Walt Disney – A Magical Life will debut to the public on July 17, 2025, in the Opera House at Disneyland. This new show features the first Audio-Animatronic of Walt Disney, which is also billed as the most advanced Audio-Animatronic to date. In the coming days, Daps Magic will be sharing more about this new show, including what went into making it, more in-depth thoughts on this show, and other details regarding the show and the surrounding exhibits. For today, I will simply share my initial reactions to this show, particularly the Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic.
Walt Disney – A Magical Life
The show begins with a presentation of an updated version of One Man’s Dream. This version has some new elements and narration by current Disney CEO Bob Iger. I have always enjoyed this show, and it was nice to see it get some love and polish. It is a great introduction to Walt Disney’s story for those who may not know it. It is also a lovely tribute. It tells the story of Walt Disney’s life leading up to the Florida Project, generally using Walt’s own words.
One Man’s Dream leads into Walt Disney taking center stage and talking for a few minutes. We will have the full video of this part of the show up tomorrow. This part of the show brings the audience into Walt’s “office.” It has some recognizable items that can be found in his office. This includes his briefcase, some photos, and a model of his plane, to name a few. Walt is leaning against his desk and starts chatting to the audience, just like he used to do on television so many years ago. At one point, he stands up as he continues to chat. After he finishes chatting, he once again sits down and gives a grin as the curtain comes down. These are the very basic details of what happens.
Mr. Daps’ Thoughts
For the media preview of this show, we were able to see it twice. I would have loved to have watched it multiple times, from different locations. There are so many details happening, and I really want to absorb all of them. This ranges from the things that Walt does to the details found on the stage.
As for Walt Disney himself, I found myself really short-circuiting after watching the show. I realized this is because I have never seen Walt Disney in high definition, and I also haven’t seen him physically or in 3D. I personally found this very hard to process. When I’ve been asked, “Did it look like Walt?” I honestly have to answer “I think so?” Perhaps more importantly, this Audio-Animatronic moved like what I envision Walt moving like. His mannerisms were also there. The sparkle in his eyes was also there, which was really cool.
Even more important than how the Audio-Animatronic moved and looked is how the entire show made me feel as it came to a close. This show is a beautiful tribute to Walt Disney, the man. Yes, it tells his story, and yes, it humanizes him. What it does best, perhaps, is let younger fans get to know and experience Uncle Walt, just like generations did years before when he was regularly on TV. This is a beautiful thing to experience that I loved. It is an experience I want to have more than twice, and I look forward to seeing it again regularly.
Walt Disney – A Magical Life shows what happens when a group of people collaborate on something they are passionate about. This show is the culmination of a great deal of effort from many different teams in The Walt Disney Company and beyond. In this case, The Walt Disney Family Museum. The result is a wonderful addition to Disneyland that helps bring to life the fact that Disneyland is the park where Walt Disney walked. Now, guests can once again see Walt Disney at The Happiest Place on Earth.
As with any new attraction or offering in a Disney park, it’s easy to form opinions based on online videos and photos. I would caution against doing this. Walt Disney – A Magical Life is a show that should be seen and experienced in person. There is no way to capture the magic in that room with a camera or phone. It just has to be experienced. I’m thankful that Disney gave me the opportunity to do so today.
