RUMOR: Lin Manuel Miranda and Weird Al to Redo Hall of Presidents

zann285

Active Member
One of my three original sources informs that all changes to HoP are mothballed. Talks fell through weeks ago (I'm told) and apparently there is now a hold on any future contract negotiations related to attraction refurbishments unless signed off on by Kalogridis and then approved by D'Amaro. Essentially that stops nearly all attraction refurbishments requiring contracted actors, writers, musicians, etc, unless the contract was already signed.

This is interesting, this is a bigger role for Kalogridis than I would have thought currently. Where does that leave Vahle for these types of things?
 

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
One of my three original sources informs that all changes to HoP are mothballed. Talks fell through weeks ago (I'm told) and apparently there is now a hold on any future contract negotiations related to attraction refurbishments unless signed off on by Kalogridis and then approved by D'Amaro. Essentially that stops nearly all attraction refurbishments requiring contracted actors, writers, musicians, etc, unless the contract was already signed.
I mean, they’ll have to close this if we have a new President next year, but they could easily just shut it down for a few months and ONLY green light placing 45’s skin on an older AA, 46 on the fancy one, and otherwise phone in the project, opening a modestly updated show for 7/4/21 and pushing off the more dramatic update.
 

tirian

Well-Known Member
That's it! Tirian is cancelled!



;)
I realize that’s a highly controversial opinion among fans, and some people are probably shocked to see me say it.

Maybe COP could work if WDI gave it a snappier script and restored the end to the 1960s to make it truly retro. But come on, do you really laugh at the, um, “jokes”? ;)
 

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
I realize that’s a highly controversial opinion among fans, and some people are probably shocked to see me say it.

Maybe COP could work if WDI gave it a snappier script and restored the end to the 1960s to make it truly retro. But come on, do you really laugh at the, um, “jokes”? ;)

I think the laserdisc reference is hilarious.

Maybe not what WDI was hoping for back in '93.
 

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
I realize that’s a highly controversial opinion among fans, and some people are probably shocked to see me say it.

Maybe COP could work if WDI gave it a snappier script and restored the end to the 1960s to make it truly retro. But come on, do you really laugh at the, um, “jokes”? ;)

I've actually pitched that as an idea here before -- that they should return to the original 1960s ending and make it a museum piece (it would have to be moved out of Tomorrowland, of course). There's really not a ton of other options. The time jump from the 3rd scene to the 4th scene is already ridiculous, and it will be even moreso if the final scene is updated to, oh, 2030. However, if they do a full revamp and make it like 1910, 1950, 1990, and 2030, you'd be eliminating basically everything from the original attraction.

I'd like to see the first three scenes remain essentially untouched while returning the final scene to the 1960s, move it somewhere else (not really sure where) and then build something similar to the latter part of Horizons in that spot in Tomorrowland to showcase the future.

There is, of course, absolutely no chance of anything along those lines happening in the foreseeable future.
 
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GladToBeHear

Well-Known Member
I think COP is the most boring attraction on property and wouldn’t mind seeing it completely replaced. Not closed. Not mothballed. Replaced.

Just IMHO.

That's kind of my point also. Tweaking HOP is not going to change the popularity of the attraction. So leave it alone. If you want to put butts in those seats, you're going to have to put something special there. Or a dark ride.

Attendance? No - you're right but current politics definitely play into the controversy on this attraction.

I'm no insider, but I don't think it's as controversial as people are trying to make it out to be. The primary reason people don't visit the attraction is that it's perceived as "boring" by most parkgoers. You could completely remove the AA of the current president (which I think would be pointless) and do you think attendance would greatly improve? Do you think the people that have a problem with this president would run over to HOP now and stand in line? Nah. I'd go as far as to say that I bet most of the people that see the attraction as "controversial" have probably never even stepped foot inside. Just a hunch.

Without comment on the sitting president - I am not trying to make this discussion political - we are at this weird moment in time where saying you respect the office of our leader can lose you friends and put you out of business.

That feels a little messed up to me, regardless of my stance on the person filling the position but it doesn't really matter how it feels to me - it's the reality we're living in and I'm not convinced that will go away next year, regardless of who wins, at this point.

Well, it IS messed up. But we don't have to participate.
 
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owlsandcoffee

Well-Known Member
I think with HOP becoming (cough, edit: if it is becoming) less popular there's an opportunity for them to remove the massive queue that was built on to the original building. It would feel less cramped. I'm VERY glad it's not going to be touched, by the way. Perhaps in the future they can make it just the presidents who have passed on.

I would love to see Weird Al involved in a Disney ride, but a new one, not an original.

I have mixed feelings about COP but it is WDW's only true link to Walt when he was alive and with that I think it should be preserved, in its original 1960s form. Maybe an exit exhibition showing new inventions and technological advancements to stick to the theme of "look where we are now."
 
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TrainsOfDisney

Well-Known Member
Perhaps in the future they can make it just the presidents who have passed on.

That’s actually a really good idea - the only presidents in HOP are presidents who have passed on. That would eliminate a lot of tension and it would save them from adding an AA every 4-8 years.

I think with HOP becoming less popular there's an opportunity for them to remove the massive queue that was built on to the original building. It would feel less cramped.

I don’t think HOP is becoming less popular? If anything it seems to be more popular since they updated it. (I’m referring to the major technical updates).
 

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
I think COP is the most boring attraction on property and wouldn’t mind seeing it completely replaced. Not closed. Not mothballed. Replaced.
Maybe fill the show stages with AA's representing the greatest Disney CEOs since Michael Eisner.

Yes, I know there have only been three. So you'd have Eisner, Iger and Chapek talking for a few minutes about their accomplishments, followed by an AA of Walt himself rating their performances using his personal philosophies as the yardstick.
 

WDW Pro

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I mean, they’ll have to close this if we have a new President next year, but they could easily just shut it down for a few months and ONLY green light placing 45’s skin on an older AA, 46 on the fancy one, and otherwise phone in the project, opening a modestly updated show for 7/4/21 and pushing off the more dramatic update.

They may just close it for 12-18 months in that situation with a very small change.

Annnd here’s your reminder :)

Best info I have is that there are no contracts with different bands nor negotiations at this time.
 

tirian

Well-Known Member
I seem to be in the minority, but if you think THOP is controversial the issue is with YOU not the show.
I’d say you’re part of the silent majority. This is not political: it’s just a fact. The deep divide started three presidencies ago and grew with each new man. Since audiences (Guests) can’t seem to differentiate between an AA giving a WDI speech and a real person, Disney has been considering changes for a while.
 

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