Well This Will Be An Interesting Day at The Magic Kingdom! (Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012)

Oh dear god please let him leave before we get there!

I wonder if he has a Park Hopper pass?

I read that the other parks will be open extra hours to encourage visitors to go to those instead. I am just glad we aren't there when all this is going on. Wow sounds like a lot of restrictions on everything would be happening and that gonna make the happiest place on earth not so happy for some people.

Sounds like he's only going to be in Florida for maybe three hours. But if I were him, I'd sneak over to Haunted Mansion for at least one ride.

My life is fairly wrapped up in tourism and the tourist industry, so I kinda wish that I could be there to see him. I really hope that I'll be able to find coverage on TV. However, If I was joe average republican trying to have fun with my family, I'm sure I'd be fairly upset if he interrupted my trip.

Oh man... I read this too late. My buddy and his family is there right now, and I wont be up before he gets up.... maybe ill leave a note on his FB...

I think it's pretty neat. I don't ever remember another President "going to Disney World." It's always fun to see the motorcades, too

I'd be there if I could. But it's too late to make plans at this point.

President Nixon actually had huge ties to Disney. I believe that it was mostly Disneyland, but I do know that his "I am not a crook" speech press conference was held at the Contemporary Resort. His press secretary was also a former Jungle Cruise Skipper

Kristen, that's really interesting.

I was surprised when they started covering the event on the local news that the public I guess wasn't allowed to watch the speech. Maybe I shouldn't be, I mean, clearly it's a security issue. But I know how some of y'all plan MONTHS in advance, and to have the day disrupted like this would be a tough deal. I guess it definitely pays to be flexible.

I would be livid! Don't want ANYTHING messing with my vacation at Disney!

I was there with my family when the park first opened and Nixon was there. I swore I would never go back it was so bad. That was in 1971 and I didn't go back until 1994. I feel vrey sorry for those familys that will have their long awaited vacations to Disney messed up, and they will be.
Joe

I read on the Disney Parks Blog that they allowed people to change parks even without a park hopper if they got to MK and didn't know about him coming. So I am sure it still messed with some people's vacation but as usual Disney did everything possible to be accommodating.

Yeah.... I would imagine they would have to allow that. Jess and I were discussing this, and we came to the conclusion that since he is the P, no waiting in lines, it would create a HUGE mess. I wonder how it went?

Did anyone actually see this speech? Is it online anywhere? I completely missed it.

I thought I saw a link for the speech on the Disney Parks Blog. I went back to look and it was for the live stream. I haven't seen it online anywhere.

As annoying as it would be to have to change my plans. It's still the president and we have to respect the security issues around that. I have been stuck numerous times on the expressway here when he's come into town. I always seem to be en route to my destination at the same time as President Obama when he comes home. yeah it's frustrating when I'm running late because the expressway was put at a standstill for 20 minutes. But it's the way it is I guess. Maybe some more advanced notice should have been given, but that's probably a security issue too. You wouldn't want to give out details of his plan so that radicals could get a hold of them. I have a good chunk of family who work in politics and a one that works at the White House the way he put it, he's surprised they didn't shut MK down that day entirely.

Yeah but then he would have had no one to give his speech to in person.

good point! i don't think either of us looked at it that way.

From what I read, the only people who saw the speech in person were invited guests. Other park guests were able to watch a feed at the HoP.

Now I have to admit..that would have been kind of neat!

I wonder if he got to go to HOP and see himself..that would be the first thing I would do. You know..if I was President Obama.

I was just thinking that! I can just see him saying "well, I guess its time for me to go see how good these animatronics are!" ...and taking a picture with himself.

I was busy and couldn't actually watch it, but WESH (our NBC affiliate) had it.Here it is. The full speech is in the smaller frame, below and to the right.

I don't disagree...however, going into our primary here in Florida, many feel that it was more of a campaign move than anything, and for that, it's unfortunate that people who in some cases have planned for a year might have had their plans disrupted. Still, my perspective is very similar to yours. And fortunately for guests, the visit was short; he was only in Orlando three hours or so. It's a shame, but I don't think he saw anything of the park, but I might be wrong.