Sunday, October 29, 2006

The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management)

The Enchanted Tiki Room--without the Walt Disney tag before the name—opened in the Magic Kingdom park on October 1, 1971, as Walt Disney's Tropical Serenade. The show was an exact duplicate of the Disneyland attraction, but instead of the pre-show there was a waterfall in place of the Tiki gods, which would open and two Audio-Animatronic birds would entertain guests. The show was sponsored by Florida Citrus Growers, until it closed on September 1, 1997, for renovation and updating.

The show re-opened to much controversy as The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management), featuring Iago and Zazu from Aladdin and The Lion King, respectively, as new hosts of the Enchanted Tiki Room nightclub. The show featured all the audio-animatronic birds, but now included Iago and Zazu, plus a new Hawaiian goddess who disrupts the usual Enchanted Tiki Room storyline after Iago upsets her.

Storyline
As the guests are waiting outside the Enchanted Tiki Room, a cylinder-shaped tube opens behind a waterfall to reveal two animatronic birds - William (voiced by Phil Hartman) and Morris. William and Morris entertain the waiting guests by discussing their positions as agents of the new "co-owners" of the Enchanted Tiki Room. A human cast member then tells the birds that he/she is preparing to let the guests in. William and Morris are incensed because their clients are not yet in the theater! Morris says he has to leave, because he's about to sign Donald Duck, and William brags that he's got the Mighty Ducks. The cylinder closes with the two birds yelling and arguing.

After the guests have entered the theater, the human cast member "wakes up" José. The 4 original Tiki Birds- José, Michael, Pierre (in this version, voiced by Jerry Orbach known to be the voice of Lumière from Beauty and the Beast), and Fritz get ready as they did in the original show. They start singing "In the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room" normally, but in the middle of their song, an animatronic Iago, the red loud-mouthed parrot from Aladdin, descends from a hole in the ceiling. Iago sits on a pillow holding a small megaphone, yelling that the Tiki Birds need to stop the music! Iago complains that the show's outdated tunes make him want to "toss his crackers." From another hole in the ceiling comes a perch bearing an animatronic Zazu, the smart blue hornbill from The Lion King. Zazu pleads with Iago not to toy with the Enchanted Tiki Room.

José, Michael, Pierre, and Fritz are confused - they don't know Iago and Zazu because they never "fly to the movies." Pierre tells Iago that "his friend" is right, and that he should not anger the spirits of the Tiki Room. Iago ignores the warning and replies that Zazu isn't his friend. To give them an example of how the songs should be sung, Iago begins singing a song to the tune of "Friend Like Me" from Aladdin. He says that since the Tiki Birds are ancient history and he's a big "cele-birdy," he's going to change the show so a modern audience can appreciate it.

Zazu tells Iago to knock it off - the Tiki Gods can hear him! Iago begins to blatantly insult the Tiki Gods soon after which "lightning" strikes and the lights go out. The Tiki Birds begin singing that the atmosphere in the theater has suddenly gotten "Hot! Hot Hot!" and the carved faces on the Tiki Poles begin chanting "Uh-Oa!"

From the center of the fountain in the middle of the room, smoke bubbles and fumes, and Uh-Oa, the green and evil animatronic "Tiki Goddess of Disaster" emerges! Uh-Oa wants to know who dares to defame the Tiki Gods and Zazu tells her it was Iago.

Uh-Oa sings about how unwise Iago was to have messed with her. She claims he, "Can't fly away because [he's] stuck, [she] jinxed [him] because [he was] pushing [his] luck, and it won't help to yell - [he's] under [her] spell!" Uh-Oa then uses her magic Tiki powers and Iago shoots up from his perch. In a big, dark explosion of smoke, the loud-mouthed parrot is gone. Uh-Oa laughs evilly, then in a cloud of smoke, disappears back into the fountain.

The Tiki Birds and Zazu feel they should let the Tiki Gods have their say, and Zazu introduces the one and only musical sensation- The Tiki Gods! The faces on the Tiki Poles begin to sing "In the Still of the Night", and then the flowers begin a crazy rap using lyrics from the original Tiki Bird show, and some of the birds begin singing along.

At this point, over the doors, a small compartment on the wall opens. And who else should be in the compartment but animatronic Iago? Iago is burnt, smoking, and has bandages all over. He tells them all how the Tiki Gods are the best act he's ever heard, and they're going to make a gold mine on this show! No more worries!

Zazu tells Iago that where he comes from, no worries is "hakuna matata," and Iago misinterprets it. However, he seems to like it, declares that Zazu is now his friend, and that they should party! All the birds come out and start singing, and the Bird Mobile descends from the ceiling.

Zazu does a rap about how Iago learned his lesson, and will no doubt be more discrete in the future. Iago decides to show Zazu that he won't be discrete, and tells everybody on their feet. "That's right - everybody get up!" As the audience prepares to leave, the Tiki Birds begin singing "Get On Your Feet!" The birds declare that they're going to do a magic trick and make the audience disappear.

The doors of the theater open, and people walk out as the Tiki Birds continue to sing "Get On Your Feet!" Zazu says farewell to the guests, and Iago keeps up a barrage of comments and insults designed to get people to leave as they walk under him. Once the majority of the people have left the theater, Iago says he's tired, and plans to go take a nap in the Hall of Presidents. He then says good-bye to Zazu, turns around and enters the compartment over the exit. José laughs that nobody "laid an egg"... except him!

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Thank You Forward and Share

A thanks to Forward and Share for adding this blog to there list of blogs.

Len
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Tuesday, September 26, 2006

The Liberty Square Riverboat




A gentle slow cruise awaits you on the Rivers of America aboard an authentic steam-powered sternwheeler named the Liberty Belle. The half-mile approximately 17 minute trip travels around Tom Sawyer Island at Walt Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom. As you travel around the island view a Native American Tribe, freight shippers and a burning cabin.







The Native American Village as you cruise the Rivers of America











Freight Shippers as seen from the deck of the Liberty Belle




On board the Liberty Belle

Monday, September 04, 2006

The Walt Disney World Railroad at the Magic Kingdom


Located at the entrance of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, the train takes you around the Magic Kingdom at aprox. 12 mph for a 1.5 mile trip that takes 20 minutes.

The railroad has three stations, Main Street USA, Frontierland and Mickey's Toontown Fair.

The Walt Disney World railroad is one of the busiest steam powered railroads in the country with over 1.5 million passengers each year.

The trains there are four of them are the "Walter E. Disney", the "Lilly Belle" the "Roger E. Broggie", and the "Roy O. Disney".


Double click on the play button for a complete ride on the Roy O Disney around The Magic Kingdom

Sunday, August 27, 2006


The focal point at the Magic Kingdom. Cinderella's Castle is 189 feet high making it the tallest structure at the Magic Kingdom.Construction for the castle was completed in July 1971, and opened to the public when the Magic Kingdom debuted October 1, 1971.

Saturday, August 26, 2006


My wife and I are big time Disney fans anything Disney. I hope that other Disney fans will share there photos and stories about there trips to Walt Disney World and other Disney Parks around the globe.When you arrive on property at Walt Disney World the magic takes over, it truly is the happiest place on earth.