peter11435
Well-Known Member
They’ve already limited the current president to just the oath of office since 2016.
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News The Hall of Presidents closing for refurbishment on January 20, 2025
- Thread starter DCBaker
- Start date
Disnutz311
Disney World Purist
Yes. I am aware. Maybe just a roll call and a spotlight is what any current president deserves moving forward.
Brian
Well-Known Member
Trump's AA gave a speech after the oath. It wasn't until Biden's term that it got pared down to just the oath.
peter11435
Well-Known Member
You are correct. I was remembering that version incorrectly. Thanks for the correction.
Disgruntled Walt
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
So do you think they go back to the 2016 version or cut the speech?
The Leader of the Club
Well-Known Member
I think they either cut the speech or just do the oath.
Casper Gutman
Well-Known Member
Quite frankly, this attraction was always flawed. Presidents are servants of the American people, they are not meant to be the manifestations of the state. AA and even CoP are much superior representations of the way Americans traditionally thought about themselves (making no claims for accuracy). Glorifying the chief executives was always a bad idea.
Shut it down and bring in the Muppets.
Shut it down and bring in the Muppets.
Brian
Well-Known Member
HoP doesn't glorify the chief executives as much as it glorifies the office of the presidency, at least when it comes to the current presentation. Certain presidents are deserving of our's and future generations' gratitude, hence why we build monuments in their honor, name schools, roads and airports after them, and yes, tell their stories through cultural institutions like Walt Disney World.
There are certainly ways to be less congratulatory towards the presidents themselves, and to place less of a focus on the politics of the day and focus more on the more widely respected and admired POTUSes of the past, but I do think that, on balance, the presentation is still appropriate.
Dranth
Well-Known Member
It shouldn't glorify the office either if we wanted to stick with the real founding principles.
That aside, the company has to deal with the realities of the here and now and in that respect the HoP is a waste of space in the busiest park in the world that is frequented mostly as a nap in the AC by the few people who even bother to walk in. Top it off with it having one of the worst ratings of all attractions in the park that aren't already being replaced and I can't imagine it is long for this world.
Put in the Muppets. Turn it into something more educational on how the government works as a whole. Keep it fun and light so families can enjoy it and it will become a much bigger people eater.
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Brian
Well-Known Member
I can't argue with that from a business sense. All I'll say is that I very much personally appreciate it, and will miss it when it inevitably is dumbed down into some new "activation" after 47 focus groups tell them which IP to use to sell the most merch and Disney+ subscriptions.
JohnD
Well-Known Member
Incorrect. Trump had a short speech. Only Biden, so far, only had just the oath of office.
Karakasa
Well-Known Member
The whole mythologizing of the presidential office and its previous holders is an interesting facet of American culture. I suppose it can be attributed to the fact the American nation really only developed in a world where secularism and scientific thought was becoming more popular, thus meaning any creation myth of the nation necessarily could not involve actual deities. The founders, humanist believers in the power of Man, would blanche! Hence why they themselves have become, in a way, sort of our creator gods, and by extension, the president a Zeus-like figure, Washington himself literally being depicted as such on the capitol rotunda, attended to by Roman gods and Columbia.
We can see this religion-like (but obviously, not outright religious) reverence in how Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln was initially received by the public before they got to see it. They had no issue with Jungle Cruise as a ride, or Carousel of Progress as a concept. But Lincoln was a step too far. It horrified a lot of people. Some thought it would inherently be a mockery of Lincoln, while others thought it was wrong to try to "play god". It's ironic now that some think taking away the Hall of Presidents may come off as disrespectful to the office, when in the 60s, the very reverence of the presidents meant the idea of creating one was horrible.
Like, seriously, no other nation does this with their modern-era office holders. There'd never be a French or Japanese Hall of Prime Ministers, you know? They have their own larger than life, heavily mythologized-but-real figures... but, they're either ancient history and best understood to most non-historians as on the level of fairy tales, or are as critiqued as they are revered. Any criticisms of presidents pre-1950s, arguably pre-Bush, are still stonewalled by both sides of the aisle.
Politics becoming more contentious is uncomfortable, certainly, even if it's more in line with how the rest of the democratic world works. It also leads to an attraction like Hall of Presidents becoming, frankly, outdated. There are probably as many people now who disrespect literally any national-level American politician as much as those who revere "the Presidency", but either way, see themselves as patriotic or otherwise loving their country or community.
I get why people don't want it to go outside of mere reverence for the post - it's another attraction that was an idea of Walt's. But it's arguably already morphed enough away from that original idea, and the attraction he oversaw is still running over in Disneyland. I agree that AA is a better investigation and celebration of the American identity than the HoP is. An attraction in that vein is a great idea, with or without the Muppets, though having the Muppets would imo make it not just a better fit for Magic Kingdom, but differentiate it from AA. It helps the Muppets along with Mickey and Friends are the IPs I most don't mind being cross-park, given how easy it is to slot both groups of characters into any sort of role or setting. It feels less like "you want the full experience, you gotta go to ALL OUR PARKS" and more "hey, look who's here too!"
We can see this religion-like (but obviously, not outright religious) reverence in how Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln was initially received by the public before they got to see it. They had no issue with Jungle Cruise as a ride, or Carousel of Progress as a concept. But Lincoln was a step too far. It horrified a lot of people. Some thought it would inherently be a mockery of Lincoln, while others thought it was wrong to try to "play god". It's ironic now that some think taking away the Hall of Presidents may come off as disrespectful to the office, when in the 60s, the very reverence of the presidents meant the idea of creating one was horrible.
Like, seriously, no other nation does this with their modern-era office holders. There'd never be a French or Japanese Hall of Prime Ministers, you know? They have their own larger than life, heavily mythologized-but-real figures... but, they're either ancient history and best understood to most non-historians as on the level of fairy tales, or are as critiqued as they are revered. Any criticisms of presidents pre-1950s, arguably pre-Bush, are still stonewalled by both sides of the aisle.
Politics becoming more contentious is uncomfortable, certainly, even if it's more in line with how the rest of the democratic world works. It also leads to an attraction like Hall of Presidents becoming, frankly, outdated. There are probably as many people now who disrespect literally any national-level American politician as much as those who revere "the Presidency", but either way, see themselves as patriotic or otherwise loving their country or community.
I get why people don't want it to go outside of mere reverence for the post - it's another attraction that was an idea of Walt's. But it's arguably already morphed enough away from that original idea, and the attraction he oversaw is still running over in Disneyland. I agree that AA is a better investigation and celebration of the American identity than the HoP is. An attraction in that vein is a great idea, with or without the Muppets, though having the Muppets would imo make it not just a better fit for Magic Kingdom, but differentiate it from AA. It helps the Muppets along with Mickey and Friends are the IPs I most don't mind being cross-park, given how easy it is to slot both groups of characters into any sort of role or setting. It feels less like "you want the full experience, you gotta go to ALL OUR PARKS" and more "hey, look who's here too!"
Went into Hall of Presidents last week and a fight almost broke out. Honestly even though I love this attraction I get if it ever closed why. Plus I think American Adventure is far better. That said I now believe none of the living presidents should speak and it should be just Roosevelts, Washington, and Lincoln who have speaking rolls. If you feel really daring maybe JFK or Grant. idk just feel sad after the experience.
Also side note am hopeful the new Trump AA looks better then last time, as the Biden one looks great. Also can we get a redo of Obama and Reagans AA's because they aren't great.
Also side note am hopeful the new Trump AA looks better then last time, as the Biden one looks great. Also can we get a redo of Obama and Reagans AA's because they aren't great.
AidenRodriguez731
Well-Known Member
I think it's honestly going to be the next attraction on the chopping block for MK. It makes the most sense save for MILF (will only use that acronym) which I also think will eventually be on its way out (maybe sooner)
Replacing with a Hamilton themed attraction, Ichabod Crane, or a Muppets attraction just makes much more sense. Heck they could pretty much reuse the "Great Moments in History" but give it an actual theater for shows + add a few more stories to spice it up.
If we're doing Great Moments, I would add in "The Shot Heard Round the World", "The Battle of Yorktown", and/or the "Boston Tea Party"
President Loki
Member
Honestly, I'm not the biggest fan of the show, I like history and all, and it's impressive that they have animatronics of presidents, but I feel like the American Tale at Epcot is just better. I'd personally prefer a Sleepy Hollow dark ride or even a Muppets American show, I feel like both would be able to be more popular than the current show. The waiting room was packed when I went, but when the doors for the theater opened, less than half the groups got up and most were using the waiting room to get air conditioning (which it's Florida so I don't blame them).
AidenRodriguez731
Well-Known Member
Hear me out, Muppets dark ride with a plot kinda similar to the Great Muppet Movie Ride with the Mupppets trying adnd failing at a few historical events. Or go full on old Fantasyland dark ride for Sleepy Hollow. I'm talking Mr Toad style.
President Loki
Member
James Alucobond
Well-Known Member
Eh, Monsters, Buzz, Speedway, and the vacant Stitch should all have priority, in addition to refreshes of Space and CoP. So, like, all of Tomorrowland. Once they do this update, they may as well leave the Hall of Presidents for four years and worry about it later.
AidenRodriguez731
Well-Known Member
Speedway I think won't be fully taken out soon because it's beloved by the kids but a Wreck-It Ralph overlay would fit thematically between both Tomorrowland and Fantasyland.
Buzz I could see being rethemed to Incredibles if they wanted to do something cool with that property. Or they could retheme to Big Hero Six, another big property not represented in Tomorrowland.
Then with Stitch you just make it the other property so if Buzz becomes Big Hero Six, it could become a fun Incredibles show with the same overall layout but being about testing out suits with Jack Jack escaping into the audience for something a little more goofy.
Or you could go the Baymax route and have Hiro testing out some new Baymax functions in the "Tomorrowland Expo Pavillion" which can cut out the seat harnesses entirely and have the effects revolve around an impressive Baymax animatronic.
However, to me, these projects seem more pie in the sky than just taking out a clear problem project like HOP. HOP is not held in much regard and is also not very popular with kids unlike the other attractions. It makes far more sense to retheme HOP before shutting down half of Tomorrowland when it underperforms by so much,.
While we're on the subject of Tomorrowland I actually love our version but do think it needs more/better rides. Personally I think it's a crime there's zero Wall-E representation, not even a gift shop or churro stand. My vote is take Star Tours out of Hollywood, move the simulators over to MK and make it Walle, Big Hero 6, heck I'll take Incredibles or even Elio if it's really good