The Little-Known Government Vote Affecting Walt Disney World

When you think of United States voting, you may think of mid-term elections or a new president, but a Disney attraction might not be what comes to mind.

Of course, recent events involving Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Reedy Creek have brought Disney and politics together in a significant way, but there was actually a government vote that directly impacted a Disney Park experience.

The Hall of Presidents is a Walt Disney World classic, an attraction that is ever-changing and ever-patriotic. Located in Liberty Square at the Magic Kingdom, the Disney attraction is a show featuring Audio-Animatronic figures of all those who have served as President of the United States – currently Joe Biden, who recites the oath of office.

The Magic Kingdom show begins with a film presentation of the history of the United States of America. The movie presents the idea that the United States is not free from improvements while celebrating the liberties of the American people, the Constitution, and the progress of America in its early years.

But many Disney World Guests do not realize that after 50 years of fostering American pride with speeches from Abraham Lincoln and George Washington, the Hall of Presidents holds a special secret decided by a government vote.

At the entrance to the attraction is something very important in the carpet, surrounded by a fence. Many Guests may walk straight past it without even realizing its significance.

Of the 3 Presidential Seals in the United States, one is in the Oval Office at the White House, one is in the hall where the Liberty Bell is housed, and one is located in the Hall of Presidents in Walt Disney World.

Crazy, right?

It actually took an act of Congress to get the Great Seal of the United States displayed at The Hall of Presidents. Congress had to take a vote and agree that it could be displayed in the Lake Buena Vista Resort.

So, while you wait for the auditorium doors to open, take your time walking around the lobby and look for the Great Seal of the United States in the carpet. There are also many presidential artifacts around the Disney attraction, including George Washington’s beer mug to portraits of Ronald Reagan and Thomas Jefferson.

The ride is also unique in changing more frequently than other Disney Park rides at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme parks. The attraction changes every 4 to 8 years, depending on new presidential elections, with a new Audio-Animatronic being made for the incoming President of the United States.

In July 2021, Disney announced that President Joe Biden would be added to the Hall of Presidents, which reopened on August 3, 2021. The film The Idea of a President, which precedes the show, was kept for the Biden incarnation.

Interestingly, Cast Members obtain clothes and any other items the President wants their likeness to wear during the attraction. They will provide a suit and other articles of clothing from their own closets, making their resemblance even more authentic. Bill Clinton even provided one of his own wristwatches to be worn in the attraction. For most of the historic presidents, of course, their outfits had to be created based on photographs and styles from a specific period.

Abraham Lincoln was Walt Disney’s favorite president and the first president animatronic created. He was made to recite the Gettysburg Address at the New York 1964 World’s Fair. After the World’s Fair, he found a home at Disneyland reciting to Guests at the “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” attraction. Once plans for Walt Disney World in Florida were set up, Imagineers went about designing the full attraction in Liberty Square that Walt dreamed of

Liberty Square at Magic Kingdom opened back in 1971 and is themed after colonial America. The area features the famous Haunted Mansion attraction, the Liberty Belle Riverboat steam paddleboat on the Rivers of America, and the audio-animatronic show Hall of Presidents.

And the brown pavement seen in Liberty Square in Magic Kingdom is meant to reflect the historical river of sewage. The theme of a lack of plumbing extends beyond the brown pavement – there is no “public” bathroom in Liberty Square! If you find yourself in need of using a restroom while in the colonial-themed Magic Kingdom area, you’ll need to go into one of its two restaurants: The Liberty Tree Tavern or the Columbia Harbour House.

Dining locations must, of course, have toilets, but the ones in Liberty Tree Tavern and Columbia Harbour House are technically so far back in the buildings that they actually sit within Fantasyland and Adventureland!

Liberty Tree Tavern is famous for its huge meals and its colonial theme, specifically that of New England. The menu includes tavern ham, pot roast, turkey, and Boston cream pie. Each of its dining rooms takes its name from a notable American Revolutionary War hero: Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Martha Washington, John Paul Jones, Betsy Ross, and Thomas Jefferson.

So, next time you go inside The Hall of Presidents, remember to look for the Great Seal of the United States – it took a Congressional vote to get it approved for Walt Disney World!