A surprise appearance by Duke Weaselton at the opening of Shanghai Disneyland’s Zootopia has fans gushing about Disney magic. The appearance happened during one of the opening events for this new land themed on the Walt Disney Animation Studios film of the same name. Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro was speaking when Duke Weaselton appeared and both interrupted Josh and delighted everyone in attendance.
Disney shared that Duke’s appearance was a demonstration of the next iteration of robotic technology. This was displayed by Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development (R&D) and Disney Research earlier this year at the South By Southwest (SXSW) conference. It is an incredible way that Disney is showing how it can use technology and creativity to new heights of technological breakthroughs in storytelling. Looking at it, the character and the technology that brings Duke to life really is incredible!
Disney is mum with the details about how Duke was brought to life. However, they did reveal one little detail about this magical moment. There isn’t just one robot making it happen, but two. Duke is the first robot and the kiosk itself was the second.
Along with the presentation earlier this year at SXSW, very different droids also appeared in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland earlier this year as well. These were more overt robots that bring the world of Star Wars to life. However, as Duke’s appearance shows, the sky is the limit on where Disney could go with robotics.
What do you think about this appearance by Duke Weaselton? What other ways would you like to see this technology utilized in the future? Share your thoughts, ideas, and opinions in the comments below!
