Disney World to Cut Trump Display, Sparking National Controversy

Disney World’s Hall of Presidents has always been one of the most contentious and controversial attractions at Magic Kingdom, and with the constant twists and turns of the upcoming election, things are set to potentially change on a dramatic level when it comes to the patriotic ride.

Inspired by Disneyland Resort’s “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, The Hall of Presidents at Walt Disney World Resort embodies Walt Disney’s original vision for an audio-animatronic tribute to the American presidency. Debuting alongside Magic Kingdom Park in 1971, it stands as one of the park’s most historic attractions.

The Hall of Presidents holds a unique distinction within Walt Disney World. Imagineers, the creative minds behind Disney Parks experiences, are tasked with regularly updating the show. This process necessitates temporary closures every four to eight years, coinciding with the inauguration of a new U.S. president.

These closures facilitate the meticulous creation of a new audio-animatronic figure, ensuring an accurate representation of each leader.

Since 1993, a noteworthy tradition has solidified the authenticity of The Hall of Presidents. Beginning with President Bill Clinton, each incoming president has participated in the recording of their oath of office and a dedicated speech specifically for the attraction.

This tradition continued with Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. President Joe Biden, while lending his voice to the attraction, deviated slightly: his audio-animatronic presentation omits the post-oath speech featured for previous presidents.

The Hall of Presidents was not always a source of political discord. However, the increasingly polarized political climate of the United States, particularly evident since 2016, has cast a shadow on the attraction. The inclusion of President Donald Trump’s audio-animatronic figure sparked controversy, with some guests expressing disapproval.

Conspiracy theories even circulated, suggesting the Trump animatronic was a repurposed figure originally intended for Hillary Clinton. The latter years of Trump’s presidency saw an increase in disruptive behavior within the attraction, with boos and groans erupting from some audience members.

Unfortunately, the past two presidential elections have highlighted the divisive nature of contemporary American politics within The Hall of Presidents. Some guests felt compelled to express strong support or disapproval toward the featured president, be it Donald Trump or Joe Biden.

When former President Trump was introduced, some guests chanted, “Lock him up,” referencing Trump’s ongoing “hush money” criminal trial in New York City. In response to President Biden’s introduction, Trump supporters chanted, “Let’s Go Brandon.”

The level of contention even resulted in physical altercations among guests. This dynamic presents a challenge for Disney, as The Hall of Presidents strives to celebrate American history and its leaders, regardless of political affiliation.

Typically, if a new President is elected, Disney will shut down the attraction in order to add the new President animatronic to the mix. When Joe Biden won against President Donald Trump four years ago, we saw the ride shut down.

Before today, it appeared that Disney would not need to make a new animatronic as Donald Trump and Joe Biden were going head to head yet again, and considering both Presidents have an active animatronic, there would not be much that Disney would have to do.

That all changed when President Joe Biden stepped away from the Presidential race, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to run on behalf of the Democratic Party.

President Joe Biden announced on Sunday that he is ending his bid for reelection, amid intense pressure from Democratic leaders who warned that his chances of defeating former President Donald Trump in November had disappeared.

The president’s historic withdrawal throws the 2024 race — already shaken by a shocking attempt on Trump’s life — into uncertain territory, with Vice President Kamala Harris widely seen as the Democrat most likely to replace Biden at the top of the party’s ticket.

Biden made the announcement from his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where he has been self-isolating since testing positive for COVID-19 on Thursday night.

Biden quickly endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee in a separate statement on X. Harris responded that she is honored to have Biden’s endorsement, and her “intention is to earn and win this nomination.” The president and vice president spoke several times on Sunday morning ahead of his announcement.

Biden said he would address the nation later this week to provide more details about his decision.

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,” Biden said in a letter to Americans. “And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and my country for me to stand down and to focus solely on my duties as President for the rest of my term.”

In his statement, Biden reflected fondly on his four years in office, highlighting that the U.S. has built the “strongest economy in the world,” while touting efforts to lower prescription drug prices, expand health care, tackle climate change, and appoint the first Black woman to the Supreme Court, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.

The decision upends the 2024 campaign, just 107 days before Election Day, with Democratic National Committee members now tasked with choosing an alternative nominee to challenge Trump, whose polling lead has increased as Democrats have battled internally.

This decision comes shortly after Donald Trump broke the news cycle after being shot at during a rally, with the bullet grazing his ear.

If Kamala Harris wins the election, Disney will have to make a new animatronic and would have to leave Donald Trump’s figure as is, not giving him his front and center coveted spot that he once held.

“I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party — and unite our nation — to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda,” Harris said.

Disney World is a form of escapism for many people, where Guests can come together despite their differences and bond over the fact that they are all, in theory, experiencing the same magical day.

By placing a controversial attraction in the center of that, the sign at the Magic Kingdom entrance, which reads, “Here You Leave Today And Enter The World Of Yesterday, Tomorrow And Fantasy,” no longer feels as applicable, considering the unbelievable reality is no longer a fantasy.

It could be argued that the most recent United States election season is the most aggressive and controversial in recent history, hence the fact that more Disney Parks fans are speaking out about the Hall of Presidents now than in previous election years.

Disney does not like political controversy. If Guests are caught with political propaganda in the parks, they will be removed and possibly banned. It happened at Disneyland Resort when a Guest rolled out a “Trump” banner on the Mark Twain Riverboat and was banned from the resort. Disney did lift his ban weeks later, but the company takes a clear stance on pushing political values, which is to not do so on their property.

Because of ths, many have stated that they would like actually to see the ride removed entirely. 

Should Disney remove the Hall of Presidents?