Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom

The Liberty Square Riverboat takes you back in time to a scenic half-mile of Colonial America. Some of the sights you’ll see aboard the steam powered Liberty Belle include a Native American village, Fort Langhorn, Harper’s Mill, Wilson’s Cave Inn and early American settlement. There are also some views the Haunted Manison, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad that you won’t see anywhere else.

The Liberty Tree Tavern is representative of the old taverns from the colonial era in the Boston of the 1770s, complete with a beautiful Liberty tree planted in front, with the name from the book and Disney movie called “Johnny Tremain”. Set in the many branches of this exquisite tree are 13 hanging lanterns representing the original 13 colonies that broke away from British rule and taxation to form the most powerful nation in the world, where more immigrants came than to any other country in the world; all because of the Constitutional freedoms that were guaranteed from that eventful time. The Liberty Tree is more than just a tree in a Disney theme park; it is a wonderful representation of the growth and glory of this magnificent land. Yes, there are and have been problems, but that is mostly because we all have a voice in what happens, a share in the toils, turmoils, and constant trials that beset a great nation as it hurdles through history gaining power and prestige for a united people.

After waiting for a while in the hot summer sun of Florida and reading every funny headstones, the Haunted Mansion will be a very cool respite. Maids and butlers, dressed in the appropriate attire greet you with an eerie expression at the door of the mansion, a replica of an 18th century gothic home from the Hudson River Valley, escort you to the waiting room or library with either the floor dropping or the ceiling rising, with the strangest pictures placed around the walls, especially the eyes! This is not going to be fright night, but can definitely cause concern among the younger boys and girls. As you are helped into the doom buggy, you go into the dark areas of the mansion riding slowly along a track with scenes unfolding in front of you with spooky attendees. Be careful, as some of these ghostly apparitions love to hitch a ride with unsuspecting riders; and when you do notice that image from the glass in front of you, it sure causes a surprise; especially to the young ones. The scenes behind the glass partitions continue to show you various haunted scenes of the mansion as you travel along twisting and turning with each passing. This ride is for only 8 minutes, which can seem like an eternity to the young boy or girl riding in your buggy.

The Hall of Presidents is a place you go to learn about the many Presidents we have had, what they looked like and the original clothing worn at the time they became President. A really wonderful place to visit and enjoy the almost 25 minute dialogue. This is a timeless attraction, always worth waiting for and never tiring of. The film shown at the start shows some awesome paintings and tells about the Constitution and the first Presidency. After the film is finished, the stage is lighted with the Presidents standing in a beautiful line with animated movements that were reminiscent of the very gestures made by the Presidents themselves. One of the Presidents who makes a speech is Abraham Lincoln, who stands up from his chair and during his speech, actually moves his hands and arms like the real Lincoln. There are 700 seats in this air-conditioned theater that makes it an even more popular place in the hot summer months. A great sculptor from Disney, Blaine Gibson, was retired, but comes back to do the latest updates for this magnificent show.