Hall of Presidents with George W. Bush - Sept. 2003 - Magic Kingdom

The Hall of Presidents opened with the Magic Kingdom on Oct. 1, 1971. Through the years it has gone through many updates as new presidents were elected. The old drawings of Disneyland had a Liberty Street expansion in Edison Square, with an attraction called One Nation Under God showcasing the presidents. The technology wasn’t fully there to animate the presidents the way Walt wanted, but that was changed when Imagineers developed a life-like talking Abraham Lincoln for the Illinois Pavilion at New York’s 1964-65 World’s Fair. With this new human audio-animatronic technology, work was begun creating the US presidents for a unique land specifically developed for Walt Disney World: Liberty Square. Unfortunately with Walt’s death in 1966, he did not get to see this attraction come to life. Tons of research was done for every detail of this attraction. Imagineers painted about 85 scenes, in the style of their time period, for the opening film. Disney legend Ub Iwerks developed a special 70mm film format to display the movie. This was sadly his last Disney project before his passing. The film in this YouTube video shows the 1993 film update, discussing the Constitution and also touches on slavery, ethic and civil issues. In the Bill Clinton update the narrator was Maya Angelou, but in the George W. Bush update the narrator is J.D. Hall. After the film, the screen rises and we see all the American presidents up on stage. Costumes were created specifically for each president, using fabrics and tailoring techniques specific to the time period of each leader. The clothing, accessories, and chairs were re-created from old paintings, diaries, and government documents. If you are in the front row you might spot the leg braces on Franklin D. Roosevelt! In the show, a role call of each president is announced, and presidents not being called are still moving, blinking, fidgeting, and whispering to each other. “What about THAT guy?” “I know, right?” WDI sculptor Blaine Gibson was called out of retirement to design George W. Bush. Gibson sculpted all the presidents and was called out of retirement to also do H.W. Bush and Clinton. W. Bush was his final president and Barack Obama was sculpted by his apprentice, Valerie Edwards. Starting with the 1993 Bill Clinton update the presidents themselves would give a speech at the end of the roll call. In the 1970’s and 80’s Abraham Lincoln would stand at the end and give a speech similar to the one in Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland. I remember the Lincoln days of the 80’s. We stayed at the campground and I wanted to return to MK in the evening to see the Hall of Presidents. We had a hand stamp to return. My parents said they would take us back to see the Hall of Presidents IF us kids would ride Big Thunder Mountain with them. We agreed and I saw Presidents for the first time, mid-80’s, and then we went to Big Thunder Mountain and my sisters and I cried in line because we were scared. After the ride it became one of our favorite attractions. Ironically, later in life, my parents took us on Big Thunder Mountain (now our favorite) and said we had to go with them to Hall of Presidents and we cried for having to sit through that boring show. In this home video you will see the exterior and sign advertising “George W. Bush”, the lobby & rotunda with 2003 presidential artifacts and paintings, pre-show spiel by hostess Peggy (not from Hamilton), entering the theater, wide 70mm film about: the Constitution, presidency, Civil War, population growth, freedom, and the future; the president roll call up to G.W. Bush, a speech by Bush, a speech by Lincoln, “Battle Hymn of the Republic” finale, and exit spiel. BTW: James Madison is sitting down so he is not overshadowed by the other presidents. He was the shortest president at 5’4” and 100 pounds.