Like many of you, our love and respect for American history runs deep, though there is one argument that we have heard a few times that is a little difficult to refute. In a world where we all want to keep politics out of the Disney Parks, how did we end up with The Hall of Presidents attraction, dedicated to our political leaders? To give you the complete picture, those with this curiosity in mind argue that the attraction would make perfect sense in, say, the American Adventure pavilion in EPCOT’s World Showcase, though it seems a little out of place in the middle of Magic Kingdom‘s Liberty Square. While the comments seem to die down after each administration change, the upcoming opening of a new Disneyland attraction has stirred the pot once more.
The Disney Parks were designed to be an oasis from reality, an opportunity to escape the pressures of everyday life and enjoy the simplicity of all-around family fun with the people you hold dearest. Over the last 20 or so years, much of the pressure we feel as Americans seems to stem from politically generated stress, no matter which side of the ever-growing divide you rest on. So, while Disneyland is on the verge of opening its brand-new attraction, Walt Disney – A Magical Life, the first ever Walt Disney-themed attraction complete with state-of-the-art Audio-Animatronic, we can’t help but wonder why it took so long for Walt to be represented in the original park, compared to a new political leader every four years on the opposite coast.
Whether you love the Hall of Presidents attraction in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, or use it as an air-conditioned haven in the Summer, we all have to wonder if Disneyland’s newest resident will prove to be the more relevant figure, representing everything from Disney’s origin story to the foundational hopes and dreams of one man that are still guiding future Disney Parks projects. Which leaves us with a few burning questions. How did we end up with a hall full of presidents, but wait 70 years for Walt Disney representation? Is the Hall of Presidents still as relevant as it once was, or is it simply an in-park reminder of the social divide we are all trying to leave behind while in the Disney bubble? Either way, we want to see more Walt representation across all the Disney Parks, celebrating the founder of this iconic destination that we all love so much.
