Disney Parks Blog shared big updates on new Audio-Animatronics coming to Walt Disney World later this year and in early 2026! This includes a first look at the Clawhauser animatronic coming to Zootopia: Better Zoogether! at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and updated Animatronics coming to Frozen Ever After at EPCOT.
Zootopia: Better Zoogether! – Opening November 7, 2025
Zootopia: Better Zoogether! will officially take over the Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on November 7th. This 4D show will be hosted by beloved Zootopia residents like Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, and Benjamin Clawhauser as they celebrate the city-wide “Zoogether Day.”
While guests will need “Carrot Vision” to be immersed in the celebration, Benjamin Clawhauser will be live and in-person as an all-new Audio-Animatronic. Clawhauser will be watching the Zoogether Day Watch Party alongside guests in the hopes of being picked as the V.I.Z. (Very Important Zootopian). When his plan goes awry, Clawhauser takes matters into his own paws to be picked as the V.I.Z. and meet the Zoogether Day Performers. Clawhauser will be dressed for the occasion, trading his Z.P.D. uniform for an all-new look, including glow necklaces and, of course, a glitter Gazelle shirt (he is her number one fan after all!)
Disney Parks Blog did imply Clawhauser might be the only Animatronic in Zootopia: Better Zoogether! However, Zootopia and Zootopia 2 characters will hop off the screen thanks to the “Carrot Vision” 3-D glasses. Guests will be introduced to a new character, Heidi Howler, a fast-talking wolf who will be hosting the live Zoogether Day watch party.
This isn’t the first time Disney Parks guests have seen a Benjamin Clawhauser Audio-Animationic. Zootopia: Better Zoogether! will be the second Zootopia attraction; the first being Zootopia: Hot Pursuit, located in Shanghai Disneyland. While the two attractions will be completely different from each other, Zootopia: Hot Pursuit gives us an idea of what we can expect from the Clawhauser Animatronic. Be sure to watch our full ride-through video of Zootopia: Hot Pursuit at Shanghai Disneyland.
In addition to Zootopia: Better Zoogether opening at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney fans can look forward to the release of Zootopia 2 exclusively in theaters on November 26, 2025!
Frozen Ever After Updates Coming to EPCOT in Early 2026
Nearly a decade after the attraction’s opening, Frozen Ever After will receive big updates in early 2026, including all-new Audio-Animatronics. While the Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff Animatronics used ground-breaking 3D printing and projection technologies when the attraction first opened, Walt Disney Imagineering has since re-invented its Animatronics. Examples of this can be seen at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at the Magic Kingdom and Frozen Ever After in Hong Kong Disneyland.
There will be no more “glowing” faces at Frozen Ever After; guests will be able to enjoy their favorite Frozen characters in a new, life-like way. Disney has not yet released Frozen Ever After’s refurbishment schedule, but we’ll keep you updated as soon as we learn the official closure and reopening dates.
In the meantime, you can get a first look of what to expect by watching our full ride-through video of Frozen Ever After at Hong Kong Disneyland.
