Disney Facts: Disneyland Enchanted Tiki Room

Disney recently celebrated 50 years of Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room.

Walt Disney at the Enchanted Tiki Room in
this Disneyland publicity photo.

The show launched June 23, 1963 and was one of the more complicated uses of Audio-Animatronics Disney had created at the time. Eight macaws, six cockatoos, 12 toucans and nearly 30 other tropical birds join more than 50 orchids, seven bird-of-paradise flowers,12 Tiki Drummers and singing Tikis in musical show.

The show was so special when it opened that it didn't even take the cherished E ticket (the coupon which admitted you into the newest, most advanced and popular rides). It had its own ticket costing 75 cents.

Here are some quick facts about the attraction:

• The show features 225 animated singing birds, flowers and Tikis. 
• During the planning stages, the Enchanted Tiki Room itself was conceived as a restaurant with the birds, flowers and Tikis performing an after-dinner show. There was even going to be a “birthday bird” that would be rolled out on a cart to sing for guests celebrating birthdays. 
• The Tiki Room show’s four hosts are – Jose, Michael, Pierre and Fritz. They were referred to as “MacAudios” in early publicity. 
• In 2005, Imagineers pulled the original audio source tapes from the vault and carefully restored the Enchanted Tiki Room soundtrack. They also installed new speakers and audio equipment in the attraction that produce a clear sound that surpasses fidelity limitations of the past. 

The Tikis in the Enchanted Tiki Garden entry area to the Tiki Room represent gods and goddesses for various Pacific Island cultures, including:

• Pele – Hawaiian fire goddess. 
• Tangaroa – Maori and Polynesian god of sea of sky, depending upon which culture is involved. 
• Maui – the Polynesian trickster god who slowed down time. 
• Rongo – Polynesian god of agriculture.
• Ngendei – from Fiji, the creator and head of all gods; every time he moves there is an earthquake.
• Hina Kaluua – Hawaiian mistress of rain.
• Tangaroa-ru – goddess of the east winds, which bring rain.