Suggestion for return of Walt Disney

[nogard13]

I was watching a video on Walt's participation in the creation of the Lincoln exhibit at the 1964 worlds fair and then the video on Disney channel about the people behind the archives and such and was struck with an idea. How about creating a few Walt animatronic features throughout the various parks using your archive of him from all his television shows. I picture is this way, in a few of the stores and shops on main street you add a conceal area behind a facade. On some kind of schedule, you open that facade and have Walt interact with a store employee or customer, if that's possible. Also I can envision using a version of Walt to an antique fire truck to allow him to be driven around the park. I hope that you see the promise of this idea.

 

[Phroobar]

I was watching a video on Walt's participation in the creation of the Lincoln exhibit at the 1964 worlds fair and then the video on Disney channel about the people behind the archives and such and was struck with an idea. How about creating a few Walt animatronic features throughout the various parks using your archive of him from all his television shows. I picture is this way, in a few of the stores and shops on main street you add a conceal area behind a facade. On some kind of schedule, you open that facade and have Walt interact with a store employee or customer, if that's possible. Also I can envision using a version of Walt to an antique fire truck to allow him to be driven around the park. I hope that you see the promise of this idea.

To some around here that would be break the commandment of worshipping false Walts. The creator should not be turned into a theme park attraction.

 

[networkpro]

To some around here that would be break the commandment of worshipping false Walts. The creator should not be turned into a theme park attraction.

Too late, Walt is now just another Disney Incorporated character.

 

[Consumer]

If we’re going to treat Walt Disney like a character and not as a real human being, why not just have an actor playing him as a meet n greet character? Old Walt Disney at Disneyland, young Walt Disney at DCA. Open up his apartment above the firehouse to guests and they can meet him there.

 

[Magicart87]

I mentioned this before and it was shot down vehemently as bordering on Disney sacrilege. But I don't really see it as an issue considering that the man himself as presented to the public was always a persona. Would an animatronic be too far? Or a M&G? I don't think it would. I think if they were to test the waters, a good place to do so would be at DHS and perhaps MK's Carousel of Progress.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

I was watching a video on Walt's participation in the creation of the Lincoln exhibit at the 1964 worlds fair and then the video on Disney channel about the people behind the archives and such and was struck with an idea. How about creating a few Walt animatronic features throughout the various parks using your archive of him from all his television shows. I picture is this way, in a few of the stores and shops on main street you add a conceal area behind a facade. On some kind of schedule, you open that facade and have Walt interact with a store employee or customer, if that's possible. Also I can envision using a version of Walt to an antique fire truck to allow him to be driven around the park. I hope that you see the promise of this idea.

Imagineering almost did exactly what you're suggesting. Here's the evidence: https://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-true-story-behind-rumored-walt.html

 

[Phroobar]

Imagineering almost did exactly what you're suggesting. Here's the evidence: https://insightsandsounds.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-true-story-behind-rumored-walt.html

I hear it was scrapped for the AA Bob Iger that is running the company now.

 

[D.Silentu]

Putting aside the issue of who the person in question is, with the advent of artificial intelligence and its ability to emulate people, living or deceased, I’m feeling less comfortable with ideas like this.

 

[Disney Irish]

If we’re going to treat Walt Disney like a character and not as a real human being, why not just have an actor playing him as a meet n greet character? Old Walt Disney at Disneyland, young Walt Disney at DCA. Open up his apartment above the firehouse to guests and they can meet him there.

The Walt we know through the TV shows and such is a character, Uncle Walt. Saving Mr Banks touched upon this a bit when Travers walked in on Walt putting out a cigarette. Its honestly no different than any other celebrity who has a public side, the public side are all just characters with only a glimpse into the real person.

So if we can have AAs of other "real" people such as Lincoln why not Walt too. Outside of any family objection of course.

As for a M&G, I mean sure why not. Now will he have a cigarette and scotch too just to make him more realistic?

 

[VJ]

The Walt we know through the TV shows and such is a character, Uncle Walt. Saving Mr Banks touched upon this a bit when Travers walked in on Walt putting out a cigarette. Its honestly no different than any other celebrity who has a public side, the public side are all just characters with only a glimpse into the real person.

So if we can have AAs of other "real" people such as Lincoln why not Walt too. Outside of any family objection of course.

As for a M&G, I mean sure why not. Now will he have a cigarette and scotch too just to make him more realistic?

walt himself was fully aware of the persona he put on in public and on every sunday night in front of millions: "i do things that walt disney wouldn't do. walt disney doesn't smoke. i smoke. walt disney doesn't drink. i drink."

that said.. he was very against the idea of having a statue of himself in the park while he was alive but his family approved the partners statue after he died

 

[DLR92]

There was sources that the family did not liked idea of the partner statues…

 

[Disney Irish]

walt himself was fully aware of the persona he put on in public and on every sunday night in front of millions: "i do things that walt disney wouldn't do. walt disney doesn't smoke. i smoke. walt disney doesn't drink. i drink."

that said.. he was very against the idea of having a statue of himself in the park while he was alive but his family approved the partners statue after he died

Yes but it’s not that far a leap from one statue to multiple in Parks around the world to having a full on AA. Basically the moment they made the statue any wish of his from 60+ years ago went out the window.

 

[truecoat]

The AA could appear when cast members start talking about unionizing. He could come down hard on them so they think twice about it in the future.

 

[Purduevian]

I'm trying to think of the most recent real life person portrayed in a theme park. Excluding HOP at Magic Kingdom, the one I can come up with is Marilyn Monroe at Universal. She died in 1962, the show at USO started in 2016 (54 years after her death). Walt died almost 61 years ago.

 

[Rich T]

I was watching a video on Walt's participation in the creation of the Lincoln exhibit at the 1964 worlds fair and then the video on Disney channel about the people behind the archives and such and was struck with an idea. How about creating a few Walt animatronic features throughout the various parks using your archive of him from all his television shows. I picture is this way, in a few of the stores and shops on main street you add a conceal area behind a facade. On some kind of schedule, you open that facade and have Walt interact with a store employee or customer, if that's possible. Also I can envision using a version of Walt to an antique fire truck to allow him to be driven around the park. I hope that you see the promise of this idea.

I really hope you’re joking.

 

[Rich T]

So if we can have AAs of other "real" people such as Lincoln why not Walt too.

Issues of good taste aside, you and everyone else here who has studied Walt’s life to any extent knows how repulsed he would be by the idea.

You don’t honor someone by doing the opposite of what they probably would have wished. You let their work do the talking. Having AAs of Walt in the parks would be the final step in turning the parks into the tacky, no-taste, nightmare jokes that their worst critics have always accused them of being. They would become self-parodies.

 

[Rich T]

Five Nights at Walt’s.

 

[Disney Irish]

Issues of good taste aside, you and everyone else here who has studied Walt’s life to any extent knows how repulsed he would be by the idea.

You don’t honor someone by doing the opposite of what they probably would have wished. You let their work do the talking. Having AAs of Walt in the parks would be the final step in turning the parks into the tacky, no-taste, nightmare jokes that their worst critics have always accused them of being. They would become self-parodies.

I think the idea of not doing anything that Walt would have been against regarding this image in the parks ended the day they added the Partners Statue.

As for Walt AAs or some holographic show add into the Park, I personally would have no issue with it.

 

[Rich T]

I think the idea of not doing anything that Walt would have been against regarding this image in the parks ended the day they added the Partners Statue.

As for Walt AAs or some holographic show add into the Park, I personally would have no issue with it.

That’s cool. Me, I think the statues are far more than enough. AA’s of Walt would, to me, cross a barrier of bad taste that could forever rob the parks of whatever dignity and respect they once possessed. Just because the parks are currently on (for many) a slippery slope doesn’t mean they should be given a final shove over the edge.
(Edit)
Unless… they were part of a very, very well-done retrospective exhibit and done with a level of class and appropriateness that I’m frankly having trouble envisioning. Just want to leave a sliver of chance there in honor of the theory that nothing is impossible.

 

[Disney Irish]

That’s cool. Me, I think the statues are far more than enough. AA’s of Walt would, to me, cross a barrier of bad taste that could forever rob the parks of whatever dignity and respect they once possessed. Just because the parks are currently on (for many) a slippery slope doesn’t mean they should be given a final shove over the edge.

How do you feel about that touring holographic show they created? Would you be fine with that being added into the Parks somewhere?