Disneyland will dive into the archives to look at the evolution of the Anaheim theme park and the history of animatronics as well as pull out plans for upcoming projects during a platinum jubilee celebration kicking off this summer.
Disneyland will roll out four new exhibits in the Main Street Opera House when the “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” show debuts on July 17 as part of the park’s 70th anniversary celebration.
Walt’s Dream of Disneyland
Walt Disney Imagineering and the Walt Disney Archives will curate a new exhibit in the Opera House gallery that looks at the evolution of Walt’s dream of Disneyland.
The exhibit will feature never-before-seen images, art, artifacts, relics and memorabilia from the very early stages of Disneyland’s development.
History of Audio-Animatronics
A historic look at Audio-Animatronics will follow the evolution of the ground-breaking technology from the first robotic figures to the modern-day version of the Walt animatronic that will star in a new show coming to the Disneyland Opera House.
Visitors will see the inner workings of the animatronic figures created by Imagineering as they have advanced through the years.
Walt Disney Family Museum
The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco will loan more than 30 artifacts for an exhibit in the Disneyland Opera House focusing on Walt’s private apartment above the fire station on Main Street U.S.A. — including a rocking chair and table lamp.
The museum will also loan some of the awards and accolades presented to Walt throughout his career, including a 1955 Emmy and a 1964 Presidential Medal of Freedom.
DisneylandForward Project Preview
The Opera House exit lobby will house an exhibit that previews projects planned for DisneylandForward — the recently approved expansion plan that will guide development of the theme park resort for the next four decades.
Upcoming Disneyland projects already announced include two new Marvel rides that will double the size of Avengers Campus, the world’s first Coco attraction and an Avatar themed land based on “The Way of Water” and other upcoming films in the franchise.
Walt Disney – A Magical Life
All four exhibits will ring the Opera House theater where the new “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” animatronic show will debut on July 17 as part of Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary celebration.
“A Magical Life” will tell the story of the Disneyland founder’s life during a preview film utilizing remastered footage and audio recordings.
When the curtain rises, a Walt animatronic in a recreation of his office will recount the projects he was working on at the time of his death and future plans he was busy dreaming up.
The new “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” animatronic show will initially run solo before playing in rotation with “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.”