It all began in the early 50s during the planning stages of Disneyland. After World War II ended, Americans began a fascination with all things Polynesian, so Walt decided to create a Polynesian themed restaurant inside the park. While brainstorming, the idea of birds was presented. Walt immediately dismissed the idea, stating the birds would poop in the food (and on the people…good call Walt!). Imagineer John Hench suggested stuffed birds. Walt again shot down the idea, “Disney doesn’t stuff birds, John.” Hench then brought up the possibility of small mechanical birds becoming the ignition that would lead to Audio-Animatronic® figures and the Enchanted Tiki Room!
The idea of mechanized things fascinated Walt. He had already begun collecting small mechanical toys from various trips. In 1951, he asked Imagineers if they could create a small moving & talking man. “Project Little Man” or “Dancing Man” had Buddy Ebsen brought in as a human model. They filmed him dancing, hoping to capture and convey his movements in the 9-inch mechanical figure. The project was put on the back burner, as Imagineers tackled larger and more complicated tasks; such as the giant squid in the film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Talk about a jump in size!
Through many years of trails and errors, Imagineers finally had a break through. Instead of using animatronics with hydraulics triggered by electrical pulses, movements of an animal could be synced to sound. With the technology in hand, Imagineers moved forward with Walt’s Polynesian themed restaurant.
Because original plans called for it to be a restaurant
, The Enchanted Tiki Room in Disneyland California, is the only attraction with it’s own bathroom!
Once Walt saw the very first bird Audio-Animatronic®, he knew that a restaurant would not do it justice. The plan was changed and the birds were given their own attraction.
Bringing 200 singing birds, flowers, and totems to life required power. Imagineers turned to cutting-edge technology based off the system used in the firing of missiles on submarines. As a result, the equipment required a room larger than the actual attraction viewing space!
Get a behind the scenes look at the original attraction control room in the video below.
The Tiki Room opened in Disneyland on June 23, 1963. It was said to be Walt’s favorite attraction!
When Magic Kingdom Park opened in Florida in 1971, it was a no brainer that the pioneering birds needed a home there. With a new name and a new preshow, Tropical Serenade debuted with the opening of the park.
The main show and characters stayed the same:
José is a Brazilian macaw voiced by Disney Legend Wally Boag (Bill Lee sings). Wally is best known as the star Pecos Bill of Disneyland’s Golden Horseshoe Revue. Wally performed an astonishing 38,552 shows in his 27 year career as Pecos!
Michael is an Irish accented macaw voiced by Disney Legend Fulton Burley (with Bill Lee singing). Fulton performed with Wally Boag at the Golden Horseshoe Revue for 25 years!
The French accented Pierre was originally voiced by Ernie Newton with (yet again) Bill Lee singing. When the show was refurbished in 1998 as The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management), Jerry Orbach took over as Pierre’s voice.
Jerry is best known as Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast. He can also be recognized as Dr. Jake Houseman (Baby’s father) in Dirty Dancing and Detective Lennie Briscoe from Law and Order.
Fritz, the German accented macaw, was voiced by another Disney Legend, Thurl Ravenscroft, with (you guessed it) Bill Lee singing. Thurl had lent his voice for various other Disney attractions. He can be recognized as the lead singing bust in The Haunted Mansion, Buff in Country Bear Jamboree, and several singing pirates in Pirates of the Caribbean; as well as over 32 Disney film and TV roles.
Despite all of his Disney roles, he is most famously recognized as the original voice of Tony the Tiger for over 50 years!
Honorable Mention: Bill Lee
Bill had his hand in numerous Disney roles in Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, and Mary Poppins. He also provided the singing voice of Roger in One Hundred and One Dalmatians, as well as Shere Khan in The Jungle Book.
Tropical Serenade was officially renamed to The Enchanted Tiki Room in 1993 and in 1998 to The Enchanted Tiki Room- Under New Management, with the addition of Iago (Aladdin) and Zazu (The Lion King).
The attraction overlay was not a fan favorite. When a fire broke out in the attic in January 2011, severely damaging the Iago Audio-Animatronic®, Imagineers announced that the attraction would return to it’s original show format!
The original Enchanted Tiki Room show can only be found in Walt Disney World and Disneyland. It was initially a part of Tokyo Disneyland from 1983 until 1999. It was replaced with The Enchanted Tiki Room: Now Playing “Get the Fever”
“Get the Fever” was a Las Vegas nightclub show that replaced the four main macaws with four lounge bird hosts- Danno, Scats, Buddy, and Lava. Lave was the first female bird host! The show ran from 1999 until 2008. Hear the show below-
Since 2008, the show The Enchanted Tiki Room: Stitch Presents Aloha e Komo Mai! has been playing.
This version brings another change to the main characters now: Hanoli, Manu, Mahina, Waha Nui, four Birds of Paradise and of course, the mischief maker Stitch!
“Aloha e komo mai” is Hawaiian for “Hello, welcome”!
Watch the entire show in the video below:
From restaurant to Vegas nightclub show, The Enchanted Tiki Room has an interesting history. While Stitch looks like an adorable addition, unlike scary Iago and Zuzu, in my opinion, nothing beats the original Enchanted Tiki Room! Which version to you prefer? Share your thoughts with us!
