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After months of closure and years of “Under New Management,” birds and flowers once again sing in harmony at Walt Disney World as Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room reopened today. The Adventureland staple officially reopens tomorrow, but soft openings packed in guests throughout the afternoon to witness an enhanced version of the classic Disney theme park show that pioneered the use of Audio-Animatronics technology decades ago. Now, LED lighting and enhanced show and audio systems bring it all to life looking and sounding better than ever.
If you can’t make it to the Magic Kingdom any time soon to see it for yourself, I invite you to enjoy the videos below, first of the pre-show, once again starring Clyde and Claude, and then the entirety of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room.
Video: Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room pre-show at the Magic Kingdom
Video: Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room main show at the Magic Kingdom
UPDATE (8/15/11): After a day of soft opening, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room has officially reopened at the Magic Kingdom. And in honor of its reopening, Disney has released a behind-the-scenes video featuring Imagineers who worked on bringing the classic attraction back:
Video: Imagineers discuss the updates to Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
Purists will notice the new version of the Enchanted Tiki Room differs slightly from all those that preceded it. It’s most similar to the current Disneyland version, which is most similar to the original Tropical Serenade attraction, minus a song or two. The Walt Disney World version that opened today is a bit shorter and has replaced the colorful fountain in the center of the room with a giant fogging block of carved wood. A few lines of dialogue have changed here and there as well. But this version still feels right, with most of the songs still intact (though some shortened) - from the attraction’s title song through the tiki gods’ chant. It’s a welcome (re)addition to the park.
What began as an unexpected accident months ago has now resulted in the removal of Iago, Zazu, and an often-loathed version of a beloved attraction that has now returned to a classic form. And judging by the excited guests pouring inside today, it’s a successful transformation. I’m told it will continue to receive tweaks in lighting and sound levels over the next week or two, but visitors to the Magic Kingdom in coming days, months, and years will not be disappointed by this version of the Enchanted Tiki Room.
Now let’s all sing like the birdies sing…
More photos from Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room:
“Let’s all sing like the birdies sing” was awkwardly cut short. I wish someday I could see the entire show uncut.
Why no “sing along with us”?! That was the best part!
Even dating back to seeing the show as a kid in 1975, I don’t think I’ve EVER seen a single audience member sing along. It just felt like the one squicky awkward moment.
Otherwise, think Pressler overreacted (yeah, surprise) about audience’s impatience with the “classic” show in the old days:
It always needed more of a “medley” feel, but Walt’s version has a start-stop as each separate flower and bird is brought on for his own vaudeville act–It needed more flow, to have things surprise us, like the Tikis at the end.
Still, when they brought it in this quickly, I could tell they were just importing Anaheim’s version, rather than take the time to record and program a new one. Sometimes it’s a good thing not to have enough time to fool with it.
I’m just so glad that it’s not Under New Management, and that it is, somewhat, the classic version! Thanks for the review, Ricky!
Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, It’s out the door you go . . .
Thanks Ricky for posting this! You do a great job with keeping us all posted on the new and current stuff!
Pardon me Ricky, but what “unexpected accident a few months ago” are you referring to? Obviously the message didn’t make it to the West Coast. Or we forgot, and need a bit of a refresher.
And the edit form the last third of Lets All Sing Like The Birdies Sing is rather obvious – right on par from when they cut the Offenbach section out at the Original Tiki Room.
At least your Hi-Ho out-track fades properly, the jungle drums come up and the birds all keep looking around and acting like birds… The Disneyland show has a hard chop on the last syllable of the song, and all the birds just freeze like marionettes with their strings cut – the tape must have broken, and they never remastered it.
–<>–
There was a fire
Thanks soo much for sharing Ricky!! I can’t wait to see the Tiki Room on Wednesday!!!!
I had tears in my eyes watching this because it is soo great to see the oldies returning to the parks!!
Have a great time at d23! Talk to you soon!!
I’m so excited that this attraction has reopened in its classic form and my family and I will be able to see it during our Labor Day trip! Thanks for the great photos and video.
Eric, Is it possible Lago and Zazu will appear in the Disneyland Trader Sam’s as guest bartender management? JP
the show is improved even though im not really a big fan of the tiki room.the sound has been improved and the birds.great for little ones.
I grew up with the original show and I like the Under New Management better. Both the pre-show, the music and Lago/Zazu.
Was GREAT to see the original show (what’s left of it) back!!! SO LONG “new management!” I overheard an operations guy saying the flame effect will be coming back to the pre-show. BUT, I don’t get what happend to the “enchanted fountain”… anyone know if that’s going to be restored OR what the deal is there? That fountain was a big part of the show and continues to be popular in Disneyland. Also, having the sing-along cut out WAS weird. YES, it’s hoky as hell… but the whole thing is hokey… that’s WHY it’s so great! (The Offenbach piece is also long gone, as it is in Disneyland too.) Thanks!
Aloha!
Great post and great photos too! Since we are all Tiki’d-up I’ll share my video of the pre-show waterfall shot on the parks 40th b’day (10-1-11). Enjoy!
http://www.disneybymark.com/2011/10/17/video-interlude-wdw-tiki-room-pre-show-waterfall/
A Hui Ho!
Mark Hickson
DisneybyMark.com
I mentioned this in another post but I guess I should have stated so here: the reason the tiki bird show seems a bit different or shortened after the fire is because the original tapes were lost, or partly damaged. They called upon voice actor Kurt Jelienk to mimic the voices and I belive the pre-show too and sing in harmony wiht himself, a gimmick he did on his FL radio show. It was done seamlessly, minus some parts that were removed. He’s also the voices behind the Guy in the well at Studios, the Tim Curry voice for the robot at the late Alien Encounter, and soon to be opened “IzBot” at EPCOT.