We NEVER Thought We’d See Mickey Mouse Like THIS…but Here We Are!

What if we told you Tinker Bell was REAL? Or THE Incredible Hulk was walking around the Disney parks? What if you could see Judy Hopps rollerskate past you? Sounds like a dream, right? Well, Disney Imagineers are working on ways to make it ALL a reality.

We’re reporting LIVE from D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, and there is SO MUCH to see and do here. In fact, we got the opportunity to talk to Mickey Mouse like NEVER before. Sure, we chat with Mickey all the time, but what you’re about to see is WAY different than a regular character meet-and-greet.

In the past, we’ve seen Imagineers show off all kinds of amazing tech. Often, these demonstrations are for projects that are still in the early stages of development, but it certainly gets us thinking about all the cool things on the horizon. Remember when we saw this epic Judy Hopps robot?!

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♬ original sound – Shakira Philippines ?? – Shakira Philippines ??

Well, this time, Disney has some interesting new character interaction technology to show off. We got the chance to ask a few questions to everyone’s favorite pal, Mickey Mouse! Unlike most other interactions with Mickey in the parks, he actually talked to Quincy as she asked him questions about himself, his favorite memories, and favorite park snacks.

We got to MEET MICKEY MOUSE at #D23! What will @DisneyD23 have in store for the rest of the weekend to top this?? pic.twitter.com/D9Bl7kAmPY

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Just like interacting with Crush in Turtle Talk with Crush as EPCOT, Mickey was able to give live responses to Quincy’s questions. He was extremely sweet making us feel welcome and comfortable. When we asked what his favorite magic making memory was he had a hard time picking just one since he’s been in the business of making magic for so long!

Thanks to some “industry-leading motion capture technology” and “real-time animation,” we got to have a conversation with Mickey Mouse (and yes, that’s the official voice of Mickey Mouse, Bret Iwan).

At this time, it’s still not totally clear if or when this technology might appear in the parks. That said, we’re already imagining all kinds of ways this kind of tech could work in Disney World! Anyone else? Between the wandering droids, and that new technology for a magical floor you can walk on endlessly, there’s a lot to look forward to.

In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more.

Click here to see more about some of Disney’s other character tech!

What do you think about this new tech? Tell us in the comments!

Disclosure: We were invited by Disney to attend a special demonstration of new technology. This did not affect our reporting of the event — our opinions are our own.