Hall of Presidents

[Accident]

Just for the sake of argument, I wonder if this is even possible nowadays with the way the current FP system is.

I wonder if it would even be needed anymore

 

[mom2rtk]

which is making changes as they please, is their company and they do as they want

Of course. But they need to remember a good portion of their customer base might not be happy if they see Disney as making political decisions with attractions.

 

[Moreover]

My point is not every attraction needs to have a line. You need some less popular attractions to help spread out crowds.

So true. I know people who love that attraction.

 

[glassslippergirl]

Walt passed away long ago, it doesn't need to be on both properties. He had great vision but not a half century ahead of him vision so the clock is ticking when most of the "keep the classics" just won't be around anymore and I'm sorry if that sounds harsh but it's time to update with the 40 and under in mind. Some of these lands don't really make sense anymore... When something has no line, it's time to retire it or re-envision it.. It is a nice sized space that something else could happen in like a haunted mansion table service.

But I would move this one as it's an overlapping theme. Put it over in the american pavilion or a variation that might be able to share the same theater over there and alternate shows..

I could get behind your idea of moving HoP to the American pavilion. It's a good fit. It's not going to happen-- very expensive to move an attraction to a new location when it's already in a perfectly serviceable location. Even for a company like Disney, resources are limited. I'd rather see that money go to revamp/replace CoP. It bothers me so much how outdated that attraction is.

We're both making the same point, I just want more attractions that more are interested in so instead of hiding a couple hundred people for an hour, we can hide a couple thousand and make all the lines more even and get back to when everything was popular as everything was a 20 minute wait back in the day.

I've been going to WDW more than once a year since 1976. I don't remember a time when wait times for most rides were 20 minutes. If anything, wait times are better managed since FP-- at least imho. I remember a trip my dad and I took in the eighties. We were in MK from RD until we caught the last tram well after midnight and rode 10 attractions b/c lines were so long for everything, and there was no way to get relief or manage waits like today. More/better attractions means more guests. I get your point and would love to see a building frenzy, but I'm not sure it will have the effect you desire. If you build it, they will come.

 

[rastahomie]

Ever heard of "Damned if you do, damned if you don't"? I wouldn't want to be one of the members of the committee in charge of how to handle this situation. It seems like any course of action is fraught. Continue with a speaking Trump: things may get ugly in there, AND they may have to record a speaking Pence six months from now. Discontinue with the tradition of having the sitting POTUS speak, and it would look like the decision was made because of politics.

From where I sit, the option that would cause the least fallout would be to simply bulldoze the HoP and replace it with an HM-themed restaurant.

 

[umichigan10]

I really don't think you get rid of the attraction over this. Honestly just put the dude in, have him talk or not, I really don't care. It's an opening day attraction that shouldn't get axed over one polarizing president in my view

 

[TheMaxRebo]

More I think about it, I think they should change up the show a bunch and be up front about it saying that the show should be about celebrating the presidency of the United States and how these elected individuals lead the country, often through challenging times - but that often created even more unification in the country

Go from Washington about the founding of the country and the collective strength of the colonies, etc. .... go to Lincoln and his famous speeches and unifying the country post the civil war ... then to JFK and the space race and the "ask not what your country can do for you ...." - then turn it back to the audience and ask them what they are going to do for their country

 

[Tiffany_m15]

I posted this on the rumors and news board but think it's a better fit over here. I just wanted to add an idea about the Hall of Presidents. I have no real opinion about whether DT should have a speaking role or not but it might be interesting if every show had a randomly selected president to give the big final speech. Then all the audio that was/is recorded for the past few and future presidents wouldn't go to waste as the years go by.

 

[PlainJane]

I like this! If you throw in non-presidents Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, I think you'll have a real winner!

Way too noisy. Where would people nap?!

Not every attraction needs to be a major popular thing though. You need some of those less popular attractions that eat people to help with crowds. That's why things like the HoP, country bears, and carousel of progress. The people mover doesn't always have a line does that need to go?

I'm pro keeping attractions that don't require a plan or a line to enjoy.

Ever heard of "Damned if you do, damned if you don't"? I wouldn't want to be one of the members of the committee in charge of how to handle this situation. It seems like any course of action is fraught. Continue with a speaking Trump: things may get ugly in there, AND they may have to record a speaking Pence six months from now. Discontinue with the tradition of having the sitting POTUS speak, and it would look like the decision was made because of politics.

From where I sit, the option that would cause the least fallout would be to simply bulldoze the HoP and replace it with an HM-themed restaurant.

It makes you wonder what the people who decided to give President Clinton the first speaking role were thinking. Did they never consider that this could happen? No matter what they do a large group of people are going to be unhappy. The most impolite behavior I've ever experienced in the HoP was someone not removing their very tall character headband. I hope it stays that way. I really enjoy this attraction.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Regardless of political opinion or President-Being-Booed, I think it is an embarrassment to humanity that people actually boo an animatronic President at a theme park. The Hall of Presidents is hardly the place to exact political change.

I'm glad I have never heard booing in there.

 

[Cinderella94]

Regardless of political opinion or President-Being-Booed, I think it is an embarrassment to humanity that people actually boo an animatronic President at a theme park. The Hall of Presidents is hardly the place to exact political change.

I'm glad I have never heard booing in there.

Yep.

 

[ChipnDale79]

Walt passed away long ago, it doesn't need to be on both properties. He had great vision but not a half century ahead of him vision so the clock is ticking when most of the "keep the classics" just won't be around anymore and I'm sorry if that sounds harsh but it's time to update with the 40 and under in mind. Some of these lands don't really make sense anymore... When something has no line, it's time to retire it or re-envision it.. It is a nice sized space that something else could happen in like a haunted mansion table service.

But I would move this one as it's an overlapping theme. Put it over in the american pavilion or a variation that might be able to share the same theater over there and alternate shows..

You may not like it, and a bunch of other people may not like the show, but I do, and a bunch of other people do as well. The idea that you can go to a theater and see all of America’s Presidents in life size and somewhat moving in one place is really neat. It’s also educational for children. I like the idea of taking my kids there and letting them learn some American history.

I’ll never forget waiting in line for Big Thunder and over hearing this little girl in line behind me telling her dad that she wanted to go to Hall of Presidents, the dad laughed and said, “why do you want to do something so nerdy on vacation?”. I cringed.

This is a fantastic experience that many people love.

 

[dreiwhit]

So true. I know people who love that attraction.

I love HoP. I've loved it ever since I went to it as a 8 year old boy. Watching the film and seeing the anamatronic figures of the presidents gives me a lump in my throat every time.

Regardless of political opinion or President-Being-Booed, I think it is an embarrassment to humanity that people actually boo an animatronic President at a theme park. The Hall of Presidents is hardly the place to exact political change.

I'm glad I have never heard booing in there.

I've never heard booing there either. But lets face it, we've been a divided country since the 1990s and its only getting worse with each president. IMHO, if I was Disney, I would just eliminate speaking parts from the presidents. Just have them introduced with the spot light on them and have them nod to the audience. AND, keep this going into the future so that no one can say "well, President X didn't speak but then they let President Y speak."

 

[Spridell]

Regardless of political opinion or President-Being-Booed, I think it is an embarrassment to humanity that people actually boo an animatronic President at a theme park. The Hall of Presidents is hardly the place to exact political change.

I'm glad I have never heard booing in there.

So true.

You are going to boo an animatronic? Thats like booing a garbage pale or a statue.

 

[glassslippergirl]

I posted this on the rumors and news board but think it's a better fit over here. I just wanted to add an idea about the Hall of Presidents. I have no real opinion about whether DT should have a speaking role or not but it might be interesting if every show had a randomly selected president to give the big final speech. Then all the audio that was/is recorded for the past few and future presidents wouldn't go to waste as the years go by.

I love, love, love this idea-- kind of like Star Tours where you never know to what worlds you will travel. The Presidents (living and dead) have given us a great legacy of their words. Voice actors could read speeches from dead Presidents; still living Presidents live Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush (whose AA never made a speech during his time in office) could record a message now. Many have downed Disney for including a speech from the sitting President at all, saying that it was destined to be controversial. But I think, when they first recorded Bill Clinton's speech, they were trying to make an attraction full of "dead white men" more relevant and dynamic. Even if they only started out with 10 Presidents' speeches in the rotation, this idea adds that dynamic element. Bravo!

 

[Moliphino]

I could get behind your idea of moving HoP to the American pavilion. It's a good fit. It's not going to happen-- very expensive to move an attraction to a new location when it's already in a perfectly serviceable location. Even for a company like Disney, resources are limited. I'd rather see that money go to revamp/replace CoP. It bothers me so much how outdated that attraction is.

Gah, no! Leave the American Adventure alone, it's a much better show than HoP. And CoP just needs the last scene updated.

 

[dlavender]

If all presidents who currently have a speaking role continue having one, and they continue to add more speaking roles, the show will just be too long. I agree with PP's that the speaking roles added should be discontinued, and just let the originals speak.

It's a little late for WDW to "save face" by stating that this was their initial intention, since we have the reports of them trying to record DT. They could still release it as they were having trouble and then they had an epiphany that led to the above changes.

But it would be cool to hear the Rock in 2020 (100% joke/sarcasm)

 

[Tiffany_m15]

I love, love, love this idea-- kind of like Star Tours where you never know to what worlds you will travel. The Presidents (living and dead) have given us a great legacy of their words. Voice actors could read speeches from dead Presidents; still living Presidents live Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush (whose AA never made a speech during his time in office) could record a message now. Many have downed Disney for including a speech from the sitting President at all, saying that it was destined to be controversial. But I think, when they first recorded Bill Clinton's speech, they were trying to make an attraction full of "dead white men" more relevant and dynamic. Even if they only started out with 10 Presidents' speeches in the rotation, this idea adds that dynamic element. Bravo!

Thank you! Yes, like Star Tours!

 

[maltdizzy]

My point is not every attraction needs to have a line. You need some less popular attractions to help spread out crowds.

I fail to see that logic of a less popular attraction "spreading out crowds". They may be a great place to hide from the crowd, but they aren't spreading it out out because the crowd isn't going to them. Increasing the number of popular attractions would spread out crowds.

 

[rteetz]

I fail to see that logic of a less popular attraction "spreading out crowds". They may be a great place to hide from the crowd, but they aren't spreading it out out because the crowd isn't going to them.

Increasing the number of popular attractions would spread out crowds.

I just don't see the logic that every attraction needs to have an hour wait like the mountains, mine Train and Peter Pan. Just because it doesn't have a line doesn't mean it needs to be taken away.