The Hall of Presidents has been a Walt Disney World attraction for more than 36 years. We remember when we visited with our kids in the early 80s, and were fascinated by the lifelike, moving figures of Presidents from Washington to Kennedy. Our kids were especially thrilled by the Lincoln figure that walked, gestured and talked via the recorded voice of actor Royal Dano.

The newest Presidential figure at that time was Ronald Reagan, who was at WDW to speak at the occasion. The exhibit was closed for several hours except to VIPs, but we did get a quick glimpse of the live Reagan as he hopped out of his limo and waved to the crowd.

Now, for visitors at WDW who come to the Hall of Presidents, there’s a new figure. The President Barack Obama character speaks (no, there isn’t a teleprompter) in the President’s actual recorded voice and and moves with lifelike gestures.

Disney Imagineers constantly update the audio-animatronic Presidential figures so that they are increasingly more realistic in appearance, movement and speech. We can only hope they’re not starting to build the President Sarah Palin figure. And the voice? The actress who used to speak for the 1930s Betty Boop cartoons is long gone.

If you plan to visit WDW in the near future with your kids or grandkids, be sure to make time to see the historic figures in the Hall of Presidents.