The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln
Disneyland Park · Main Street, U.S.A.
Overview
Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln seats guests in the Main Street Opera House theater for a short, dignified presentation built around a strikingly lifelike Audio-Animatronic Abraham Lincoln, delivering a compiled reading of his best-known speeches. The figure's movement and voice work were groundbreaking when the show debuted and remain an impressive technical showcase even by modern standards, presented with minimal staging beyond the figure itself.
ParksLog verdict
Lincoln's dialogue was originally recorded by actor Royal Dano for this 1965 show, one of Walt Disney's earliest large-scale Audio-Animatronics showcases — most guests walk past without realizing what they're skipping. Not essential viewing, but worth the fifteen minutes for anyone curious where Disney's animatronic technology started. It now rotates daily with Walt Disney – A Magical Life, so check the current schedule before planning around it.
About this experience
Seated theater presentation built around a lifelike Audio-Animatronic Abraham Lincoln delivering an amalgamation of his most notable speeches.
Best for
- Guests interested in Disney's Audio-Animatronics history
- History and Lincoln enthusiasts
- A quiet, air-conditioned seated break on Main Street
Tips
- It now shares the Opera House theater with Walt Disney – A Magical Life on a rotating daily schedule — check current showtimes before planning around it.
- It's a good low-key stop early in the day given its typical morning-to-early-afternoon showtimes.
- The presentation is brief and stationary — don't expect a large-scale spectacle, it's a technical showcase more than an entertainment set piece.
Details
History
The show originated at the 1964 New York World's Fair as part of the State of Illinois pavilion before a duplicate version opened at Disneyland on July 18, 1965. As of 2026 it plays in daily rotation with Walt Disney – A Magical Life in the same Opera House theater, typically running from park opening until early afternoon.
Fun facts
- It was originally created for the State of Illinois pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair before a version opened at Disneyland in 1965.
- Lincoln's dialogue was originally recorded by actor Royal Dano.
- It was one of Walt Disney's earliest showcases of Audio-Animatronics technology, predating many of the company's later animatronic attractions.