Disney Parks Shares Presidential Visit Photos for America’s 250th
In honor of the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States, Disney Parks took to Instagram to share snapshots of past presidential visits to the parks and experiences. These are far from all the visits made to the parks or experiences over the years, just a handful.
To avoid confusion, we’ve included the year that each president made one of these visits, if known, not indicating when they served their term(s).
President Harry S. Truman – 1957
President Harry S. Truman was the very first president to visit a Disney park. He and his wife, First Lady Bess Truman, enjoyed a day at the amusement park. This visit was when he famously refused to ride Dumbo the Flying Elephant because it was the symbol of the opposing party.
Then-Senator John F. Kennedy – 1959
Unlike the other presidents in this list, during his visit to Disneyland Hotel in 1959, John F. Kennedy was a Senator. He was there to meet with the President of Guinea, President Ahmed Sékou Touré.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower – 1961
President Eisenhower and his family visited Disneyland on December 26, 1961. They even signed the Disneyland VIP guest book that day, according to D23. Eisenhower enjoyed his time so much that he even wrote a letter to Walt Disney dated the next day.
D23
President Gerald Ford – (unknown)
President Gerald Ford is seen here at a Disney golfing property, ready to hit the green.
President Ronald Reagan – 1983
President Ronald Reagan visited EPCOT at Walt Disney World in 1983, not long after the park opened. During his visit, he gave a speech and in it talked about the World Showcase Fellowship Program and met with some of the participating Cast Members.
President George H.W. Bush – 1991
As part of the 20th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort, President George H.W. Bush visited and gave a speech at the first-ever Daily Points of Light award ceremony.
President Jimmy Carter – 2001
The photo above is from long after President Jimmy Carter’s term in the Oval Office. This appears to be from when he and his family took a Disney Cruise Line vacation during the 2001 holiday season. They sailed to the Bahamas aboard the Disney Wonder.
Were you at the parks or experiences during a Presidential visit? Let us know on social media!