For many visitors of Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park, Liberty Square is just a pass-through land. But, take some time to look around on your way to Frontierland and you will see a few very interesting things. There are a few things that the history lover in me finds extremely fascinating. So, read on to learn some intriguing facts about Liberty Square at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom!
The Architecture of Liberty Square
Stepping into Liberty Square transports guests into the Revolutionary War period of United States History. The buildings are all built with Federal and Colonial style architecture. The Imagineers set you in the 1700s and have you travel from Boston to Virginia as you look at all the different buildings.
- Haunted Mansion–reminiscent of the gothic architecture in New York’s Dutch New Amsterdam in the early 1700s.
- The Columbia Harbor House–looks just like a mid-1700s home in Boston
- The Hall of Presidents–inspired by the buildings in Philadelphia during the late 1700s (about the time of the signing of the Constitution).
- Liberty Tree Tavern–this building has a bit more of the Georgian styling from Williamsburg in the late 1700s
The Liberty Tree
Many Revolutionary towns had their own Liberty Tree so Disney Imagineers felt Liberty Square had to have one too. This giant oak tree is over 130 years old. It was actually transplanted from another spot on Disney property to its current location in Liberty Square. Moving it was quite a feat since the tree was almost 40 tons. But they were successful and it still stands today providing a nice bit of shade for guests.
The Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell in Liberty Square is one of 50 exact replicas of the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. Each state was given a replica in celebration of the United States Bicentennial in 1976. After about 10 years someone at the Walt Disney Company found out that Pennsylvania was not using their replica (because who needs a replica when you have the real thing) and asked to display it. On the 4th of July, 1989 the replica was placed in Liberty Square for millions of visitors to enjoy.
The Hall of Presidents
Believe it or not, the Hall of Presidents is actuall a federally recognized museum. Genuine artifacts from past presidents and first ladies are all along the walls. You can also read the stories behind the different items and learn a little more about American History. The lobby carpet also displays the Presidential Seal. This is actually official! You will find this seal only in the White House and at Disney World. How cool is that!
The 13 Colonies
The thirteen original colonies are represented in two ways. There are 13 lanterns hanging from the Liberty Tree. And the flags that surround the Liberty Bell represent each colony. There is a plaque in front of each flag with the name of the colony and the date they became an official state of the United States.
Slanted Shutters
During the Revolutionary War the United States was able to get very little metal. So the resourceful Colonists got metal from wherever they could to melt down and be repurposed. That means that even the window shutter hinges were stripped and replaced with leather straps. As you can imagine, the leather soon stretched out and caused a bit of shifting. So, in the quest to make Liberty Square as realistic as possible the shutters on some of the buildings are a bit askew.
Lack of Restrooms
You will not be able to find a bathroom in Liberty Square. Restrooms were not at all authentic to the time period so the Disney Imagineers omitted them. Instead look to the ground. You will notice a brown sidewalk flowing through the land. Since there was no indoor plumbing during this time waste was dumped into the street. The brown represents what might have been the early American “sewage system”.
Liberty Square at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom might be small but definitely has some cool facts to learn. This attention to detail and striving to immerse guests into the story of the lands is one of the many reasons to love visiting Disney World!
Thinking of a trip to Disney World? Contact me and let’s get started planning your amazing family vacation!
Happy travels to you…until we meet again!
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