Disney Imagineer Moritz Baecher | World of Frozen | Olaf Robotics | AI Physics

Imagination Skyway

Matthew Krul

History, Places & Travel, Society & Culture, Kids & Family

4.9 • 846 Ratings

🗓️ 21 March 2026

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

World of Frozen at Disney Adventure World (Disneyland Paris) opened with an Olaf autonomous robotic character. Developed by Walt Disney Imagineering Research and Development in partnership with Walt Disney Animations Studios, NVIDIA, and Google DeepMind, Olaf was developed in months using Newton, an AI open-source, extensible physics engine that advances robot learning and development. In this episode, I interview Moritz Baecher about his work on this new Disney Parks robotic character inspired by Frozen, and I chat with James Grosch from Guide2WDW about his preview of World of Frozen. Get ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, in-depth news analysis, and premium content at patreon.com/imaginationskyway. To plan a trip, be sure to work with KMV Travel. Read Matt's Imagineering column in WDW Magazine. Imagination Skyway is a Disney Parks and Imagineering podcast. Episodes explore attraction design, recap Disney news, and dive into the stories behind the magic, including interviews with Disney Imagineers, Disney Legends, and other Disney creators. Not affiliated with or endorsed by The Walt Disney Company. Disney is a trademark of The Walt Disney Company. Tag me and join the conversation below. Instagram: www.instagram.com/imaginationskyway Facebook: www.facebook.com/imaginationskyway YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@imaginationskyway Email: matthew.krul@imaginationskyway.com How to Support the Show Share the podcast with your friends Rate and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Join our Patreon Group - https://www.patreon.com/imaginationskyway Enjoy the show!

Transcript

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0:00.0	What did it take to bring an autonomous robotic character to life at the Disney Parks?
0:04.0	Stay tuned for my interview with Walt Disney Imagineer Moritz Beher about how his team brought Olaf to life in a matter of months.
0:15.0	Welcome aboard Imagination Skyway, your guided tour through the worlds of Disney and Imagineering.
0:20.0	I'm your host, Matthew Krall, and it's my job to explore the stories and places we love and the people who bring them to life.
0:27.6	Today's episode consists of two parts.
0:30.2	First, you'll get to hear my interview with Moritz Becker, lab director on the research and development team for Walt Disney Imagineering.
0:37.7	In our discussion, Maritz and I discuss his work on Olaf for the World of Frozen,
0:42.2	which is an autonomous robotic character brought to life in partnership with Walt Disney Animation Studios,
0:48.6	and an open source extensible physics engine called Newton,
0:52.4	which was developed by NVIDIA, Google DeepMind, and Disney Research to advance robotic learning and development.
0:59.1	Whether you're interested in technology, imaginering, or the future, it's a conversation you will not want to miss.
1:04.9	And for you audiophiles out there, just a heads up that you might notice the interview sounds cleaned up.
1:10.0	Due to the nature of the original recording, I had to implement a high degree of voice isolation and compression to enhance your listening experience.
1:17.6	After the interview staying tuned for my conversation with James Grosch from Guide to WDW, as we discuss his trip to Disneyland Paris to see the Olaf figure up close and to experience
1:28.6	the world of Frozen before its official opening day at Disney Adventure World later this month.
1:34.3	As you fest in your seatbelt, I encourage you to take out your mobile devices and search for
1:37.8	Imagination Skyway on your favorite social media app.
1:40.8	Better yet, if you're looking for ad-free episodes, bonus content, or the ability to comment
1:44.7	directly on the podcast, head to patreon.com slash imagination skyway, where you could sign up for a
1:50.9	free account or a premium subscription. And if this episode leaves you yearning for a trip to Disney or any
1:56.4	other destination, reach out to our partners and sponsors at KMV Travel voted the top travel agency
2:03.1	in Orlando in 2025. To get started, visit KMVTravel.com slash skyway. As we begin our journey,
	...

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