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Disney Characters You May Not Know: Sonny Eclipse

Savannah Sanders ,  ,  ,  ,  , 
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There are certain things synonymous with a Walt Disney World Vacation, such as Cinderella Castle, monorails, attractions, and, of course, characters! After all, if you didn’t meet Mickey and Minnie, a Disney Princess, or your favorite Pixar character, did you even go to Disney World? However, when exploring the parks and resorts, some guests may come across character merchandise or references they’re not familiar with or who don’t have a Disney movie of their own. So for today’s installment of Disney Characters You May Not Know, we’re taking a look at Sonny Eclipse!

Who is Sonny Eclipse?

Sonny Eclipse is an audio-animatronic jazz singer and organist who performs at the Starlight Lounge Room at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe at the Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland. His 27 minute sets are a combination of original songs and cheesy jokes. Even though he’s not a film character in our current IP-dominated Disney Parks, Sonny Eclipse is a beloved obscure personlality with a significant fan base among Disney World regulars.

Some of his original songs include “Bright Little Star,” “Gravity Blues,” “Yew Nork, Yew Nork,” and “Planetary Boogie.” Sonny’s instrument of choice is the Astro-Organ, but he has assistance from his invisible backup singers called the Space Angels.

Sonny hails from Yew Nork City on Planet Zork. However, he isn’t the only Zorkie to work at a Disney Park. Officer Zzzzyxxx from Joo Nerzey once worked customs at Tokyo Disneyland’s Star Tours attraction.

The History of Sonny Eclipse

Sonny Eclipse made his debut at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe back in 1995 after the Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland refurbishment in 1994. Kal David provided the voice for Sonny while George Wilkens and Kevin Rafferty penned his jazzy tunes.

George Wilkens had arranged the music for other Disney Park attractions, such as Epcot’s now defunct Food Rocks. Kevin Rafferty was the Imagineer behind popular Disney Park attractions such as Toy Story Midway Mania, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, even Cars Land at Disney California Adventure.

Where Can You Find Sonny Eclipse?

Sonny Eclipse, the “biggest little star in the galaxy,” can be found at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom. On occasion, Sonny isn’t at the lounge playing his Astro-Organ. While some say he’s being refurbished, I like to think he’s on an intergalactic tour every now and then.

Are you a fan of Sonny Eclipse? Did you know about this Disney characters or are they new to you? Please share!

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Savannah Sanders

Savannah has been visiting Disney World since she was a year old and has gone back almost every year since. In the real world, she teaches high school history and government and enjoys writing about all things Disney. Savannah can be reached on Twitter @DisneyParkSavvy.

7 thoughts on “Disney Characters You May Not Know: Sonny Eclipse”

  • Even tho I rarely eat at the food court it’s still a cool spot because of good ol sunny. I doubt anybody could honestly say they go back for the food lol. As Disney continues to keep making changes and cutting back on things, I hope they never decide to get rid of him.

  • What was before Sonny?

  • That’s a nice pic at the top. I don’t often see him without curtains behind him. He’s one of the better additions from the mid-90s Tomorrowland update that made the land into a sci-fi city where you could run into aliens. He’s one of the features that makes Disney – not an E-ticket attraction, but something that just adds to the theme in a low-key way.
    Was there a few weeks ago – he was playing on the 25th, but not there on the 1st of Feb. A cast member said he was “on vacation.” I’m hoping he’s back soon. Seriously, I’m hoping to get my hands on a decommissioned Chuck E Cheese animatronic so I can build my own Sonny Eclipse to play my basement.

  • Sonny Eclipse is the main reason why I always make a point of stopping by Cosmic Ray’s every time I visit Disney World. I love relaxing to his set over lunchtime. I adored the aesthetic of the New Tomorrowland, I miss the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter and the Timekeeper and all the little scenic elements they loaded in fiercely, and I’m so glad this little piece of that era is still around.

  • Great for quick snacks and AC! Plus the show is out of this world…. (sorry had to)

  • Definitely a fav… we went in for the air conditioning and chicken tenders, and came out with some great memories and horrible one-liners!

  • One of my favorites.

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