Celebrating 30 Years of “A Goofy Movie” with Disney Programs
Today, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the 30th anniversary celebration of A Goofy Movie with Disney Programs. The event featured a panel with three very special guests: Bill Farmer (the voice of Goofy), Jason Marsden (the voice of Max), and Kevin Lima (the movie’s director). Hearing them reflect on their experiences and share behind-the-scenes stories was both inspiring and unforgettable.
One of the most surprising things I learned was that Steve Martin was originally wanted as the voice of Goofy. Once Bill Farmer was brought on, the team initially asked him to record his lines in his regular voice, toning down the classic “Goofy” sound, because they wanted the character to feel more human.
But when the team previewed the movie with those recordings, they realized something was missing. They brought Goofy’s signature voice back, while still using Farmer’s more natural tone in emotional moments. In fact, some of the original “regular voice” recordings were left in, giving those heartfelt scenes even more weight. Knowing this makes the father-son moments between Goofy and Max hit even harder.
Kevin Lima spoke about what it was like to direct A Goofy Movie in 1995, a year when Disney was heavily focused on Pocahontas and Toy Story. At the time, critics weren’t kind to the film, and its box office numbers were modest. But once it was released on VHS, families everywhere fell in love with it, and today it’s a true Disney classic.
Lima also shared the unique challenges of working with animation teams across the world, back before Facetime or Zoom even existed. To communicate his vision, he would record himself on videotapes, walking through the storyboards and acting out each scene shot by shot. Those tapes were shipped overseas, translators helped relay his instructions, and then they’d follow up with phone calls to clarify details. Hearing about that process made me appreciate the artistry and all the hard work that went into the movie even more.
What stuck with me most was the advice from all three panelists. They emphasized the importance of creating opportunities for yourself rather than waiting for someone else to hand them to you. Lima’s words really resonated:
“Don’t wait for someone to give you anything. Go out and make it yourself. Prepare for the job you want, so when the opportunity comes, you’re ready.”
As an artist myself, this was incredibly motivating to hear.
The event ended with something magical, because it wouldn’t be Disney without that. Farmer, Marsden, and Lima performed a live reading of an original screenplay scene (where Max tells Goofy to turn left to Los Angeles instead of Lake Destiny, which ends up sending the car rolling away). They even sang for us, which was such a treat!
And just when I thought the day couldn’t get better, I got the chance to meet all three of them in person thanks to Brandon Rhodes with Programs Experience. I shook their hands, took a photo with them, and they even signed my print. This was truly such an incredible way to kick off my first week back in the Disney College Program and I will remember this forever.
