Will Hall of Presidents ever open???

[GatorChris]

I'm looking at the refurb list for our trip at the end of July, and HoP is still on the list. It seems like a ridiculous amount of time to get this attraction back open. Not to mention it's a must in the blistering FL summer heat.

I'm sure there are folks at the top of Disney who aren't fans. But for the sake of the attraction and having a great A/C attraction, GET IT OPEN!

 

[MICKIMINI]

I totally agree! Dragging their feet like it was 2020-21 is ridiculous. Secondly, the fact that they have the animatronic of 45 and 47, except for a new speech and a few wrinkles confirms your theory. We've enjoyed this attraction for many decades and it is shameful it is still closed.

Open the attraction, please!

 

[Dave006]

Secondly, the fact that they have the animatronic of 45 and 47, except for a new speech and a few wrinkles confirms your theory.

The attraction went down for more than just swapping the (2) animatronic figures over a couple of days.

Dave

 

[ShayBells]

I read somewhere that there’s a rumor that it’s not reopening and they’re gonna do something new with muppets and I don’t want that to be true. I love hall of presidents.

 

[lmhall2000]

Start a petition.

 

[Suze10860]

I read somewhere that there’s a rumor that it’s not reopening and they’re gonna do something new with muppets and I don’t want that to be true. I love hall of presidents.

I'd so prefer a new Muppet attraction here, for multiple reasons.

 

[DonMacGregor]

I'd so prefer a new Muppet attraction here, for multiple reasons.

I'd prefer that it stayed, but with some modifications.

No matter what you think about the current president or his predecessor, regardless of who is #48, there will be outrage on someone's part. The same will go for 49, 50, 51, and on and on. It's just the unfortunate reality we live in now.

My suggestion would be to modify it into a Founding Fathers presentation. Instead of trying to include every president, remove ALL of them, regardless of party or accomplishment (yes, even Abraham Lincoln), after say 1825 (James Monroe). Include other significant colonial statemen and notable founders who were never president, like Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry, etc.

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

Ever? I'm going to say yes

 

[Sweettears]

I'd prefer that it stayed, but with some modifications.

No matter what you think about the current president or his predecessor, regardless of who is #48, there will be outrage on someone's part. The same will go for 49, 50, 51, and on and on. It's just the unfortunate reality we live in now.

My suggestion would be to modify it into a Founding Fathers presentation. Instead of trying to include every president, remove ALL of them, regardless of party or accomplishment (yes, even Abraham Lincoln), after say 1825 (James Monroe). Include other significant colonial statemen and notable founders who were never president, like Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry, etc.

They have this. It’s called An American Adventure.

 

[HopperFan]

There is ZERO reason to have been closed this long. Nothing new to make. And you could make the change as suggested above easily. You move one founding father forward and give the prominent speaking role, and you move Biden back to their position. It would move the re-opening faster each time if you are just adding an animatronic to a random location.

I think it should be closed FOREVER. Magic Kingdom is a fantasy park and I have no interest in a history attraction. I'm not interested in reality. In the last twenty years I've maybe gone twice - to escape rain. If they really feel the need to hold on to it, move it to EPCOT where it belongs. There is more than enough empty space besides the American Pavilion.

My wish is a Haunted Mansion Table Service restaurant styled like Be Our Guest with multiple rooms. It would be the hardest ADR to get and not only be full at all times, unlike Hall of Presidents, but it would generate a bounty of income. With the Riverboat leaving, the landscape changing in Liberty Square, the increased capacity the two lands will bring, that would be a treasure.

Clearly the attraction brings negativity and is a catch-22 for Disney on how they proceed.

 

[mom2rtk]

There is ZERO reason to have been closed this long. Nothing new to make. And you could make the change as suggested above easily. You move one founding father forward and give the prominent speaking role, and you move Biden back to their position. It would move the re-opening faster each time if you are just adding an animatronic to a random location.

I think it should be closed FOREVER. Magic Kingdom is a fantasy park and I have no interest in a history attraction. I'm not interested in reality. In the last twenty years I've maybe gone twice - to escape rain. If they really feel the need to hold on to it, move it to EPCOT where it belongs. There is more than enough empty space besides the American Pavilion.

My wish is a Haunted Mansion Table Service restaurant styled like Be Our Guest with multiple rooms. It would be the hardest ADR to get and not only be full at all times, unlike Hall of Presidents, but it would generate a bounty of income. With the Riverboat leaving, the landscape changing in Liberty Square, the increased capacity the two lands will bring, that would be a treasure.

Clearly the attraction brings negativity and is a catch-22 for Disney on how they proceed.

But unfortunately would likely cannibalize reservations from other restaurants in the park.

 

[HopperFan]

But unfortunately would likely cannibalize reservations from other restaurants in the park.

Maybe some, but I think there are many such as myself who don't make any ADR in MK but I would there every trip. MK has some of the worst dining options at WDW.

And I'm talking about when Carsland, thought I said that, and eventually Villains land opens the capacity at MK would go way up, there will be need. Not sure adding one at Villains Land is going to be enough.

 

[DonMacGregor]

They have this. It’s called An American Adventure.

I understand that, but the current situation is not sustainable.

 

[mickeymom629]

We went to HoP last summer for the first time in a while and I really liked the way it was re-done since I had been there way before covid. There were some rude people who couldn't be quite but, luckily, the show was loud enough. I would like to see it re-open but, probably wouldn't mind something else coming in that space. We aren't sit-down restaurant people, so another restaurant doesn't interest me. I also miss the Muppet show that they did for a short while in that area. I would like to see it open for my trip in December - I want the family to see it.

 

[focusondisney]

Not sure what the uproar is about. It goes down for months every 4 years. Not new or unusual that it is still down. We have no idea if they’re making a new animatronic or changing the presentation & what that might entail.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

Muppets...Presidents...same difference

 

[wdwfan94]

There is ZERO reason to have been closed this long. Nothing new to make. And you could make the change as suggested above easily. You move one founding father forward and give the prominent speaking role, and you move Biden back to their position. It would move the re-opening faster each time if you are just adding an animatronic to a random location.

I think it should be closed FOREVER. Magic Kingdom is a fantasy park and I have no interest in a history attraction. I'm not interested in reality. In the last twenty years I've maybe gone twice - to escape rain. If they really feel the need to hold on to it, move it to EPCOT where it belongs. There is more than enough empty space besides the American Pavilion.

My wish is a Haunted Mansion Table Service restaurant styled like Be Our Guest with multiple rooms. It would be the hardest ADR to get and not only be full at all times, unlike Hall of Presidents, but it would generate a bounty of income. With the Riverboat leaving, the landscape changing in Liberty Square, the increased capacity the two lands will bring, that would be a treasure.

Clearly the attraction brings negativity and is a catch-22 for Disney on how they proceed.

Agree. It’s been 5+ years since I’ve been in there. People go to MK to escape the real world and IMO this doesn’t belong in MK.

 

[Mome Rath]

It absolutely should open back up again as HoP, and there's no reason for them to drag their feet. One thing we need more of, not less, is a presentation of our history.

 

[john7994]

I agree with others, the attraction needs to be repurposed or refocused. It was nice for its time, but seemingly park goers lack the maturity these days to manage certain elements of the current show.

 

[fla4fun]

There is ZERO reason to have been closed this long. Nothing new to make.

I assumed they would record a new speech by the current president. Perhaps they haven’t been able to do that yet. It is also possible that the building needed a deep refurbishment for items such as carpet, paint, upholstery, etc. They have just been so quiet about it that we don’t know what’s going on. I wonder how long it has taken in the past to update the show?

I agree that they are making it more difficult for themselves by giving the current president a speaking role in the show. I don’t have an issue with any new presidents being included, since this is a show about the office of the president and these are the people who have filled that role. My personal feeling is that if they only had Lincoln speak, instead of having each new president speak as well, they would have less downtime when a new administration comes in. The new animatronic could be prepared behind the scenes and installed quickly with little downtime. The only modification to the show would be adding them to the roll call. It wouldn’t necessarily get the new president installed more quickly, as they can’t finalize the animatronic until after they are elected, but they could continue to run the old show until they are ready to make the switch since the new addition wouldn’t be center stage, so to speak.

However, considering the controversies that seem to surround some of the more recent additions to the HoP, perhaps it is time to consider letting it go and putting a different show in its place. I just can’t think of a show idea off the top of my head that would work with the Liberty Square theme that wouldn’t overlap with the American Adventure show at Epcot. I guess that is why I am not an Imagineer! If I had to choose one show or the other to keep, I would prefer to keep the Epcot show.

While I love the idea of a HM restaurant, I think the HoP building is in the wrong location for it. I think a themed HM restaurant should feel like an extension of the attraction itself, as though they are in the same building. A better spot for it would be opposite Memento Mori to minimize the view of Carsland from the HM queue (I am so going to miss that river view!). If they didn’t already have LTT, they could have turned it into a Liberty Square themed restaurant. The plot of land is too small for most attractions to fit, so I don’t see how it could be anything other than a show. I just hope it opens as something soon.