Liberty Square is one of six lands in Magic Kingdom Park. Unlike other lands in the Disney Parks, it has more restaurants than attractions. When it comes to restaurants, Liberty Square has two full-service restaurants (Liberty Tree Tavern and The Diamond Horseshoe) and three quick-service restaurants (Sleepy Hollow, Columbia Harbour House, and Liberty Square Market). Regarding attractions, The Hall of Presidents, the Haunted Mansion, and the Liberty Belle (previously known as the Richard Irvine) from the Liberty Square Riverboat landing are available for Guests to enjoy.
While it may be a quieter part of Magic Kingdom Park at times, Liberty Square has plenty of details to admire. Guests can enter Liberty Square from Main Street, U.S.A, near Cinderella Castle, Frontierland, and Fantasyland. Some would say that it is one of the most authentic parts of Disney property in Lake Buena Vista. There are nine details that you may not know about. Keep reading to find out more.
Poop River
Have you ever noticed the different pavement colors as you wander through Liberty Square? Next time you’re in Magic Kingdom, look at the floor. The floor has a central brown ‘river’ that makes its way through Liberty Square. Either side of the brown is red. The brown part of the floor looks like a poop river. In keeping with the theming of the Magic Kingdom land, the brown section of pavement is a nod to the colonial sewage. According to American history, human waste filled the streets during colonial times due to the lack of indoor plumbing. You may want to stick to the red parts of the pavement next time!
Wonky Windows
If you’ve ever looked at the windows of the buildings throughout Liberty Square, you may have thought that your eyes were playing tricks on you. However, they weren’t! In colonial times, leather was used to hang window shutters and to save metal for weapons and horseshoes. Over time, the leather was weathered and worn, causing the shutters to become crooked. While the imperfect shutters may seem atypical of The Walt Disney Company, the details take preference over aesthetics to increase authenticity.
No Restrooms
Due to colonial America’s lack of indoor plumbing, you won’t find any restrooms in Liberty Square. Instead, you’ll have to visit Fantasyland, Frontierland, or Adventureland to use the bathroom. Of course, there are restrooms in the Liberty Tree Tavern and The Diamond Horseshoe. However, they are tucked away to help with the authenticity of Liberty Square.
History told through Door Numbers
You may have noticed that each building door is numbered throughout Liberty Square. However, they aren’t random numbers. Place 18 before each number, and they will turn into a year. The year you get is the year that the style of the building represents. The colonial era in American history saw extensive progression in architectural design.
There’s only one Liberty Square
While other lands within Magic Kingdom are also part of different Disney Parks worldwide, Liberty Square is unique. The theming and design of the Magic Kingdom land are so unique that it’s challenging to replicate the authenticity of it elsewhere.
Liberty Street was intended to feature in Disneyland Park, California, as part of an annex of Main Street, U.S.A. Inspiration may have come from the film Johnny Tremain (1957). While Liberty Street never materialized, the concept for Liberty Square developed to accommodate Walt’s attraction, The Hall of Presidents.
A transplanted Tree
The Liberty Tree is a symbol of the American freedom of speech. As such, it is an integral part of every colonial town in the United States. The Walt Disney Company wanted to create an area that perfectly represented the era of the American Revolution. However, they feared a young tree would look out of place. As such, the Disney Imagineers found a 135-year-old oak tree from elsewhere in the Walt Disney World Resort to be transplanted into Magic Kingdom Park.
Nowadays, when admiring the Liberty Tree in Magic Kingdom, you’ll notice lanterns that are hanging from its branches. Thirteen lanterns hang, each of which represents one of the colonies from the American Revolution.
Three stores in one
Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe probably comes to mind when you think of Liberty Square. It’s where to buy seasonal decor, Christmas ornaments and take advantage of the Disney personalization service. Despite being one store, Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe is made up of three smaller shops. You may have noticed the different parts of the store as you wander through.
The entrance across from Sleepy Hollow was the music teacher’s shop. Look closely as you walk through, and you may see sheet music adorning the walls. The middle section was the woodcarver’s shop. You’ll see a crafted hobbyhorse in this part of the store and pine and cherry carvings on the shelves. The part of the store closest to the Liberty Tree, and across from The Hall of Presidents attraction, was the home of the Pennsylvania Germans. There are remnants of folk art and craftsmanship all around.
Little change
Most remarkably, Liberty Square is the land in Magic Kingdom Park that has experienced little change. Apart from some cosmetic changes over the years, including the removal of the cobblestone pavement and the changing of flags, Liberty Square is almost identical to the experience Guests had on the opening day of Walt Disney World in 1971. When Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, Liberty Square was the most popular part of the Disney Park. While quieter nowadays, it’s still filled with history for you to discover.
Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell that currently resides in Liberty Square was created using the mold of the original Liberty Bell. It was placed in Magic Kingdom in 1989, just before July 4, and is made from copper. Other metals are also contained in the Liberty Bell, including tin, lead, zinc, arsenic, gold, and silver.
Next time you spend time in Magic Kingdom Park, take some time to admire these details of Liberty Square. Why not share the details with your friends and family as you go to the Haunted Mansion ride or before boarding a raft across the Rivers of America to Tom Sawyer Island? You may surprise them with your Disney knowledge!
