Courtesy of David James/Disney/Lucasfilm Ltd. Call it the J.J. Effect. Animatronics — along with similar techniques like puppetry, makeup effects and miniatures — is making a comeback. The work was ...

Animatronics have a rich and storied history, much of it dating back to the 1964 World’s Fair. Walt Disney was fascinated by animatronics and Disney Imagineers designed and built several of them for ...

Mechanical birds, bears and princesses have chirped, growled and sung in Orlando’s theme parks for more than 50 years. The animatronic trend shows no signs of fading, as new figures arrive in new ...