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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 places at Walt Disney World, and Epic Universe introduces batches of lifelike characters.

The additions range from a planned electronic version of Walt Disney at Magic Kingdom to a lumbering Frankenstein’s monster figure that debuted with Epic in May.

“People still enjoy seeing lifelike figures of their heroes, villains and others come alive,” said Dennis Speigel, CEO of International Theme Park Services. “I think this is one area that continues to evolve, and I don’t think we’ve seen anything yet.”

Technological advances are enabling the improved illusion of the figures, said Brian Ott, show systems studio executive with Walt Disney Imagineering.

“The way that we can now simulate, the way that we now design, the way that we now can generate content for these and in style — like it is moving like the character that everybody sees and recognizes from the film … I think that’s really the appeal of like, ‘Wow, not only did I see Elsa on the ride, but I felt like it was Elsa. It moved, it performed, it looked at me,’” Ott said. read more

There have been hundreds of animatronic figures scattered across Walt Disney World over the past 54 years. Here are 10 notable ones that can be spied its theme parks in 2025.

• Country Bears Musical Jamboree, the reboot of an original Magic Kingdom attraction, added more twang and more Disney in the summer of 2024 but maintained an animatronic lineup that includes Big Al now singing “Remember Me” from “Coco.”

• Elsewhere in Frontierland, last year’s transformation of Splash Mountain into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure was assisted by figures for the title character, Mama Odie, critters as band members and Louis, the trumpet-playing alligator, which was touted as one of the largest figures Imagineers has ever concocted.

• A very expressive Hondo Ohnaka animatronic gives instructions during the preshow for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

• The end of Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster at Hollywood Studios features Wheezy, an animatronic penguin performing “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” read more

By JOSH BOAK, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is giving domestic automakers additional relief from tariffs on auto parts, extending what was supposed to have been a short-term rebate until 2030.

It’s part of a proclamation Trump signed Friday that also made official a 25% import tax on medium and heavy duty trucks, starting Nov. 1.

The action reflected the administration’s efforts to use tariffs to promote American manufacturing while also trying to shield the auto sector from the higher costs that Trump’s import taxes have created for parts and raw materials.

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By BARBARA ORTUTAY, Associated Press

Meta is adding parental controls for kids’ interactions with artificial intelligence chatbots — including the ability to turn off one-on-one chats with AI characters altogether — beginning early next year.

But parents won’t be able to turn off Meta’s AI assistant, which Meta says will “will remain available to offer helpful information and educational opportunities, with default, age-appropriate protections in place to help keep teens safe.”

Parents who don’t want to turn off all chats with all AI characters will also be able to block specific chatbots. And Meta said Friday that parents will be able to get “insights” about what their kids are chatting about with AI characters — although they won’t get access to the full chats.

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