Disney didn’t merely write the book on Audio-Animatronics (AAs). They own the trademark on the concept. Circling all the way back to the 1964 New York World’s Fair, Disney invented and perfected the technology. They coined the term in 1961, trademarked it in 1964, and finally registered it in 1967. That was half a century ago, yet Disney still reigns supreme as the unquestioned master of the technology. Today, we’re going to look at eight of the best Audio-Animatronics in operation today.
8. Jose, Michael, Pierre, and Fritz (Enchanted Tiki Room)
Image: DisneyThey were the first, these enchanted tiki birds. At a time when the idea of robotic repetition of specific mannerisms seemed as implausible as outer space travel, Disney introduced the world to these fine-feathered friends. And the world appropriately responded with awe and delight.
These birds have hosted the same gathering at Adventureland going all the way back to 1960. I won’t pretend that it’s a fresh story by now, but who cares? The Enchanted Tiki Room was the integral first step toward realistic robot behavior in themed attractions. It’s an iconic feat of Imagineering that has stood the test of time. And it shall have a home now and forever more at the tiki, tiki, tiki, tiki, tiki room. Since this list couldn’t exist without the birds, their presence on it is an imperative.
7. Robot Abraham Lincoln (Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln)
Image: DisneyYes, this sounds like a mechanized villain trying to enslave humanity, but you still know exactly who I mean. While the tiki birds were technically the first AAs, President Lincoln was the one that established the limitless potential for the concept. The State of Illinois Pavilion featured an avant-garde innovation. The Illinois government commissioned WED Enterprises to create a loving tribute to arguably the most famous American President. Disney delivered an astounding technological achievement, a robot capable of mimicking Lincoln in the most explicit detail. Imagineers confirmed that it could perform thousands of individual movements, more than enough to make people believe that they were listening to a real speech from the Great Uniter.
6. Rover the Dog (Carousel of Progress)
Image: DisneyNothing says Americana like the family dog. It’s an indispensable part of our culture, and that’s what makes the puppy’s presence in Carousel of Progress so fitting. As everyday living changes, the basics of how we dress, cook, and communicate may change. That loyal puppy still sits on the living room floor, though, and he pays rapt attention to the communications of the beloved humans who feed and pet him.
Rover’s mannerisms are pitch perfect for the show. His face is so sweet and innocent that you’re likely to forget that dog is more than 50 years old, which is about 3 million in human years. Good boy!
5. Captain Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean)
Image: DisneyIn the days leading up to the release of Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Men Tell No Tales, actor Johnny Depp shocked Disneyland guests. He appeared in character as Captain Jack Sparrow on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. I had to laugh as I read some of the comments on the story, as several of them had the same general point. The AA of Jack Sparrow is so good on the ride that Depp’s presence borders on redundant. The only difference is that Depp can ad-lib on the fly. Otherwise, the robot is a perfectly acceptable substitution in the absence of Depp. It’s a truly amazing recreation of an imitable character.
4. C-3PO (Star Tours)
Image: DisneyTo my mind, the strongest indicator that an AA works well is when you forget it’s an AA. In the case of Star Tours, you load up in your space cart and prepare for yet another journey down the 50+ pathways available in a galaxy far, far away.
Your host for the proceedings is a whiny golden android whose presence is calmly reassuring. You know that he’s suffered through many of these voyages and despite his ceaseless complaining, he’s survived each time. Now, he’s ready to guide you on a journey.
The whole situation feels perfectly reasonable…until you remember that this is a robot, and a fake one at that. C-3PO has limited range of motion out of necessity to the ride’s movements, but he’s extremely real in his mannerisms and behavior.
3. The Yeti (Expedition Everest)
Image: DisneyYes, the Disco Yeti is broken. He hasn’t operated in A Mode since the first few months of Expedition Everest. Should Disney try to run him in A Mode again, they might literally bring a mountain down on top of the Yeti. He’s so heavy that he’s done permanent damage to the foundation of the manmade Forbidden Mountain. All of these statements are true.
BUT!
Let’s be honest here. Even flying at half-mast in B Mode, the Yeti is still a stunning triumph in Imagineering. That sucker is 25 feet tall and literally weighs a ton (and then some). Despite his massive size, the Yeti is capable of movement in all three dimensions. It’s a marvel of physics despite its existential threat to the Forbidden Mountain that hosts it. Plus, a Disco Yeti is just plain fun. It’s okay for some Disney stuff to be silly, right? Plus, I kind of love the idea that Disney accidentally built a killer robot that could bring down Expedition Everest from within.
2. Duncan the Parrot (Miss Adventure Falls)
Image: DisneyThe genesis of this article was my realization that 2017 stands as the pinnacle of audio-animatronics. More than half a century after the invention, Disney is still finding new and original ways to improve the technology. Their two most recent AAs are also their best to date. No, they’re not as historically significant as Lincoln or the Tiki Birds, but that’s not the point. They’re just plain great AAs.
Duncan the Parrot is the less heralded of the two. He resides at Miss Adventure Falls and is the last thing you see (and hear) before your raft goes over the edge and hurtles you into the great unknown. Duncan is tiny by AA standards, but the level of precision and detail is amazing. He sings sea shanties, flirts with a woman (or statue), dances on a water biscuit barrel, and peers intently into a telescope. In short, he’s personable and charismatic in a way that few AAs are.
1. Shaman of Songs (Na’Vi River Journey)
Image: DisneyThere’s a measuring stick for greatness in each field. Something is the first of its kind, and then its successors all angle to become the best one ever. James Naismith invented basketball, Michael Jordan became the greatest ever at it, and now Kevin Durant and LeBron James are trying to surpass the current standard-bearer. That’s how the process works.
In the field of AAs, the Tiki birds were the first to arrive, but they were almost immediately surpassed by Abraham Lincoln. His greatness differentiated him from other AAs through several generations of technological innovations. Eventually, C-3PO, Captain Jack Sparrow, and the Yeti all had moments where they claimed the title of greatest AA.
In 2017, Imagineers debuted a new entrant, and it instantly became the best AA ever constructed. It’s the Shaman of Songs on Na’Vi River Journey, a character capable of several stunning independent movements. The Shaman has a tail that flicks erratically and limbs that move so elegantly that you forget you’re watching a robot play the drums.
Perhaps the greatest accomplishment with the Shaman is her grace and poise. This AA actually displays balance and fluidity of movement as she interacts with the surrounding environment. And her presence seems so fitting that you may forget that you’re looking at a robot…of an alien…on a soundstage. That’s three levels of Imagineering all coming together to create the ultimate AA.
Of course, the beauty of Disney theme parks is that a couple of years from now, some Star Wars AA will seem so advanced that it’ll make the Shaman of Songs seem like a Tiki bird by comparison.
