Rumor Bye Bye (Tiki) Birdies?

[drizgirl]

I suggest every single person email app.support@disneyworld.com and ask that they add the Tiki Room and The Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse to the 'wait times' view in the MDE app. Get your friends to do the same. Maybe if enough people make noise, they will correct these omissions that negatively impact people's discovery of these attractions.

Or maybe they'll just add FP+. We all know what that's done to previously underutilized attractions.

 

[WDW1974]

You know me and my tinfoil hat conspiracy tales, but so odd that I place this news out over the weekend and then on the same day Disney confirms their MAGICal new gondola system at the same time as one of everyone's least favorite bloggers/podcasters 'leaks' the Star Wars Cruiser Lifestyle Resort Experience.

Fanbois have the attention spans of knats on the best of days. And take something bad (classic Walt-era attraction going away) and supplant it for what they perceive as good (new transport and STAR WARS!!! YOU CAN PET AND SHAMPOO A REAL WOOKIE!!!!) and the angst isn't quite so prevalent.

But, you know, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar ...

 

[WDW1974]

This, to me, is the oddest piece of info on this thread. I'm pretty surprised the CBJ pulls "good guest satisfaction scores" if the Tiki Room does not. I'm not saying that one attraction is clearly superior to the other (I prefer the Tiki Room, but personal tastes and all) but they are very similar in scope and execution, no? What exactly would drive CBJ to be better received than the Tikis? Better chairs?

The same reason why it wasn't very popular in Anaheim. ... Country music is very much centered on the American SE and MW regions. Sure, people all over enjoy it, but not like people in Georgia or Tennessee or North Carolina or Mississippi or etc ... states that send a lot of people to WDW.

On the other hand, tiki culture is part of the SoCal lifestyle and has been for decades. In FLA? Not really ...

 

[WDW1974]

I am just going to say it....could Tiki become the site of the new Club 33? Just an observation based on other ridiculous missteps the mouse has taken in Orlando over the years.

It could. But it won't.

 

[Casper Gutman]

You know me and my tinfoil hat conspiracy tales, but so odd that I place this news out over the weekend and then on the same day Disney confirms their MAGICal new gondola system at the same time as one of everyone's least favorite bloggers/podcasters 'leaks' the Star Wars Cruiser Lifestyle Resort Experience.

Fanbois have the attention spans of knats on the best of days. And take something bad (classic Walt-era attraction going away) and supplant it for what they perceive as good (new transport and STAR WARS!!! YOU CAN PET AND SHAMPOO A REAL WOOKIE!!!!) and the angst isn't quite so prevalent.

But, you know, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar ...

I really, really love Star Wars. I really, really love theme parks.

That Star Wars resort... doesn't sound like something I'd want to do.

Disney really doesn't understand that not everyone goes to WDW to have every single second of their day planned out. Spontaneity would be great.

And I'm not sure a 48-hour LARP is that appealing anyway.

Disney seems to be REALLY overthinking things. Why not just build a Star Wars resort? Make it really well themed, charge an arm and a leg if they have to. They can build the "Star Wars cruise that doesn't go anywhere" too, if they like.

Anyway, back to the continued desecration of the Magic Kingdom...

 

[Andrew C]

I really, really love Star Wars. I really, really love theme parks.

That Star Wars resort... doesn't sound like something I'd want to do.

Disney really doesn't understand that not everyone goes to WDW to have every single second of their day planned out. Spontaneity would be great.

And I'm not sure a 48-hour LARP is that appealing anyway.

Disney seems to be REALLY overthinking things. Why not just build a Star Wars resort? Make it really well themed, charge an arm and a leg if they have to. They can build the "Star Wars cruise that doesn't go anywhere" too, if they like.

Anyway, back to the continued desecration of the Magic Kingdom...

Seems like they are looking to do something a bit different. A bit outside the box.

Seems like the idea is at least worth exploring.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

Undermine what position? I wasnt aware I was taking any position other than wait and see before whining or passing judgement? Personally, to me its a cute nostalgic attraction but, based on issues in capacity around the parks, if they remove it in order to replace it with something that helps the bigger problem, then why would I have an issue with it? If noone has any idea what they ARE doing, how can you be so sure it wont be better than what is already present? You are "assuming" they dont know what they are doing. I would suggest that even with the missteps they take from time to time, the apparent new direction is to heavily move to improve the parks. They have tons and tons of ideas and options and if they need to balance out the $ with what will give the guests the best experience, then I am ok with it. While we wont get everything we could dream of for the parks, we should get some. And sometimes hard decisions have to be made. It is business and is no different in any other guest driven industry. So there is no position to "undermine". Its merely more sitting and kind of chuckling at people who constantly complain about management not doing anything or making bonehead decisions which happens in EVERY industry ( new coke is a prime example), then when they start to make hard decisions and fasttrack improving the parks, the same people complain even more because it s not what THEY would do. I control the budget and money for a large company so I understand the concept of ROI and what it takes to make customers happy, while still maintaining a profitable business. Too many people say well they should just do this without understanding the market conditions, business aspects, or what it takes to recoup initial investment. Management has done what they had to do to fix and revive the Movie and studio side of Disney that was buried under the last regime. And in order to do that, they have indeed let the parks slide down the list. Appears to me now that the studios are back to what they should be, they have turned their attention and have the money now to begin addressing park issues. Wouldnt have the $ to work with if the studios werent fixed first. But I digress. My position isnt undermined because I think you misunderstand what my position is. Hopefully I clarified it for you.

There is only one huge hole in your argument, comparing the Coke debacle to Disney...When Coke (which I hate), heard the outcry and protests (LONG BEFORE social media), they had the insight and business sense to acknowledge their mistake, and introduce "Classic Coke" back into the market....with the Disney parks, when we lose Snow White, 20K Leagues, Mr. Toad, and now possibly our fine AA feathered friends, they are gone forever.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Seems like they are looking to do something a bit different. A bit outside the box.

Seems like the idea is at least worth exploring.

In one sense, this is certainly different. On the other, it is very much of a piece with WDW's desire to control your movements as much as possible every second of every day.

 

[WDW1974]

I might have left the company six years ago, but I still have plenty of friends there. Those lands will be incredible, and Disney will wish it had approved more than two big rides each.

Disney as a whole has forgotten about efficiency and moving Guests through an attraction. Just look at WED-era classic through-puts versus what you see today, even on those very same attractions the numbers are way down due to constant stoppages for ECV users.

When I look at Pandora and SW and hear how immersive they will be, I have to laugh because I know they aren't requiring ECV users or double-wide stroller users to park them at the entrance. Every attraction, shop and food location will be packed with the typical WDW Guest makeup and that lets you know you aren't in a special place. You are in Dizzy World. And just look at how well that's worked out for the parks thus far.

 

[Andrew C]

In one sense, this is certainly different. On the other, it is very much of a piece with WDW's desire to control your movements as much as possible every second of every day.

Hmm. Well I don't want to fill this thread with Star Wars stuff but i see the idea as a two day adventure. It's not a standard park trip so really shouldn't be compared to one.

I will take this back to the other thread now.

 

[WDW1974]

I can't remember the last time I bought Disney merch at WDW or DL. My money goes to World Showcase.

Well, I buy my stuff at Cast Connection/Company D generally. But if a CM pal picks something up for me, the chances are it will be at DAK or WS too.

BTW, at the risk of stepping on Derek Burgan's territory (and truly who would do that?), the item of the last two months at the Disney outlet stores have been the 2017 Attraction Poster Calendar for $4.99 (or if you are really cheap, the 2017 WDW calendar for 99 cents).

 

[WDW1974]

Yes, or the Hogwarts Express. People were telling him that he lost his mind when he said that there would be aHarry Potter part at Universal Studios that would be connected by train to Islands of Adventure. Fun times!

A few people remember that still ... all those UNI fanbois saying it was impossible due to infrastructure and why would the company do this etc. Those were fun times ... before I discovered social media whores.

 

[donaldtoo]

I can't believe no one has suggested the obvious: The Tiki Room needs to one-up DL and Epcot. If they keep the birds, and turn it into a bar/snack atmosphere, I would imagine that there would be some real hanging out there, and probably a bit of sing-along. Not a constant show, but the birds kick off a song here and there. Sure, it's drinking at MK, but that ship has sailed at this point. During a hot afternoon in the summer, stopping in for a Dole Whip with a kick? Sign me up!

The original concept for the Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland was actually as a restaurant.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney's_Enchanted_Tiki_Room

 

[Tony the Tigger]

The same reason why it wasn't very popular in Anaheim. ... Country music is very much centered on the American SE and MW regions. Sure, people all over enjoy it, but not like people in Georgia or Tennessee or North Carolina or Mississippi or etc ... states that send a lot of people to WDW.

On the other hand, tiki culture is part of the SoCal lifestyle and has been for decades. In FLA? Not really ...

I'm originally from New Jersey, been in South Florida almost 20 years. I own a record store and won't sell country music in it. I just really don't like it.

Yet I love country bear jamboree – hardly ever miss it when we go.

It's not for the country music LOL.

 

[Beacon Joe]

They're destroying the Tiki Room, again?

Are you ing kidding me?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

They're destroying the Tiki Room, again?

Are you ****ing kidding me?

Yeah but who cares. There building more Star Wars stuff 3 miles down the road. ISN'T THAT COOL!?!!

#starwars4life #tikidumb #wheresmoana?

 

[tirian]

And ironically there are several shops in both Adventureland and Frontierland either closed or their interior floor space is now storage rooms.

I've been in those storage rooms. They're still fully decorated with the old masks, stuffed animal heads, and ships in bottles. It's kind of depressing to see show-ready shops filled with cardboard boxes.

 

[Mike S]

I predict that in 10 years Disney will hire a contractor, maybe even PCL, to pour some concrete.

I predict that in 10 years something new will open somewhere at the resort and people will have to pay more money for tickets than they do now. There will also be a celebration of some kind with cupcakes.

With the rumors that CoP will get some love soon, it does appear that they're sort of looking at CoP as the East Coast "Walt Original" (NY World's Fair connection) and Tiki Room as the West Coast one. Seems a bit silly, since the buildings that house the Tiki Rooms on each coast have different layouts and purposes that could be played up more in Orlando, but if I had to place a bet, that's where I'd put it.

But as for why people don't feel positive about what the Sunshine Pavilion could turn into, yeah...not for nothing, but the modern track record of taking Disney classics and turning them into something new have not panned out very well, by and large. That isn't to say that Disney is incapable of great things in the modern era, obviously, but the shift in themed entertainment in recent years toward the Universal "recreate the movies" format just feels off when it's applied to most Disney theme parks.

Still, no idea what this'll end up being, but given the recent track record my hopes are not especially high. Fingers crossed that it'll fit well in some way, some of the insiders here aren't going full gloom on it.

That's because they're supposed to, or at least used to, be completely different from each other. I love Universal (even more in about 3 years !!!!) but I don't want Disney to be Universal. We already have Universal. Disney should be Disney and no, that doesn't mean "ZOMG DIZNEY CHURICTUUUUUURRRRRRRRS!!!!!"

 

[WDWTank]

The TDO executives should be fired; I thought Burbank took them over since a little while ago?

 

[Tiki Queen of Outer Space]

We need to tell Disney we have had enough! Stop buying nostalgia merch! Post to social media, the biggest weapon we have is public attention! The more we talk about this is public media the more attention it gets from TDO. We need to make a stand, this isn't just about the Tiki room, this is about respecting the fans and the history of the parks. For too long our resort has been sinking in quality and they are trying to mask it with these half hearted "expansions". If you aren't with us, you are against us. Together we fight!