"You just start to get pissed off" - Walt Disney's granddaughter slams new robot of him at Disneyland

Joanna Miller, Walt Disney's granddaughter, has spoken strongly against her grandfather's new animatronic figure at Disneyland, which she describes as emotionally shocking and dehumanizing. The new robot portrayal of Disney, which was recently revealed in connection with the park’s 70th anniversary under a new attraction “Walt Disney - A Magical Life”, drew intense backlash from Miller, who claims the robotic figure does not resemble him and does not honor his legacy the way he wished.

“I think I started crying,” Miller told the Los Angeles Times after seeing the animatronic for the first time. “It didn’t look like him, to me.” Adding,

“You just start to get pissed off. And you get tired of being quiet.”

That anger compelled her to articulate her feelings on public forums — a decision which surprisingly captivated the audience, even top executives at Disney.

Miller asked the public in her November 2024 post to convince Disney to “abandon the Robot of Grampa.” She remarked how it did not capture the essence and creativity that her grandfather possessed. Furthermore, she stated that her family knows Walt Disney had told Imagineer Sam McKim, at some point, that he never intended to become an animatronic figure.

Regardless, it signifies an important step in the company's technology development. Josh D’Amaro, Disney Experiences Chairman, praised the figure as an innovative project that had become possible only with recent technological advancements.

“We just had to wait for innovation to catch up with our dreams,” he asserted during the Horizons: Disney Experiences Showcase.

A divided family reaction to Robot Walt Disney

Though Miller had her reasons, other members of the Disney family do not side with her. A statement from the Walt Disney Family Museum explicates that five of Walt’s grandchildren and three of his great-grandchildren were invited to preview the animatronic. Others have left the experience having great admiration for the thought and creativity involved in making the attraction.

Chris Miller, Walt’s oldest grandson, said,

“While our family has our own memories of Walt as our grampa, we left the presentation feeling confident that he will be depicted in the show as the public remembers him.”

His sister Tamara, vice president of the museum’s board, added,

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“This attraction is a great opportunity... We believe that our grandfather would have been enthusiastic about the project.”

Despite showing interest in Joanna Miller’s complaints during meetings with her, Disney’s leadership, including CEO Bob Iger, has made it clear that they have no plans to alter or retract the attraction. Although Miller’s war may be considered over, her perspective, rooted in personal experience and family history, powerfully opposes the corporate narrative that is constantly juxtaposed with the ecosystem businesses aim to cultivate.

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