The Hall of Presidents is an opening day attraction at Magic Kingdom that is located in Liberty Square. Over the course of five decades, the attraction has seen several updates, and is now updated with every new President of the United States. Originally, the focus was on Presidents of the past. Today, it focuses on the past, present, and future.
Today, the Hall of Presidents starts with a video narrative called The Idea of a President. This depicts historical accounts of several of the Presidents including George Washington, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy. Abraham Lincoln recites a portion of the Gettysburg Address during this video. It is followed by a roll call of all the Presidents. When each President’s name is called, they nod to the audience. Following the roll call, George Washington gives a short speech. This is followed by President Joe Biden reciting the oath of office.
The Hall of Presidents with President Joe Biden
Since 1971, there have been several iterations of The Hall of Presidents. They include:
- Original Version (1971-1993)
- Bill Clinton (1993-2001)
- George W. Bush (2001-2009)
- Barack Obama (2009-2017)
- Donald Trump (2017-2021)
- Joe Biden (2021-present)
The Hall of Presidents celebrates the Office of the President and continued Walt Disney’s original idea for a similar experience called One Nation Under God that he originally envisioned for Disneyland. Eventually Disneyland would get Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln instead. As we celebrate Presidents’ Day today, it is worth taking a moment and remembering the original President of the United States George Washington, for who this holiday is centered on. As time has gone by, Abraham Lincoln has also become part of the focus of this holiday as well.
The Hall of Presidents continues to bring the Presidency to life in a way that only Disney can do over 5 decades after first bringing to life George Washington and many other presidents long gone. It is all together a fitting and proper attraction to experience on Presidents’ Day.
Happy Presidents’ Day!
