Enchanted Tiki Room Grand Finale
Attraction Type: Audio-Animatronic musical theater presentation.
Location: At the entrance to Adventureland, on the south side.
General Description: Step into Polynesian jungles for an outdoor presentation of native Tiki gods, followed by an interior musical extravaganza of over 150 talking and singing birds, Tiki gods, flowers, and Tiki drummers.
Will’s Review: Widely hailed as a “classic” Disneyland attraction, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room opened at the height of Polynesian popularity in 1963, and despite its kitschy demeanor, it is a landmark attraction in the theme park business. To that end, it was the world’s first attraction to utilize Audio-Animatronics, a computer-controlled robotic system that allows “live” characters to move in three dimensions. When the attraction was being designed, the technology behind it was being developed by WED Enterprises, Walt Disney’s own private development company. All the other attractions before that had been developed under Walt Disney Productions, a separate entity. Apart of the reasoning behind this was that the Tiki Room was not originally meant to be a Disneyland attraction at all – it was meant to be a restaurant, with a constantly-playing Audio-Animatronic dinner theater show featuring singing tiki birds. This show would have complemented the live Polynesian dinner show next store, Tahitian Terrace. However, the idea of the Audio-Animatronic dinner show proved to be too popular for a restaurant layout – designers feared that table turnover would be slow because guests would sit around watching the show even after they were finished eating. As a result, the restaurant was changed to an attraction at the last minute, which also explains the lack of permanent benches inside.
On a personal note, I can not think of one time that I have visited this attraction by myself – it feels very 1960’s, and unfortunately this particular Polynesian theme has not fared well over time, not even playing into the latest Tommy Bahama-style trends. It reminds one of Florida, of retirement homes, of the kitschy designed-for-tourists shows that might be present on a bad Hawaiien-themed cruise twenty years ago. Even the music styles are dated, filled with impressions of Louis Armstrong and Bing Crosby that are not likely to be immediately recognized by today’s guests. Part of the reason for this static stamp in time, however, is largely due to a contract stipulation that Disney entered into with the Tiki Room’s sponsor, Dole Pineapple, in the early 1960’s. In essence, the contract forbids the attraction from being changed as long as the sponsorship exists. This stipulation, for better or worse, doesn’t apply to the Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland versions of the attraction. As a result the Florida park updated the show twice, once to a Las Vegas-nightclub theme and currently to a show with Iago and Zazu from “Aladdin” and “The Lion King” respectively; Tokyo’s version is now themed to the film “Stitch.” Disney purists have relished that Anaheim’s show has remained true to its original presentation, but as a result, the attraction is skipped over by many visitors. As part of Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary celebration, the Tiki Room was closed, however, for a complete technical upgrade, which included updated digital technology, new sound systems, structural improvements, and completely new Audio-Animatronic infrastructure to make the characters move in a fluid motion rather than the jerky and noisy motions characteristic of 1960’s technology.
Touring Tips: Go and visit if you need a chance to get away from the crowds or even if it’s been awhile, but otherwise, don’t beat yourself up if you have missed it. Alternatively, do beat yourself up if you miss grabbing a cup of the Dole pineapple whip ice cream sold at the attraction’s entrance. No trip to Disneyland is complete without this tasty treat.
Family Info: Truly a hit-or-miss with all ages, this attraction appeals most to nostalgic visitors and first-timers. The causal Disneyland visitor has been known to skip this attraction. While classic, the signature song ranks up there with “it’s a small world” in terms of getting (seemingly) eternally stuck in your head.
Variations: The attraction, in it’s original form, is exclusive to Disneyland Park. Nearly identical replications opened in The Magic Kingdom in 1971 (under the name Tropical Serenade) and Tokyo Disneyland Park in 1983. These two clones became The Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management in 1998 and The Enchanted Tiki Room: Stitch Presents Aloha e Komo Mai! in 2008, respectively.
Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room - Jungle Cruise - The Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye – Tarzan’s Treehouse
