Walt Disney World is making a number of changes to the Magic Kingdom’s Hall of Presidents attraction, including adding President-elect Barack Obama to the lineup and making George Washington a speaking member of the cast.
“We’re about to get a new president. And so, since we have to shut down the show anyway to welcome No. 44, we’re going to take the opportunity to . . . refurbish the attractions and the facility and also kind of wave the magic wand around a little bit,” the Orlando Sentinel quoted Pam Fisher, senior show writer for Walt Disney Imagineering, as saying in October.
The attraction has been closed since Oct. 31 and is slated to open by July 4.
Located in the Magic Kingdom’s Liberty Square, the Hall of Presidents opened on Oct. 1, 1971, along with the rest of the park. On top of the new president and Washington’s new role, the resort plans to upgrade the show’s audio and visual effects systems.
In addition, the resort said it will close Space Mountain for much of 2009 to refurbish the ride.