Walt Disney Animatronic, New “Small World” Verse Coming to Disneyland on July 17
Disneyland turns 70 on July 17, and it’ll be celebrating the big birthday with a few new experiences—including a new verse to “It’s a Small World” and the debut of the first ever Audio-Animatronic version of Walt Disney.
Walt Disney—A Magical Life, which was originally scheduled to open on May 16, has been pushed back two months and will now align with the park’s birthday. This new show features an Audio-Animatronic version of Walt Disney telling the story of his life and career from within a recreation of his office at the Disney Studios headquarters in Burbank. The show will run several times a day in the Main Street Opera House right near the park entrance; after “its initial run” the Opera House’s longtime show, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, will return and alternate with A Magical Life.
Also coming to Disneyland on July 17 is a new tribute to the Sherman Brothers, Robert and Richard, the song-writing team behind some of Disney’s most iconic tunes. “The Last Verse,” a new short film that will start screening in the Main Street Cinema, will document Richard M. Sherman’s writing of a new, final verse to “It’s a Small World.” Written to commemorate the ride’s 60th anniversary (it debuted at the New York World’s Fair in 1964 before moving permanently to Disneyland in ’66), this third and final verse will also be heard in the ride starting on July 17. This new verse marks the final work of Sherman’s career, as he sadly passed on May 25, 2024, at the age of 95.
The Main Street Opera House will also debut two other exhibits in addition to Walt Disney—A Magical Life. A new gallery will track the creation, growth, and changes of Disneyland over the last seven decades, with a variety of objects from Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Archives on display. And a second exhibit will explore the history of Audio-Animatronics, from their earliest roots in the monster squid of the classic film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, to their decades of unflagging service in the Disney parks. Disney has worked together with The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco to bring a number of rarely seen artifacts to the park for these exhibits.
And finally, the Opera House will also offer an exclusive preview of the changes planned for Disneyland in the years to come. This will be found in the exit area after the Magical Life show.
Disneyland has always made a point of celebrating its birthday, and it looks like July 17 will once again be a big day at Walt’s original theme park.