News New Permit Filed for Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room at Magic Kingdom

[Epcot82Guy]

A Tiki Holiday would be ok with me. Not saying that's happening. Just saying a seasonal overlay could be a way to infuse some life while preserving the classic attraction.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Meanwhile it was the complete opposite when Under New Management came in ...

 

[James Alucobond]

I find it a bit odd they would touch this right now with all the backlash for ripping out Frontierland, I suppose they think refurbishing the castle and adding walt to carousel of progress is saving face enough, but this would just be the undoing of all that and be another slap in their face. This one they have to be careful with in terms of timing, now is not good timing. Unless its following in the footsteps of jamboree with some type of makeover where its retained as itself. But if these permits are really more significant, then worried I am.

The majority of guests aren't keeping score like this, and assuming this has anything to do with the attraction itself, it's just a continuation of a pattern of slow refurbs for this land. Jungle Cruise show scenes were updated in 2021, much of the JC queue was redone shortly thereafter, the Swiss Family Treehouse was refurbished in 2024, much of the pavement was redone leading into 2025, Pirates saw a number of fixes prior to the new lounge debut, and Beak & Barrel itself opened very recently. So, the timing isn't wrong; it's exactly right if they're doing what they're supposed to be doing. The Tiki Room/Magic Carpet plaza is the last area that hasn't seen its cycle of polish.

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

I actually really like the Stitch version they've got over in Tokyo but I would only accept it if it was a literal port of that.

That said, I would have to imagine that this isn't anything major? They don't typically file permits for major show overhauls or changes prior to an announcement do they?

 

[HMF]

I’m not as familiar with the Magic Kingdom version as due to distance I haven’t been able to go as often. But at Disneyland atleast, full house, every time I’ve been

Disneyland fans tend to be more interested in preserving historical attractions than most WDW guests as has been proven with the ROA paving debacle.

 

[FigmentsBrightIdeas]

Disneyland fans tend to be more interested in preserving historical attractions than most WDW guests as has been proven with the ROA paving debacle.

I dunno… I mean, it seems it gotten quite a lot of pushback. I don’t see a lot of folks completely on board with the Cars ride going there. But hey, I’m willing to admit if I’m wrong on that.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Disneyland fans tend to be more interested in preserving historical attractions than most WDW guests as has been proven with the ROA paving debacle.

Well, that..But I think it's also due to Fantasmic...Remove the ROA and they'll riot.

 

[jah4955]

Well, that..But I think it's also due to Fantasmic...Remove the ROA and they'll riot.

Fantasmic at DL, however unintentional, definitely didn't hurt when it came from keeping ROA from the bulldozer.

 

[Raineman]

The rotting carcass of the Iago AA has begun to stir....

 

[wedenterprises]

A Tiki Holiday would be ok with me. Not saying that's happening. Just saying a seasonal overlay could be a way to infuse some life while preserving the classic attraction.

I think they go the other way and eventually make the Tiki room more culturally representative. I could see them using Moana as a conduit to teach us more accurate information about tiki and hawaiian traditions.

 

[Raineman]

I think they go the other way and eventually make the Tiki room more culturally representative. I could see them using Moana as a conduit to teach us more accurate information about tiki and hawaiian traditions.

But why would Disney think that anyone needs that in this attraction? That type of thing would be very well suited for an attraction at Epcot, or even at the Poly. Leave the Tiki Room well alone.

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

But why would Disney think that anyone needs that in this attraction? That type of thing would be very well suited for an attraction at Epcot, or even at the Poly. Leave the Tiki Room well alone.

Well because broadly, their push in the last decade for a greater diversity of cultural representation that comes hand-in-hand with a heightened sense of cultural sensitivity has been well received, especially by younger guests and international guests.

But that’s all assuming that they are actually wanting to make any significant changes to the show, to which we don’t know yet. There’s a lot of different things that this permit could be and considering we don’t have an official announcement of anything there is a little to actually discuss other than theories and fears.

 

[Raineman]

Well because broadly, their push in the last decade for a greater diversity of cultural representation that comes hand-in-hand with a heightened sense of cultural sensitivity has been well received, especially by younger guests and international guests.

But that’s all assuming that they are actually wanting to make any significant changes to the show, to which we don’t know yet. There’s a lot of different things that this permit could be and considering we don’t have an official announcement of anything there is a little to actually discuss other than theories and fears.

What cultural sensitivity/representation issues exist in the Tiki Room, though? In attractions like JC, PoTC and Splash, it was fairly easy to pinpoint the issues there, but, unless I am missing something, Tiki Room doesn't have anything glaring in that regard.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Well because broadly, their push in the last decade for a greater diversity of cultural representation that comes hand-in-hand with a heightened sense of cultural sensitivity has been well received, especially by younger guests and international guests.

But that’s all assuming that they are actually wanting to make any significant changes to the show, to which we don’t know yet. There’s a lot of different things that this permit could be and considering we don’t have an official announcement of anything there is a little to actually discuss other than theories and fears.

Bye, bye Tikis. It was fun while it lasted.

Score another “necessary downgrade” for the Story doesn’t Matter team.

Look on the bright side… Maybe it won’t get converted to another lounge

 

[jah4955]

I think they go the other way and eventually make the Tiki room more culturally representative. I could see them using Moana as a conduit to teach us more accurate information about tiki and hawaiian traditions.

I think Moana is coming to MK (someday) but as either Jungle Cruise replacement or Adventureland expansion pad occupant (assuming the live action adaptation doesn't bomb...and aren't they working on "3?" Don't get me wrong, 1 & 2 are among Disney's better efforts in recent years.

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

What cultural sensitivity/representation issues exist in the Tiki Room, though? In attractions like JC, PoTC and Splash, it was fairly easy to pinpoint the issues there, but, unless I am missing something, Tiki Room doesn't have anything glaring in that regard.

I’m glad you asked because this is actually a subject I’m personally very interested in!

So, in the mid 20th century (specifically 50s and 60s), there was a major cultural fad that is referred to by different names but I know it as Tiki Kitsch.

It was a broad fascination with Polynesian aesthetics that dominated everything from entertainment to architecture. Things like Tiki Room and the Polynesian are direct results of this trend. While I won’t go so far as to say this was a trend that was outright, nakedly, on its face offensive or malicious, as time has gone on, it has been reevaluated.

Broadly speaking (there will of course be individuals who are exceptions), people of Polynesian origin or dissent do not appreciate Tiki Kitsch because it is viewed as a cartoonized, heavily diluted, and at times blatantly disrespectful to a culture that they are very protective over and one that is actually in quite a bit of danger.

Native Polynesian culture is endangered. As more and more islands and hubs for these various cultures get commodified and turned into beach resorts and vacation destinations, natives lose their land and their cultural heritage sites, and are forced to watch as their cultures and religions are turned into performance and show rather than treated as something sacred to the people that it represents.

This is why there has been a large push from native Hawaiians to reduce the amount of tourism that the islands receive. They, like many other Polynesian regions, are fighting for their land, their history, and their culture to be preserved..

Where does Tiki Room fit into that?

Well, it is an example of the sort of thing they dislike. While I do believe that Tiki Room was never made with the intention of disrespect, ultimately it is a very cartoonized version of real cultures and beliefs with the intention of appealing to a predominantly (at the time) white American audience. It is a product of a cultural fad that Polynesian folks have long been dismayed by. It is insensitive even if it doesn’t mean to be by sheer virtue of just being bad representation.

Disney has also gotten in hot water over this subject before.

Alauni was and is extremely controversial for this very reason. Natives were not happy then and continue to be unhappy now that a mega resort that is essentially modern Tiki Kitsch was built and today platforms other Disney products that they have taken issue with such as Moana and Lilo & Stitch.

While I don’t personally think any of these things are outright malicious, they are examples of cultural tourism that have contributed to a negative impact on the people whose culture these things are supposedly meant to be representative of.

I believe wholeheartedly this criticism and this broader movement of Polynesian individuals to openly criticize and push back against Tiki Kitsch and cultural tourism is what influenced their decision to make such significant changes to the Poly.

Of course, I do not believe putting Stitch or Moana in there is going to help this. Those two properties also have received heavy criticism from these communities for the exact same thing: they are not very good representations of the culture and people they deal with and have been used by Disney outside of the films to further business practices that have brought direct harm to natives, their homes, their culture, and their way of life.

I believe that there is a way to tweak Tiki Room so that it is more sensitive to and knowledgeable of this criticism. A way to present it in a way that is more reflective of of reality rather than the cartoonified, theme parkian vibe it presents now that so many natives find to be troubling.

I do not think that it is as pressing necessarily as something like Splash Mountain or the Native Americans in Peter Pan was, but I do think that it is something that Disney is at least somewhat aware of given how they have interacted with the Polynesian Resort, and I would not be surprised to see sometime in the future have a bit of a reassessment on Tiki Room and whether or not it’s current presentation is in line with their move toward more cultural sensitivity.

 

[Stupido]

I think Moana is coming to MK (someday) but as either Jungle Cruise replacement or Adventureland expansion pad occupant (assuming the live action adaptation doesn't bomb...and aren't they working on "3?" Don't get me wrong, 1 & 2 are among Disney's better efforts in recent years.

I'm all for Moana in Adventureland, but let's not pretend 2 wasn't hot trash. Plus the live action looks horrible. I can't believe they're running their most successful franchise since Frozen into the ground. I'm actually nervous if the attraction isn't announced and started before the live action movie, it might never come.

 

[jah4955]

I think they go the other way and eventually make the Tiki room more culturally representative. I could see them using Moana as a conduit to teach us more accurate information about tiki and hawaiian traditions.

As has been echoed in recent days, many are still (understandably) salty about UNM redo. When they re-opened after that fortunate fire (I can say that b/c no one was hurt!), they emphasized "WALT DISNEY'S...." I think that was their effort to stress this was a product of it's time and the talents of the artists of that time...., so we can all simply sit back, relax, and enjoy mechanical depictions of enchanted birds.

I'm not going to say anything else on this matter (if anything) at least until we learn what the work is.

 

[jah4955]

I'm all for Moana in Adventureland, but let's not pretend 2 wasn't hot trash. Plus the live action looks horrible. I can't believe they're running their most successful franchise since Frozen into the ground. I'm actually nervous if the attraction isn't announced and started before the live action movie, it might never come.

2's not so bad if you skip The Rock's #

 

[wedenterprises]

As has been echoed in recent days, many are still (understandably) salty about UNM redo. When they re-opened after that fortunate fire (I can say that b/c no one was hurt!), they emphasized "WALT DISNEY'S...." I think that was their effort to stress this was a product of it's time and the talents of the artists of that time...., so we can all simply sit back, relax, and enjoy mechanical depictions of enchanted birds.

I'm not going to say anything else on this matter (if anything) at least until we learn what the work is.

They should have changed the name to Tony Baxter's Splash Mountain