The countdown is on to July 17, when Disneyland officially debuts its new tribute to Walt Disney — complete with a high-tech animatronic centerpiece. But even before the show opens to the public, the debut of the new Walt Disney figure has ignited a fierce debate among diehard fans.
When Disney unveiled a video preview of the animatronic, the intention was to honor its founder with a lifelike rendition set in the early 1960s. Instead, the conversation has quickly turned to whether the figure’s face — and waistline — bear any resemblance to Walt Disney at all.
The reveal — and immediate fan reaction
Disney shared the first-look footage online this week, offering a glimpse at the animatronic in motion. The figure leans forward, stands up from a desk, and appears poised to address the audience as part of a new legacy-focused Disneyland show.
While the movement impressed many — showcasing decades of engineering progress from the earliest Audio-Animatronics — the response to the figure’s appearance was mixed.
A Reddit thread featuring a freeze-frame photo of the new Walt asked simply: “What are we thinking?”
The top comment:
“He’s chonkier than I expected.”
“Camera adds 10 pounds?”
“How many cameras are on him?”
“Some guy ate Walt!”
“How many cameras did he eat?”
“That’s not my Walt”
To longtime fans familiar with the iconic 1950s footage of Walt on TV — thin, mustached, with a polished showman’s air — the new representation feels off.
Some Redditors pointed out that while Walt was indeed heavier in the early ’60s, this animatronic version doesn’t line up with the Walt Disney who was seen in his later years.
“65-year-old Walt was not a thin man,” one fan acknowledged, “but he was battling cancer and looked thinner by the end.”
Another user added:
“It’s a choice for sure to make him not look like the version we’ve all seen on TV for decades.”
Comparisons to celebrities… and pizza shop owners
From a distance, the animatronic might even remind viewers of someone else entirely — and not always in a flattering way.
“This isn’t Walt Disney, this is the original owner of my local pizza place who passed in 2017. Lunga vita a Signore Marino!”
Others compared the figure to Saving Mr. Banks star Tom Hanks, who famously portrayed Disney in the film:
“Did you get a cast preview? It looks like Tom Hanks haha.”
Mixed impressions: some say wait for the full experience
Still, not everyone is slamming the reveal. Some fans took to Reddit to defend the figure — or at least suggest that the video doesn’t do it justice in still images.
“Honestly, it depends on the angle,” one user noted. “The shots in the blog look fine to me.”
Others are holding out hope that this figure will include more movement than previous Disney animatronics. One commenter speculated:
“I will lose it if robo-Walt walks around at all. That would just be too cool.”
Meanwhile, another user lightened the mood by joking about Disney’s modern policies affecting the figure’s realism:
“Disney’s anti-smoking policy has forced Imagineers to create Walt Disney, the non-smoking edition.”
A sensitive subject: why this figure matters so much
Disney has created hundreds of animatronics over the years — from historical U.S. presidents to cartoon characters like Stitch and Olaf — but this figure carries unusual emotional weight.
It’s the first time Walt Disney himself is being represented in such a direct, physical way inside the parks. With that comes enormous pressure to get it right — and for fans who hold Walt’s legacy dear, anything less than perfection can feel disrespectful.
One especially passionate Reddit user expressed frustration that the figure didn’t live up to Walt’s real-life legacy:
“Oh dear – I hope it looks better in person 👀”
What’s next for the Walt Disney figure?
So far, Disney hasn’t issued any official response to the feedback. The figure is still scheduled to debut on July 17 inside Disneyland, and no changes to the design have been indicated.
But the conversation online shows no signs of slowing. For now, fans will have to wait until the full experience is unveiled to decide whether this animatronic tribute is a heartfelt homage — or an uncanny misfire.
