The best place on Earth
Everyone has their Disneyland story. Or, for some, a Disneyworld story, but we native Californians know that Disneyland is the real deal...Disneyland, to me, is childhood. I remember going there so many times as a little girl. I remember clomping across rope bridges with my sister in Tom Sawyer's tree house, screaming with my dad on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and marveling at the real-looking hippos spewing water on the Jungle Cruise. Oh, and we can't forget the "It's a Small World" ride, the Pirates of the Carribbean, and, most importantly, the Tiki Room.
The Tiki Room was by far my most favorite thing to see at Disneyland. Since my childhood, I haven't spoken to anyone who's actually heard of this attraction. Established in 1963, it is one of Disney's greatest achivements due to its innovative use of audio-anamatronic technology. It's one of Disney's finest, especially if you're a curious little kid who loves birds.
Basically, the Tiki Room consists of over 200 stuffed, audio-anamatronic, colorful birds hanging on perches from the ceiling. The whole room is decorated in jungle motif, and the birds talk with funyn accents, sing and put on a show. There's even an occasional thunder storm in the room, with simulated rain and lightening. Anyway, the birds sing this cute song that goes, "In the tiki tiki tiki tiki tiki room"... and, oh my God, I just found the lyrics online. Here's the chorus:
The boys in the back are kamikaze
Because of their claws?
No, because they're macaws
And our fine feathered friend is a jolly toucan
And two can sound better than one toucan can
The bird of paradise is an elegant bird
It likes to be seen and it loves to be heard
Most little birdies will fly away
But the Tiki Room birds are here every day
Our show is delightful we hope you'll agree
We hope that it fills you with pleasure and glee
Because if we don't make you feel like that
We're gonna wind up on the lady's hat
Seriously, how cute is this? My sister and I absolutely loved it. We visited the Tiki Room on every Disneyland trip, and now...years later...I still think I would enjoy it. I'll never forget the feeling of stepping out of the hot sun into the dark, cool Tiki Room jungle. For the duration of my time in there, I was in a whole new place, a different world. I loved those stuffed birds. I loved their cute rhyming song.
Now, the audio-anamatronic technology is not such a big hit, but back then, to me especially, it was mind-boggling that these little birds could move and talk by themselves. I was mystified...and I think I still am. I can't wait to go back there someday...and hopefully, Jose, Fritz, Pierre and the rest of the Tiki Room gang will be around when I have kids (others seem to feel the same way). I can't wait to show them one of my all-time favorite attractions.
posted by Sleepy Girl @ 1:11 PM
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