I was so fortunate to be able to attend a very special preview event at Disneyland earlier this month of “Walt Disney – A Magical Life. After the preview, Disney Imagineers and folks from The Walt Disney Family Museum and The Walt Disney Archives came together in a heartfelt panel discussion to reflect on the man who started it all and to share how the attraction was brought to life in the park. Through memories, quotes, and powerful storytelling, the conversation celebrated Walt’s creative spark and revealed how his spirit continues to guide Disney today.
The panel included (pictured above from left to right) Kirsten Komoroske, Executive Director, The Walt Disney Family Museum; Tom Fitzgerald, Senior Creative Executive, Walt Disney Imagineering; Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz, Portfolio Executive Creative Producer, Walt Disney Imagineering; and leading the discussion was Becky Cline, Director, The Walt Disney Archives. You can find each of their official biographies at the bottom of this post.
Walking Through Walt’s Dreams
In what I thought was such a sweet moment to kick things off, Becky asked Tom if he was breathing and how he was feeling about seeing the attraction for the first time with a theater full of guests. He shared that the team was excited to share this new version of the Walt Disney story, having grown up watching Walt on television every week. He fondly recalled how Walt would lean on his office desk, sharing some of the things we had to look forward to. People who watched The Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday nights in their own living rooms formed a connection with Walt Disney.
Realizing how long ago that was, Imagineers sought to educate new generations of Disney fans who are seeing this attraction that Walt Disney was not only a company, but also a person with never-ending dreams. I loved learning that one of the many intentions while working on this project was to try to bring that connection to today’s generation of guests.
Tom highlighted how relevant Walt’s story was then and still is to this day, including the life lessons Walt learned along the way, such as following your dreams, never giving up, turning setbacks into success, and giving the world your very best – those are just as important and inspirational today as they were many decades ago.
Tom described how he was inspired to become a Disney Imagineer as a child when he went to the 1964 New York World’s Fair at the age of eight. That fair is where the world first saw the Abraham Lincoln Audio-Animatronic. Some folks thought that the Animatronic was an actor on stage, as it looked so real. Did you know that Walt Disney idolized that President? Imagine being in charge of bringing a lifelike Audio Animatronic of your hero to life? That’s what Walt did back then, and what the Imagineers working on this project miraculously accomplished.
That commitment to emotional resonance, even in the most minor details, is a legacy current Imagineers still embrace. Those minor details matter so much because they help tell the story just as much as the big moments.
All the Little Things
When creating Walt’s office for this attraction, it was interesting to learn that the space shown in The Wonderful World of Disney years ago was not his actual office; it was a set, and it looked nothing like Walt’s actual office. There were items such as Walt’s briefcase that were able to be recreated for the set – complete with his initials. A favorite piece among the panel guests was a tiny Pinocchio maquette that was used in the 1930s while Disney’s Pinocchio film was being created.
Like many of us do nowadays, Walt kept things in his office that he had a fondness for. Things like his airplane, books on urban development, movie scripts, and so much more.
Everything was executed with such care, all the way down to the rings that the Walt Animatronic is wearing. A Bronze casting of Walt’s hands was used to replicate a ring worn on his left ring finger, which was part of the Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur, France’s highest award, that he received on January 8, 1936, from French Consul in Los Angeles, Jean-Joseph Viala. We also learned that he wore an Irish wedding band on his right ring finger and that Lillian also wore one.
The incredible attention to detail is one of the things Disney is well-known for. It’s these kinds of details that help viewers get to know who Walt Disney was.
What Might Walt Say Today?
Kirsten explained how thrilled they are that this attraction is at the front of the park. When guests enter and go under the train tracks, they see Walt’s apartment over the firehouse on one side and Walt’s story on the other. She also shared that the day before our event, Walt Disney’s family said that they think Walt would have really liked “the intersection between art and technology and would’ve been very honored.”
While discussing one of his many favorite moments from the new show, Tom said, “I think he [Walt] would be slightly embarrassed by this long lead-in of Bob Iger stating all of his achievements.”
Walt, like so many other entrepreneurs, was always so humble, and his imagination was always soaring. That restless creativity, always reaching forward, is what made Walt not just a showman but a pioneer.
A Philosophy That Shapes Imagineering
Disney’s Audio Animatronic figures are capable of performing a multitude of incredible feats. Jeff explained that often, it’s the subtle, gentle movements that bring heart and humanity to the figure.
Tom explained that the team felt it was essential for Walt to tell his story in his own words. During the film portion of the attraction, Walt tells his story from birth up to the Florida Project. When discussing what was left for Walt to discuss during the Audio Animatronic part, Tom shared that they wanted guests to feel as though they were dropping into Walt’s office, much like Richard and Robert Sherman would at the end of their day to “discuss worldly matters,” and Walt would ask them to play Feed the Birds.
The Imagineers spent years studying Walt’s mannerisms because there were certain things that they felt this figure had to be able to do to make Walt, Walt, like his very expressive eyebrows. He also had an endearing glint in his eye, and that was something the team wanted to incorporate into the figure. After researching, they discovered that a corneal bulge was the cause of the glint, and they were able to replicate it in the Animatronic.
When deciding the placement of the Animatronic, the Imagineers knew that they didn’t want Walt behind the desk, but in a more approachable position. After studying hours of footage, the “lean to stand function” was created.
Did you know that Walt Disney Imagineering put in more than seven years of work on this
project, though creating a Walt figure has been an idea within Imagineering for years, decades, even?
The Man Behind the Magic
Walt Disney’s legacy isn’t just about theme parks and cartoons; it’s about heart, risk, and relentless belief in the power of imagination. As Disney fans know, Walt chased wonder, not perfection. And in doing so, he built a company that still dares to dream.
Disneyland will never be completed as long as there is imagination left in the world.
~ Walt Disney
One of the many incredible things I learned during this panel was how much thought and creativity went into the set behind the scenes. Jeff explained how important it was to the entire team that Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln was able to remain at Disneyland and they needed to figure out how to make that happen. That presentation was important to Walt, and it remains essential to Disneyland, so the team developed a massive turntable that would allow both shows to be shown in the Opera House. It was described as a “feat of engineering” that guests would never see, as it was seamlessly incorporated into the stage.
Soon, guests visiting Disneyland will be able to choose which show they’d like to see, or they can stay and watch both, which I highly recommend.
Panelist Biographies
Tom Fitzgerald
Senior Creative Executive, Walt Disney Imagineering
Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald is a senior creative executive of Walt Disney Imagineering, creatively advising on projects globally. To this role, Tom brings decades of experience in storytelling and design for Disney theme parks and attractions worldwide. Throughout his more than 45 years with Disney, Tom has overseen numerous creative divisions at Imagineering, including story and script development and media production. As head of the latter, he oversaw the creation of more than 400 media projects for Disney parks around the world. Tom was the writer-producer for the original Star Tours attraction and has continued as creative director for Star Tours –The Adventures Continue. He also led the Imagineering team on the creation of a one-of-a-kind attraction and award-winning restaurant based on the Disney and Pixar film, Ratatouille.
Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz
Portfolio Executive Creative Producer, Walt Disney Imagineering
Imagineer Jeff Shaver-Moskowitz is a portfolio executive creative producer for Walt Disney Imagineering who helps bring to life projects around the world. He recently helped lead the reimagination of Mickey’s Toontown at Disneyland Park, including the Disneyland debut of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. At Disneyland Resort, he also helped lead projects such as the transformation of Paradise Pier to Pixar Pier, as well as projects for Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa. Jeff began with Imagineering in 2011 as a producer for Shanghai Disney Resort. Prior to his work at Imagineering, Jeff performed in parades and shows at Walt Disney World Resort.
Kirsten Komoroske
Executive Director, The Walt Disney Family Museum
Kirsten joined The Walt Disney Family Museum as Executive Director and Member of the Board of Directors in 2013. Kirsten has held a number of executive and board positions, including General Counsel and Vice President of Human Resources for Tyco Electronics Corporation, Interim Vice President of Human Resources at Groupon, Inc., and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA. Prior to her position at the museum, Kirsten worked as a practicing lawyer, advising for-profit and non-profit organizations on a wide range of strategic, business, and HR issues. In 2018, she was appointed to the Board of Directors of both San Francisco Travel and Hiller Aviation Museum. She has a background in—and a lifelong passion for—the arts, having grown up studying violin and modern dance. She received her B.A. in Italian from the University of California at Berkeley, and J.D. from Santa Clara University.
Becky Cline
Director, The Walt Disney Archives
Becky Cline joined The Walt Disney Company in 1989 and became a member of the staff of the Walt Disney Archives in 1993. Today, as Director of the Archives, Becky is charged with collecting and preserving all aspects of Disney history and making the material available to researchers from all areas of the Walt Disney Company as well as to historians, writers, documentarians and fans around the world. Her many responsibilities include maintaining and conserving the Archives’ collections of historical documents, photographs, artwork, character merchandise, costumes, props and memorabilia. In her position with the Archives, Becky also enjoys developing exhibits as well as participating in interviews and presenting seminars on Disney history. She has also authored multiple magazine and web articles and co-authored & produced several books, including “The Walt Disney Studios: A Lot to Remember,” “The Art of Disney Costuming,” and “Holiday Magic at the Disney Parks.”
