Disneyland’s upcoming show Walt Disney – A Magical Life is drawing attention for more than just its sentimental storytelling of Walt Disney, and his life. It features a lifelike animatronic figure of Walt Disney himself. Meant to honor the man behind the magic, the animatronic was previewed earlier today, and while many fans were curious and excited, the initial reactions online haven’t all been positive. In fact, quite a few viewers are finding the figure… a little unsettling.
Here are just a handful of comments from @The.DIS‘s recent Instagram posts:
The main critique? Some people say it falls into what’s known as the uncanny valley. This term describes the eerie feeling people get when encountering something that appears almost human, but not quite. That subtle difference, where realism comes close but doesn’t fully land, can actually amplify discomfort instead of admiration. It’s a phenomenon commonly discussed in robotics and CGI. This reaction is reminiscent of the response when the original President Donald Trump animatronic debuted in the Hall of Presidents back in 2017. It suggests that when we’re extremely familiar with someone’s appearance, even the smallest inaccuracies become much more noticeable.
On X (formerly Twitter), Disney fan @DrewDisneyDude shared footage of the new animatronic, sparking a wave of conversation. While reactions were mixed, there was a clear thread of unease. User @blw1138 simply said, “I find this quite unsettling.” Meanwhile, @BradleysFunFamily remarked, “Oh boy. That looks a little ‘off’ to me in the face. They can still tweak it, right?”
Some feedback was even more direct. @sraesla didn’t hold back, writing, “This is the most disrespectful embarrassing thing they could have done. Literally horrible. WTF is wrong with these people.” Harsh, yes, but it shows how emotionally charged recreating a real historical figure can be, especially someone as iconic and beloved as Walt Disney.
Among the most common physical critiques were comments about the face and neck, which many described as overly puffy or swollen. On Scott Gustin’s X post about the new figure, one user, @donovandutro, quipped, “Walt is having a terrible allergic reaction to shellfish apparently.”
That said, it’s worth noting that the negative reactions largely come from close-up video and photos, where every detail is magnified. In full context, on stage, at a distance, in the environment it was designed for, many of the flaws may not be noticeable at all. In fact, in posts where the figure is seen in motion or from farther away, most of the responses are actually quite positive.
Ultimately, recreating a person, especially someone as emotionally resonant as Walt Disney, is an incredibly tricky task. The intentions behind the animatronic are clearly to honor his legacy, and it’s entirely possible that once the show debuts in full, many of these early concerns will fade. But as this preview proves, the closer you try to get to reality, the more careful you have to be. In Walt’s case, the magic may still need a little fine-tuning.
