4. Indominus Rex (Jurassic World Adventure, Universal Studios Beijing)

Following the popularity of Jurassic World, fans have been eager to see how the new addition to the franchise would be incorporated in Universal theme parks. With the opening of Jurassic World - The Ride in Universal Studios Hollywood and Jurassic World Adventure in Universal Beijing, guests can actually have an up-close encounter with the aggressive Indominus Rex. 

Although there’s technically two I-Rexes operating in Universal parks, we’ll be focusing on the one in Beijing for this section. In 2021, Universal Beijing introduced the Jurassic World Adventure as part of the park’s grand opening. This simulated dark ride took guests on a trip through Isla Nublar during the peak of Jurassic World’s popularity. Unlike the T-Rex animatronic mentioned before, the Indominus Rex is not entirely fixed to one spot.

In certain sections, it even appears as though the hybrid dinosaur is chasing the ride vehicle through the experience! The finale of the ride concludes with a showdown between the rexes, and the fluid and realistic motion of the I-Rex is truly captivating.

5. The Shaman of Songs (Na’vi River Journey at Disney’s Animal Kingdom)

The Shaman of Songs is an incredible animatronic featured in the Na’vi River Journey at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This animatronic has been highly praised for its wide range of motion and smoothness during its performance, particularly in the hands and fingers.

The fluidity really gives the impression of life, and for many first-time visitors, a common mistake is believing the shaman is a live actor and not a startlingly realistic robot. Whether or not you are a fan of the Avatar franchise, you have to admit the shaman’s place on this list is well-deserved.

6. Spider-Man (around WEB SLINGERS attraction, Avengers Campus Disney’s California Adventure)

Arguably the most impressive technological feats on this list is a special Spider-Man stunt animatronic. This ambitious project started as nothing more than a few sticks tied together in a z-shape and flung from a swinging rope and developed into a complex stunt double able to flip and correct itself mid-air.

This incredible animatronic can be seen at the Avengers Campus in Disney’s California Adventure around the WEB SLINGERS attraction, and is used to complete outstanding and realistic-looking stunts high in the air without concern of human injuries. 

This animatronic has become one of the crown achievements of recent robotics, and the title is well-deserved. Seeing this animatronic in action is truly mind-blowing, as can be seen in the YouTube video embedded above.

These are just a few examples of the impressive technology put to use in modern theme parks worldwide. As the popularity of immersive theme park attractions continues to grow, it’s very likely companies will continue to push the limits of robotics.

I can’t help but grow excited thinking about the future of animatronics at the parks–what do you hope to see  in the future of robotics? Are there any animatronics we missed that deserve to make it onto this list? Let us know your thoughts by leaving us a comment below or on our Facebook page.