Obama visit, Hollywood Studios Fireworks, and EMH Changes

[njDizFan]

True. And, hey, I'm a homeschoolin' mom so any opportunity I have to infuse history or other significance into any day I'm all-in. But hasn't it been stated that the only way you'll have a chance to be anywhere near the area to see the president is if you have an invite from the White House? It's not likely many people will see much of anything unless they watch the live feed via tv.

Oh that stinks, I just re-read the thread. I guess I don't understnd the logistics? If he's on main street and the hub is still viable how couldn't you at least hear his speach?

Well it's still cool that you said you were in the park the same day.

 

[Scuttle]

I would imagine we wouldn't have the Disney security going through bags either but full on metal detectors as well.

Absolutely. Bag check will still exist but nobody besides secret service and the pres will be in the park without going through metal detectors and bag search. Also the bag search isn't going to be the 1 second search they do now for primarily bombs they will be searching everything in each bag for any kind of weapons at all. My main question is how SS will secure the utilidors. I wonder if SS will be roaming around the parks under over and I'm sure they will have a SS member at every utilidor entrance/exit. This is no doubt a tough task for SS.

 

[MLIDisney10]

I'm not opposed to his doing this, I just don't get why they couldn't have tried to schedule it for early morning, before park opening, like maybe 8am. I can only imagine what this is doing to scheduling and operations at WDW right now.

It would have made sense for an early morning visit, but then he probably has a very busy schedule already and that 4 hour slot (not including the travel time) was all that was available.

Now as far as scheduling....It is a nightmare for cast and management. I work at DAK and was scheduled for 7:15am today due to EMH, well schedules got all flopped around last night (less than 24 hrs prior to shifts) and got rescheduled for 8:15am. I didn't check but it was okay because management was understanding and still allowed early starts. I heard that my managers yesterday were calling cast to inform of changes to schedules and then we had automated system calls this morning.

It is a nightmare but surprisingly I did not hear many complaints about the scheduling flubs and I know DAK did open early today for day guests. The biggest thing cast has been talking about (at least in my area) is speculation about what security is going to look like (Sherriffs, WDW Cast/ Management, Secret Service, Snipers etc.) at MK on Main Street, the Castle, and in the Utilidoors. We are kind of hoping for someone to try to take some pictures (of at least the bridges to the Hub) and surface them online since we all are working tomorrow

 

[GrumpyFan]

Live Feed online and on Resort TV at 12:15pm
http://www.wdwmagic.com/Attractions...-be-streamed-live-online-and-on-resort-TV.htm

I would assume that's local (Eastern) time, correct?

 

[JimJam]

Who are "the right people" who would say no to the freaking PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES?

ME. He should be treated as any other guest.

 

[Howdy]

ME. He should be treated as any other guest.

We're talking about POTUS, not Kim Kardashian. He is the most powerful person in this country and requires insane amounts of security everywhere that he goes.

 

[Maerj]

Do we even need another Obama in WDW? He's already in the Hall of Presidents.

 

[MissM]

I think that if any AP's are blocked then it would be seasonal ones that are subject to blackouts.

FYI: Seasonal blackouts are NOT in effect right now regardless. They typically end the first few days of the new year.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Absolutely. Bag check will still exist but nobody besides secret service and the pres will be in the park without going through metal detectors and bag search. Also the bag search isn't going to be the 1 second search they do now for primarily bombs they will be searching everything in each bag for any kind of weapons at all. My main question is how SS will secure the utilidors. I wonder if SS will be roaming around the parks under over and I'm sure they will have a SS member at every utilidor entrance/exit. This is no doubt a tough task for SS.

Yeah, there will be a ridiculous amount of security both visible and not visible. I would expect that this visit is pretty pricy and Disney is being well compensated for the "inconvenience" of having the President on site.

I also wouldn't expect the President to go on any attractions. Is the rest of the family going to be there or just him?

Do we even need another Obama in WDW? He's already in the Hall of Presidents.

Yeah, but there's a crack in his foundation so The real Obama will be standing in it's place until it can be fixed.

This joke is from Gary over on WDW Kingdomcast, "I think he's going to be p***ed when he finds out he's white in Hall of Presidents"

 

[disney9752]

This is not the first time a president or first lady has been to wdw, its just usually not announced to the world till after..... Hillary was there for 25th on 10/1/96 & main street was closed etc, dont expect wdw railroad to run or use the main street station.

 

[Horizonsfan]

Yeah, but there's a crack in his foundation so The real Obama will be standing in it's place until it can be fixed.

This joke is from Gary over on WDW Kingdomcast, "I think he's going to be p***ed when he finds out he's white in Hall of Presidents"

:lol:

How did they manage to mess up his AA so much? The figures proportions are so off it almost looks like they recycled the W. AA and just put on a new skin. Never mind the fact that he looks like he's squinting in HOP...

 

[mrerk]

From I can recall from the inauguration and a few other presidential events I've been to, security almost always includes metal detectors. For those going into the park that day, expect a LONG wait through security.

I would imagine we wouldn't have the Disney security going through bags either but full on metal detectors as well.

I would fully expect metal detectors. We went to the Daytona 500 one year (2004, I think) and GWB was there. Everyone went through metal detectors.

 

[Tigger1988]

ME. He should be treated as any other guest.

He's not going as a guest...

 

[Hakunamatata]

Absolutely. Bag check will still exist but nobody besides secret service and the pres will be in the park without going through metal detectors and bag search. Also the bag search isn't going to be the 1 second search they do now for primarily bombs they will be searching everything in each bag for any kind of weapons at all. My main question is how SS will secure the utilidors. I wonder if SS will be roaming around the parks under over and I'm sure they will have a SS member at every utilidor entrance/exit. This is no doubt a tough task for SS.

I agree. Definitely not the day to try to sneak a copy of the constitution into the park.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

FYI: Seasonal blackouts are NOT in effect right now regardless. They typically end the first few days of the new year.

I know. I'm just saying that if they were to black anything out they might be able to do that since those are subject to blackouts when the regular AP's are not. Not sure if it might be written in to the contract that blackout days can be added at any time.

 

[Disneybird]

I agree. Definitely not the day to try to sneak a copy of the constitution into the park.

:lol:

 

[brettf22]

Presidential travel

I've lived right outside DC for most of my life. Worked in a lot of highly secure locations (including the White House). Since I've been a member at my church, every President since Jimmy Carter (except Pres. Obama) has visited on a Sunday at least once. President Reagan dropped by my high school once. Even got to shake President Obama's hand this past Monday while doing some volunteer work at a DC school. And most folks around DC have been caught in a President-induced travel delay at least once. All that is said to give a little background on what can be expected.

- As others have stated, an advance group from Secret Service has been working this onsite for at least a week. Every doorway, rooftop, window, manhole cover, and trashcan will be checked, and access to them will be restricted. I imagine that the Utilidors will be exceptionally difficult to navigate, if not shut down completely for a good amount of time.

- I would think he will take Marine 1 from the Airport to WDW. They (and there are always several of them so they can play a shell game while traveling) will make life much easier around town (for both the President and locals). It's much safer for the President as well, since securing every road is much more difficult (for everybody). If he does drive all the way there from the airport, prepare for significant road delays all around town and throughout the resort.

- In case anybody thinks this would be a fun time to stand in a crowd and yell something at the President, or make a joke to the guy standing next to you about a bomb, don't do it. The Secret Service has extraordinary powers to do almost anything they want to you for the smallest of reasons.

- I wouldn't be surprised if the Secret Service was monitoring threads like these on the bigger Disney-related sites to see what people are saying.

 

[Horizonsfan]

I've lived right outside DC for most of my life. Worked in a lot of highly secure locations (including the White House). Since I've been a member at my church, every President since Jimmy Carter (except Pres. Obama) has visited on a Sunday at least once. President Reagan dropped by my high school once. Even got to shake President Obama's hand this past Monday while doing some volunteer work at a DC school. And most folks around DC have been caught in a President-induced travel delay at least once. All that is said to give a little background on what can be expected.

- As others have stated, an advance group from Secret Service has been working this onsite for at least a week. Every doorway, rooftop, window, manhole cover, and trashcan will be checked, and access to them will be restricted. I imagine that the Utilidors will be exceptionally difficult to navigate, if not shut down completely for a good amount of time.

- I would think he will take Marine 1 from the Airport to WDW. They (and there are always several of them so they can play a shell game while traveling) will make life much easier around town (for both the President and locals). It's much safer for the President as well, since securing every road is much more difficult (for everybody). If he does drive all the way there from the airport, prepare for significant road delays all around town and throughout the resort.

- In case anybody thinks this would be a fun time to stand in a crowd and yell something at the President, or make a joke to the guy standing next to you about a bomb, don't do it. The Secret Service has extraordinary powers to do almost anything they want to you for the smallest of reasons.

- I wouldn't be surprised if the Secret Service was monitoring threads like these on the bigger Disney-related sites to see what people are saying.

Great Post, thanks for sharing.

The Secret Service may not be reading this specifically, but I wouldn't be surprised if TDO's typcial "thread readers" are monitoring this thread religiously, reporting anything suspicious or important to the SS.

 

[etpinge]

I agree. Definitely not the day to try to sneak a copy of the constitution into the park.

But if the constitution does make it into the park, Nicholas Cage has to save it and use the map to discover where Tom Sawyer's paintbrush is located.

 

[Thebrerrabbit]

Full President Obama Day Details

at 12:15, President Obama will be speaking at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, The first sitting president to do so since Ronald Regan's 2nd Inaugural parade/speech on memorial day 1984 at Epcot Center......it will be broadcast live at www.whitehouse.gov/live

the speech will be broadcast in HOP, i would assume highly that he will go to HOP, he's in there, its a great photo op, and shows the diversity of the parks.

The Topic is travel and tourism to boost the economy. All press will be at the contemp untill aprox 30 minutes before the speech.

President Reagan Inauguration Parade Speech at Epcot- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqB-wnsyfWA (START IT AT 2:45)


I'd Just like to say that Walt would be very proud of a day like today, someone who built this industry on americana values and tradition, loved to be an american and an ambassador. He would of loved it

one final thingLEASE DO NOT TURN THIS THREAD INTO A POLITICAL DEBATE! THANKS