Walt Disney Imagineering announced earlier today at D23’s Destination D: Walt Disney World 40th event that The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management) at Magic Kingdom Park is already undergoing changes behind closed doors that will reshape the attraction into a version reminiscent of the original show.
The Walt Disney World attraction, originally called Tropical Serenade, has been entertaining guests since the theme park’s opening day on Oct. 1, 1971. Its winged hosts, Jose, Fritz, Pierre and Michael, led 200 other birds, tikis and flowers in an entertaining musical Polynesian revue. Tropical Serenade was reshaped into The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management) in 1998, with the addition of Iago (from “Aladdin”) and Zazu (from “The Lion King”).
The attraction was based on Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, which opened at Disneyland park in 1963. Its debut marked a huge milestone in Disney history, becoming the first attraction to ever feature Audio-Animatronics figures – a breakthrough that took 10 years to develop.
The latest version of the attraction, which will be called Enchanted Tiki Room, will debut at Magic Kingdom Park later this summer. Be sure to check the Disney Parks Blog for future updates on the attraction’s progress.
Comments
Jennifer – I was reading through the comments and you said that you remembered the windows and the storm “outside” the windows. That is sooo NOT boring. This is the thing I liked at Disneyland but LOVED here in WDW!!! You really just felt transported to a different place when in the original tiki room!! Esp after the Musical Luau and the Tiki Drums section. I just love the original sooo much and cant wait for its return.
tell Tokyo Disney to get Star Tours 2!
I can’t wait to see the latest show! 🙂
Who knows? It might be the original show from Disneyland Resort! 🙂
Hooray!!!
Just got back from Disney 2 weeks ago -looks like I will be planning another trip just for this!
I have been making lots of noise over this attraction ever since they changed it -they took Walt out of it, and the magic disappeared.
Now, I think they should do something amazing and enchanting with Journey into imagination.
I loved the old ride -now there is nothing much for the younger children to really enjoy over at Epcot that is not scary. I think they could bring Walt into that too -he had the greatest imagination of all…
Inspiration at its very best.
I’ve alternately picked Pirates and the Tiki birds as my favorites in WDW since 1980. The Hawaiian War Chant (Tiki Birds version) is my favorite music at WDW. SO HAPPY to think I’ll be able to hear it again. By the way, Jennifer, my screen saver is the view through the bamboo screen to the soon-to-erupt volcano!
-chip
i liked both of them so iM good with the changes now they need to do something about stitches great escape..
THE TIKI ROOM IS A GREAT ATTRACTION IT WILL BE NICE TO SEE SOMETHING NEW
Yay! Now can you get rid of Stitch’s Great Mistake and bring back Alien Encounter?! (please, please, please?!)
Great news, can’t wait to see the original again!
And I would like to echo everyone’s comments about Journey Into Imagination… the current attraction is atrocious and needs to be replaced/re-imagined (but I’m sure Disney is already aware of this since it never has a wait time) :/
This makes me a little sad… I only just barely made it to WDW for the first time and I was hoping to at least see “…Under New Management” once, but it looks like that’s not going to happen now.
I am sooooooooooooooooooo glad they are going back to “a version reminiscent of the original show”. I love the Enchanted Tiki Room in California, and even the one in Tokyo, but I have mainly gone inside the Florida version just for the AC.
This is great news. We went back last summer after a 20 year absence, and were thoroughly disappointed. Tiki Room was changed and Pirates had changes. So glad to hear that it is going back to its original format. Just hope it’s ready in time for our return trip in July.
THANK YOU!!! Though I liked “Under New Management”, I think Tropical Serenade is timeless! Let’s bring back “The Mickey Mouse Revue” now, shall we!
The Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management is like Disney’s version of New Coke.
Thank you for bringing the old formula back!
Thank goodness! While I never miss my beloved Tiki Room whenever I’m at Walt Disney World, it has never been the same since the “under new management” phase. Prior, one of the most wonderful things was that if a child wasn’t looking where they were “supposed” to be looking, things still moved and acted about. This was lost with the “under new management” routine. I hope that the imagineers return to the reality that children (and adults) don’t necessarily focus where the show is happening and that to maintain the enchantment, the items that are not necessarily the moment’s focus need to still appear ENCHANTED.
This is awesome! Thank you so much!
I could not be more thrilled! I’ve waited a long time to hear this news. And Jennifer, I too always loved the rainstorm out the windows! Can’t wait to take our boys to see this.
And I wanted to add: It’s the right decision as the 1960ies Tiki culture is experiencing a revival for already more than a decade by now. It definitely changes my opinion about not going back to WDW before the opening of the Fantasyland expansion.
Oh my GOD! I cannot believe it’s REALLY finally coming back! I was so devastated that I missed the opportunity to videotape the original show during my last visit before the terrible “New Management” took over and completely spoiled what was a true classic and one of my favorite attractions (and Walt’s favorite.
I loathed the new show. It was aggressive, annoying, loud, insulting to the original and without any tiki flair. Iago was the perhaps most annoying and obnoxious AA WDI ever created.
That is great news! Thank you very much.
Glad to hear the news. I am so glad to see a move back towards the original!
This is great news! I was in Walt Disney World last year and was extremely disappointed with the Under New Management show. Even thought I don’t live in Florida, I am so thrilled they are bringing back the classic show. Hopefully next time I go to WDW (whenever that is), the classic version will be up and going strong.
Awesome move Disney.
The original Tiki Room was our model for following shows like Country Bear Jamboree and America Sings. It has outlasted those, although openings were found in Splash Mountain. Dinner afterward at the Polynesian Terrace would make it a special night as it was for me at 7 years.
Dreams really DO come true after all…
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