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On January 19, after Magic Kingdom closed for the day, the Hall of Presidents attraction, located in Liberty Square, was also closed — but this was not just an overnight thing. It was for a lengthy refurbishment (which is still occurring) to add a President Joe Biden animatronic figure into the theater.
This refurbishment shouldn’t come as a shock as January 20, 2021, marked the Inauguration Day of President Joe Biden. Every time the United States gets a new President, the Hall of Presidents attraction at Magic Kingdom gets a new audio-animatronic, which requires the attraction to be closed for some time.
Now, a few months later, it looks like Disney is continuing to work on the attraction as a new permit has been filed.
If you aren’t familiar, Disney’s Hall of Presidents brings Guests into a theater that showcases realistic audio-animatronics replicas of every President of the United States, all together for the very first time.
And, as previously mentioned, every time the United States gets a new President, an animatronic figure representing them are added into the theater. The last time Disney’s Hall of Presidents theme park attraction underwent a refurbishment was in 2017 when Donald Trump became President.
Related: Fans Once Again Ask Disney to Remove Trump From Hall of Presidents
Now, as Disney prepares to add President Joe Biden into the Magic Kingdom attraction, as well as make any other minor changes during the refurbishment, a new permit has been filed for construction. The contractor listed on the permit is Buena Vista Construction Company, which is Disney’s own construction firm.
There are not many other details listed on the permit, but this is an indication Disney is continuing to work on the Magic Kingdom attraction and ensure it is in tip-top shape for when they are ready to reopen.
Related: Disney CEO dodges question about removing Trump from Hall of Presidents at Magic Kingdom
More on Disney’s The Hall of Presidents Attraction
If you’ve never experienced The Hall of Presidents, the official Walt Disney World website describes this theme park attraction as the following. Note that the description will be updated after President Biden has been added.
In the Presence of the Presidents
Take your seat in the stately theater, home to 3 massive digital projection screens and a grand proscenium. Watch an original film—developed by a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian—that tells the dramatic story of the nation’s founding.
Learn about the formation of our Constitution and the hard-fought struggles along the way—such as the American Revolution and the Civil War. Listen to the stirring words of John F. Kennedy echo through the theater and watch Abraham Lincoln—in attendance on stage—deliver his Gettysburg address.
The Presidents Will See You Now
Watch the curtain rise to reveal startlingly realistic Audio-Animatronics replicas of every President of the United States—together for the very first time. Hear speeches delivered by George Washington and the newest addition to the Hall, 45th President Donald J. Trump.
Wondering why there are 44 and not 45 figures onstage? Because Grover Cleveland served 2 non-consecutive terms as both the 22nd and 24th president.
Creating the Presidents
Originally conceived as animated wax figures, the Presidents didn’t meet Walt Disney’s approval, so he tasked Walt Disney Imagineering to develop the first Audio-Animatronics figure in human form.
The result was the groundbreaking Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, which debuted at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. The Hall of Presidents built upon the show’s legacy—expanding it to all Presidents—when it opened in 1971.
Are you excited for when Hall of Presidents reopens? Let us know in the comments below.
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