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Techie7
10-25-2002, 10:43 AM
I have not gotten around to posting a conversation that I had with a couple CMs last weekend (I will not use their names). As many of you know the Tiki Room has begun to run into the same problems as Monorail Blue and is suffereing from a lack of attention. This last weekend apparently the flowers were "refusing to sing." In talking with a couple of CMs who I trust with a good amount of information they seemed somewhat worried about the attraction. They said that they had been informed that plans were being kicked around to change the Tiki Room into the version at WDW. They said that plans for an Iago bird have also floated through backstage.

Either way the attraction is in despirate need for money and a refurb. They informed me that a new (possibly more then one) bird was added (a tucan) because another tucan's beak fell off into a guests lap during a show. I have not been back to try and talk some more with the CMs but thought that I would put this information out so that you can ask about it on your next visit. The CMs seemed fairly adiment that they did not want a new version.

EITHER WAY: The Tiki Room is being run into the ground and due to budget constraints is not getting the overhaul that it needs. Sad to see something fall into such a state of disrepair when so many people still get a great ammount of enjoyment out of it.

zapppop
10-25-2002, 10:54 AM
and to think they keep pouring more money into that rat-hole of an attraction known as Innoventions.

Ghoulish Delight
10-25-2002, 11:09 AM
Originally posted by zapppop
and to think they keep pouring more money into that rat-hole of an attraction known as Innoventions. Maybe Innoventions' sponsors are being better about ponying up. Maybe we should all boycott Dole until the Tiki Room improves!

kennyhues
10-25-2002, 11:21 AM
I was all set to hate the WDW version, but the scriptwriters did something really savvy - knowing people were going to moan over this sacred show being changed, they put the audience's objections in the script. Iago is the crass interloper, and the Tiki Birds resist his attempts to modernize and hip-ify their show. His disregard for tradition earns the wrath of the Tiki Goddess, who is impressive. He gets his comeuppance, to the delight of the traditionalists. I think Walt would like it if he were around today.
The show was very entertaining, no less so that the original version. By introducing the brash, disrespectful, arrogant Iago, they've avoided the appearance of jamming a new show down your throat - the Tiki birds don't want this either, and so even though the show is changed, the traditionalists "win" when the Tiki Goddess blows Iago up at the end.
Very clever. I didn't want to like it, but I couldn't help it.

Techie7
10-25-2002, 11:26 AM
Originally posted by Ghoulish Delight
Maybe Innoventions' sponsors are being better about ponying up. Maybe we should all boycott Dole until the Tiki Room improves!

For some reason I don't think the problem has a lot to do with Dole. Disney is funneling funds to all kinds of places. The fact that FedEx is pulling out in January because of Space Mountain's state helps me put this in perspective. For Disney to put up a sponsors name you know that they are putting in some serious cash. The fact that next to nothing has improved makes me wonder.

Ghoulish Delight
10-25-2002, 11:39 AM
Originally posted by Techie7
For some reason I don't think the problem has a lot to do with Dole. Disney is funneling funds to all kinds of places. The fact that FedEx is pulling out in January because of Space Mountain's state helps me put this in perspective. For Disney to put up a sponsors name you know that they are putting in some serious cash. The fact that next to nothing has improved makes me wonder. I know, that was mostly tongue in cheek. But you really gotta start wondering where Dole's money is going. I mean, it can't cost too much to run the Dole Whip booth, and I guarantee it pays for itself from sales alone. Hrmm, maybe we should start pinging Dole. Let them know that Disney is letting the attraction that they so proudly display their name on fall apart and suggest that maybe they put a little pressure on 'em. That might backfire, though. That might just send Disney over the top and induce them to tear it down all together. :( Sigh. Poor Tiki Room.

Techie7
10-25-2002, 11:49 AM
Originally posted by Ghoulish Delight
I know, that was mostly tongue in cheek. But you really gotta start wondering where Dole's money is going. I mean, it can't cost too much to run the Dole Whip booth, and I guarantee it pays for itself from sales alone. Hrmm, maybe we should start pinging Dole. Let them know that Disney is letting the attraction that they so proudly display their name on fall apart and suggest that maybe they put a little pressure on 'em. That might backfire, though. That might just send Disney over the top and induce them to tear it down all together. :( Sigh. Poor Tiki Room.

Forgot to mention that Dole did not like the redo in Florida and pulled sponsorship after it opened. I assume they would do the same here. Money is going somewhere!

zapppop
10-25-2002, 01:19 PM
I don't know where the money is going but it's certainly not going to the attraction that needs it most. We need to start a campaigne to put some pressure on TDA to restore the formerly enchanted tiki room.

Klutch
10-25-2002, 02:21 PM
I noticed how shabby Tiki Room was and wanted to leave a comment about it at City Hall. Alas, I thought that surely I would be among many who had already complained.

The feathers on the birds looked ratty. Some of the flowers in the boat above me did not sing. I'm pretty sure an entire bird and swing were missing above me. The sound was very good, but that doesn't take any maintenance.

I think nostalgia is the only thing keeping the Tiki Room around. Maybe Disney figures if they let it run down, people will be glad to see it close.

innerSpaceman
10-25-2002, 02:34 PM
Send hate mail to me by P.M. if you must, but I say it's time for the Tiki Room TO GO! Of course attendance is slipping. It's been slipping for two decades. It's a hoary old show that has no place except in a museum. While it's true that it's replacement will mostly likely be a shop or a restaurant, there's no denying that better shows than Tiki Room have stepped aside for newer attractions. Nature's Wonderland and Inner Space come to mind, with the Country Bears providing an even closer counterpart situation.

Just because it bears the stamp of Walt doesn't mean it must remain intact forever. The show is 40 years old!

Klutch
10-25-2002, 02:50 PM
"Hoary"?

:confused:

Bill Catherall
10-25-2002, 03:04 PM
Hoary (http://www.dictionary.com/search?q=hoary)

(It's really not as bad as it sounds. ;) )

I have to disagree with you innerSpaceman. (Oh, like that's a first. ;) ) Should we get rid of everything that's old just because a few shows have been replaced? Somethings just need to stay. I don't like the idea of replacing Tiki just because the Bears are gone.

kennyhues
10-25-2002, 03:06 PM
I don't share InnerSpaceman's opinion, but "hoary"= 1. gray or white with or as if with age. 3. Very old: Ancient. (webster's) In other words, long in the tooth. Okay, so I don't really disagree so much. :D I'd rather see the Orlando version come to Anaheim than see the Tiki Room completely gone.
I think even Walt knew it was bigger than him. He expected that Disneyland would never be "finished" but would always be changing. Only a fool would argue that all the changes since Walt's passing have been good, and there's a whole separate argument about change for change's sake, but the bottom line is Walt was unsentimental about his own work. The best way to remember him is not to make his park into a moldy museum of quaint and outdated stuff. He deserves better.

Ghoulish Delight
10-25-2002, 03:08 PM
And, quite honestly, every time over the past year that I've seen the show, it's been at least 2/3 full. And I mean every time. That's more than you could have said for the bears for the last 5 years! People still love the Tiki room. Kids still love the Tiki room. It just needs some TLC and more enthusiastic CMs like Maynard.

Laffite
10-25-2002, 03:09 PM
Originally posted by innerSpaceman
Send hate mail to me by P.M. if you must, but I say it's time for the Tiki Room TO GO! Of course attendance is slipping. It's been slipping for two decades. It's a hoary old show that has no place except in a museum. While it's true that it's replacement will mostly likely be a shop or a restaurant, there's no denying that better shows than Tiki Room have stepped aside for newer attractions. Nature's Wonderland and Inner Space come to mind, with the Country Bears providing an even closer counterpart situation.

Just because it bears the stamp of Walt doesn't mean it must remain intact forever. The show is 40 years old!

Last time I was there the room was nearly full, and there was a lot of kids, and everybody had a good time in there. Some kids were dancing and people (porbably 1st timers) seem to be delighted at the end of the show. Tiki room still has its place.

innerSpaceman
10-25-2002, 03:59 PM
I will gladly stand corrected if indeed the shows are near full or 2/3 full or whatever you guys claim. I wouldn't know. I haven't frequented the show in 10 years, but I can tell you that i went often between say '75 and '90 and I watched attendance slowly decrease until I was often sharing the show with 5 other guests.

If there has been an upswing in attendance over the last decade and shows have people in the seats, then by all means find a way to keep the Tiki Room. From the description in this thread, it sounds as if the WDW version wouldn't be too bad.

zapppop
10-25-2002, 04:16 PM
note to self:
Sunday MP meet:
Group visits the tiki room dragging steve by the feet ( if necessary ;) )

RStar
10-25-2002, 04:48 PM
Now I know why the Tiki CMs were "barking" people into the attraction.

To be honest, I'm board with the Tiki Room. I would rather see it change than turn into another store or resturaunt as well. So updating it would be the best of both worlds. Something more fun to watch and the show stays. I also like the update of Great moments with Mr. Siscors, I mean Mr. Lincoln.;)

Morrigoon
10-25-2002, 05:07 PM
I think it's fair to say that objections to removal of Walt classics would be less.... shall we say... vehement, if Disney was actually capable of producing spectacular replacements. But we haven't seen that in recent years.

For example, Innerspace was great, but Star Tours was (for its time) totally innovative and spectacular.

But that was early 80s

Circlevision was only okay, Peoplemover was nice, Rocket Rods wasn't worth the wait and now no longer exists - but we do not have anything it its/their place. Not acceptable.

Subs was archaic but popular with little ones. Its replacement is.... oh wait, no replacement. Not acceptable.

Country Bears was a lot of fun and a great way to cool off on a hot day. The jury is out on its replacement, let's hope it's as good as it sounds and not just a Pooh Superstar Limo.

Until Disney can prove that their replacements are up to the standards and wow quality of what they replace, why would we want them to mess with more? They haven't replaced everything they've taken out yet!

***

On a side note, maybe they should consider taking the birds and programming from the current Tiki Room, knock down the old building as well as Aladdin's oasis, and in its place build a new Tahitian Terrace - put the birds back in (the original Tiki room idea was for a restaurant), and put the stage show back in. The birds can alternate with live performers, keeping diners actively entertained yet keeping costs down by not having as much labor needed (Run the bird show, take a 20 min break, then either run the birds again (slow periods) or run a live stage show for 20 min (peak periods).

(Adrienne's gonna kill me for that suggestion, LOL! Hey Age, lemme add this remark: Take performers from current Oasis show, and incorporate them into humorous new live show, as well as to perform as "Barker"s for the birds)

Laffite
10-25-2002, 07:48 PM
A Tiki room restaurant is more than welcome by me :D

Laffite
10-25-2002, 08:21 PM
(sorry, can't edit :( )

ummm...I mean a restaurant themed with Tiki-room like atmosphere and birds, not replacing the Tiki room itself with a restaurant :rolleyes:

Ace
10-25-2002, 08:53 PM
Originally posted by Morrigoon
Country Bears was a lot of fun and a great way to cool off on a hot day. The jury is out on its replacement, let's hope it's as good as it sounds and not just a Pooh Superstar Limo.



Poohperstar Limo?


SORRY! YOU SET ME UP FOR IT!!!

Tigertail777
10-25-2002, 09:08 PM
OK have to post about this one... 1) a restaurant with tiki theme, and at least part of the show id not all of it ala chucky cheese performers would be in keeping in line with the actual original vision of the attraction, and I definately support that! I t actually sounds really cool! A polynesinan version of Blue Bayou!

2) We were there this summer, and tiki at least in the summer, can (surprisingly) still pack 'em in.. it was totally full when went, and the que was lining up for the next show as we entered. People seemed to have a really great time when we went, and the little kids were dancing to the music (until the thunder sequence LOL).

3) updating tiki: OK the WDW I have been told by more than one person, if you have never seen the original show of tiki, then the new one will not make as much sense to you because as you said it is parodying it. I am sorry but to me this is shortsited stupidity...what happens when the next generation comes along that has never seen the original? I have no problems with updating tiki room, as long as: they keep part of the original show (which they do NOT in the new one, they dont even get through half of the original tiki room song--a feature which ticks off a lot of original tiki fans), they add new spectacular technology or effects that are really cool (as witnessed by HM, effects don't have to be NEW technology to be awe-inspiring such as the peppers ghost effect in the ballroom), and they keep in mind that the new show HAS to be relevent to more than one generation, and be more "timeless".

gn2dlnd
10-26-2002, 02:46 AM
The idea that the show is "old", and therefore needs to be replaced, is ridiculous. That's exactly the kind of thinking that was behind the creation of DCA, that cutting edge, cel-phone friendly, hip amusement park for modern SUV drivin' soccer moms who just don't have the time or patience for "magic." It's the same thinking that "retired" the Main Street Electrical Parade, "It was old and falling apart." I actually have that quote on videotape from the Light Magic TV special. Oh, and a month later, there I am, watching the Electrical Parade trundle through Times Square for the premiere of Hercules. Amazing, for a parade that was in such terrible disrepair. People love "old." Otherwise, why would we tune into the Wizard of Oz, The Great Pumpkin, and Rudolph every year? Why would we bother to stand in line for Pirates? Why are so many of us put out that Vault Disney was taken off the air?

gn2dlnd
10-26-2002, 02:47 AM
The Tiki Rooom is well written, quality entertainment that people love, if you're bored by it, don't go. Part of Disneyland's "mission statement," if you will, was that "Here age relives fond memories of the past." In 1955 plenty of people who came to the park remembered, or heard their elders talk about, events of the late 1800's and the turn of the century. Now, our "fond memories of the past," often include specific attractions and shows from the park itself. Country Bears Vacation Hoedown never really worked because it was an inferior show to the original, and had gags in it that required you to remember the first show. No wonder attendance lagged. What's happened to Tomorrowland is an absolute shame. All because of that lazy idea that people don't like old stuff. Upgrade, restore, improve, and innovate. Not replace, discard, and shut down.