The Disney Insider put out this blog about the Tiki Room and I wanted to share it with you. The Tiki Room is still one of the most loved attractions. The nostalgia alone to me is great. I remember going to this with my dad when I was a young kid and the memories it brings back are priceless.
Aloha! Did you know that the Tiki Room recently celebrated its 51st anniversary? A lot has changed sinceWalt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room premiered at Disneyland in 1963, but the characters, story, and spirit of the show have all remained the same.
Now, wahine makune mana, ladies and gentlemen. Come with us to a world of joyous song and wondrous miracles as we take a look back at Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room.
Walt Disney began developing an idea for a south-seas dinner show experience after purchasing a mechanical bird from a collectible shop in New Orleans. He brought it home, and with the help of his team of animators and imagineers, began trying to figure out how he could build upon its design. Originally intended to be a dinner show experience, the attraction evolved into what we now have today.
“Hurry, hurry to Tiki Room! Tikis make drum go boom! Magic is happening, all the birds and flowers sing!”
As the first attraction that featured the use of Audio-Animatronics technology, the Tiki Room paved the way to many now-beloved Disney Parks attractions all over the globe. The technology was so enticing to guests that barker bird, Juan, was perched high above the entrance to bring guests over to the attraction. Juan was such a hit that the Adventureland entrance would constantly be filled with a wall of people waiting to get a glimpse!
A designer meticulously paints the feathered stars of the show.
The four stars of the show, Jose, Michael, Pierre, and Fritz, are each covered with real feathers that were meticulously placed onto their figures. During one particular planning meeting for the attraction, an observant Imagineer, Harriet Burns, made a very important discovery. She noticed that the cashmere sweater that Walt Disney was wearing at the time moved exactly the way the imagineers of the attraction envisioned the birds would. Thus, their chests are covered in a custom-woven cashmere cloth that allows the birds to move, breath, and talk in a realistic manner. Sometimes, the most innovative solutions to problems can be found in your wardrobe!
As co-owner and co-creator of The Main Street Mouse.Working in a technical support position for 18 years, it was time for a change.As the Webmaster and Project Planner, I spend most of my time researching everything from the latest Disney News, technology advances and of course keeping up on all the Marvel news that comes out.I never considered myself a writer but I’ve come to like blogging and sharing news with all.I feel blessed everyday that I get to spend my days working with my best friend and love of my life while we continue to grow and expand what started as a hobby all those years ago.
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