Just days after Disney fans lit up social media with concerns over a new sculpture that bore an uncomfortable resemblance to former President Donald Trump, Disney has quietly removed the piece from its Disneyland 70th Anniversary display.
The decorative sculpture—meant to honor the iconic Partners statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse—was originally placed atop the new Sleeping Beauty Castle photo op in the esplanade between Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. But instead of evoking Walt’s timeless vision, the piece sparked immediate confusion and controversy for looking eerily like Trump.
Fans called it out fast.
“There’s no way that’s Walt,” one user wrote. “It’s giving Trump. HARD.”
Another added:
“I thought it was a meme. It’s not. It’s real. It’s just…Trump?”
With screenshots spreading across X, TikTok, and fan forums, the comparison quickly went viral. The sculpture’s swept-forward hairstyle and broader facial features had little resemblance to the clean-cut image of Walt Disney that guests have grown up with for decades.
Disney has not issued an official statement, but as of this morning, the controversial weather vane topper has been removed entirely from the 70th anniversary sculpture. In its place? A flat cap where the decoration once stood, with no explanation offered to parkgoers or media.
Guy Selga wrote, “The Walt and Mickey icon on Disneyland 70 decoration in the esplanade has been removed.”
The Walt and Mickey icon on Disneyland 70 decoration in the esplanade has been removed. pic.twitter.com/na9zxAaX5J
— Guy Selga (@guyselga) May 12, 2025
A Subtle Exit for a Big Mistake?
The move appears to be a swift course correction from Disney as it prepares to kick off its highly anticipated 70th Anniversary celebration this week. With tensions already high between The Walt Disney Company and the Trump administration—especially as investigations by the DOJ and FCC continue—the last thing Disney likely wanted was a viral sculpture inadvertently bringing politics into the park’s most nostalgic celebration.
As of now, all other themed weather vanes representing Disneyland’s classic lands remain intact. Fantasyland’s carousel horse and Tomorrowland’s Space Mountain spire are still visible, along with Adventureland’s Jungle Cruise-inspired topper.
But Main Street, U.S.A.? Its centerpiece tribute to Walt and Mickey is currently missing in action.
What’s Next?
Disney hasn’t said whether a revised sculpture is on the way, or if they’ll leave the display as-is for the rest of the event. For now, fans are left wondering how something so off-brand made it through Disney’s famously tight approval process.
One thing’s for sure: When it comes to Walt Disney’s legacy, guests expect better than an accidental tribute to a controversial political figure. And with the 70th celebration set to begin May 16, Disney’s got just days to clean up the optics—literally and figuratively.
