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Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room

No change in size, 02:03, 2 December 2015
[[Image:Walttiki.jpg|thumb|350px|Walt Disney in Disneyland's Enchanted Tiki Room]] wings) <ref name= "org"> http://www.waltdisney.org/blog/disneyland-classics-walt-disneys-enchanted-tiki-room </ref>. Inspired by the technology used within the toy, Walt decided that if toy makers could animate 3D objects, his Imagineers could too. After dissecting the bird and understanding the technology that made it work, Disney Imagineers were able to produce fluid, Audio Animatronic tropical birds (including toucans and macaws) <ref name="D23">https://d23.com/tiki-room-50th-anniversary-archives/ </ref>.
With this new technology in hand, Walt decided to revisit an old idea. Earlier in the 1950s, Disney had planned on building a Chinese restaurant (complete with an Audio Animatronic Confucius) for Disneyland's Main Street USA <ref name="D23"/>. Also included in the show was to be a number of real and imaginary animals, including birds. Although the human Audio Animatronic proved too difficult, Walt decided to retheme the restaurant as a Polynesian musical revue, featuring singing tropical birds. The restaurant was going to be called “The Enchanted Tiki Room” (although some sources use the name "Tiki Hut") and it was to be located in Disneyland’s Adventureland <ref name= "org"/> <ref name= "spenceSpence"/> http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/walt_disney_world/theme_parks/magic_kingdom/adventureland/the_enchanted_tiki_room/ </ref>. Although Disney announced plans for the restaurant to the public, logistical concerns eventually derailed the idea. It was determined that a full course meal would take between 45 and 60 minutes on average, and thus a very limited number of guests would be able to see the musical show <ref name= "spenceSpence"/>. On October 9, 1963, Walt decided that instead of creating a dinner show, Disney would create a full-fledged attraction <ref name= "D23"/>.
In order to turn this new Tiki attraction into a reality, Walt turned to his Imagineers. Although Walt had originally told him, “This show doesn’t have to be a natural history museum. Let’s have some fun!” <ref name= "D23"/> Imagineer Rolly Crump's designs were deemed to be a bit too abstract. Disney then turned to sculptor Blaine Gibson to create the residents of the Enchanted Tiki Room. Although much more realistic then Crump's designs, Gibson still did not create an "absolutely realistic parrot" in order to give the hosts some character <ref name= "D23"/>. Assisting Gibson in creating characters was Imagineer Marc Davis who designed the totems who come to life inside the attraction, as well as some of the singing flowers and birds <ref name= "D23"/>. When it came to creating the birds themselves, Imagineer Harriet Burns was charged with designing and creating the feathering, which she often did using real feathers. When describing his vision for the birds Walt told Burns I want these birds to be so real you can see them breathe." <ref name= "D23"/>
The Tropical Serenade remained unchanged until 1997, when the show closed for renovations. Due to the attractions waning popularity, Disney decided they needed to seriously update the show. In order to do this, Imagineers added the popular characters Zazu (from Disney’s The Lion King) and Iago (from Disney’s Aladdin) to the attraction. Furthermore, the show was given a new plot that centered around Iago and Zazu becoming the new owners of the Tiki Room <ref name= "yester"> http://www.yesterland.com/newmanagement.html </ref>. Although the show featured a brand new script and musical numbers, the original Tiki birds remained a part of the show <ref name= "yester"/>. After an extensive refurbishment, the Tropical Serenade reopened as The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management on April 5, 1998 <ref> http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/the-enchanted-tiki-room-under-new-management.htm </ref>.
Despite Disney's efforts to make the new show appeal to a wider audience, Under New Management quickly proved to be unpopular with guests and attendance problems once again plagued the attraction <Ref name= "Spence"/>. In 2011 a small fire broke out in the attic of the Tiki Room theater, causing the sprinkler system to be activated <Ref name= "yester"/>. Although no one was injured in the fire, it has been heavily speculated that the Audio Animatronic Iago was badly damaged and that the attraction suffered some water damage <ref> http://thedisneyblog.com/2011/01/16/update-on-tiki-room-fire/ </ref>. The damage of the fire combined with the fact that a refurbished Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room in Disneyland had regained its popularity, convinced Disney that the time was right to bring back the Tropical Serenade <ref name= "Spence"/>. To this end, on August 15, 2011 <ref> http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2011/08/walt_disneys_enchanted_tiki_ro_1.html </ref> the original show reopened as Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. Opening in time for the Magic Kingdom's 40th anniversary <ref name= "yester"/>, Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room follows the same script as the original show, however it is six minutes shorter. This brevity was caused by the removal of the Offenbach number and some of the attraction's dialogue <ref> http://www.themeparkinsider.com/reviews/walt_disney_world's_magic_kingdom/enchanted_tiki_room/ </ref> <ref name= "spenceSpence"/>.
==Attraction Plot==