On the Town Square

The town of Main Street, U.S.A. grew out from the railroad station, but the heart of this community can still be found right here in the Town Square. It's the first impression anyone gets of the town and the center of civic activity.

On the western edge of the square sits City Hall, an imposing edifice for sure, but one where the front doors are always open as a sign of welcome.

Inside, friendly folks stand ready to help welcome new visitors, answer questions about the town, or resolve any concerns brought forth by the citizens. The walls of City Hall are decorated with paintings depicting historic figures and events (including the Golden Spike ceremony, also shown in the train station mural). These are actually copies of the paintings created for the original Hall of Presidents show back in 1971.

Appropriately, City Hall's decor also includes portraits of the town's founding fathers, Walt Disney and his brother Roy:

Stepping back out into the Town Square, we discover other services for citizens and visitors alike. The Harmony Barber Shop gets its name from the Dapper Dans, the harmonizing quartet which performs here regularly:

Across the square is the Hotel of Main Street, featuring Town Square Exposition Hall. When the Magic Kingdom opened, this was the Gulf Hospitality House (sort of a City Hall for the rest of the Vacation Kingdom, where one could book everything from a night at the Contemporary Resort to a boat excursion on Bay Lake or tickets for the Polynesian Luau). It was clearly designed as a hotel, with its broad porch and second-story balconies. Located near the train station, this would be where folks would stay when visiting the town of Main Street or just stopping over for the night.

The hotel was later expanded to include the Expo Hall exhibit space, currently showcasing the newest "Photographic Marvels... & Innovations."

Looking for a bite to eat while you're in town? Might we recommend Tony's? Tony's Town Square Restaurant draws its inspiration from Disney's 1955 animated classic, Lady and the Tramp, set in roughly the same time period as Main Street itself. An image of Tony presides over the entrance, and his "spaghetti speciale with-a the meats-a-ball" is always on the menu.

On the windows and throughout the restaurant can be found images of that famous pair of pooches, the one Tony calls Butch and his little "Cocker-o-Spanish girl." Look closely, and you'll even discover the place out front where Lady and Tramp left their paw prints, forever cementing their love for one another.