From our friend, Erin Glover, Social Media Director, Disneyland Resort and posted on the Disney Parks Blog.
Continuing our look back at the amazing innovations that Disneyland has seen throughout its sixty years, we jump forward now to the 1960s and the invention of Audio-Animatronics technology. Inspired by an antique mechanical singing bird, Walt Disney was driven to bring what he saw as three-dimensional animation to Disneyland. He enlisted the help of Imagineer and Disney Legend Wathel Rogers to take the bird apart and see how it – quite literally – ticked.
On June 23, 1963, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room opened at Disneyland. The first attraction to featureAudio-Animatronics technology was home to more than 200 singing birds, flowers and tikis. The following year, the first human Audio-Animatronics figure debuted at the New York World’s Fair in the state of Illinois’ “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln,” which opened to great acclaim and later moved to Disneyland.
In the years since, Audio-Animatronics technology has continued to develop at Disney Parks around the world. Many classics, such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion, continue to see new and even more impressive figures added as the technology continues to advance. What started as a curiosity for Walt all those years ago has grown into a Disney Parks legacy – storytelling technology that set a new standard and brought us all a little closer to the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy.
As co-owner and co-creator of The Main Street Mouse.Working in a technical support position for 18 years, it was time for a change.As the Webmaster and Project Planner, I spend most of my time researching everything from the latest Disney News, technology advances and of course keeping up on all the Marvel news that comes out.I never considered myself a writer but I’ve come to like blogging and sharing news with all.I feel blessed everyday that I get to spend my days working with my best friend and love of my life while we continue to grow and expand what started as a hobby all those years ago.
- Disney Receives First MICHELIN Star for Victoria & Albert’s - April 19, 2024
- Smellephants on Parade Arriving to Magic Kingdom Park - April 19, 2024
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Goes Wild for Earth Day - April 18, 2024