Report: 'Big Hero 6' director has returned to Disney for unannounced project. There's (reportedly) a familiar face again walking through the halls of Walt Disney Animation Studios. The Wrap's Drew Taylor reports that accomplished director Don Hall has returned to Disney following a brief stint at Skydance Animation. Taylor writes that Hall has "already started work on an unannounced project for his old studio." Don Hall returns to Walt Disney Animation Studios. Hall, now 57, first began working at Walt Disney Animation Studios at just 25. His first credit was as a story artist on Tarzan (1999). He worked on films such as The Emperor's New Groove, Brother Bear, and Chicken Little in various capacities before receiving writing and head-of-story credits on Meet the Robinsons (2007). Hall made his directorial debut with Winnie the Pooh (2011), a project he co-helmed with Meet the Robinsons director Stephen Anderson. He would go on to co-direct Big Hero 6 (2014) with Chris Williams. He and Williams are also listed as co-directors of Moana (2016), with company icons John Musker and Ron Clements receiving primary directing credits. Hall also co-directed Raya and the Last Dragon (2021), and he's credited as the sole director of Strange World (2022). Subjective quality aside, the latter film is remembered as one of the studio's largest financial failures, losing over $150 million. The filmmaker left Disney for Skydance Animation in 2024, reuniting with John Lasseter. The former Walt Disney Animation Studios chief joined Skydance as Head of Animation in 2019 following his departure from Disney, one prompted by sexual misconduct allegations. Potential projects. Hall's departure from Skydance not only underscores the perilous nature of the company's current animation structure (it owns three animation arms following its recent acquisitions of Paramount and Warner Bros.), but it raises intrigue about the proverbial irons Disney has in the fire. Looking past this month's Hexed, projects currently confirmed to be in development at Disney include Frozen 3, Clay, Zootopia 3, and Frozen 4. Given that Taylor describes Hall's project as "unannounced," we can likely assume he's not helming any of these features Dwayne Johnson shared over the summer that Disney is currently developing a third animated Moana film. Perhaps Hall, a co-director of the first Moana, is returning to right the ship (pun intended) following Moana 2, which, despite grossing over $1 billion worldwide, received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. And speaking of sequels, who wouldn't love a Big Hero 6 follow-up? Who would say no to more Baymax on the big screen? Raya and the Last Dragon also has sequel potential. We're good on Strange World, though. Perhaps Hall is developing an entirely new story, which would actually be preferable. Disney's forthcoming slate looks a bit franchise-heavy, so original ideas are always a plus. As always, be sure to keep an eye on MickeyBlog for the latest on all things Disney.

Disney tests nasa-grade AI robots to take over specific park operations. Cars...driving cars? That could soon be a realistic thing that millions of Walt Disney World and Disney theme park fans see as technology advances, and so does Disney in the field of robotics. My videos. Robotic cars could one Day help park your car as you visit Walt Disney World resort. Disney and FieldAI are exploring robots that could help direct parking operations, while Imagineering studies the technology for future character experiences in theme parks. Cars parking cars. It sounds like a scene straight out of Pixar's Cars, but Disney is exploring something remarkably close to that idea. Imagine a friendly robotic vehicle directing drivers toward available spaces, turning one of the least magical parts of a Disney vacation into something more entertaining. On November 3, 2026, The Walt Disney Company revealed a collaboration with robotics company FieldAI during its Disney Accelerator Demo Day at the Walt Disney Studios lot. The project explores using intelligent robots to support parking operations, but its potential implications extend beyond the parking lot. According to Disney's official announcement, Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development is also investigating whether FieldAI's navigation and environmental awareness technology could help create future robotic characters for Disney theme parks. The possibilities are intriguing. However, Disney has not announced a public deployment date or identified a theme park where these parking assistants will operate. Disney's robotic parking assistants face an unexpected challenge. Directing vehicles into parking spaces might sound relatively straightforward. After all, Cast Members already help drivers navigate parking areas, and most visitors understand the basic routine. But replacing or supplementing those instructions with autonomous machines introduces another level of complexity. FieldAI's collaboration with Disney Experiences Technology and Walt Disney Imagineering R&D specifically addresses how robots could operate across complicated terrain and unpredictable weather conditions. The company is developing technology intended to function in environments that are constantly changing. A Disney parking operation presents a useful example of that challenge. Vehicles move at different speeds, drivers respond differently to instructions, and the surrounding environment rarely remains completely static. A robotic assistant would need to recognize those changes and respond appropriately. Just as importantly, drivers would need to understand what the robot wants them to do. That communication challenge is where the idea becomes particularly interesting for theme park visitors. Disney's project is intended to explore improvements to working conditions and greater consistency for arriving guests. Those are stated development goals, not benefits that have already been demonstrated at an operating Disney park. Parking is also an important part of the overall guest experience. As previous Inside the Magic coverage of Disneyland parking restrictions demonstrates, changes to vehicle access can affect how guests begin their visits. Why Imagineering is looking beyond the parking lot. Here is where the experiment takes an even more interesting turn. Disney isn't studying FieldAI's technology exclusively for parking operations. Imagineering is also investigating how the company's situational awareness and navigation capabilities could contribute to character-based robotic experiences. That distinction matters. A robot directing traffic and a robot portraying a beloved Disney character might have entirely different responsibilities, but both must understand what is happening around them. A character moving among visitors would need to respond to obstacles, changing pathways, and people approaching from different directions. Its movements would also need to remain consistent with the personality Disney wants to portray. The navigation problem therefore has implications far beyond helping someone find a parking space. Disney has already explored sophisticated robotics concepts for its attractions and entertainment experiences. Earlier Inside the Magic reporting examined experimental robots and autonomous machines being investigated for various park applications. The FieldAI partnership provides another possible piece of that technological puzzle. Still, Disney has not announced that FieldAI will manufacture a specific character, provide navigation systems for an announced attraction, or operate autonomous characters in guest areas. For now, Imagineering is evaluating what the underlying technology might make possible. FieldAI's technology could help robots navigate without fixed routes. What makes FieldAI particularly relevant to Disney's ambitions is the company's approach to robotic intelligence. When Disney introduced its 2026 Accelerator participants in July, it described FieldAI's technology as enabling different kinds of robots to operate in uncertain environments without requiring previously prepared maps, GPS, or predetermined routes. That capability could become valuable when a robot encounters conditions that weren't anticipated during its development. Consider a character traveling through an outdoor themed environment. A guest might suddenly stop for a photograph, a stroller could obstruct a pathway, or another character could enter the same space. A rigid sequence of programmed movements would not necessarily account for every situation. A system capable of evaluating its surroundings could potentially support more adaptable movement, although Disney has not disclosed the performance results of its FieldAI collaboration. The broader interest in intelligent character experiences is already visible elsewhere in Imagineering's research. Previous Inside the Magic coverage of Disney's character robotics concepts explored how emerging technologies might affect character interactions. Importantly, navigation intelligence and conversational intelligence are different capabilities. The FieldAI announcement concerns situational awareness and movement, not a confirmed system allowing characters to hold unscripted conversations with guests. Disney's 2026 Accelerator showcased more than parking robots. FieldAI was one of five companies showcased during Disney Accelerator Demo Day on November 3. The participating companies spent four months working with Disney teams on technologies involving entertainment production, robotics, and guest experiences. Another robotics company, Physical Intelligence, demonstrated a collaboration focused on repetitive backstage work. Disney said the teams are exploring whether robotic systems could handle and arrange 3D glasses for cleaning between shows, potentially supporting Cast Members who perform those tasks. Meanwhile, Simile is working with Disney Experiences on technology intended to improve how guests plan their visits. The company's work includes exploring ways to evaluate product descriptions, planning information, and other elements of Disney's digital guest experience. These projects demonstrate that Disney's technology research isn't confined to creating elaborate new attractions. Some collaborations focus on less visible operational tasks that support existing experiences. That direction also connects with Inside the Magic's earlier coverage of AI tools used by Imagineering, which examined how advanced technology is becoming part of Disney's development processes. Will Disney guests actually encounter robotic parking assistants? For guests planning their next Disney vacation, the immediate answer is that nothing has officially changed. Disney has not announced a start date for robotic parking assistance, named a participating resort, or confirmed that the technology will become a permanent part of parking operations. The company's November 3 announcement describes ongoing exploration rather than a completed operational rollout. Likewise, the Imagineering research does not establish when, where, or whether FieldAI-powered characters might appear in Disney theme parks. Nevertheless, the pairing of these projects reveals an interesting connection between ordinary operations and the future of themed entertainment. A machine designed to navigate a parking area could contribute useful technical insights to research on robots moving through more elaborate environments. The next meaningful milestone will be whether Disney provides results from the collaboration, identifies an operational pilot, or announces a specific character application. Until then, Disney's robotic parking assistants remain an experimental possibility - with implications that could eventually extend well beyond the parking lot. Get daily updates from Inside the Magic. I'd like to receive emails from Inside the Magic.