A Walt Original: The Hall of Presidents
A few attractions at Walt Disney World were those originally proposed and some even worked on, by Walt Disney himself. While the end result may be a little different than what Walt originally pictured, they still exist because he dreamed them up.
Today, we're going to look at one such attraction: The Hall of Presidents. Many, including yours truly, either ignore this attraction these days, or use it as a convenient air conditioned break from the Florida heat. But the history of the attraction is more interesting.
A Controversial Attraction?
I remember going to the Hall of Presidents when it was tame. But in more recent years, from President Bill Clinton on, certain presidents have elicited "Boo"s or "Yay"s when they give their speeches. When President Trump's animatronic was added to the Hall, there were such clashes between fans and non-fans that Disney delayed the opening of the attraction.
One has to wonder what this means for the future of the attraction. As the recent election showed, we are a nation divided. Will we continue to see each other as the enemy, or will we do the work in the next four years to see each other as fellow Americans. Our fate as a nation will influence the fate of this attraction.
A Technological Wonder
While this is certainly not the attraction that first comes to mind when we think of technology, the history of the Hall of Presidents includes two significant firsts.
If you follow Walt Disney World, then you may already be aware of the first of these. The Abraham Lincoln animatronic was the most advanced animatronic figure of its time, and continued to hold that title for a very long time. The real stunner for this animatronic is that it rises from a sitting position to a standing position in a realistic and smooth manner. It's also fair to say that it's not only a complicated animatronic, but it's a reliable animatronic. How often has the Hall of Presidents been closed because Abe Lincoln wouldn't stand to deliver his speech? Compare that to how many times the Yeti hasn't worked on Expedition Everest, or the screen that has replaced the moving shaman on Na'Vi River Journey. At this point, the way Abe moves might be relatively old technology, but it's reliable, and at the time it was cutting edge.
The other important first in this attraction is it is the first to feature a sitting president's voice. Ever since Bill Clinton, the current president of the United States gives a short speech at this attraction, voiced, of course, by the current president of the United States. Bill Clinton made history recording the first speech for a Disney attraction as a sitting president, and the tradition has continued.
Walt's Love of Abe
Walt Disney wanted the Abe Lincoln animatronic to be the first that was worked on, and the Abe Lincoln animatronic became the most advanced in part because of Walt's adoration of Abraham Lincoln. The designer of the animatronic's face had access to a living bust that was made of Abe's face in 1860 for another sculptor, so the Lincoln you see in the Hall of Presidents is quite realistic looking, although some characteristics were exaggerated by the animatronic designer to be better seen by the audience.
Of particular challenge, though, was Lincoln's tall and slender stature. To fit all of the mechanics to move the animatronic in all the detailed ways it does, and keep the weight down enough that it could lift itself onto its own feet was a special challenge in such a small frame. The designer is said to have complained "Why didn't Walt want Grover Cleveland?"
It's important to note that while Abe was being designed, it was not actually for the Hall of Presidents as we know it, but for a World's Fair attraction. The attraction was meant to include more presidents, but the Lincoln animatronic took such work, that only Lincoln was completed on time and the attraction was named Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, which calls to mind the more recent minor attraction of Liberty Square, Great Moments in History.
Other Details
For the other presidents, Imagineers reviewed thousands of paintings, portraits, photos and descriptions of each president in order to get their likeness just right. Each animatronic is built to the appropriate proportions. Even the clothes the presidents wear are made from period fabric using tailoring methods the president would have used during his time in office. In fact, president Carter experienced a wardrobe change after his wife saw the attraction, and then donated a new suit. Now, the more recent presidents wear clothes from their own wardrobes.
There are also smaller details that most guests won't notice, like president Bush's inscribed Timex watch, which is replicated perfectly and worn by the animatronic, or the Civil War lapel pins worn by Hayes and McKinley.
The Hall of Presidents is also the only place outside of the White House where the Presidential Seal is displayed... it's right on the carpet as you walk in, protected by a fence. It took an act of Congress to agree to allow the seal to be displayed here, so it's kind of a big deal. Also, the entrance hall is filled with artifacts of the presidency.
And, of course, the attraction changes every time a new president is elected.
We have to tell you, we knew the Hall of Presidents was special in some ways but after doing the research for this week's blog, we are second-thinking our classification of this attraction as a snooze fest. It just goes to show the amazing amount of thought that Walt Disney Imagineering puts into everything they do.
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