Disney Accelerator is exploring new roles for robots across Disney’s amusement parks
Field AI is testing Cars-inspired autonomous robots to help guests park
Physical Intelligence is exploring robots that sort and organize 3D glasses
Picture this: The next time you’re pulling into one of the many parking lots at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, or Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, you might not need to go hunting for a parking spot. Instead, you’re greeted by a car that looks like it drove straight out of Pixar’s Cars . The car is decked out in a bright orange paint job with a yellow safety vest and marshaling wands, with a screen on top displaying directional arrows telling you where to turn and park. It even offers a friendly wink as you start to make the turn. Then, as you approach the end of your spot, another little vehicle rolls up alongside you, its screen flashing ‘slow,’ then a thumbs up, and finally ‘have a nice day.’ It’s a pretty magical way to be welcomed to a Disney park before you’ve even stepped inside, right? And it might not be as far off as you think. As part of Disney Accelerator 2026, Disney is collaborating with Field AI to test autonomous robots in parking lots and explore how they could help with park operations. (Image credit: Disney) Field AI essentially develops the intelligence — or the brain — behind robots, rather than the robotic hardware itself. The company has experience deploying autonomous solutions in engineering environments, and Disney is now exploring how that technology could translate to its theme parks. It’s essentially the intelligence that comes in the form of hardware and software as a kit that goes on top of the robot. In the video, it’s clear that the Cars figure is the end goal, but we do see what appears to be a Boston Dynamics robot with the Field AI stack on top, offering the screen and directional movement guidance for a few brief moments. Gary Daniels, SVP of Technology at Disney Experiences, said: "We’re excited to be working with Field AI, testing autonomous robots’ ability to guide cars to park. Imagine if characters from Cars or robots from Wall-E direct you where to park when you arrive. The work we’re doing now is a great way to see how robots function and, as important, how people respond." (Image credit: Disney) It’s clearly a test for now, but seeing Field AI’s intelligence solution in action in the demonstration videos is pretty compelling. Particularly when you consider how it could pair with Disney Imagineering’s existing research and development work in robotics. Think about the robotic Star Wars BDX Droids , Olaf from Frozen , or even the walking Groot. Disney has already been exploring how to bring familiar characters into the physical world. Now, there’s an opportunity to take some of those robotics advances beyond entertainment and into the everyday guest experience — while also helping with operational challenges like parking management and moving guests around the parks. The latter is something Disney Experiences knows a lot about, and a car from Cars or a robot from Wall-E would fit right in. Of course, it’s still early days, and these experiments are just that: explorations. But Disney Accelerator participants have found their way into the parks before. Haddy, part of the 2025 group, develops large-scale 3D printing technology that produces materials and components to match the quality Imagineering requires. Its work was used to create an entirely new boat for Jungle Cruise at Disneyland in 2025. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Haddy’s technology featured in future projects, potentially including new environments like the forthcoming Monstropolis land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios …