Hall of Presidents: The Story Behind This Classic Attraction

Walt Disney’s patriotism is noticed throughout Disneyland and Disney World. With areas of the park like Liberty Square, and original Disneyland attractions like Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, the parks certainly pay homage to America’s history. The Hall of Presidents is a classic attraction that opened alongside Magic Kingdom in 1971. Located in the new and original Liberty Square section of the park, Hall of Presidents is an attraction that educates and entertains. This attraction which featured state-of-the-art audio-animatronics still holds up in modern times and continues to delight guests to this day. Continue reading to get the full story behind this classic attraction: Hall of Presidents.

Development and History

The idea for Hall of Presidents began with the development of a Disneyland attraction: Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Walt Disney originally wanted an attraction for Disneyland with wax figures of all United States presidents, and this idea quickly escalated to an audio-animatronic show. The technology for this was still a few years behind, but eventually the world’s first audio-animatronic in human form was created. This audio-animatronic of Abraham Lincoln was used to put together a show for the World’s Fair, that was eventually moved to Disneyland. Thus, the idea for Hall of Presidents was born.

After Walt Disney’s death, the plans for Disney World continued. After it was determined that Liberty Square would be built instead of New Orleans Square, the idea of Hall of Presidents was explored. Walt Disney’s original concept for the show was wax figures, but now imagineers felt ready to tackle an audio-animatronic cast. The show continued to be developed until it was ready to open alongside Magic Kingdom in 1971.

The Show

The original version of Hall of Presidents ran from 1971 t0 1993. The show reenacts the Philadelphia Convention with George Washington and Benjamin Franklin making speeches. The show then transitions to a scene that is familiar to that in Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln where talks of secession were taking place. Paintings were used to fill the screen onstage. After the onstage film concludes, the curtain is lifted to reveal animatronics of all United States presidents. Each president is called in chronological order, with each animatronic making a gesture after their name is called. During the show, the presidents continue to move around and gesture. After all of the presidents are introduced, an audio-animatronic figure of Abraham Lincoln stands and makes a speech.

Changes Made

In 1993 the show was renovated after Bill Clinton took office. The show’s script was updated to focus more on slavery and civil issues in the country. The Bill Clinton animatronic was the first to include lines that were recorded by the president himself. Maya Angelou also replaced the narrator for the show during this time, but she was later replaced with actor J. D. Hall in 2001. After each president was elected, the show continued to be updated with an audio-animatronic of the president giving a speech.

Future Plans

With the election of Donald Trump again in 2024, the show will be updated but it isn’t clear yet on whether or not Trump will give a new speech for the attraction or if the speech from his first term will be brought back.

Have you ever experienced the Hall of Presidents? What is your favorite attraction in Liberty Square? We want to hear from you in the comments below!