Hall of Presidents Previews Today

[HMF]

That's good to hear. Quite the change from the past, when people went to it only because they needed a nap.

Now they just need to remove the HoP closing slur from The Enchanted Tiki Room.

Now they need to get rid of New Management at the Tiki Room.:animwink:

 

[HMF]

PS- Nice to hear Bob Iger was there. And the fact Jay R. was there pretty much destroys the theory that he doesn't give a hoot about the parks. I never bought that anyway.

Jay Rasulo always goes for grand openings and such. However don't be fooled he only goes because he is "required" to. He rarely ever visits the parks he "oversees". He only cares about the money side of it.

 

[Skyway]

Royal Danio really did a version of the Gettysburg Address? That never appeared in a previous show or pre-show, did it?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Royal Danio really did a version of the Gettysburg Address? That never appeared in a previous show or pre-show, did it?

It did not, nor did it appear in the original Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln (at least at Disneyland). I'm surprised with this news too, but if it's really him than that's all the more better.

 

[MousDad]

PS- Nice to hear Bob Iger was there. And the fact Jay R. was there pretty much destroys the theory that he doesn't give a hoot about the parks. I never bought that anyway.

The criticism of Jay's (and other exec's) avoidance of the parks has never been about lack of presence for attraction openings, PR events and occasions when your boss, the CEO, is present.

It's been about being in the park as a guest or on repeated informal/impromptu/anonymous occasions, where you can truly gauge the quality of your product.

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

Royal Dano recorded many lines for Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln. It was decided that the speech in the show would be excerpts from a collection of speeches comprised into one large, flowing speech. We'll soon see, if this rumor is true, but I wouldn't doubt that Royal Dano did record the Gettysburg Address in 1963/64, but the speech happened to be rejected for the world's fair. After all, Rex Allen, the original voice of "Father" in the CoP did an entirely different 20 minute recording of the show that was rejected, and that recording is now available for the public to hear due to the release of the world's fair CD by Disney.

 

[bork]

I've always been a fan of HoP and the new version sounds great!

I'm curious about the show length. Has it been shortened like other shows recently due to today's short attention spans?

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Royal Dano recorded many lines for Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln. It was decided that the speech in the show would be excerpts from a collection of speeches comprised into one large, flowing speech. We'll soon see, if this rumor is true, but I wouldn't doubt that Royal Dano did record the Gettysburg Address in 1963/64, but the speech happened to be rejected for the world's fair. After all, Rex Allen, the original voice of "Father" in the CoP did an entirely different 20 minute recording of the show that was rejected, and that recording is now available for the public to hear due to the release of the world's fair CD by Disney.

Love that track...

I've always been a fan of HoP and the new version sounds great!

I'm curious about the show length. Has it been shortened like other shows recently due to today's short attention spans?

I'm thinking it's about the same since they shortened the vid, but lengthened the AA section?

 

[DisneyDellsDude]

It sounds like the show is now really great!
I can't wait to see it next time I am there.
Does anyone know an estimate of how much money was given for this refurb?

 

[SirGoofy]

PS- Nice to hear Bob Iger was there. And the fact Jay R. was there pretty much destroys the theory that he doesn't give a hoot about the parks. I never bought that anyway.

Jay never ever passes up an opportunity to put his face where pictures could be taken of him. In the months I've worked at WDW he has never been there on a "regular" day.

 

[Spyne]

Sounds great so far, I'm glad they've really put a lot of effort into the Hall of Presidents refurb. I'll definitely check it out in October.

 

[J.E.Smith]

They use re-edits of the same imagery from the last edition of the show in a shortened version with the same audio overlay of Lincoln in the White House and then the center screen lifts and there is a blue curtain behind and as the lights come up you see an AA of Abraham Lincoln.

Wait...so when you mean same audio, did they reuse Peter Renaday's recording as Lincoln, or did they use Dano's from the pre-'94 version?

If its the latter, I'll miss Pete's voice in there, but its good to have Dano back.

If its the former, then its the best of both worlds.

Having them use an unused Dano track is very unexpected, I thought they would have done the obivous and got Renaday to do the Gettysburg Address.

 

[wdwmemories]

Here is a quick pic taken this afternoon of one of the signs that's already done. if it's an indication of what the larger one (visible in blue behind) will be, I think we'll be happy with it.

I like the new sign. Here is a picture of the old one:

You can see more of my pics of the HOP starting here:
http://www.wdwmemories.com/hall-presidents-picture-001.html

 

[donsullivan]

Wait...so when you mean same audio, did they reuse Peter Renaday's recording as Lincoln, or did they use Dano's from the pre-'94 version?

If its the latter, I'll miss Pete's voice in there, but its good to have Dano back.

If its the former, then its the best of both worlds.

Having them use an unused Dano track is very unexpected, I thought they would have done the obivous and got Renaday to do the Gettysburg Address.

I believe there are actually at least 2 different voice actors used for Lincoln (and I have no idea who is who). The voice in the film portion "I know there's a God, and that he hates injustice and slavery...." sounds exactly the same as was used in the last edition of the show. The voice used for the Gettysburg Address is different from that but I think an earlier segment of audio during the campaign may be the same voice that does the Gettysburg Address but is also different enough that I wouldn't rule out it being a 3rd voice actor. And then again they could be the same and the difference just a result of the time that the recordings were made.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

PS- Nice to hear Bob Iger was there. And the fact Jay R. was there pretty much destroys the theory that he doesn't give a hoot about the parks. I never bought that anyway.

I think it's probably much more plausible that the man with the highest level of authority possible was in town, and Jay R. was glued to him. To say it "destroys the theory that he doesn't give a hoot about the parks" is quite a bit of a stretch.

I think it's a little reaching to interpret intent based on the fact he was at a showing of a new attraction with his most highly ranking boss.

Wouldn't it be more telling to take a look at a long-term track record and reputation he's built with regard to his visiting the parks? I think so.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Liking the new sign. The blue stands out much more than the white ever did.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

i wish morgan freeman narrated my life..

"Like a Twinkie...like a Twinkie."

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

"Like a Twinkie...like a Twinkie."

Family Guy. Win.

 

[WDW1974]

I think it's probably much more plausible that the man with the highest level of authority possible was in town, and Jay R. was glued to him. To say it "destroys the theory that he doesn't give a hoot about the parks" is quite a bit of a stretch.

I think it's a little reaching to interpret intent based on the fact he was at a showing of a new attraction with his most highly ranking boss.

Wouldn't it be more telling to take a look at a long-term track record and reputation he's built with regard to his visiting the parks? I think so.

Why would you ever say that? That actually makes perfect sense and is logical and fair.

I'd even go so far as to suggest that Iger was only there because this HAD to be done right. This is the HoP. This is the first African-American prez in a very divided country. The big man had to check it out himself in a way he didn't have to check out Depp being added to Pirates or the Mansion redo.

As to Jay, the man is never seen in any of the parks unless Burbank or the media is. He doesn't share the love that fans and guests and cast do. This isn't exactly Disney's Best Kept Secret here.

 

[Horizonstta]

My main question because everything has been described so well is the music. Does it have the same score and musical highlights?

So many questions to ask here. Is the holding room music the same as before? Has a load track finally been added to the main theater? Is the film score the same or is it new?