There are a lot of things that Walt Disney World imagineers are good at, and keep getting better with......one of those things being the progression in realism with their animatronic characters. That's certainly seen all through attractions such as the Haunted Mansion, and more recently with the Mr. Potato animatronic in the queue for Toy Story Midway Mania. One of the foremost attractions and examples of the incredibly lifelike animatronic work at Walt Disney World is found in none other than The Hall of Presidents, which is located in the Liberty Square land at the Magic Kingdom.
With shows running every half hour during park time, The Hall of Presidents show runs about 20-25 minutes in length and is both an audio/video show as well as a stage show showing all U.S. presidents together from George Washington up to and including Barack Obama.
During the audio/video portion of the show, there is a film discussing some of the high points in American history, with much focus on the start of the U.S. presidency and the country's constitution as well. After the film portion, there is a roll-call taken of each of the 40 presidents, with them acknowledging their name in some way (head nod or other gesture). Throughout this portion of the show, take special note of the realistic fidgeting and moving the characters do with each other while some are talking. It's incredible to watch the things that these robotic characters do because their movements and appearance from facial features to hair to clothes.....is so amazingly lifelike. Each time this country elects a new president, eventually a newer animatronic is created and takes center stage in one of the main speaking parts of this attraction. President Obama has his own little speech, as does Abraham Lincoln, who actually stands up from his seated position to relate the Gettysburg Address. Speeches from Obama and Lincoln conclude the show, but earlier on there is also a speech given by George Washington.
For me, personally, I've always enjoyed history......either world or U.S.....so I can appreciate the show along with the animatronic presidents seated and standing before me. Even before entering the theater and being seated for the show to begin, there are interesting presidental exhibits showcased in the lobby of the building itself, some items of which once belonged to former presidents. The Hall of Presidents, in my opinion, isn't exactly the kind of attraction a person MUST see each and every time they're at the Magic Kingdom, but it's also not a "one-and-done" thing either (see it once and that's it). I'd say it falls into the category of "occasional seeing".
Fair warning, if you're a parent with small children, they may well be bored to tears with everything about this attraction. The same might well apply to those with little to no interest in history, either. At the very least, do yourself the favor and visit The Hall of Presidents once because even if you don't enjoy the show, you will get a pleasant air-conditioned break for about 20-25 minutes so you can recharge your batteries before heading back out into the park again.
