Joined: Feb 21, 2006 Posts: 4196 Location: Sanford, Fl
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 3:49 pm Post subject: Updated Hall of Presidents Openning Soon
The cleaned and updated Hall of Presidents opens soon (I think the AP preview is this weekend), the Orlando Sentinel has a sneak peek on the improvements:
Details emerge from Hall of Presidents at Magic Kingdom
Had a mini-sneak-peek at the revamped Hall of Presidents this afternoon at Magic Kingdom. Showing us around -- but not the whole presentation -- was Eric Jacobson, senior vice president at Walt Disney Imagineering. Here are some tidbits he shared about HoP, which is set to reopen officially on July 4:
+ The front room/pre-show has been reorganized a bit. Some of the presidential portraits have been replaced, and the imagery has quotations beneath them. A new display area features dresses from three first ladies: Elizabeth Monroe, Edith Roosevelt (Mrs. Teddy) and Nancy Reagan. (The silk dresses of Monroe and Roosevelt are reproductions).
+ Reagan sent a selection. "Mrs. Reagan actually -- at the Reagan Library -- picked out six dresses for us to rotate through the collection," Jacobson says. "She picked them out herself." Her outfit will change every six months, but she'll start off in a black-sequined number. The gown area is flexible. "Maybe some day we'll have one of Michelle Obama's outfits in here," Jacobson says.
+ New wording has been placed on an interior wall. It now reads "Welcome to the Hall of Presidents, a Celebration of Liberty's Leaders." Outside, the building gets its first marquee (still covered, as seen in photo above. Photo by Joe Burbank, shot Tuesday.) (Previously, there was merely a sign in the planter.)
+ The film, now narrated by Morgan Freeman, is a bit trimmer, and the Animatronic section expanded. "That's what they [park guests] come to see," Jacobson says.
+ The emphasis of the attraction is more about the history of the presidency and the presidents as people. Before, it was more of a history lesson, and this change will help distinguish the Hall from the American Adventure presentation at Epcot.
+ The film still will end with the Space Shuttle as the curtain rises to reveal the presidents.
+ Barack Obama stands to Abraham Lincoln's right. Lincoln sits front-and-center still. Obama wears a dark blue suit and burgandy tie.
+ Obama recorded the oath of office and a speech prepared by Disney (with minor changes) in the Map Room of the White House.
+ The Obama model is the next level of Animatronic, Jacobson says. "He has more facial expression than we've ever done before. He's our most advanced figure we've done, but he's not a completely new generation with everything starting over," he says. "The challenge is that everyone see him every day on television. Everyone's an expert on Obama."
+ George Washington stands and speaks for the first time in the Hall of Presidents. He is voiced by David Morse, who portrayed Washington in the HBO series John Adams. His lines are an actual quote from Washington, on how he felt as he was sworn in.
+ The roll call is at a more leisurely pace than the previous version. And some of the men have been repositioned to lessen the "ping-pong effect" of the roll call. All have been reprogrammed, but you won't necessarily notice, because of the changes in the scene and the new pacing.
+ Alas, no photos allowed yet. Disney is not ready for Obama's closeup yet. "We're sort of in dress rehearsals right now," Jacobson says. "We haven't had any audiences other than ourselves."
Sounds really cool... it is about time that this attraction gets some upgrades (other than a new president every four years). _________________ Up or Down North, South, East, or West An Adventurer's Life is Best!
Joined: May 27, 2007 Posts: 300 Location: Connecticut, USA
Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 5:23 am Post subject:
Sounds like a lot of work and rethinking went into the new show. I wonder how they have rearranged them. I just got used to where they were sitting! I also wonder if the new movie is now less of a history lesson because a chuck of it was on slavery and now with President Obama they feel we have been able to move the focus forward more?
Do they give the Dems and Repubs different color ties?
You think the imagineers vote based on what person makes a better animatronic or if they 'don't want to do it all over again, it, was only 4 years ago..." I mean they can get extended use out of a re-election...saves money...
Voting for the incumbant so you don't have to add a new president to the hall is a better reason than what some of the folks I work with tell me they used...
I am glad they updated it and are giving the presidents more time. Particularly the letting George speak.
Personally I'd like to see a shot of the new marquee. I'd like to see how they did it in keeping with the theming of the area.
Joined: Feb 21, 2006 Posts: 4196 Location: Sanford, Fl
Posted: Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:01 am Post subject:
Along with all the other new stuff, there is also a new outside sign:
Source: WDWMagic _________________ Up or Down North, South, East, or West An Adventurer's Life is Best!
Joined: Feb 21, 2006 Posts: 4196 Location: Sanford, Fl
Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 8:35 am Post subject:
In case anyone is interested, here are a few more official photos that Disney has released from the the HoP... these photos are from the stage area itself and are pretty high quality: http://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/2009/07/great-pictures-of-new-wdw-hall-of.html _________________ Up or Down North, South, East, or West An Adventurer's Life is Best!
Joined: Feb 21, 2006 Posts: 4196 Location: Sanford, Fl
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2009 6:59 am Post subject:
This past Friday, Disney celebrate the reopening of the Hall of Presidents by holding a very large ceremony where 1000 people were sworn in as new American Citizens!
You can read more about the event and see some really cool photos over here: http://www.laughingplace.com/Lotion-View-918.asp _________________ Up or Down North, South, East, or West An Adventurer's Life is Best!
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