric that has sunk to the ocean floor.
Regrettably, the Ariel animatronic has seen better days. Her mouth doesn’t move properly, and the material of her skin looks as if it’s melting. This results in an awkward experience, especially given how smoothly the animatronics used to operate. It is a stark difference between the one at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World and the one at Disneyland Resort.
@avocadoisguac Please help her. #wdw #animatronic #ariel
Related: Beloved ‘Little Mermaid’ Star Says Bye to Ariel
Best: Hondo Ohnaka – Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
In 2019, a new land opened at both Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disneyland Park at the Disneyland Resort, featuring excellent shopping and delectable dining options. This area also introduced two thrilling attractions: Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
On Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run, guests assume the role of pilots, assisting the notorious smuggler Hondo Ohnaka in recovering two containers of Coaxium.
Before the ride starts, guests have the chance to meet Hondo in person. His animatronic is so incredibly lifelike that it’s almost unsettling. The smoothness of his movements and the meticulous detail are truly remarkable.
When Hondo Ohnaka was first introduced, guests were blown away by his realism, and that astonishment remains just as strong today.
Worst: Broken Yeti – Expedition Everest
This situation is truly disappointing because the ride is fantastic, and the Yeti had such immense potential. Now, it serves as a reminder of what might have been.
Expedition Everest opened at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park in 2006 and quickly became one of the park’s most popular thrill rides. It remains a favorite at Walt Disney World Resort to this day.
On Expedition Everest, guests board a train and journey through the Himalayan Mountains to the base of Mount Everest. Along the way, they learn about the local people’s deep respect and fear of the legendary Yeti.
Credit: Disney
The adventure takes a sudden and dramatic turn when the train stops due to damaged tracks. Guests are thrown into reverse and experience an exhilarating moment of complete darkness before the train halts.
They then hear a noise and see the Yeti’s shadow as it tears up more of the track. In a thrilling escape, the train plunges down a steep hill, trying to flee from the Yeti’s wrath.
Near the end of the ride, guests encounter the terrifying Yeti, coming perilously close to its claws.
When the attraction first debuted, the Yeti moved dynamically, making it seem like it could grab guests. Unfortunately, the weight and force of its movement caused cracks in the animatronic’s base, threatening the entire ride. Consequently, Disney had to halt the Yeti’s major movements, leaving it largely still.
Credit: Disney
Regrettably, the Yeti has remained broken for over a decade. To make matters worse, Joe Rohde has stated that fixing the Yeti would require significant reconstruction of the attraction to ensure that its movement wouldn’t compromise the ride’s structural integrity.
This means it’s highly unlikely that the Yeti will ever move as it once did.
Best: The Amazing Spider-Man – Avengers Campus
In 2017, at the D23 Expo, Disney revealed its plans for a new section at Disney California Adventure Park focused on Marvel Superheroes. The following year, A Bug’s Land closed its doors, paving the way for the construction of Avengers Campus. Although the new area was initially set to debut in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the opening date back to June 2021.
Credit: Disney
When Avengers Campus opened, fans were excited to interact with a wide range of Marvel heroes. The area featured a show with Doctor Strange, training sessions from the Dora Milaje, a performance by Black Widow, and appearances from characters like Iron Man, Loki, Thor, and Captain America, who engaged with guests throughout the land.
One of the highlights was the incredible Spider-Man stunt show, where Peter Parker, AKA Spider-Man, showcased his skills while communicating with F.R.I.D.A.Y.
The show reached its climax when Spider-Man performed a stunning flip from one side of the building to the other. What made this flip particularly impressive was that it was executed by an animatronic, not a live performer!
@c_mrdck THEY WERE SHOOK🤣😭 #avengerscampus #spiderman #disneyland
Worst: Ripley – The Great Movie Ride
It’s painful to write this because The Great Movie Ride was such a beloved opening day attraction at Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM Studios), and fans were devastated when it closed in 2017.
The Great Movie Ride took guests on a journey through some of the most iconic moments in film history, including a stroll down the Yellow Brick Road from The Wizard of Oz (1939), an expedition into the Temple of the Chachapoyan Warriors from Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), and a flight over the rooftops of London in a scene from Mary Poppins (1964).
Credit: Disney
Related: The Ultimate Movie-Themed Rides at Disney Parks
One of the most intense scenes unfolds aboard the Nostromo, the ill-fated spaceship from the 1979 film Alien. In this moment, Sigourney Weaver’s character, Ellen Ripley, wields a flamethrower as she prepares to take on the alien that has already killed her fellow crew members.
Guests come perilously close to the alien, but surprisingly, it’s not the alien that creates the most fear in this scene.
That unsettling honor belongs to the animatronic Ellen Ripley. Its jerky movements and lack of likeness to Sigourney Weaver were disappointing, especially in an otherwise outstanding ride.
The Great Movie Ride closed in 2017 and was succeeded by Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, which opened on March 4, 2020, just days before the theme parks were forced to shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Best: Anna & Elsa – Anna & Elsa’s Frozen Journey
Two of Disney’s most remarkable and breathtaking animatronics are also among its newest.
Anna & Elsa’s Frozen Journey, which opened in June at Tokyo DisneySea’s Fantasy Springs, is a fresh addition. The ride resembles Ariel’s Undersea Adventure at Disney California Adventure Park and Journey of the Little Mermaid at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World.
Guests are welcomed by Grand Pabbie, who shares the story of Anna and Elsa. From there, they journey through a series of memories that recount the tale of Disney’s beloved 2013 film, Frozen.
Credit: Tokyo Disney Resort
Related: Goodbye, Paywall: Disney Park Officially Dropping Unpopular $580 Upcharge
Throughout the experience, visitors can sing along to some of the film’s most popular songs, including “Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?”, “For The First Time In Forever”, “Love Is An Open Door,” and, of course, “Let It Go.”
The attraction reaches its emotional peak when Anna becomes completely frozen after discovering that Hans does not truly love her. Elsa rushes to her side, and the power of sisterly love ultimately breaks the curse.
Here, Disney’s animatronics perform a truly astonishing feat: Anna seamlessly transitions from frozen to human form. Guests are left in awe of this effect and continue to marvel at how Disney accomplished such an incredible moment.
@disneyparks Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey (Olaf’s Version) ❄️☃️ #Disney #DisneyParks #TokyoDisneyResort #TokyoDisneySea #FantasySprings #Frozen #Olaf #Anna #Elsa
As we’ve mentioned, Disney has crafted hundreds of animatronics over the years, many of which are iconic and truly impressive. With advancements in technology, these creations keep getting better. However, it’s evident that not all of Disney’s animatronics are successes; some are quite poor or in need of repair.
We know that Disney is dedicated to improving guest experiences and making them more lifelike than ever!
What’s your favorite Disney animatronic? Which one do you like the least? Are there any that you think require significant upgrades or should just be retired? Share your opinions in the comments!
