More Walt Disney World Resort Stories

Josés of a Different Feather

The upcoming opening of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room in Adventureland of Magic Kingdom (scheduled for August 15) got me thinking about one of the four wisecracking, crooning parrots that will host the show — José.

Walt Disney and José

I wondered if José is an Audio-Animatronics manifestation of José Carioca from the 1944 film The Three Caballeros. None other than Disney Legend Dave Smith has answered that question: “No!” The two Josés aren’t even the same species. José in the Tiki Room is a macaw while José Carioca is a Brazilian parrot.

None other than Disney Legend Wally Boag gave voice to Tiki Bird José. Wally, who recently passed away, blasted audiences with squirt guns, spit out a mouthful of “teeth,” and sculpted whimsical animals out of colorful balloons five days a week, three times a day, for nearly 27 years at the Golden Horseshoe Revue in Disneyland park.

As for José Carioca: He’s currently entertaining guests at Epcot in Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros in the Mexico Pavilion.

Which gets me to wondering: Just how many birds are there entertaining guests in the Disney Parks? Well, let’s see …

Comments

  • Then there are all the birds at Disney’s Animal Kingdom including several varieties of Mc Caws often found on Discovery Island trails and the oasis, various birds in the bird Houses both along the Pangani Forest, and Maharajas Jungle Trek Trails (there are also birds outside the enclosures too like Sarus Cranes, and Peacocks) Saddle Billed Storks, Ibis, Flamingos, various varieties of Ducks, and that’s all without even touching on all the fine feathered friends at the flights of wonder show.

  • Zazu! There’s also Valiant, though not sure he’s around the parks so much. Plus all the birdies who helped with Sleeping Beauty….

    Finally, don’t forget the funniest bird of ’em all…. Donald Duck!! ºoº

  • You can’t forget the birds in Festival of the Lion King! Magi and Moto that fly around to “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.”

    Rest In Peace: the raven birds from the original Star Tours Ride (you can now find them in a pack case near the “defective” driver from the old ride – WDW)

    Vultures of SPLASH MOUNTAIN

  • In Back stage magic with Mickey Mouse , Mickey has a small bird in his dressing room he makes disapear.

  • Don’t forget all of the birds in Splash Mountain!

  • Aside from the ones already named, there’s…

    Iago (Philharmagic)
    Kevin (Character Greeting)
    Scuttle (Voyage of the Little Mermaid)
    Camilla (Muppet Vision 3D)
    The Raven in Haunted Mansion

    I know there are a few other Disney birds (Maleficent’s Raven, the birds from Cinderella, as examples).. but I haven’t seen them at WDW and never been to DL.

  • Donald, Jose and Panchito (aka the 3 caballeros) are all in Mickey’s Soundsational Parade in Disneyland Park

  • Thanks for bringing back the original show. I’m looking forward seeing it next month. Also to never having to hear the grating voice of Gilbert Gottfried ever again!

  • Birds I can think of are the ravens at Haunted Mansion, the singing parrot on Pirates of the Caribbean, the seagulls on the Nemo Submarine Voyage (and the Seas with Nemo in Epcot), and the stars of Flights of Wonder at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
    Past birds would be Sam and Ollie from America Sings and the Crane from Meet the World in Tokyo Disneyland.

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