Disneyland's Enchanted Tiki Room update (some rumors included)

On 2004-10-29 22:47, Biotron2000 wrote:

On 2004-10-28 12:16, Tangaroa wrote:

Paul Frees (the artist you mention) is only one of the talented voice artists in the show - there are many others...

[nitpick]Perhaps you meant Thurl Ravenscroft. As far as I know, Paul Frees had nothing to do with the Tiki Room.[/nitpick]
(Sorry!)

Arrrrgh! You are right.... I was a little out of it the other day - but that's no excuse... Please excuse the depths of my ignorance!

"They're GRRRRRRRRRR-REAT!"

--Tony the Tiger

I know what you mean about wanting it to be frozen in 1963... I miss those days of my youth as well... to me, in those days, it was easier to find true wonder in life... Now we have to look harder!

I'm sure a little addition like teflon joints could cure the clacking :wink:

Imua!!!

TK

Posted this on another thread, but thought folks wouldn't mind a quick re-post here too. This is the tiki room (peeking thru the fence), as of Mon 11/1. Looks like not too much has happened yet.

-Randy

Thanks for the photo! Actually - looks like they re-thatched the roof....

From today's update on MiceAge - looks like the Lanai is pretty tore up, actually...

I have a picture that shows a little more from Dec. 12 that I am unable to post (no access) that I can email to someone if they would like to post it for me. ---Smiley

Mr. Smiley has a better detailed version of the construction area.....

Mr. Smiley & Dangergirl don't look too happy about it...

On 2004-12-22 17:49, Tangaroa wrote:
Mr. Smiley has a better detailed version of the construction area.....

Mr. Smiley & Dangergirl don't look too happy about it...

Thanks, Tangaroa,
"Stilts" Smiley reached over the fence for that "spy" shot!

If you go to the Gift Shop by the Tiki Room, and go look in the drawers of the wicker table that is under the Enchanted Tiki Room Shag Shirts, you will find giant rat turds!!! I am serious.

On 2004-12-22 18:22, mrsmiley wrote:
If you go to the Gift Shop by the Tiki Room, and go look in the drawers of the wicker table that is under the Enchanted Tiki Room Shag Shirts, you will find giant rat turds!!! I am serious.

Not surprising - Adventureland was infested with all kinds of vermin back when I worked there...

Any info on when/if the pirates of the caribbean version will be available?

As far as I know, Disney has no plans to release a Pirates of the Caribbean version of the giant rat turds.

On 2004-12-23 10:53, BarkerBird wrote:
As far as I know, Disney has no plans to release a Pirates of the Caribbean version of the giant rat turds.

razz! (opposote of 'zazz')

If you go to the Gift Shop by the Tiki Room, and go look in the drawers of the wicker table that is under the Enchanted Tiki Room Shag Shirts, you will find giant rat turds!!! I am serious.

Hmm, I would've guessed that those were MOUSE turds.

-Randy

On 2004-12-23 10:53, BarkerBird wrote:
As far as I know, Disney has no plans to release a Pirates of the Caribbean version of the giant rat turds.

Hahahaha I posted that question in the wrong thread, and didnt even notice! A thousand pardons.

The latest image of work, courtesy of MiceAge.com:

It turns out all this refurbishment is only to remove giant rat turds ... soon to be found on Ebay, or by scuttling through the crevices of the Adventureland Bazaar!

On 2005-01-28 13:03, Humuhumu wrote:
The latest image of work, courtesy of MiceAge.com:

OK - so there's the Dole juice bar - where's teh A frame from 1963...?

On 2004-12-23 13:03, aquarj wrote:

If you go to the Gift Shop by the Tiki Room, and go look in the drawers of the wicker table that is under the Enchanted Tiki Room Shag Shirts, you will find giant rat turds!!! I am serious.

Hmm, I would've guessed that those were MOUSE turds.

Hi everybody, it's been a while since I've posted, but that's because Disney has been keeping me busy with all those night shifts putting up and taking down the Christmas decorations. I work as an artist in the "Resort Enhancement" department, which includes the Christmas decorating, floral, window display and props areas. Props is responsible for the rehabs of all the rides.

My first assignment among many to come for the ride rehabs has been the tiki god's gift to me, to REHAB THE TIKI ROOM! YAY!

Sorry to everyone who is hoping that I will post pictures of what I'm doing, I just started working for Disney last September and I don't want to risk losing my job by either posting internet pitures of what I'm working on OR even selling bits and pieces of the plants and feathers I have had to take apart and wash.

I CAN tell you however about any information you have questions about, and about whatever I'm working on and what is already done.

So far we have cleaned and repainted the totem poles and glued felt to their lips so the y wont "clack" anymore (sorry Mig, by the way, I miss you, GX!). I personally have cleaned and refeathered the central chandelier for the lady birds, and rebuilt all their name tags, rebeaded, shelled, toothed and repainted their names on their shells.

I also have personally opened the bamboo screened windows, removed the plastic plants, washed off the 40+ years of Gorilla fur-thick dust on them (no they have never been cleaned before, ever!), I tore down the scrim, replaced that, tacked up spome new plants, reinstalled the old ones, now shiney and clean, and we are putting in the new rain effect next week (week ending Feb 4th). It will be the same effect, strips of clear plastic, just not covered in 40+ years of gunk and dust.

Next week I also begin sculpting and painting new beaks and talons for all the birds. They have already gotten new perches with fresh paint and raffia. Over 40 pairs of claws to do, should be fun!. The birds all have bright new feathers, they are getting installed slowly, one by one as the weeks pass. Fritz was the second to go in, after the first set of Toucans. Fritiz is currently sitting in a bag of plastic hanging above my head tp protect him from dust as I work each day. He is so shiny and new looking!

My floral friend Dennis has been installing all the new plastic plants above the totems and in the singing flower boats, and he has officially named the mousy poo poo droppings "Mouseketurds". So take that from him as he has had to actually touch them and remove them. He is also responsible for rehabbing the Tangaroa tree, but we haven't recieved the stuff for that yet, so that is still in the weeks to come.

Believe me I have considered taking leaves and featheres from the site, but I really dont' want to risk my job. I am so thankful my first ride rehab at Disneyland is the TIki Toom, as it was the first thing that got me into Tiki when I was a child!

The Tahitian Terrace is still not touched out back, still looks like the Aladdin storytelling restaurant thingy, we just store our tools out there while we work.

The Plaza Pavilion kitchen is still in shambles, dont' knwo what is up with that yet.

The Lanai is gutted and is pretty much a hard hat area, the contractors are grinding and sawing away out there, I dont' really know what is going on with it. It is still pretty much a pile of dirt with boards laying around and a dumpster full of trash. However the thatching has been replaced with lovely new vinyl "look-alike" thatching.

Below in the basement my friend Tom is reworking the wiring for the animatronics with new technology. Above, my friend Blake is reprogrammming the new recordings. I can't believe it, but he says he likes the Gilbert Godfried show better! He is the sound programmer for all tiki rooms, including overseas.

So anyway, ask away anything you like. It WAS supposed to open on th March 11, but we have had some delays (however, my department has completed all it's task on time!).

Tiki Cutie (Laura from Florida, Dr. Z's former roommate!)

The Tahitian Terrace is still not touched out back, still looks like the Aladdin storytelling restaurant thingy, we just store our tools out there while we work.

Is the Tahitian Terrace coming back?!?

Wait a minute. Your're in Fla., but you're working at Disneyland in Cali.? I'm scratching my head.

On 2005-01-30 13:37, TikiCutie wrote:

On 2004-12-23 13:03, aquarj wrote:

Above, my friend Blake is reprogrammming the new recordings. I can't believe it, but he says he likes the Gilbert Godfried show better! He is the sound programmer for all tiki rooms, including overseas.

If ETR Disneyland is changed to the Gilbert Godfried version, and not the original, I'll have to bring a huge box of tissue with me when I go, as I'll be crying for the loss of yet another cherished Disney memory. I feel queasy just thinking about it. I guess being one of WALT's favorite attractions doesn't count for anything, I mean who did he think he was?

On 2005-01-30 23:13, ZebraTiki wrote:

If ETR Disneyland is changed to the Gilbert Godfried version, and not the original, I'll have to bring a huge box of tissue with me when I go, as I'll be crying for the loss of yet another cherished Disney memory. I feel queasy just thinking about it. I guess being one of WALT's favorite attractions doesn't count for anything, I mean who did he think he was?

You can put your tissue away, if there are any changes to the show, they will be relatively minor.

And I liked the "clacking lips"! I'm especially fond of the squeaking and clacking birds of paradise chorus in the corners!

I pray they are small changes. I've been trying to explain the whole Offenbach part to people who don't remember it.

On 2005-01-30 23:13, ZebraTiki wrote:
...I guess being one of WALT's favorite attractions doesn't count for anything...

Walt's favorite attraction was always the next one. If he was alive I'd bet he'd be pushing for updating the Tiki Room's animatronics to bleeding-edge robotics & full motion holograph projectors.

Wow! Great report from the inside? Tell me - is the Lanai going back the way it always was?

Hey everybody, I'll make sure to ask all the questions you are asking me as soon as I get back to work, I seemed to develop a cold and am home sick.

However, I must clarify that I am Laura FROM Florida, formerly of Walt Disney World, who now works as a park decorator in the props department at DISNEYLAND in CALIFORNIA. I am no longer in Florida, it's too hurricaney there. Me, I'm all into mudslides, earthquakes and train wrecks now.

Also, I'd like to clarify that Blake the show programmer merely "prefers" the Gilbert Godfried show, but is only reprgramming and coordinating the cleaned-up soundtrack that is based on the original recordings for the Disneyland Tiki Room.

Other than having a nostalgic tikiroom taste, he does play good music for us while we work. Not whistling, but the likes of Dean Martin.

I''l ask about the Lanai and the Tahitian Terrace when I return to work.

Laura, the insider.

Great Post, Tiki Cutie!

As I recall, the Bird of Paradise flowers clacked a lot too. Check them out for possible felt application.

I just want to say... I CAN'T WAIT.

Finally we'll get the Tiki Room I remember, when everything worked, and the Girls were white and not grey!

Oh, BOY am I looking forward to bringing my 1 1/2 year old girl to see this when it's running, and buying her her first Dole Whip!

Sweet! I'm glad to know they're not tearing the Tiki Room down...a friend of mine had gone and told me it was closed. Thanks for easing my troubled mind...

Here's a Plaza Pavillion note I just found from reader Mark on Mouseplanet.com:

*You recently mentioned that the Plaza Pavilion could return as a kitchen or even possibly a pin trading location. Well as an ex-Kodak cast member in the parks, I would like to fill you in on the 3rd possibility. Kodak has been courting Management in hopes of moving it's photo operations to the Pavilion, freeing up the Main Street Photo Supply and having more room to handle large crowds, which as you may have noticed, accumulate out the door after the parade/fireworks and at park closing. The other reason being that the offices can be right behind the stores, keeping management in closer contact with the cast members on stage. As it is now, the Kodak office is in a portable trailer south of the Indiana Jones show building.

I don't know for sure what will become of the Plaza Pavilion. But it's certainly still a possibility.*

Is the rehab intending to clean up the Tiki Room and leave it as is(was) ?
Any politicly correct type changes?

[ Edited by: Bike Shack on 2005-02-01 16:21 ]

[i]
Any politicly correct type changes?

Pierre will no longer whistle at his "friend" Fritz.

Is this thing on?

RIght...having trouble with the password thingy, just checking.

Ok! I asked the project manager, Larry, what the haps was on the ETR (Enchanted Tiki Room, DOY!), and as for the Tahitian Terrace, it will remain a "dead space" for now. I also asked if the barkerbird would return, and he says "he thinks so".

He also says the Dole pineapple treat hut will be restored.

I asked Blake, the show programmer guy, if the Offenbach piece would return and he said NO (sad!), the show will remain 13 minutes long because the attention spans of people is still too short to deal will fake birds whistiling to classical music (What! That's what my attention span LOVES!).

I watched today as he programmed the bird's mouths to match up with "Let's All Sing Like the Birdies Sing", although the sound was only coming out of his headphones. The birds mouthed in silent unison. He sits at a temporary desk inside the attraction and watches the birds as he programs on his computer.

(Oh, did I mention that all the benches/chairs have been removed to facilitate the moving around of our ladders? They will return later.)

I worked out on the Lanai (the preshow) on the Tongaroa Tree today. The tree and tikis inside the flowers are getting repainted, my team will be making them new little grass skirts and necklaces and ankle bracelets. I will also be adding all the foliage and flowers to the tree in the next week.

A new concrete florr has been poured for the entire preshow, and the rock formations are being resculpted out of dement this week.

Most of the toucans are back in, the birds of paradise are back in, I have to add some foliage to those, and Pierre has returned bluer and brighter than ever. Friday the orchids go back in the boats, and then we add more fake foliage. The new perches look great!

We installed clean, new rain sheets today. It's all coming along well!

And that is all there is to report for now! no major changes, phew!

Laura, your mild mannered reporter from inside the Tiki Room Rehab.

Oh my goodness...oh my goodness...phwew!

It's nice to have someone keeping an eye on these things...and even nicer to hear that the show is basically the same, simply freshened up.

Clean rain sheets: Neato neato.

Great info - thanks so much for sharing! Double check on that Barker Bird comment. He's the parrot who was stationed outside the Tiki Room in the early days to bring folks in... I would be very surprised if they brought him back!

Having heard some of the spiel that the Barker Bird used to say... I'm not sure it'll pass the political correctness test.

A la Jose, "my siestas are getting chorter and chorter"

I would be very very surprised if he came back in his original form.

That would be cool if they bring back the BarkerBird...but it originally cause bottlenecks at the entrance to Adventureland, I thought that was why they took it out?

The speech is available on the Enchanted Tiki Room/Jungle Cruise CD as a hidden track (rewind the CD from the beginning of track 1 for about 1:37) I found this by accident one day...

On 2005-02-04 18:30, BryanDeanMartin wrote:
That would be cool if they bring back the BarkerBird...but it originally cause bottlenecks at the entrance to Adventureland, I thought that was why they took it out?

Remember the the Tiki Room birds were the first-ever sound-synched animatronics. No one had ever seen anything like that before at Disneyland, so it had a HUGE novelty value. Today, I don't think a barker bird would generate the same volume of onlookers. I could be wrong, though.

On 2005-02-04 19:39, hanford_lemoore wrote:

Remember the the Tiki Room birds were the first-ever sound-synched animatronics. No one had ever seen anything like that before at Disneyland, so it had a HUGE novelty value. Today, I don't think a barker bird would generate the same volume of onlookers. I could be wrong, though.

Another good reason that they probably won't bring it back is that it originally was located in the A-frame entrance that fell down in the late 90s... I don't see any structural evidence in the Lanai that they are bringing this back.... But if they put the Lanai back together the way it was, I'll be a happy camper!

When that A-frame fell down, the ridership went way up. People could see into the welcoming Lanai, and they noticed a ride they hadn't noticed before.

That and the removal of Offenbach boosted ridership significantly.

That A-frame's falling saved the Tiki-Room from the same wrecking ball that took Country Bear.

Now every time I go, it's darn near full.

I say, leave it out!

I was at the park yesterday. The Tiki-Room is looking great. Peeked into the Lanai, Tangaroa is looking bare-branched! Looks like they've repaved recently. It looks to be an almost complete rebuild of the Lanai. Wow, I can't wait to see it!

On 2005-02-06 09:06, BarkerBird wrote:
When that A-frame fell down, the ridership went way up. People could see into the welcoming Lanai, and they noticed a ride they hadn't noticed before.

I gotta disagree here BB! It's the removal of the bamboo fence to the left of the A frame that allowed a better view into the lanai.... I didn't mind the removal of that - but the A Frame (which didn't block any view of the lanai) was a great loss. I really miss that wonderful paddle boat & the God "Uti" - who used to hold a flaming torch! It was a wonderful design, and they really should have fixed or redone it... Sadly, this was during the Pressler era - so we are lucky it never met the fate of Bear Band.... I'll post pix on Monday if I can get to it....

That and the removal of Offenbach boosted ridership significantly.

You are correct - and even though I miss it for authenticity's sake, when I worked there in 1990 - people would leave in droves whenever the Offenbach number came on....

Does anyone have the exact date of the reopening? It would be fun to have a bunch of TC'ers there on that day!

Hey I looked in the music shop on Main Street for that Tikiroom/Jungle Cruise CD, didn't find it. I have alot of Disney audio from Orlando on tape (tape recorder held up to speakers in the 1980's! Including the Orlando Barkerbird spiel), but I'd like to get it on CD, where can I find it?

I'll ask about the re-opening date and we can have a gathering that day.

Gotta go to work now, gotta fill that Tangaroa Tree with foliage!

Tikicutie

On 2005-02-06 10:44, Tangaroa wrote:
Does anyone have the exact date of the reopening? It would be fun to have a bunch of TC'ers there on that day!

So far, the scheduled re-opening date is on Saturday March 12.

Tangaroa, check out this thread in the Tiki Events section:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=12928&forum=4&19

[ Edited by: Mai Tai on 2005-02-07 04:23 ]

On 2005-02-07 04:20, Mai Tai wrote:
So far, the scheduled re-opening date is on Saturday March 12.

Tangaroa, check out this thread in the Tiki Events section:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=12928&forum=4&19

D'OH! That'll teach me not to check the other forums!

On 2005-02-07 04:06, TikiCutie wrote:
Hey I looked in the music shop on Main Street for that Tikiroom/Jungle Cruise CD, didn't find it. I have alot of Disney audio from Orlando on tape (tape recorder held up to speakers in the 1980's! Including the Orlando Barkerbird spiel), but I'd like to get it on CD, where can I find it?

I'll ask about the re-opening date and we can have a gathering that day.

Gotta go to work now, gotta fill that Tangaroa Tree with foliage!

Tikicutie

I found mine on Ebay. The same as my America Sings CD.

Tikicutie - a lot of that audio (both Anaheim & Florida) is available through traders for free - try not to pay for it if you can help it, as most Disneyland audio traders gladly help for free...

Barker Bird got me thinking about that A-Frame, and how it really took away from a great entrance icon once it fell down. So I thought I'd dig in my archives a little and show some photographic evidence of what it once looked like, plus some other fun collectables...

Here's a United Airlines children's menu, for California-bound passengers - circa 1963. The Enchanted Tiki Room was a huge promotional deal for Disneyland, being the first true audio-animatronics show they had done for the public...

It was advertised heavily within the park - gracing the cover of this 1963 gate flyer. I love the original Tiki Room font - very similar to the new Ed Benquiat font 'Interlock', put out by House Industries:
http://houseind.com/house.php?kit=EDFONT-FO

In the first year of operation, the ETR was considered such a special attraction, you couldn't even use an "E" Ticket on it - you had to purchase a special separate one!

This early sign leading to the entrance was wonderfully hand-lettered...

detail...

But looking at these photos, I really realized how much the now-missing A-Frame was a strong icon for the entrance. I mean - it is easy to miss the entryway as you truck along into Adventureland!

Detail - the God Uti stood on top of the outrigger canoe, housed inside the A-Frame. At night his torch would be lit. Eagle eyed TC'ers may see the 'Cargoes By Carter' tiki from a previous post in the background.

Another view - today's entrance really doesn't have the same impact it once did. I know I'm nit picking - sorry! I'm very glad they are spending the money to rehab it as thoroughly as they are!

The flowers in the outrigger were a nice touch.

Here's a kinda moody shot, without any people around. It doesn't show the A-Frame well, but I still like it. Disneyland really is more magical without the crowds.

Tikicutie - here's the Barker Bird in his original location, you can show your boss if he's unsure of which bird he was!

The information from the back of that publicity shot. How many of you knew his name was 'Juan'? I had always thought he was Jose - talking to us prior to the show. Wally Boag used the same voice, so you'd think they were the same bird...

Speaking of Jose - here's an opening year glossy of him. I can't wait to see the interior again without the years of caked-on dust!

Finally - here's a couple of opening day shots of Walt showing off the show. He looks very proud here - I'm sure he'd be very happy to know that it made it to Disneyland's 50th!

"Ya know - someday they'll figure out how to keep these darn things from clacking so loud.. Maybe some sort of futuristic fiber... yeah - that's it..."

[ Edited by: Tangaroa on 2005-02-07 20:26 ]