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

ArrrghhhH!!!!! I'm gonna go broke this Summer.....

On 2005-03-01 15:49, Atomobile wrote:
Other Tiki Room merchandise rumors I heard are: Barker Bird reproduction, Tangaroa lamp, 60's Tiki Room Aloha shirt reproduction.

...and the dress version in repro, too? Please? :wink:

Cheers,
Gwen Smith

I just saw some cool stuff for the adventureland ! Skull eriffic!

Yo tiki cutie, that is the very same dude (Larry). He bought a harley from my dealership a while back (Bartels) and we chatted about bikes outside the tiki room for about 10 mins.He seems very cool.Please drop me an email, I need to ask you something that will interest you.Thanks.TWT

Looks like one of the drummers escaped! Tikicutie, you wouldn't have anything to do with this... would you?

From another thread on MiceChat's boards:

http://www.micechat.com/showthread.php?t=1235

VERY interested to hear any improvements that might be made to the attraction sound. I am assuming that there will be some "THX enhancement" to what we get to hear in the park--the preshow is most interesting. And the disc set sounds cool! Looking forward to all this stuff!

Tangaroa,
That is not the only vintage Tiki figure that made it to the Imports store. Along with that drumer, there are SEVERAL other Tiki Room and Tahitian Terrace figures throught the store. Most are Tahitian Terrace planters and decorations. There is even a large vintage "bowl" stuffed with merchandise accross the street in the shop where the Tiki Room merchandise is being sold. Take your time and go check them all out. If you look carefully, they are very easy to spot. They all have a similar look to their design and material. I imagine they still have tons of that stuff laying around (it's also possible that all that stuff they just put out is all they have).
Speaking of vintage Tiki Room figures, does anyone here know if all those pre-show figures are still all over Florida's Polynesian Village? I'd like to find out more about those. How many were out there? All the figures?
I know for a fact that MANY of the vintage Tiki Room figures were re-cast for Hong Kong Disneyland. I saw them all at Imagineering. They were brightly painted as usual. Even thought they won't have a Tiki Room, they re-produced these for use as Adventureland store decorations. They even re-produced the entire chanting poles! Their mouths and eyes do not move though.
Needless to say, I love all things Disneyland from the 60's. Anybody have any additional stories like these? Any more rare artwork or pictures Tanga?
Your friend,
Louis

On 2005-03-02 11:41, Atomobile wrote:
Any more rare artwork or pictures Tanga?

I've been (very slowly) storing my CDs of scanned info into safer paper sleeves, with detailed content listings over the last few months. So as I come across historical tiki room stuff, I'll post it here....

I believe the WDW Polynesian Resort still has all their tiki room figures as well... I wish they'd sell a pull of that drummer god - he's one of my favorites. Tikicutie - are they putting that gold "sparklets" coin eye back on him in the main show? Rolly Crump told me in an interview that he got the idea looking at the back of a Sparklets water truck....!

Update this morning on Westcoaster.net

For a bigger size image, click here.

That thatch is looking great!

Thinking more and more about this refurbishment project. I have wanted to see those wall masks moving the way I remember from the early 70's. They've been kind of sticky for years...

I don't know if I mentioned it...but when I was a wee little kid, my folks took me to Disneyland and we saw the Tiki Room. I had no idea what I was going to see, and it ended up becoming a formative experience...

In the middle of the show, those masks on the wall, which had been silent and unmoving, just came right to life. One of them was right next to me. It freaked me out something serious! I mean, this was real, total SURPRISE. I still remember it to this day! Absolutely astonishing. The Tiki Room is the best.

Hey Atommobile,

One thing my wife was wanting as a sale item at Disneyland, would be Tiki Room pajamas!

Who all here would like that!?!

I know pajamas isn't the kind of thing sold in Adventureland, it's more of a main street thing.

But imagine how cool retro attraction-specific pajamas would be!

On 2005-03-04 11:32, BarkerBird wrote:
One thing my wife was wanting as a sale item at Disneyland, would be Tiki Room pajamas!

BB - you should float that idea to Kevin & Jody - they might be able to actually make it happen!

PAJAMAS!
I'd(try to be) first on the list.

I just met keven that once.

How do I float them this idea?

Atommobile --

There are still tons of the pre-show gods at the Polynesian Resort in Florida -- multiple casts of multiple gods in multiple places. Some are in better shape than others (there's a Maui outside in a planter in very rough shape) and some of them have been converted for other uses...by the pool, there's a Pele that acts as a shower (how's that for irony).

I spend a weekend documenting all the locations and taking photographs. Some day when I have a lot of extra time I'm going to put together a field guide.

On 2005-03-04 13:50, BarkerBird wrote:
I just met kevin that once.

How do I float them this idea?

PM me your number again & I'll give you his contact info... You guys work for the same multi-media conglomerate!

In this mornings Orange County Register, in the business section: The Buzz at Disneyland. A story mostly about the reopening of Space Mountain on July 15. But a little side blurb that the Tiki Room will be back March 12! Yeah! Says "they'll still belt out tunes, like Hawaiian War Chant, but with out the clacking jaws and faded feathers". It's Time...Gotta go get my Passport! Bye!

Damn - I was really hoping they had changed it to the following week. I have to be be in Arizona that weekend for a wedding... Guess I won't see you all there....too bad for me!

New photo on MousePlanet this morning:

I'm going to hold my tongue here, until I can see the whole thing....

Micechat has some better photos.

http://www.micechat.com/showthread.php?t=1406

Thanks BB!

That sign just might be pretty cool. Still miss the A-frame though.

Like the color scheme on Rongo. Hate the lettering in the poem - waaaaay too thin version of the original font...

Quote from from "Mouseketeer" off the MiceChat boards:

I have a desire to lick the new sign. It reminds me of chocolate.
I miss Tiki Room. So much.

Whoohoo! Now that's desire....

[ Edited by: Tangaroa on 2005-03-07 11:57 ]

TikiCutie,

Have they changed the dialog at the beginning of the show so the first bird does not refer to the cast member who taps on his pearch as a gal even if he is not.

I remember a male cast member doing it years ago, and he said, "wake up José, AND don't call me Señorita!" and then when indeed José called him Señorita the male cast member sort a making an expression of 'not again'. It was a nice way to make it work.

I can feel the excitement you have of working on the TR in your words. I love your posts, please keep them coming.

I'm going to venture a guess that they haven't changed any dialogue.

One of the main reasons is that Jose's voice, Wally Boag, died in 1982.

Plus, heck, why would they? That works for both sexes of host!

Women say "Wake up Jose!"

Men say "Wake up Jose..... and don't call me Senorita!"

Or they say "Jose, wake up and say hello to the pretty lady sitting underneath you!"

On 2005-03-08 09:50, BarkerBird wrote:

One of the main reasons is that Jose's voice, Wally Boag, died in 1982.

Barker! For shame sir...... Mr. Boag is alive and well.... You may be confusing the year he stopped performing at the Golden Horseshoe, which was 1982...

Check out this interview we did with him at The "E" Ticket in 1993 (the issue is long out of print - so here's an archived page from the old site):
http://web.archive.org/web/19970217024454/www.the-e-ticket.com/15.htm

But you can order the CD-Rom from us on this page:
http://www.the-e-ticket.com/CD2.html
Which has hi-rez scans of out of print Issues 9 - 16.

Also - here's a page with some great Golden Horseshoe info:
http://www.jansworld.net/golden_horseshoe_pages/gh_revue.htm

Sorry there, I had thought he died, and I found a date online that I mistook for his demise!

Shame on ME!

But I do think the current track is in no need of change.

He actually provided updated dialog for Jose for "Under New Management" at Disney World's Magic Kingdon, as did Thurl Ravenscroft (Fritz). Michael's tracks were not changed, just re-edited, and the late Jerry Orbach completely replaced Pierre's vocals (sounded a lot like Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast...).

Could someone tell me where I could see a pic of the new Enchanted Room mug being issued. The one with the hat/lid. I know I saw it somewhere on here but can't find it now. Mahalo

On 2005-03-08 20:57, tomanikitiki wrote:
Could someone tell me where I could see a pic of the new Enchanted Room mug being issued. The one with the hat/lid. I know I saw it somewhere on here but can't find it now. Mahalo

Aloha Tomanikitiki - welcome to Tiki Central....
You will usually find any sort of collectable items in the "collecting tiki" forum. I believe you are looking for the new Pele mug - which has a thread going on here:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=10383&forum=5&197

[ Edited by: Tangaroa on 2005-03-09 06:16 ]

Here are some pictures I took yesterday (Tuesday March 8th).

The faces have been distorted to protect the innocent.

Tweakin' the torches.

Makin' arms and hands. He said this was epoxy.

Wow - it is really getting down to the wire! Only three more days to work on the place. I wonder if they'll make this Saturday's deadline?

I like the repaint on Rongo & Koro..... Nice earth tones!

Why can't I see the pictures? Can you guys see them?

Your friend,
Louis

On 2005-03-09 11:36, Hakalugi wrote:
Here are some pictures I took yesterday (Tuesday March 8th).

The faces have been distorted to protect the innocent.

Tweakin' the torches.

Makin' arms and hands. He said this was epoxy.

Some of you folks will be there for the opening? Yes? And if you are you will take tons of photos? Right? PLEASE?

I am too excited now and won't be down till july.

Great big sacks of Tangaroa tiki turds, I just spent 45 minutes typing the final update for the ETR and my computer bumped me off.

I promise I will retype it Friday afternoon after I get home from finishing the Tiki Room for the grand reopening, which still remains to be on Saturday morning, March 12!

Are you all gonna be there or WHAT?

Who's buying me Mai Tai's Saturday afternoon for all my hard work?

TikiCutie
Laura

I'm gonna be there, hope to see you cats toO!
http://www.tikitony.com

[ Edited by: tikitony on 2005-03-10 22:59 ]

Arrrgh - 24 hours & I'm outta here for the weekend.... Tikicutie - try & resend your post before the weekend, if possible! I need some good news before the drive outta town...

Ok I'll try again..lemme see if I can answer some questions before the computer bumps me off again....

No, they did not change the speil about the "senorita", Jose is still lazy and the speil is still about a girl waking him up.

There are new speakers above each of the four host birds, facing in four different directions, they will no longer be drowned out by the rest of the show.

New things in the Lanai:

The archway with carved hisbiscus on it (no roses), the new turnstile, they have taken down the wall around the building to make it more visible to guests. New lamps, new benches, new cement.

Things I worked on in the Lanai: I hung the foliage on the Tangaroa tree and made all the new jewelry on the tiki gods hanging from the tree. I also made the birdhouses that cover the speakers next to most of the gods. I helped make the drum decorations, but it was mostley built by my lead, Frank "CHOP CHOP" Franco. Imagineer Dave Gretz designed them, we decorated/constructed them with our own creativity. I also made a new kite for Rongo the kite god, I painted it like Tapa cloth.

Inside, I sculpted the birds feet, decorated the birdmobile with white feathers, made the girls new name tags. I hid the new host speakers with foliage in the baskets above their heads, I decorated the the birds of paradise with new leaves. I also added feathers around the necks of the orchids in the flower boats.

Other new things in there: the drummer gods have new orange feathers, the tiki perches were redecorated with new raffia, shells beads and feathers by our crew, the windows were refoliated, cleaned and got fresh new rain made by our crew.

Don't know anything about coins in the drummer god's eyes.

Kim Irvine is the Art Director for the park. She is the daughter of the woman who plays Madame Leota, the floating severed head in the Haunted Mansion seance scene. Has everyone seen the new floating crystal ball effect? Awesome! Creepy!

The guy on top of the Dole hut was sculpting new masks, feet, hands and gods with Polygem, a polymer epoxy putty that self-activates when mushed together and rolled around in your hands for a couple of minutes. It's an advanced form of Play-Doh, or as Mark, the guy in the photo says, "It's serious putty, not silly at all".

Is there anything else? I am so exhausted, I missed two days this week from getting worn down and getting sick. I may sleep in and miss the grand opening. if I do, I hope you love my work! I hope you love all our hard work for years to come, please write and tell me what you liked/disliked!

They have really been cracking the whip on us and I am beat. Monday we start the Jungle Cruise rehab. Oi vey!

If I think of more I'll add another post!

Everybody go to Disneyland!

TikiCutie
Laura

Thanks so much for your updates TikiCutie! Being one of the many here who love the Tiki Room but will have to miss the grand reopening, am very, very appreciative of all your hard work and the great play by plays you've posted of the restoration. Mahalo!

I second the motion. Even though I won't be able to "sing like the birdys sing" for a while, your discriptions excited not only the fan boy in me, but the artist too. (I have always wanted to make my own Tiki Bird AA)

Could you post some notes as you work on the Jungle Cruse too, lots of folks excited to find out more about that one as well.

I am sure Walt D would have been proud of your work.

Some photos and impressions here:

http://www.micechat.com/showthread.php?t=1606

The folks seem to love it!

I don't think those photos do it justice.

Another update here!

http://www.disneyforever.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=269&page=1

It looks incredible,
You did a great job TikiCutie!

[ Edited by: Coconut KC on 2005-03-13 00:52 ]

Man...talk about some gorgeous, charming imagery, Fantastic restoration and augmentation, guys. It's really pleasing!

It's nice also to see some good photos of the interior...the Tiki Room is a mysterious, "dark" attraction, and not many photos of the inside give you a sense of the pretty colors you see in there. But these do!

Hey coconut, nice pics!!!. Sven and his better half were at the tiki-ti last night recovering from a saturday at disneyland, and they said the tiki room was great!. Tikicutie got the job done!.We just did the last 2 weekends there so now we will take a break and go back in a couple of months to see the work. Thanks to all responsible for getting this resto done and done right!.TWT

It's great. Good job. The additions blend in well, the new entrance gate gives the place more presence and it's Tiki posts match perfectly with the vintage designs, so does the mask on top of the Dole hut. Great to see Hina sprout rain, it had been broken whenever I saw the pre-show. The place was jam-packed all day! ...but so was all of the park, gotta remind myself not to go on a weekend, the crowds were too much.
Only thing I noticed that was odd is that the Tangaroa tree now only has two Tiki baby styles that drop down, the Tongan and the one that Jody Daily designed the shot glass from were not there anymore. You can see it (BOT p.195) in the surrounding decor though...

I'm taking my nephew to Disneyland in April and I can't wait! But the thought of Disneyland on a Saturday *** shudder *** Y'all are brave warriors!

The renovations look tip top, Excellent work!

Where are the extensive reviews and photos for us that don't live near Disneyland?
Your friend,
Louis