Entering Liberty Square from the Hub, the first attraction you will come to is the Hall of the Presidents. This attraction was inspired by the '64 World's Fair Attraction 'Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln', an attraction that still lives on at Disneyland in Anaheim. This attraction was the fulfillment of Walt's wish for a full presidents attraction, after the success of Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at the World's Fair. The attraction opens with a film narrated by Morgan Freeman, then the curtains open up to show animatronic version of the 44 Presidents to date (currently the attraction is under refurbishment to add in an animatronic of the 45th President). Since 1993, the sitting President has lended his voice to the attraction. Another fun detail about this attraction: in the waiting area prior to going into the theater, there is an exact copy of the Seal of the United States. This is the only location, other than the Oval Office, that you can see this Seal. It took an act of Congress in order to have the Seal in the Hall of the Presidents.
photo taken April 2015
A new show recently debuted in Liberty Square, featuring the Muppets! It is called 'The Muppets Present...Great Moments in American History'. This show is featured just to the right of the Hall of the Presidents. A town cryer announces the beginning of the show, which is then featured in the windows of the second level of the Heritage House and of the Hall of the Presidents. While I have not personally seen this show, I can only imagine the hi jinx that ensues with the Muppets.
The Liberty Belle Riverboat hold origins to Walt's first plans for his first amusement park that was planned for across from the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. While these plans were changed into what is now Disneyland in Anaheim, the plans for the riverboat stayed. This attraction is very mellow, taking guests around Tom Sawyer Island on a leisurely riverboat ride.
The final attraction on our tour of Liberty Square is a fan favorite. It is the home of 999 happy haunts: The Haunted Mansion. In the Walt Disney World rendition, guests weave through the courtyard prior to entering the mansion, which has recently added interactive features, making the wait in the queue not seem as long. Once you get to the door, you are let into the foyer by a sullen-looking cast member. There you begin to learn the story behind the Mansion, in a room that has no doors and no windows. But as your "ghost host" says..."there's always my way..." You then exit the preshow area into the loading area. The Haunted Mansion has an omnimover ride system: meaning that the ride is a continuously loading ride. It can be slowed or stopped to load people who need extra assistance in loading. Once you are loaded, you begin moving through the Mansion, passing through the corridors, the attic, Madame Leota's seance and into the iconic ballroom dance scene. Once you enter the graveyard, your ears are delighted with the tune 'Grim Grinning Ghosts'. You then move into an area where, through Disney magic, a couple of hitchhiking ghosts try to join you. And with that, you have completed your journey through the Haunted Mansion. The Haunted Mansion inspired a film in 2003 starring Eddie Murphy.
That completes your tour of Liberty Square. While this land is one of the smallest lands in Magic Kingdom, it has some of the most historical and educational pieces of all of Magic Kingdom. I leave you with the Barenaked Ladies singing 'Grim Grinning Ghosts', which was used in the film The Haunted Mansion.
Grim Grinning Ghosts
some of the details within the courtyard queue area of the Haunted Mansion
That completes your tour of Liberty Square. While this land is one of the smallest lands in Magic Kingdom, it has some of the most historical and educational pieces of all of Magic Kingdom. I leave you with the Barenaked Ladies singing 'Grim Grinning Ghosts', which was used in the film The Haunted Mansion.
Grim Grinning Ghosts
