Great Moments With Mr. LincolnLooking back and looking ahead—does this revered
attraction have a future?Wednesday, June 29, 2005
by Tim A. Huebner, contributing writerLike the throng of people that showed up on May 5 for Disneyland's
50th birthday kick-off, I shuffled my way into an uncharacteristically
packed Lincoln theater to see the Steve Martin, Donald Duck tribute to
the park's anniversary. It was great to see clips of the park in its first
embryonic early days. Who knew that Disneyland once sold bras and corsets?
Also very nice at the end was seeing Walt and his opening day dedication,
surrounded by photos of smiling Disneyland guests, and (as always) "When
You Wish Upon a Star," providing just the right emotional touch.
While it was gratifying to see the Lincoln theater filled for once, it's
also a little sad that the attraction featuring our arguably greatest
president is largely ignored; that place that park guests visit only when
they need to escape the heat on hot summer days. Disney officials for
their part have been very upfront that Mr. Lincoln will definitely be
back after all the 50th birthday hoopla dies down late next year. Time
will tell whether they hold true to their promise, or are simply looking
to kill time until another attraction (or shop) can be devised.
A Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln sign invites park guests to visit the theater. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
In the meantime, it seems appropriate to look at where this most revered—if
neglected—of attractions has been, and what can possibly be done
to bring the crowds in—and not just when it's 110 degrees.
Even with its ghost town-like status now, most park guests have seen
Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln at least once since its 1965 opening. Growing
up, our 16th president was my idol, so naturally when our grandparents
took us the park, Great Moments had to be one of the first attractions
I visited (although the Disneyland Railroad was always first). As my brothers
headed off for the Matterhorn, I raced for the Opera House and plopped myself
in the front row, directly where Lincoln would be speaking. The curtains
would part, revealing early American pioneers reciting the preamble to
the Constitution. Then would come the moment that would send a chill down
my spine. The voice, that magnificent baritone of Paul Frees, would begin
to speak: “These immortal words when first they were written, proclaimed
to the world an idea new among men; this was the American dream; the prayer
for the future.”
For many guests, Frees' inspirational narration followed by Lincoln's
speech became as much as part of Disneyland as the steam whistle on the
Mark Twain, or the pistol shot on the Jungle Cruise. So even if
(unlike myself) they rarely went to see Mr. Lincoln, it was nice to know
that it had not yet entered the realm of yesterland.
Mr. Lincoln wasn't always the forgotten attraction. When it premiered
at the 1964 New York World's Fair, it wowed audiences with the new attraction
of audio animatronics. A president of the United States was actually talking
and moving. It was a natural then, that Walt Disney would move the attraction
to Disneyland, where it opened on July 18, 1966. During that turbulent
decade, the magic kingdom would become a symbol (and often a target )
of everything that America stood for. Mr. Lincoln was a tiny corner on
the map, where the values of patriotism were reaffirmed on a daily basis.
But times change, and so too did Great Moments. In 1973, the Walt Disney Story premiered in the lobby of the Opera House,
but the attraction stayed basically the same. It wasn't until 1984 that
major changes were made, as a second-generation animatronic figure of
Mr. Lincoln made his debut. Now he gestured more expressively and rose
from his chair with fluidity. It made his speech (which was culled from
a series of speeches he made) much more powerful. Also added was a song
"Two brothers," which told of siblings on opposite sides during the war.
Today, many visitors to the attraction recall the song with fondness,
and ask that it be put on a compilation CD. 
Abraham Lincoln's reveal. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
In the late 1980s when Disney announced that it was buying the rights
to the Muppets characters, rumors immediately circulated that Mr. Lincoln
would be replaced with what would eventually become Muppet Vision 3-D.
Many park guests were aghast that a revered attraction such as Mr. Lincoln
would be replaced by a felt frog. People at the time reportedly rushed
into City Hall with tears in their eyes, demanding that the attraction
be saved. In the end Disney dropped the idea, but it didn't solve the
quandary of how to get guests into the theater.
When Paul Pressler took over as head of the park in the mid-1990s, it
was assumed that the former Disney Store chief would shutter the attraction
and replace it with what he knew—another T-shirt or plush shop. Much
to everyone's surprise, Pressler updated Great Moments. When the new Lincoln
show opened on July 17, 2001, however, it was very different from the
version that guests remembered. Gone was Lincoln's original speech, replaced
by the Gettysburg Address. Gone was the two brothers song, and sadly,
Paul Frees' narration. The biggest change came in the new stereo headphones
that guests would wear in the theater. These are the same high-tech devices
used on such attractions as the now-closed Alien Encounter attraction
at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. Guests hear Lincoln whispering in
their ear, flies buzzing, and the sound of hair being cut.
Now, while the technology is impressive, the story of John Cunningham—an actual Union soldier who met President Lincoln and was wounded in
1863—lacks any of the inspirational quality of the original show. One
problem with the show is there is no emotional connection between Lincoln
giving his famous address and the events that the audience watched just
before. John Cunningham was indeed wounded, but we don't know whether
it was at Gettysburg or not. Without that connection, it weakens the address,
and makes one wish for the speech from the original show, which was more
encompassing than the narrow focus of the newer attraction.
What is clear is that this version of Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln
was created on a very limited budget, approved by a park regime that was
looking to cut corners wherever they could, and by people who at heart
aren't storytellers. Paul Pressler may have fallen in love with the idea
of using the stereo headphones for the attraction, and they're not a bad
idea, but by themselves they don't tell a very compelling narrative—a
hallmark not only of Mr. Lincoln, but of all of the classic Disneyland
attractions.
So what can be done to help Mr. Lincoln? What can be done to bring people
back into this revered piece of Disney history? Walt Disney always wanted
his park to be a place where education and entertainment went hand in hand.
In the past several years, however, Disneyland has been drifting towards
a more a more fantasy-based setting. But if done right, with compelling
technology, Mr. Lincoln could become a must-see attraction, even for people
that think that history is boring. After all, millions went to see saving
Saving Private Ryan and Gladiator, which were history-based
films that told a great story.
One of the problems with the Lincoln show even from the beginning is
that it's always been something of a static slide show, until the end
when Lincoln speaks. Perhaps that was so that nothing would overshadow
the centerpiece of the show. But now there are technologies that could
compliment all of the show. The headphones could be used in a different
way as well. The fly sound that buzzes in guests' ears should be changed
to reflect what the show is about—war, and in tragic cases, death.
In the show now it prompts giggles from some. But if used as an adjunct
to real photos of Civil War dead, the effect would be stunning. Another
simple thing that could be done is to film live-action reenactors for
the battle scenes. As one with personal experience can attest, we're complete
hams and loved to be filmed whenever possible.
Abraham Lincoln speaking to the audience. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.
At the new Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois (link),
these ideas are in full bloom. From ghostly computer-generated soldiers
that fly out of live action books, to holographic floating heads arguing
the pros and cons of the Emancipation Proclamation, these are a just a
few examples of how Mr. Lincoln could be brought back to prominence. Another
highlight of the museum is a special theater where you become a participant
in the war. Rifle smoke comes from the front of each seat, which also
shake with every cannon shot, as the audience watches scenes from Civil
War movies.
BRC Imagination Arts, a Burbank-based company founded by former Disney
employee Bob Rogers, created the types of concepts for the museum that
Disney used to excel at. But with Walt Disney Imagineering farming much
of the work out to other suppliers, maybe they could be brought in to
help out. Early word on the Lincoln Library is that it's a huge hit with
the public, proving that even in a digital age, you can still teach people
without their knowing they're being taught.
So if Disneyland is serious about re-opening Mr. Lincoln after the 50th
birthday, maybe they should first take a trip to the Lincoln Library Museum
to remind themselves of how they used to do it. Some positive changes
have happened at Disneyland recently, so maybe things will improve. It
would a sad thing indeed if Walt's dream of education would be completely
forgotten for whatever trend is currently blowing in the wind. Most people
would tell you that they like Kermit, but he could never hold a candle
to Honest Abe, who's not just an American hero, but for a small but devoted
following, a Disneyland hero as well.
Thoughts, questions, or comments? Contact Tim through
our Mailbag here.
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