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Late last night, speculation began that a major event will be taking place on Thursday causing Disney to make sudden and drastic changes to its entertainment schedule. Today it has been confirmed by the White House that President Obama will indeed would be visiting Walt Disney World on January 19, 2012 to discuss the economy and tourism, elaborating on his “We Can’t Wait” job-creating initiative.
UPDATE: Obama’s speech will take place inside the Magic Kingdom theme park beginning at 12:35 p.m. using Cinderella Castle and Main Street USA as a backdrop. He will introduce a “strategy” to improve tourism and travel, including discussion of improving methods for obtaining travel visas for foreign visitors. Obama will be leaving Central Florida immediately afterward.
Guests in attendance at the park will not be able to see the President or his speech, as Main Street USA will be closed and off-limits, without an official White House invitation, from prior to park opening through Obama’s departure. Backstage areas will be used to allow guests to access the rest of the park from the entrance area, bypassing Main Street. Guests who enter the Magic Kingdom via a single-day ticket and are unhappy with the situation surrounding Obama’s speech will be offered access to another of Walt Disney World’s three theme parks for that day only. Most dining and experience reservations will still be honored, but guests should be prepared to adjust their plans. The exceptions are park tours scheduled on Thursday and reservations at Tony’s Town Square are being cancelled.
Video of President Obama speaking at Walt Disney World can be found here.
Disney has shifted its entertainment focus away from the Magic Kingdom theme park, adding Extra Magic Hours to its three other parks as well as a special fireworks show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that night. Additional parade audience control (PAC) shifts have been added to the Magic Kingdom between 7am and 3pm as well to help guide guests around Main Street and answer questions throughout the park. The afternoon parade start time has been moved back to 3:30 p.m. Disney cast members / employees are unable to use their IDs to get access to the Magic Kingdom that day.
Those visiting Walt Disney World on Thursday should be prepared for traffic and transportation delays associated with the President’s visit, particularly in the Magic Kingdom area.
With regards to the effects the President’s visit will have on guests visiting Walt Disney World, a Disney spokesman told me, “There will be a great deal of security surrounding the visit as is customary with any presidential visit. [...] As a result of the visit, we have adjusted our park hours and offerings at the theme parks to accommodate our guests.”
Officially, Walt Disney World does not endorse President Obama but is “honored” to host his visit to discuss tourism.
Too bad I have a performance of the musical HAPPY DAYS that night or I’d head over from Bradenton for the insanity! Inside source told me that an additional parade has been added to Hollywood Studio’s schedule as well as the other announced changes.
I feel truly sorry for those families that have planned for a long time their visit to the “World”. This visit is happening only because of the politics of our elections. It is an inconvenience, he can make the speech about tourism anywhere, and I am sure there are many places that would be less disruptive. If Disney allows him to go to the park they should give every person in that park a complimentary one day one park pass for future use just for the inconvenience.
I would think that to many families, it would be pretty cool to not only go on vacation, but also have a chance to see the president…
Dis you read the article? Nobody gets to see him. They are blocking off the most magical parts of magic kingdom and shuffling the peons…I mean public…through never seen back entrances. I am pissed he is taking over Disney. We are supposes to be there that day. Changing plans now.
Politics at Disney??? Come on Disney, this isn’t what the parks are about!!!
Right on Cori, I thought Disney was above this… glad my vacation (who can afford it with this economy) isn’t that week!
Actually, politics has lurked beneath WDW since the beginning: Disney had to woo (and probably bribe) legislators in the 60s to get complete control over their Florida domain (i.e. the Reedy Creek Improvement District), politicians have been present at groundbreakings (Bob Graham broke ground for Epcot), and, most importantly, the Contemporary was where Richard Nixon famously and erroneously stated “I am not a crook.”
It’s too bad Obama is just making a speech, as no one would really care if he was just visiting with his family (it really isn’t his fault the Secret Service doesn’t allow him to go anywhere unattended).
Disney should be the ones faulted for agreeing to do this, but I guess having the castle as a backdrop was too much to resist. Also, Disney, as the worlds largest media company, is trying to curry favor to strengthen internet piracy and copyright laws, like the Mickey Mouse law it has favored for years, along with the scary stop online piracy act and the protect ip acts currently in Congress.
Well he’s talking about tourism and this wouldnt be the first time, Nixon has spoke at the Contemporary in his time.
When I googled this–so I can not say for sure this is correct–it reads that EVERY President since 1971 has made a visit/speech.
I am on my family vacation at Disney and I am THRILLED that our President will be there. I am so glad we are staying at a Magic Kingdom Resort!!!
Our family is going as well…We ARE NOT THRILLED…My 8 year old could care less for seeing Obama as opposed to riding space mountain. This president is the WORST
Besides…There is NO Magic Kingdom resort
I believe the appropriate response is, Magic Kingdom AREA resort. Which would include GF, Poly, and Contemporary. Lance, I understand your opinions. But I have always been told, unless you don’t have anything nice to say, Please keep your mouth closed. Anger and unhappiness breeds quickly. I hope Carlita enjoys her vacation to WDW and I am truly sorry that you feel yours is being ruined. However, the park will resume normal operations later in the day and you can take your son to ride SpMtn at that time if you’d like. It’s an inconvenience. Not an obstruction.
You forgot the Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness campground and cabins. Also Lance space mountain is in Tomorrowland, not Main Street. Which it was stated that there will be access through cast member entrances. So your problem is invalid. Did you survive your day? Im sure you did.
Proud of you! Well said Carlita. Have a great time in your favorite place
Amy…Your an idiot
And you are quite bitter and unpleasant.
No. Lance is a realist. Carlita-you stand no chance of seeing Obama. The Peons are all shuffled backstage to move. Enjoy the magic of NOT-disney!
I don’t see the big deal. It’s January,midweek, probably when the lowest crowd levels of the year occur. If you had to pick a time of year that would have the least amount of impact, this would be it.
Plus, people will have a chance to see the president…and not just in animatronic form.
KH…Are you going?…Well, we are and it’s a big deal…He’s doing this speech and NONE of the peons are allowed to see it or him…So why do it
We are going too…scheduled our vacation a LONG time ago. He gets to disrupt the ENTIRE park for his shennanigans.
I’d be more impressed with the animatronic than the real thing.
You will NOT see the president! All you will see is closed areas and mass congestion with lots of adoring media who don’t have a clue because they don’t live in the real world… So sorry for the inconvenience this President is putting vacationers through…
Seriously The ONE day we plan on being at MK and this?!?!? I am so bummed, now I will definitely have to change my plans and visit MK another day. We leave tomorrow for our trip. Nothing like some advanced warning! LOL!!
What are the odds????
Exactly!
I don’t like the idea of the park being used for politics. Why couldn’t they do it pre park opening? There is daylight. Really disappointing.
GREAT point.
WDW corporation is all about politics. This is so not out of place for this company. They have been pushing for years for easier tourist visas for foreigners. They for all practical purposes have their own temporary worker visa category with no caps. That isn’t a maid cleaning your room. It’s a cultural ambassador. They are blocking gambling in the state of Florida and they want big tax breaks for being in the state.
I love my Disney fixes as much as everyone else- but don’t ever think the parks aren’t political. Since easing tourist visas is their baby it only makes sense for it to be announced at their park.
For those of you at WDW that day head over to MK around 1:30. The president will be gone and the lockdown will be lifted. But I am willing to bet most folks will settle into their chosen park for the day; leaving MK emptyish. If you are truly industrious- head over at 9am collect up your fast passes (because I think it will be empty that morning too), leave at 12, and head to another park or back to your hotel until 1:30. Return with FPs in hand.
Lp I agree with you I am a annual pass holder and you plan on visiting the parks is great idea.
The guy leading the USA is making a speech about tourism and how he is going to bring more foreiners over here by making it easier on visas(since the USA’s money isn’t worth crap and they are the only ones with $). I wonder if the tourist will go home? We can’t afford anymore non americans in the welfare system.
There is NO MAGIC in being steered around like cattle through backlot areas that look like hell. O isn’t even speaking in front of the public and the whole main street area is being closed off for hours. This is unheard of. This is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen and it will be a miracle for Disney to pull this off. If I had a trip there planned that day there is NO WAY in the world I would venture to the park that day. You can’t go to the Magic Kingdom without experiencing Main Street properly. Disney goes to great lengths to keep this a magical experience. I’ve performed in parades at the parks over the years and you aren’t in for any big thrills behind the set. I would demand a refund that day. You already have people in borderline riot mode when it’s crowded and areas are blocked off due to parades or other events happening around the castle due to cramped conditions and overcrowding. When you combine this with Disney Workers fake or sometimes non-existant politeness to try and direct people you are in for a ton of angry guests. How do you even think you’re going to get into the park? Certainly not what Walt intended for anyone to experience.
AB-I couldn’t agree more. There is something SO MAGICAL about walking into WDW, down Mainstreet with the castle in front of you. If BO needed to visit WDW to make his speech, he could have come before opening hours (as suggested by someone else), or gone to a location where you’re not ruining the magic for everyone else! Over near Thunder Mountain Railroad…it’s a dead end, easy to secure. Inside the Hall of Presidents. I could think of five locations off the top of my head that COULD have been chosen. But no. Obama needed the CASTLE behind him. All Hail King Obama.
What magic is there in being shuffled backstage? Disney World folks are the masters of creating a “feeling” and you will absolutely miss that magic Thursday.
And kids…kids want to ride rides. Kids want to see the castle. Kids want to hug a Princess or Mickey. They don’t give two flips about any president showing up. So sorry kids. Look! Here’s the ugly side of WDW!
We are annual passholders, so our planned visit isn’t going to be ruined. We’ll just go to another park that day (along with the other HUGE crowds being shooed away from MK), but what if this is your one shot at WDW? You’ve saved up for 20 years and you don’t get to visit 5 times a year? And what if you had a schedule, dining reservations, your vacation planned, and it comes out TWO DAYS AHEAD that your special, magical, dreamed of MK day is not going to happen because an egotistical jack wagon decided to take over the park.
It’s just rude, selfish, and ignorant. There are MANY WDW locations he could have chosen. The MOST prominent symbol of Disney World, the highest traffic spot in the entire park, & the hub of crowd movement will be off limits to the peons. Peons, you get the backstage shuffle. White House approved guests, come cheer for Obama in front of the castle! Everyone else, you’re not allowed to cast thine eyes upon the greatness.
I’m not a guest but a cast member and I’m not happy about this. I had plans about going to Magic Kingdom on my only day off which is Thursday which no I won’t be able to go. Granted I”m not as pissed off as guest will be since I can go when ever I want but come on there are Disney Hotels he could do this at.
NS- You know this well, I’m sure…there are plenty of places INSDIE MK that he could have done this at that would have disrupted everything much less! See my comment above…he chose the highest traffic spot in the entire park and then they said NO ACCESS TO THE PEONS!
I am currently at Disney with my family, my son’s first visit ever. Tomorrow was supposed to be our Magic Kingdom day with dining reservations and other things planned. We found out about this through the news. We have been here for 3 days so far and no mention of this from the resort. I heard the buzz on local news last night and this morning asked the concierge about it and they acted all nonchalant about it. “Oh yeah, he’s coming on Thursday, shouldn’t be a major inconvenience”. Really? I consider the fact that walking down Main Street the very first time you go to Disney a big deal, and to not have that ability because the President wants to have a pretty castle behind him while he speaks is outrageous. He’s coming to Florida, 3 sides of the state bordered by water, beaches. Have the ridiculous tourism speech near one of the nice beaches. There will be less people there than at Disney!
We had a vacation home in Davenport but after 9-11 it got horrible to enter the US. We where treated like criminals and we had to renew our drivers licens everytime we got there. Lots of friends and family visited us over the 11 years we got our home and they spend lots of dollars in the parks and shopping and dining. We sold our house just in time befor the recession and now visit Orlando once every 3 years. We still hate it to be treated like criminals just because the countrie is acting like a bunch of whimps. In Europe we are dealing with terrorists all the time but we don´t let them spoil our life, we don´t let them win.
This is all to late, much to late!