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Audio Animatronics are constantly being recycled at the Disney Theme parks.
They’re expensive to produce so Disney reuses these robotic figures where they can.
In part one of Recycled Animatronics featuring Disney Dan we discussed figures from old attractions
being recycled into new attractions.
In part two, we discussed Disney recycling animatronic molds, where a lot of the same
face molds were used in multiple attractions.
Well in this third instalment, we’ll be primarily focusing on old animatronic figures
being recycled as props.
We’ll also be taking a look at some traditional animatronic recycling as well and who better
to help co-host the video than Disney Dan! {Disney Dan} What’s going on Disney fans,
I’M BACK!
I’ve Robin Williams this thing!!
You most definitely have!
{Dan} That’s right.
You might as well just called this Recycled Animatronics part 3 and the Prince of Thieves
because Disney Dan is back!
So while looking at the history of animatronics and extinct attractions, today we’re gonna
be counting down the Top 10 Recycled Disney Animatronics part 3!
Number 10 One of the earliest examples of animatronic
recycling can be found in the Primeval World diorama on the Disneyland railroad in California.
For the 1964 New York World’s Fair, Disney developed an attraction called Ford’s Magic
Skyway.
Guests were seated in the newest Ford model and were taken on a slow journey from the
ancient past into the future.
The past involved a series of scenes with many audio animatronic dinosaurs; these were
some of the largest animatronics Disney had built at the time.
Out of the 4 attractions Disney developed for the New York World’s Fair, Ford’s
Magic Skyway would be the only one after the fair ended in 1965 to not find a home at Disneyland…but
the dinosaurs did.
Disney wanted to reuse these impressive audio animatronics, so in 1966 they were recycled
into the Primeval World diorama on the Disneyland Railroad.
The animatronics don’t have a large range of motion but they’re in excellent shape
and represent such an important part of Disney animatronic history.
Number 9 Star Tours: the Adventure Continues can be
found at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disneyland in California, Disneyland Paris and Tokyo
Disneyland.
Many audio animatronics fill the attraction’s queue but there’s one specific prop that’s
actually an old recycled audio animatronic.
In the current version of Star Tours, C3-PO pilots the star speeder but he was only added
during the attraction’s update in 2010.
Before C3-Po took over the pilots seat, the droid Rex was the original Starspeeder pilot.
Since he was removed in this new incarnation of Star Tours, Imagineers recycled the animatronic
and placed him right in the queue.
He can be found in the droid custom area of the second room after you pass C3-Po.
When you’re walking into the room, you can find him here on the right hand side at Disneyland
in California and at Hollywood Studio’s he’s right here on the left hand side.
Rex is marked as defective and although he no longer moves, you catch him light up and
mutter some of his old dialogue from the original ride.
{Rex} I meant to do that…a-a-a-a-
{Rex} I meant to do that.
A little shortcut
Rex can also be found in the queue at Disneyland Paris and at Tokyo Disneyland.
Number 8 Next we’ll board our Viking Ship and sail
into Norway Pavilion at Epcot.
Before Frozen Ever After opened in June of 2016 this space used to be home to Maelstrom.
The classic boat ride featured a variety of different audio animatronics but when the
ride closed in October of 2014 a group of animatronic figures were recycled into Frozen
Ever After.
During the Polar Bear scene on Maelstrom, you were able to find these puffins on the
left hand side.
They’re simple figures painted with black light paint.
Well after your ship passes marshmallow on Frozen Ever After and heads down the drop,
you’ll find the puffin animatronics from Maelstrom on the right hand side.
Recycling these figures into the snowy mountains outside of Elsa’s Ice castle acts as a fun
little tribute to the extinct Disney ride.
These were the only animatronics recycled from the ride but this polar bear animatronic
from Maelstrom is currently on display in central shops at Walt Disney World.
If you take the backstage magic tour you’ll get to see this extinct audio animatronic!
Number 7 Over in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom you’ll
find these beautiful water spitting camels in front of the Magic Carpets of Aladdin and
they actually have a rich history of recycling.
In 1992 a parade called Aladdin’s Royal Caravan made its debut at what used to be
Disney MGM Studios.
Both of these golden camels made their original debut as a parade float.
While turning their heads from side to side, they would spray guests with water along the
parade route; even Danny Tanner was sprayed by these camels.
In August of 1995 they ended their parade run when they found a new home outside of
what used to be the Soundstage Restaurant.
It’s where the Disney Junior Dance Party is today.
After spending another 3 years at the entrance of the restaurant the camels were removed
in November of 1998 and then in May of 2001 they were finally recycled into their current
home at the Magic Kingdom.
Aside from the slightly different paint job, the camels remained the exact same, although
it does seems like their heads have stopped moving as of recently.
Don’t they look lovely June!?
At least now it’s become a lot easier to not get wet.
Number 6 Muppet Vision 3-d at Disney’s Hollywood
Studios includes some animatronics and although none of them are recycled, the attraction
does include some recycled puppets.
The queue is filled with so much detail that you’ll spot something new every time, but
have you ever noticed these solider figures plopped up in the catwalks.
There’s a few of them in multiple places, and they’re actually some of the authentic
Jim Hensen rod puppets used in Muppet Vision 3-D. In Sam Eagle’s patriotic Grand finale
of the film, there’s this army of soldiers.
Made out of foam and polyurethane, the soldiers recycled in the queue are the ones seen in
the back of this shot.
The arms and legs of multiple puppets were connected by a rod on a rack, and a puppeteer
would toggle the rod allowing their arms and feet to move in sync.
You could consider them to be manual animatronics, which pretty much describes a puppet.
After filming, Imagineers got a hold of some of the puppets, recycled them as props and
hid them right in the queue along with all the other gags and details.
Number 5 Heading back to Epcot, we’re gonna step
into the world of Imagination in Future World.
Journey into Imagination with Figment, stars…well Figment and he appears three times on the
ride as an audio animatronic.
If you weren’t aware, this is the third incarnation of Journey into Imagination and
there’s been some talk that when Disney added figment back into the ride in 2002,
they recycled some of the original figment animatronics.
Well upon further investigation, it looks like Disney did not recycle any of the physical
animatronics but they did recycle the molds to create new figures.
Many original animatronics from Journey into Imagination were auctioned off like space
Figment, but a duplicate Space figment was recreated for the current ride.
Many animatronics were stored by Disney and some were recycled as display pieces in the
parks, like this animatronic that used to be in One Man’s Dream at Hollywood Studios.
Number 4 Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout at
Disney California Adventure takes you into the collector’s fortress.
Every room in the queue is filled with a variety of artifacts including many props and even
some animatronics.
When you enter the room to access the gantry lifts, straight ahead on this shelf you’ll
spot a Yeti which is actually an animatronic that came from a classic Disneyland attraction.
Harold, the nickname given to the Abominable Snowman, has been a resident of the Matterhorn
Bobsleds since 1978.
For the diamond celebration in 2015, Disney removed the original Yeti animatronics which
can be seen here and installed the advanced figures that can be seen today.
Well after spending a few years in the Disney archives, Imagineers dug out one of the 3
Harold animatronics along with other Disney treasures to fill the collectors fortress.
Since the attraction opened in May of 2017 many people have notice Harold because of
his size but there’s another animatronic right beside him that many people seem to
miss.
Number 3 Staying in Guardians of the Galaxy Mission
Breakout, if you look to the right of Harold you’ll find this octopus with a pink bow
and this is also an old animatronic from an extinct Disneyland attraction.
The Country Bear Jamboree used to be where the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is
today.
The attraction opened in March of 1972 and in February of 1986 the original show was
replaced with the Country Bear Vacation Hoedown.
The show featured a new script and songs, but still had all your favorite bear characters
now wearing new summer outfits.
In Vacation Hoedown, Terrence appears with Delores his octopus girlfriend, and she was
a new animatronic figure added to the original cast.
Well in September of 2001, Disneyland evicted the Country Bears and we had to say goodbye
to all these animatronics.
Well after being stored in the Disney archives for over 15 years, Dolores made her big comeback
in May of 2017 at Disney California Adventure.
Although she no longer moves and is just a prop it’s still a fun reminder of an extinct
Disneyland attraction.
Number 2- In the Polynesian resort at Walt Disney World
you can find Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto, this quant little Tiki Bar.
If you look up at the back wall, you’ll find the Tiki Goodes Uh-O-A, watching over
everyone.
Usually she sits in darkness but when everyone chants her name she’s woken from her slumber.
Uh-Oa speak!
The tiki gods will speak!
Although Uh-Oa is now a static figure, she’s actually an audio animatronic from a sort
of extinct attraction at Magic Kingdom.
From April of 1998 until June of 2011 the enchanted Tiki Room used to be the Enchanted
Tiki Room Under New Management.
The show featured all the classic Tiki Birds along with Iago, Zazu and Uh-oa who was a
pretty impressive animatronic.
Who dares to save the tIki Gods?
Well thanks to a fire inside the tiki room, the attraction had to close, and when they
reverted back to the original show, Uh-Oa was removed and sent to Glendale California.
It wasn’t until late 2014 when Uh-Oa was discovered by former Imagineer Trader Brandon.
She was in a pile of animatronics that were used for training imagineers, but Brandon
was able to take her to Florida and incorporate her into Trader Sam’s.
She wasn’t animated in the bar because of budget issues but this recycled animatronic
lets us remember one of, if not THE ONLY good thing from the Enchanted Tiki Room Under New
Management.
Number 1 At Magic Kingdom, Sonny Eclipse, the singing
Lounge lizard, can be found at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland.
Thank you, thank you very much!
The audio animatronic was added to the restaurant in 1994 but did you know that he actually
began his journey over in Tokyo Disneyland.
Tokyo’s version of Star Tours opened in 1989 and baggage Officer Zzyxx (Zix) used
to be found at the attraction’s exit.
He looks pretty familiar, right?
Well that’s because imagineers recycled his animatronic mold and duplicated the figure
in 1994 when they were redesigning Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom.
You can see both of their movements are identical and by changing the figure’s skin color,
getting rid of the glasses, adding some hair and giving him a different outfit, they created
the brand new character of Sonny Eclipse.
Once both of the characters were coexisting, they were referred to as cousins- Sonny was
from Yew Work City and Officer Zix was from Joo Nerzey.
Just wanna say a big thank you to Disney Dan for coming back to thew channel to co-host
part 3! {DisneyDan} Thanks for having me TPM!
Its always great talking about these treasures around the parks.
Your audience is the best, you guys rock!
I love all of you
If you aren’t familiar with DisneyDan be sure to check out his channel and subscribe.
He has some really awesome videos of the evolution of Disney Characters in the theme parks.
You can find Dan’s channel in the card in the right hand side or in the description
bellow!
So whats your favourite recycled animatronic from the Disney theme parks?
Were you surprised with any of these animatronics listed here being recycled and reused?
I’d love to know!
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