Imagineering is at its greatest when creating points of interest with elaborate environments and dimensional present scenes inhabited by Audio Animatronics figures. Most of my favourite rides at Walt Disney World are slow-moving boat or darkish rides precisely like that, and this prime 10 checklist covers my favourite AAs in points of interest at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. (Up to date October 26, 2024.)
So far as expertise goes, Audio Animatronics are each brand-new and a long time previous. Actually, the corporate’s fascination with Audio Animatronics started with Walt Disney himself, who stumbled upon an vintage mechanical singing fowl in a store whereas on trip in New Orleans. He was intrigued by this 3D animated determine, which finally led to Imagineers creating an Abraham Lincoln Audio Animatronics determine that will go on for use in the course of the 1964–1965 New York World’s Truthful.
Round that very same time, Disney started creating animated figures of birds, flowers, and tiki gods that populated the Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. That opened the floodgates, and Audio-Animatronics would go on to be an integral a part of lots of the points of interest on the Disney parks, together with Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, America Sings, Nation Musical Bear Jamboree, and Corridor of Presidents. Then got here the unique EPCOT Heart and a brand new golden age of Audio Animatronics, with seemingly each attraction having dozens of superior AAs!
Audio Animatronics since have had their ups and downs. To make certain, many points of interest from the Nineteen Nineties up till at the moment have featured AAs. However derision as creepy “robots” coupled with the rise of different applied sciences displacing them–to not point out the upkeep prices–has led to Audio Animatronics falling out of favor. At the very least, as in comparison with their heyday from the Sixties to Eighties.
As an old style EPCOT Heart and Walt Disney World fan, I’m an enormous proponent of Audio Animatronics. Most of my all-time favourite points of interest to at the present time characteristic AAs. Not solely that, however I strongly consider that Audio Animatronics are evergreen. Whereas the underlying expertise is now over 60 years previous, the benefit AAs have over screens or different flashy tech is that few visitors see Audio Animatronics within the on a regular basis lives.
Screens are throughout us, and their high quality consistently evolves. The large theaters in Remy’s Ratatouille Journey or Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway look clear and modern at the moment, however what about ~5 years from now when the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional augmented actuality headsets have come down in worth and are ubiquitous? Will a few of these rides be as laughably dated because the script within the Carousel of Progress finale?
Audio Animatronics and the scenes they inhabit are one thing you hardly ever encounter–not less than finished on the caliber of Walt Disney World–outdoors of a handful of theme parks. These scenes will proceed to wow generations of audiences as a result of they’re one thing that can not be reproduced on the supercomputers all of us carry round in our pockets. However I digress–that is meant to be a listing of my favourite AAs, not a manifesto on why they’re superior to the technical taste of the week.
For an Audio Animatronics determine to make this checklist, it must have extra than simply fluid movement and spectacular expertise. This checklist is all about how the characters are dropped at life and are imbued with a way of persona. One of the best expertise fades into the background, permitting you to droop disbelief–and that’s true of Audio Animatronics, too.
In some circumstances, that is achieved in fleeting encounters and with out a line of dialogue. In different conditions, the Audio Animatronics has twenty minutes to construct rapport with visitors. You find yourself caring concerning the character, the mission, or their destiny, because the case could also be. At might look like some dystopian Westworld type stuff, however you sorta overlook that they’re a robotic and as an alternative join with the Audio Animatronics’ (synthetic) humanity.
Or one thing like that. Anyway, on with the checklist of the ten greatest Audio Animatronics at Walt Disney World…
RIP (For Now). Lightning McQueen – Let’s begin with our in memoriam entry, from the now-defunct Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy. The lack of the present itself just isn’t an enormous deal. Actually, there’s a cause it ended. (It was cute for what it was, however didn’t crack the highest 50 on our Record Rating All 91 Points of interest at Walt Disney World.)
With that stated, it was carried by the spectacular Lightning McQueen Audio Animatronics automotive. This AA is fairly spectacular–higher than those in Radiator Springs Racers, due to a better vary of movement and a capability to dynamically interact with visitors. This Lightning McQueen seems like the actual character, and that plus a robust arsenal of father jokes blows children away and even entertains mother and father.
The excellent news, and why we’re not deleting this from the checklist completely, is as a result of Lightning McQueen virtually actually has not been despatched to Mater’s AA Junkyard within the Sky. As an alternative, we’re anticipating McQueen to drive down the highway to Magic Kingdom, the place an all-new Vehicles Land is being constructed as a part of park enlargement plans. So anticipate this AA to return to the checklist in 2028 or so.
T10. Hopper – We don’t see It’s Powerful to Be a Bug! at Animal Kingdom as usually as we most likely ought to, however each time we do, I discover myself marveling on the Hopper Audio Animatronics determine. Just about single-handedly, Hopper elevates this from a easy 3D film into one thing extra. (I like MuppetVision and even choose PhilharMagic to this, however Hopper is much better and extra compelling than the AAs in these exhibits–underscoring that this can be a checklist of Audio Animatronics, and never points of interest.)
In any case, It’s Powerful to Be a Bug goes extinct within the very close to future in favor of a Zootopia present contained in the Tree of Life. So except Hopper packs his luggage and strikes to Zootopia, I’m guessing he’ll be evicted with the remainder of the bugs by the tip of 2024. As such, I’m placing Hopper tied for tenth fairly than leaving him off the checklist completely or putting him additional up.
T10. Ursula – Underneath the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid is fairly removed from good. Many of the Audio Animatronics are a bit lifeless, some scenes fail to have interaction, and the type does it no favors. Regardless of that, we firmly consider it’s among the many Most Underrated Rides at Walt Disney World.
One of many huge causes for that’s the show-stopping Ursula scene. Coming instantly after the merriment of “Underneath the Sea,” visitors go deeper (I assume?) underneath the ocean into the ocean witch’s lair, the place we’re greeted by Flotsam and Jetsam, Ursula’s pets/hench-eels. The Sea Witch sings “Poor Unlucky Souls,” surrounded by her assortment of misplaced souls, and engages in essentially the most life-like and dynamic movement of something on the whole attraction.
It’s powerful to separate out Ursula, the Audio Animatronics determine on the journey, and Ursula the villain in a film I’ve seen dozens of instances. This AA is so good is blurs that line, and this seems like a scene from a very totally different–and higher–journey. The moody surroundings is a part of that, however the Ursula AA has critical wow-factor.
T10. Olaf & Sven – Frozen Ever After’s AAs are polarizing, with some followers being chilly on the projected faces on Anna and Elsa. Now that the modernized variations have debuted in Hong Kong Disneyland, these complaints are heating up.
However the package deal deal of Olaf and Sven the Reindeer might thaw even essentially the most frozen of hearts. The reindeer provides goofy comedic reduction, whereas the standard and fluidity of the Olaf AA that sings “Do You Need to Construct a Snowman?” whereas gliding throughout the ice is fairly spectacular.
Not solely that, however Olaf’s facial expressions and mannerisms rapidly reinforce the persona of Olaf from Frozen and provides the determine a childlike sense of wonderment, making him one thing of a religious successor to Figment…not less than in time period of the Audio Animatronics determine. (What can I say—I like Olaf.)
9. Abraham Lincoln – Disneyland’s Lincoln is extra traditionally important and revered, however the Magic Kingdom model from Corridor of Presidents can be worthy of inclusion on this checklist. In a present that includes each president, Lincoln has essentially the most presence; his phrases have essentially the most poignance.
Whereas I don’t suppose this AA provides the identical weight to the phrases he delivers because the one in Nice Moments with Mr. Lincoln, this Lincoln determine does give life to his rousing phrases. George Washington initiatives the same stateliness, however not one of the different AAs with talking roles within the present model are worthy of point out.
I can see why folks again on the 1964 World’s Truthful freaked out when Lincoln got here to life on stage, fearing ole Sincere Abe had come again from the useless. (Severely.) Lincoln solely hunts vampires—he isn’t one of many undead himself.
8. Figment – EPCOT Heart of the Eighties till mid-Nineteen Nineties most likely had extra Audio Animatronics per capita than anyplace on earth. I’m not joking after I say just about each journey had dozens. Which was a part of the “drawback,” because the park had a critical “imbalance” of prolonged darkish rides…and little else.
Sadly, Epcot is not any EPCOT Heart, and the surviving AAs pale compared to what existed within the authentic incarnation of the park. Authentic Figment paired with Dreamfinder as they piloted the Dreamcatcher would prime such a listing.
New Figment doesn’t have fairly that very same spark, however he nonetheless has a ton of coronary heart. As he introduces visitors to the Creativeness Lab, the character exhibits each his inquisitive aspect (which endeared him to visitors within the authentic attraction) and mischievous aspect (which is arguably a bit grating later on this model) earlier than main visitors in a rendition of the attraction’s iconic tune. Figment nonetheless manages to place a smile on my face.
7. Mark Twain & Benjamin Franklin – Because the dynamic duo who host the American Journey, these two are just about inseparable. They every assist inform the story of the USA, and accomplish that with humor and humanity that elevates the American Journey above a historical past e-book lesson and grants it emotional weight.
These two ship participating performances with a stage of wit and dynamicism that it’s virtually troublesome to consider there are not any human performers within the American Journey. In addition they every carry out some pretty spectacular technical feats, from Benjamin Franklin strolling up stairs to Mark Twain smoking his cigar to the 2 hosts shaking arms in the course of the attraction’s finale. Throughout that finale, in addition they provoke emotions of pleasure and introspection within the viewers, as soon as once more demonstrating the humanity of those “robotic” performers.
American Journey is arguably deserving of a number of extra honorable mentions: Frederick Douglass paddling down the Mississippi River, Chief Joseph delivering an impassioned plea to finish his folks’s struggling, Will Rogers twirling a lasso, and others.
6. Hondo Ohnaka – I’ll be sincere: few issues make me eyes glaze over quicker than a Star Wars fan saying, “you’ll want to see Clone Wars to completely admire…” I’m sorry, and I imply this as no offense, however I’m not watching 7 seasons of a Star Wars cartoon rendered by a Ps 3. My favourite critics might say it’s on par with The Wire or Breaking Dangerous, and I nonetheless wouldn’t be persuaded.
So my preliminary intuition was that it was a missed alternative to have a Chewbacca Audio Animatronics within the pre-show to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. And I nonetheless suppose that will’ve been the extra crowd-pleasing alternative that will’ve resonated with common visitors and extra informal Star Wars lovers, like me, who didn’t see a present that initially aired on Cartoon Community.
However I’ve grown to like Hondo Ohnaka of Ohnaka Transport Options, a smuggling operation that ‘borrows’ the Millennium Falcon. He’s obtained a wry humorousness and is a lovable scoundrel, and the Audio Animatronics of Hondo within the pre-show is actually spectacular. By the tip of Smugglers Run, I’m not left wanting extra of the UPS supply mission, however I’m additional invested within the character and studying extra about his (mis)adventures in area piracy.
5. Princess Tiana – Tiana’s Bayou Journey is the latest attraction at Walt Disney World, and is a reimagining of Splash Mountain. However should you’re studying a listing like this, you most likely already know the backstory. Tiana’s Bayou Journey has confirmed polarizing amongst followers, the Audio Animatronics within the attraction are undeniably wonderful.
This makes use of Imagineering’s latest A-1000 Audio Animatronics era. Consequently, the core character Audio Animatronics in Tiana’s Bayou Journey simply look so unbelievable. “Lifelike” isn’t the precise phrase, however they’re mainly animated characters leaping out of the display screen and into the dimensional units of the attraction. They’re gorgeous, completely melding previous and new expertise to create one thing with wow-factor that may most likely stand the check of time. Similar to the Audio Animatronics from traditional darkish rides nonetheless look nice at the moment.
Selecting only one to make the lower is troublesome, as I like Louis the Alligator and a bunch of the quirky little critters. Nonetheless, persona is our predominant parameter, and Princess Tiana belting out “Particular Spice” within the grand finale is the true showstopper.
4. Henry – Nation Musical Bear Jamboree is an ensemble efficiency, however Henry is the standout determine within the present. He’s not essentially the most memorable character from the present—that honor goes to Large Al, arguably deserving of his personal separate spot—however not like the opposite bears who set up their persona via caricatured design or colourful tune lyrics as a result of he conveys loads of persona via physique language.
Henry has good dialogue, and a sure humility and earnestness when coping with the opposite bears. Henry’s actions additionally say quite a bit, even when he doesn’t. Because of his animations, he’s simply as animated because the extra comical wanting and behaving bears.
With the reimagining to Nation Bear Jamboree, Henry and the entire different bears look significantly better. Their motions are extra fluid, costuming is unbelievable, and their fur is wanting contemporary. Sadly, in addition they have much less persona. They nonetheless have loads of it, however the irreverence and quirkiness that made Nation Bear Jamboree lightning-in-a-bottle magic for some (however positively not all) visitors is gone.
3. Progress Dad – John, the daddy from Carousel of Progress, just isn’t a technically spectacular AA. For the primary a number of scenes, he simply sits there with restricted vary of movement, and even within the finale, his actions are pretty restrained (save for when the turkey catches hearth, and he hilariously flails his arms about over his head).
But, the John Audio Animatronics work as a result of they praise his dialogue, slew of father jokes, and direct the viewers’s consideration appropriately all through the scenes. In a manner, John is an emcee for the expertise within the houses and different characters. The character’s AAs via the a long time fulfill that function completely whereas additionally offering him with loads of lowkey, “fatherly” persona.
2. Lieutenant Bek – You’re the “predominant character” of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, residing out your personal ‘Star Wars’ story, and Lieutenant Bek is Robin to your Batman–or maybe the Obi-Wan Kenobi to your Luke Skywalker. Whereas different, extra beloved or notorious characters all make cameos on the journey, Lieutenant Bek is the one one current for each part of the multi-stage expertise.
Some Walt Disney World followers may argue Kylo Ren is the spotlight of this journey. And to make certain, these Audio Animatronics, particularly within the climactic scene, are spectacular. Ren is a menacing determine all through the journey, however for me, he by no means rises to the identical stage of villain as in the course of the movies. (Keep in mind, this checklist is about how the AAs come to life, not simply their technical impressiveness.)
For me, Lieutenant Bek’s presence on board the transport ship is among the coolest elements of the attraction. The power of visitors to get so shut to the Audio Animatronics and be immersed within the subsequent dogfight is de facto cool and has me on the sting of my seat (whereas standing) each time. If that doesn’t persuade you that Lieutenant Bek is the actual star of the present (properly, second to you), there’s the emotional second on the finish once you’re holding your breath whereas ready to study his destiny. Maybe we’re biased, although, as we’ve praised Lieutenant Bek because the True Hero of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
1. Shaman of Songs – As an old style Walt Disney World fan, it was troublesome to place the Shaman of Songs from Na’vi River Journey at #1. It required passing over actually iconic and beloved figures, and selecting one based mostly upon a movie I don’t actually even bear in mind. And a determine in an attraction that’s in any other case solely okay.
Technical wow-factor apart, what I can’t recover from when using Na’vi River Journey is how the Shaman of Songs manages to attach with visitors. As you slowly strategy her, her fluid and rhythmic actions are charming and take the attraction from a misfiring try at discovery and exploration to certainly one of complete enchantment. Every part else melts away, as you’re entranced by this Audio Animatronics determine. The Shaman is connecting on an emotional and virtually primal stage.
Then, in some actual loopy Rise of the Machines motion, she makes eye contact with you. It’s without delay surreal and particular, and although you realize it’s an Audio Animatronics determine, it feels no totally different than once you make eye contact with a parade prince or princess. Regardless that the Shaman doesn’t have an amazing quantity of character growth or profit from storytelling the way in which different AAs above do, there’s one thing about her that simply “clicks” with visitors and likewise elevates Na’vi River Journey right into a strong attraction. This all might sound actually odd, however this lovely marriage of expertise and persona are why I really feel compelled to place the Shaman above so many legacy Walt Disney World AAs.
Honorable Point out: Sonny Eclipse – Mr. Eclipse is from the planet Zork (Yew Nork, particularly) and he performs the Astro Organ, with back-up vocals from his wonderful House Angels. He performs a twenty-some minute loop of music that’s infused with dad jokes that’s actually entertaining, throughout which era there’s additionally a ton of character growth. Sonny Eclipse like a cross between Uncle Joey and somebody from the Max Rebo Band, which is an effective combo.
Whereas his AA just isn’t essentially the most superior that Imagineering has ever created, it’s fairly expressive, with loads of arm flailing, eyebrow elevating, and facial expressions. Between that and his charismatic efficiency, there’s a cause why tons of visitors have fallen in love with Sonny Eclipse, and there are quick fears each time his stage is raised up for a refurbishment. Because of his attraction and personability, it’s straightforward to see why this alien lounge lizard is so beloved.
Our very first Walt Disney World obsession as a pair was Sonny Eclipse. Throughout our annual summer season visits, we spent many a late night time within the cubicles at Cosmic Ray’s watching Sonny carry out his full units, and at house we’d “relive” these moments by taking part in his full present at house.
Regardless of Cosmic Ray’s being busier than ever, our love for Sonny Eclipse endures. His backstory is cleverly instructed by way of his songs and his set has a hybrid comedy/musical high quality harking back to Nation Bear Jamboree. Because of his mixture of humor, persona, catchy songs, and look, Sonny Eclipse ranked within the prime 5 on our checklist of High 10 (Authentic) Disney Parks Characters. Actually, if this weren’t particularly a listing of Audio Animatronics in points of interest, Sonny Eclipse could be prime 5 right here, too.
That wraps up our checklist of the most effective Audio Animatronics at Walt Disney World. At this level, you may be scratching your head, questioning why a number of iconic Walt Disney World points of interest are usually not represented in any respect. It could look like an enormous oversight to omit Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Spaceship Earth, and Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room from this checklist. Certainly the Auctioneer, Hitchhiking Ghosts, Pc Engineer, and Jose are deserving of spots on this checklist.
Maybe on an extended checklist. For this, I got here to the conclusion that every of these are like an early-era P.T. Anderson movie–nice points of interest that excel due to the way in which the ensemble solid of characters comes collectively. If this had been a listing of the highest Audio Animatronics points of interest, every of them must make the checklist. However it’s not. We’ve already finished a number of ‘better of’ points of interest checklist, and I needed this to be distinct from these. There’s no manner on earth Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy is rating on a prime checklist of something (other than perhaps ‘vehicles’ rides, the place it might edge out Tomorrowland Speedway however not the Omnibus), however that AA is completely deserving of recognition.
However, I’m betting loads of you’ll disagree with my decisions. If it’s any comfort, I’m pretty sure I might get up tomorrow and make a completely new checklist of various Audio Animatronics figures that will be simply good as this one. There are such a lot of glorious, emotive AAs at Walt Disney World. Simply bear in mind, these is my prime 10 checklist based mostly on which Audio Animatronics resonate and impress my essentially the most, not a scientifically arrived-upon checklist of essentially the most technologically marvelous Audio Animatronics at Walt Disney World.
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Your Ideas
Do you agree or disagree with my prime 10 Audio-Animatronics at Walt Disney World? Suppose it’s absurd to don’t have anything from two of the most important classics–Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion–even when they’re ensemble points of interest with no singular standout? Which AAs would make your private checklist of favorites? Every other ideas concerning the Audio Animatronics of Walt Disney World? Listening to suggestions about your experiences is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
