Rumor Bye Bye (Tiki) Birdies?

[CanadianGordon]

Honestly in shock. If anything they should refurb the Tiki and ADD using the expansion pads they have. Stupid to consider turfing an attraction just before the 50th.
I don't think Disney realizes how angry the fans would be....

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Guardians of the Tiki Room coming soon...

Baby Groot where the Magic Fountain used to be.

Rocket on a swing overhead a la Teddi Bara.

The birds all sing the Pina Colada song.

The show writes itself.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I don't think Disney realizes how angry the fans would be....

They don't care. They know fans will hand over their credit cards for more retro merch the minute they finish typing up an angry tweet.

And for every one of them, they'll be 100 random tourists more than happy to line up for whatever the replacement is.

 

[HMF]

Historical value very much matters at Disneyland. Such sentiment in the MK only creates stagnation.?

So, history does not matter at WDW?

 

[HMF]

As much as I love the Tiki Room, it'd be interesting to see if they start looking at MK as its own park rather than Disneyland's big brother.

Technically Disneyland is MK's Big Brother.

 

[marni1971]

Is this confirmed info? Are all of those attractions actually leaving??

They all have alternative proposals.

 

[Otterhead]

Technically Disneyland is MK's Big Brother.

Whatever size sibling they may be, I'll be interested to see how they define MK's identity going forward versus Disneyland.
I'm willing to bet that every junior executive who wants to make a name for themselves by making an impact on revenue and park traffic makes a blue-sky proposal like "hey! Let's get rid of the Tiki Room!" or "hey! Let's level TSI!" and puts some numbers together on ways it could improve a bottom line here or there. But whether these perennial proposals actually happen is another story.

 

[MisterPenguin]

The mandate of forcing IP into the parks is a strong one.

Quick! Someone make a Tiki Bird movie!

 

[Otterhead]

Quick! Someone make a Tiki Room movie!

They did just do a pretty successful limited-run comic. Which, yeah, it's just a comic, but it's my understanding that the success of the Figment comic perked a lot of ears at Disney.

 

[Rodan75]

Parades are a really good example of this. I saw Celebrate a Dream Come True on my honeymoon trip and that left me with a special connection to it, but I also think Festival of Fantasy was a good replacement so I don't mind the loss of the previous parade. On the other hand removal of the nighttime parade without a replacement can't been seen a good thing no matter how someone tries to spin it.

Strongly disagree on that. As much as I like the electrical parade, I'm happy they have paused night parades. The flow of the park is easier with one less nighttime event.

 

[Speedy71]

The remains of the Tropical Serenade aka The Enchanted Tiki Room (aka a Top 10 Fanboi nostalgia lovefest) looks like it is about to fly the coop for good.

According to multiple sources, the attraction, which saw a reprieve a few years ago when it went back to a shortened version of the original 1971 show from the poorly received Under New Management update following a fire that damaged the facility, is on the chopping block and very, very likely to leave.

At this point, I will only call this a rumor (but the gondola system is a rumor and happening, the Rat ride at EPCOT is only a rumor and is happening, the Speedway removal is a rumor and is happening, the new DVC at CBR is a rumor and is happening and the Star Wars themed BOUTIQUE resort experience is a rumor and is most definitely happening).

As to what will replace it, that is unclear at present and one source even suggests it could remain with a new Stitch overlay reusing the pricey AA just like TDL has, but I don't see that.

And with other plans for Adventureland percolating, and Disney having no care for its past beyond shilling merchandise and D23 events and the like, I would expect Jose and Fritz and Company to fly away for good in the near future.

I swear this management. When you think they have taken steps forward they instead have taken two steps back.

 

[Bacon]

Is this confirmed info? Are all of those attractions actually leaving? The Speedway seems popular still, as does TSI. TSI is one of my favorite spots in all of Disney World. Do you think the execs don't recognize that people need some low key attractions, if only to step away from the madness for a bit?

Speedway is VERY VERY likely. On the other hand TIKI won't go "Extinct" Cause DL will still have it. The only REAL "Extinct" Attractions are things that are Actually EXTINCT like Journey Into Imagination, Horizons, Body Wars, Cranium Command and Other EXTINCT attractions that you can't find anywhere else on the planet sooooo... @WDW1974.......

 

[britain]

I've never actually been to WDW's Tiki room. I enjoyed the one at Disneyland plenty of times, and since that has the preshow of the tiki gods including Maui... I got to admit, that's weird now since everyone is thinking "THAT's not Maui!"

It would be like Disney making new film about Mr. Blue Bird, but he's a completely different, modern hip character than the one in Splash Mountain. It would cause a lot of young head scratching, and start begging for an update.

Having said that, that's just the pre-show, right? I don't recall old Maui being in the actual show.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Having said that, that's just the pre-show, right? I don't recall old Maui being in the actual show.

No named Tiki gods are in the actual show. They are simply an unseen force that starts a thunderstorm when the birds play their music too loud.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Is this confirmed info? Are all of those attractions actually leaving? The Speedway seems popular still, as does TSI. TSI is one of my favorite spots in all of Disney World. Do you think the execs don't recognize that people need some low key attractions, if only to step away from the madness for a bit?

Here is the thing about TSI, the execs considered getting a rid of it for years. I going by the amount of different threads of TSI going away on the New and Rumors thread in the past.

Back in 2015, there was a Frontier Land Expansion thread created and it included TSI going away. There was a 2011 rumored thread created about Tom Sawyer Island gone also, but it also involved the Liberty Belle. Jim Hill even had a rumor about TSI back in 2010.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

I highly doubt they'd replace the Tiki Toom. The only other thing they could possibly put in there is a walk through or a meet and greet (unless they keep the theater).

 

[Magenta Panther]

One of the reasons I haven't commented here recently is because what news I read here just gets more and more depressing.

The Enchanted Tiki Room is a magical oasis and is one of the best things Walt and company ever built. The birds are still endearing, the music is fun and the thunderstorm is still remarkably effective. And as for crowds...I have never visited the Room and found it empty. Not stuffed to the gills, maybe, but never empty. And the crowds have always been appreciative. The attraction is there and it still works and it's still entertaining, so why remove it? What kind of mentality thinks that's a good idea?

What's even more disturbing is what in God's name might replace it. Stitch? Ugh. No thanks. Moana? Meh. Nice movie, but why does every ride in the parks have to have a movie tie-in?

Frankly, I think Country Bears is much more dated than Tiki. And I used to love love LOVE Country Bears as a kid. But when I visit it now, it just seems so cornball and the AAs seem so dated. I hate that, but it's my honest opinion. I don't see why that may stay and the Birds may go. As for Carousel of Progress...well, just like the Birds, it's got a legacy with Walt, but it too is a lot more dated-looking than the Birds. So why is it safe and the Birds aren't? (Bear in mind that I don't want ANY of those things to go...but I just don't get why Birds is being targeted instead of Bears and the Carousel. Makes no sense at all).

I would hate to see the Tiki Birds go, I just don't see the point of getting rid of it, but if WDW1974 says this is likely, then it's likely. He's been right before. Too often. Even thought there are other attractions far more worthy of removal than Birds, especially in Hollywood Studios, this will probably happen. And then what? Think the Haunted Mansion is safe? Ha! Silly dreamer...

 

[flynnibus]

Given the source of the original post, I think it's precisely to generate a negative reaction and drama and nothing more.

Your head maybe popping out of someone 's neck you are so up there. This isn't manipulating... but actually discussion. If you think its so insane... you might rethink your perception of the organization

 

[wdwfan4ver]

-- Whether you, individually, care or not really isn't important to Disney or anyone else but the people who care about your opinions. I have said this for years about the soon-to-be-gone Speedway and very-likely-not-long for existence TSI. Just because YOU don't like an attraction or see value in it doesn't mean there isn't any. I haven't been on the Speedway since last century. I have no plans to change that. But the attraction is timeless. It's always been largely a ride for kids ... kids who long for the freedom of the road and the automobile. That hasn't changed at all. And unlike a lot of stuff added for young kids over the last 15 years, this attraction could, can and is enjoyed by older people as well. A family attraction. Imagine that.

-- Within a decade, the MK is very likely to be near unrecognizable to someone who visited in 1977 or 1987 and hasn't been back since. It already has lost all those little shops, quiet pathways and nooks, gardens, entertainment that isn't foamhead based, trees etc.

I am not shocked about TSI. What I wonder about is how does this affect Liberty Belle and the Rivers of America?

I am asking since Liberty Belle is one of my favorite attractions at MK.

 

[FigmentJedi]

And then what? Think the Haunted Mansion is safe? Ha! Silly dreamer...

Haunted Mansion has Guillermo del Toro's long-in-development movie that's getting closer to that sweet, sweet greenlight to protect it.