In the Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room

One of the oldest Disneyland attractions is the Enchanted Tiki Room. The Tiki Room is a small building that looks like something out of Gilligan's Island. Inside you get the same kind of entertainment as Gilligan's Island (and you won't have to answer any uncomfortable questions about why Gilligan and Skipper wear their shoes to bed.)

The show is 17 minutes long and features 250 singing birds. The stars of the show are Fritz, Jose, Michael, and Pierre. They are all birds and all of them speak in comical accents and tell jokes.

The seats are all underneath the animatronic birds. The birds wake up soon start a musical review the likes of which have not been seen since... well 17 minutes ago when the last show started. Actually, the show is quite dated, but still holds its charm. The birds sing cute songs and then the tiki gods are angered and they make it rain. That may not sound like much of a wrath, but remember: in So Cal, they have a lot of mudslides.

So, the rain stops and you exit.

When Walt Disney World opened, the Enchanted Tiki Room was one of the attractions to be created. Audiences today, however, have a DIFFERENT Tiki Room.

Before the show, in the waiting area, you see two birds (voiced by Phil Hartman and Don Rickles) who say that they represent the NEW MANAGEMENT at the Tiki Room.

The best exchange of the pre-show goes a little like this:

Rickles: My client is a very big bird.
Phil: Your client is Big Bird!

That cracked me up! Then, I started imagining the possibilities. Big Bird is a huge star but lacks the finances to effectively force hostile take over of the Disney Corporation.
But, the Tiki Room? Big Bird could take over the establishment and take apart the company from the inside.

Of course, Big Bird would probably get distracted when someone mentions the letter "Q" and he would spend so long thinking about "Q" words that he would forget about his plans for domination of the children's entertainment market.

The new version starts in the same fashion as the old version, but soon is interrupted by Iago from Aladdin. He introduces himself as the new co-manager of the Tiki Room. Iago complains that the show has gotten old and dull. Then the OTHER new co-manager shows up, Zasu from the Lion King. Zasu tells him NOT to change the show. After that they join in and sing a few songs from their respective movies.

The new show is funny, but I still prefer the old version. Just don't tell Big Bird.

Posted by Guy Hutchinson

Guy Hutchinson