Walt Disney Revived by Science, “Frozen Head” Rumors Settled for Good

The Walt Disney Company is teaming up with the world’s best scientists and engineers to revive its iconic founder.

For decades, a pervasive rumor that scientists cryogenically froze Walt Disney has captivated the public. Few Americans graduate elementary school without hearing that Disney’s frozen head sat in a secret room underneath Disneyland Resort, fueled by the genuine existence of the underground utilidor tunnels at Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom Park.

Credit: Inside the Magic

Disney loved technology and innovation. He was at the forefront of advancements in animation and theme parks, leading both industries until his death. His passion lives on in Walt Disney Imagineering, The Walt Disney Company’s engineering division that challenges itself to create new experiences for Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, and the international Disney parks.

In this spirit, Walt Disney also loved the idea of progress. He said that Disneyland Park would never be finished, knowing that technology would continue to evolve and change long after he was gone.

Credit: Disney

This love for the future drove the decades-long rumor that Disney froze his head. The thinking was that Disney assumed that someday, scientists would figure out how to bring people back to life, and he hoped that his cryogenically frozen brain could be one of the first to take advantage of that technology.

To be clear, all of this is nothing but elementary school gossip. Walt Disney was cremated and buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California.

Walt Disney Imagineers can’t literally bring Disney back to life, but they honor his memory throughout the Disney parks. In June, Walt Disney World Resort unveiled a brand-new statue of the company founder in the Communicore Plaza at EPCOT.

Credit: Disney

Last weekend, Chairman of Disney Experiences Josh D’Amaro revealed that Walt Disney Imagineering is taking the next step in honoring the man behind Mickey Mouse. At D23 Expo’s “Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase,” D’Amaro announced that Imagineers are hard at work on their most advanced audio-animatronic ever: Walter Elias Disney.

Concept art of the Walt Disney animatronic as shown at D23 Expo 2024. Credit: Disney

“Walt Disney – A Magical Life” will premiere inside the Main Street Opera House at Disneyland Park in 2025. After its initial grand opening, the show will alternate with “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.” Abraham Lincoln was the first human animatronic figure created by Walt and his fellow Imagineers. Without it, the Disney parks we know today wouldn’t exist.

“Creating our first Walt figure is a huge responsibility, and we’ve brought members of the Disney family along with us for every step of the journey,” D’Amaro said. “His great-nephew, Roy P. Disney, visited the Imagineering campus recently to see our progress. And he’s here tonight. Thank you, Roy, for helping us fulfill this dream.”

Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Creative Executive Tom Fitzgerald promised that the audio-animatronic would be the “most lifelike” human figure that Disney has ever created. Imagineers “worked closely with the Walt Disney Archives to ensure we had the details as accurate as possible.”

“We scoured through his speeches and documents to find the words that would bring him to life in a way that would feel as if we dropped into his office for a chat,” Fitzgerald said. “Our hope is that the end result will give guests the best sense of Walt and his engaging and warm personality.”

New concept art showing Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln as it will appear alternating with “Walt Disney – A Magical Life.” Credit: Disney

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The Walt Disney Company didn’t announce an exact opening date for “Walt Disney – A Magical Life” at Disneyland Resort. Follow Inside the Magic for updates on this upcoming Disney Park attraction and other projects at Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, and the Downtown Disney District.

How do you feel about the Walt Disney animatronic? Are you excited or uncertain? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.