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{Tiki Bird} A-a-audio animatronics?

{Walt Disney} Right, audio animatronics.

Since 1963, audio animatronics have been a big part of the rides and attractions at the

Disney theme parks.

From A1 figures to the first A100 figure, and now the A1000 figures of today, animatronic

technology has made leaps and bounds.

With more precision and life like movements, we’re faced with some very impressive robotic

figures.

At all four Walt Disney World theme parks in Florida you can find hundreds of animatronics

but there are a select few that deserve the spotlight.

Many of these figures marked milestones for their time, so today we’re gonna be counting

down the Top 10 Most Impressive Animatronics at Walt Disney World.

Number 10 As you set sail on Pirates of the Caribbean

at Magic Kingdom, the ride uses over 100 different audio animatronics but a few figures stand

out.

Captain Jack Sparrow was added to the crew of animatronics in 2006.

Many people have been fooled thinking it’s an actual actor since the figure perfectly

captures Johnny Depp’s mannerisms and movements.

He appears three times on the ride and although these A-100 figures have been around almost

15 years, they never fail to impress.

The newest audio animatronic is Redd who made her debut in 2018 when Disney introduced the

new auction scene.

Compared to the old Redhead, this A-100 figure is very fluid with a wider range of motion

making her appear quite lifelike.

{Redd} Drink up me hearties, yo-ho!

She compliments the Auctioneer next door who’s another A-100 figure.

He was upgraded in the early 90s and there was a time when he was one of, if not, THE

most impressive figure at Walt Disney World.

Animating 1 second of movement for an A-100 figure takes 8 hours to program, and that

in itself is impressive.

Just knowing the amount of hours that were spent bringing these characters right to life.

Number 9 In 2014 the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train debuted

at Magic Kingdom, which features 7 state of the art animatronics.

With the 7 Dwarf figures, Walt Disney Imagineering took audio animatronic technology to a new

level calling them 3-D Audio Animatronics.

The Dwarfs utilize projected faces, which had been seen before with Buzz Lightyear in

the 90s, but since then, technology advanced allowing for much more precision in the animatronic

animation.

The projected faces allowed the squash and stretch seen in film’s animation to come

right to life in the animatronics.

Every figure has multiple functions and the fluidity of these animatronics is incredible.

All of the the elements tied together really brings these classic Disney characters to

life.

{Doc} Heigh-ho!

Number 8 Racing into Disney’s Hollywood Studios you

can find the impressive Lightning McQueen in Lighting McQueen’s Racing Academy.

This audio animatronic made his debut in March of 2019 bringing this Pixar character to life

in a way thats never been seen before at Walt Disney World.

{Lightning McQueen} That’s why I started this racing academy, so I can pay it forward

to all of you.

The animators did a fantastic job with this audio animatronic.

He’s an extremely fluid figure.

It’s like he literally jumped off the screen right into the attraction.

Now since he is a car his range of motion in terms of functionality is sort of limited

but what really makes this figure impressive is his mouth.

It looks like the animatronic has a physical mouth that’s opening and closing, but it’s

really just a clever rear projection.

It allows these subtle nuanced mouth movements that could only be achieved with a screen

which in turn creates this lifelike character.

{Lightning McQueen} Consider yourself honorary members of my Lightning McQueen racing team.

Now go out there and get your tires dirty!

Ka-CHOW!

Have a great drive everybody!

It’s really something else seeing this audio animatronic in person.

Number 7 In 2019 Dok Ondar’s Den of Antiquities in

Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge became home to the big, gritty Ithorian Dok-Ondar who’s ready

to barter with visitors.

When it comes to advanced audio animatronic figures, Disney delivered a highly impressive

figure for a gift shop.

{Dok-Ondar Mumbling}

Although the Dok-Ondar is caged, you’re able to get pretty close to see all the details

especially on his face.

Many electric actuators are at work that allow the subtle movements of his eyes blinking

to check and mouth ripples while he mumbles.

{Dok-Ondar Mumbling}

You’re convinced you’re faced with a living breathing Ithorian and he’s actually quite

large.

{Dok-Ondar Mumbling..again}

The figure doesn’t have as many movement functions like other figures, but otherwise

he’s still incredibly fluid and very impressive.

Number 6 Next we’re gonna step right up and experience

the sensational mr potato head animatronic in the queue of Toy Story Mania.

{Mr. Potato Head singing} Step right up and take a ride.

My toy friends are all inside!

Standing approximately 5 feet tall, Mr. Potato Head made his debut in May of 2008.

The spud later disappeared for 2 1/2 years in December of 2015 then made his grand return

when Toy Story Land opened in June of 2018.

Disney definitely updated the animatronic during his hiatus because his range of motion

is more fluid than its ever been.

He looks great and this figure actually marks a few audio animatronic milestones.

Mr. Potato Head was one of the first audio animatronics that actually moved its lips

to form words and vowels, instead of just opening and closing its mouth.

He also has the most recorded dialogue of any animatronic ever, with about 20 minutes

worth.

He’s also the first animatronic to remove a piece of itself.

Sometimes he removes his ear; this was groundbreaking for an animatronic.

Now just take note that you can only see Mr. Potato Head in the standby queue.

You won’t see him if you use Fastpass, but if you ask me its worth it to do standby just

so you can watch this incredible animatronic.

{Mr. Potato Head} Folks I’ll give you a hint…this is the part where you clap

{light claps}

{Mr. Potato Head} Thank you, thank you, hey look a standing ovation.

You shouldn’t have.

Number 5 Under the Sea Journey of the Little Mermaid

at Magic Kingdom is filled with many animatronics but the true star is Ursula who stands 7 1/2

feet tall and 12 feet wide.

{Ursula singing} I admit that in the past I’ve been a nasty, they weren’t kidding

when they called me, well, a Witch.

She was first developed in 2011 for Ariels Undersea Adventure at Disney California Adventure,

then debuted at Magic Kingdom in 2012.

At the time she was one of the largest animatronics Walt Disney Imagineering had developed.

Ursula has 33 different functions and when you’re up close, you see the fluidly and

precision of the movements.

This includes her facial expressions, the squash and stretch of her torso and the gestures

of her tentacles.

By using stretch velvet on her torso and a flexible rubber on the rest of her body, the

figure always keeps its shape.

This allows the characterization traits from the film to be brought right to life with

this impressive animatronic.

{Ursula singing} They come flocking to cauldron crying spells Ursula please and I help them?

Yes i do.

Number 4 Over in world Showcase at Epcot the Norway

pavilion is home to Frozen Ever After and these audio animatronics are top notch.

At the time in 2016, they were the most advanced animatronics Disney had developed featuring

the first all-electric figures, as opposed to pneumatics or hydraulics.

The Olaf animatronics as well as Elsa during the the Let it Go sequence are ones to pay

special attention to.

Now although Olaf is small, he’s actually one of the most complex figures due to his

size.

All the components that allow him to have such life like movements needed to be crammed

into a very small and compact space.

{Olaf} For Sven and me and you.

We’re going up to Elsa’s Ice Palace with you

These all electric figures allow for increased fluidity.

A great example is the Elsa animatronic, which is so fluid that you could easily mistake

her movements for digital animation.

Combine this fluid movement from Disney Imagineering with facial animation from Walt Disney studios

and you’re faced with some very impressive audio Animatronics.

Number 3 Some of the newest Disney audio animatronics

can be found on Rise of the Resistance in Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge.

The attraction features 65 robotic figures to help tell this Star Wars Story and one

of the first impressive figures you’ll see is Lieutenant Beck.

{Lieutenant Beck} Engage reports and hold on recruits.

All ships launch!

If you grab a spot up front you can get really close to this figure where you can see so

many subtle movements from his eyes blinking to his nostrils flaring.

{Lieutenant Beck} We’re picking up an unusual signal, are you spotting anything?

Then once you’re on the physical ride, you’ll get a chance to Kylo Ren and Hux.

{Kylo-Ren} You will tell me the location of your secret base.

And then I will destroy you and the resistance.

He demonstrates a high level of animatronic fluidity and shows off some of the newest

technology Disney has developed.

To follow up the A100 figures, Imagineering developed the humanoid A1000 figures.

This completely replaced hydraulic actuators with electric ones and added some custom elements

as well.

The rumour of one of the Kylo-Ren figures being the Wicked Witch from the Great Movie

ride isn’t true since Disney told media outlets there are three humanoid A1000 figures.

The two Kylos and Hux.

The Wicked Witch was only an A100 figure, but next we’re gonna talk about an animatronic

that better shows off the nuances of the A1000 technology.

Number 2 Over in Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run you

can find Hondo Ohnaka in the pre show who is also an A1000 animatronic.

{Hondo} This is the group I’ve been waiting for.

Come in, come in!

Standing 7 feet tall, Hondo was the first humanoid A1000 figure to make its debut in

the parks, not to mention that he’s one of the most advanced figures Disney has developed

to date.

With a total of 51 functions including 10 in his head, Hondo moves in a hyper realistic

manner.

When you walk into the pre-show, if you didn’t know he was an audio animatronic you’d be

convinced it was an actor dressed as Hondo Ohnaka.

That is how detailed and fluid this animatronic figure is.

{Hondo} Today I am offering the opportunity of a lifetime.

I need flight crews to transport this valuable merchandise across the galaxy.

Even his knee bends as he turns and moves creating the illusion that he’s walking.

There’s always constant subtle movements.

This impressive advanced technology really opens up the possibilities of what animatronics

will be able to achieve in future Disney attractions.

{Hondo} Move along my friends.

Listen carefully and remember, the better you work together the more you earn.

Number 1 Over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom you can

find the most impressive Audio animatronic and that’s the Na’vi Shaman of Songs who

can be found on Na’Vi River Journey in Pandora.

The Na’vi Shaman made her debut in 2017 and although she’s no longer the most advanced

figure in terms of robotic technology, she still represents a huge achievement in animatronic

functions.

According to Walt Disney Imagineering, she has the most functionality out of any animatronic

they’ve produced.

Her body alone has 39 functions and her face has 42 separate functions which allows the

character to embody these precise life like expressions.

She moves with such fluidity and ease you’re just drawn to this character who is alive

right in front of you.

{Na’vi Shaman singing} Ma e wa.

Ma e wa.

Ma e wa.

Truly it’s the most impressive animatronic at Walt Disney World.

{Na’vi Shaman} I look forward to seeing you on Pandora.

Wa-na-te-ka-me-a

So what’s your favorite audio animatronic at Walt Disney World?

What are your thoughts on the animatronic technology being introduced into the parks.

I’d love to know!

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