Enchanted Tiki Room may be returning to WDW in 2011

Back on April Fools Day, I ran a prank story about Tokyo Disneyland's Stitch-themed Enchanted Tiki Room show coming to Orlando. Truth is often stranger than fiction, and rumors are now swirling through the Utilidors and across the internet that such a scenario may be true. Even stranger (and more blissful for some) is the notion that the original show may be restored in Orlando during The Magic Kingdom's 40th Anniversary celebration, since the technologically-upgraded and slightly shortened show is playing so well in California.

From Progress City:

This brings us to the final attraction currently rumored to be destined for rehab - the Enchanted Tiki Room. Unlike the two previously mentioned show upgrades, this refurbishment currently resides only in the realm of rumor and hearsay. Yet multiple sources continue to say that, at some point before 2011, something will happen to the Tiki Room. This stands to reason; after all, aside from Journey into YOUR Imagination, The Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management! has to be the most reviled attraction overhaul in Walt Disney World history. Disney fans have bemoaned the attraction since it opened in 1998, and mostly tend to stay away these days. Meanwhile, in California, the original Tropical Serenade show was fully restored for Disneyland’s 50th anniversary and plays daily to happy and entertained guests. So what’s to happen in Orlando after Iago and Zazu get the boot?

Here opinions differ; so far there seem to be two versions of the story. The first says that for Walt Disney World’s 40th anniversary the show will be returned to its original program for a short time while preparations are made for the installation of an entirely new show. The other version omits this return of the Tropical Serenade and says that WDI will just skip to the new attraction. Both versions agree on what this new show will be - after all, it’s already playing in Tokyo.

There's a number of hurdles, technological and financial, that would have to be jumped in order to bring the original show back to Orlando. For example, the Magic Fountain was removed at WDW and replaced with an AA figure. Is the fountain sitting in storage somewhere, or was it scrapped? Were the waterlines and pumps closed off and removed, or still accessible? Was the programming of the show, which used to run off of 35mm movie film in a bin loop, ever converted over to whatever system the new show is using?

In it's day, WDW's Tiki Room was Walt's show fully realized. Free of the confines of the 1963 budget and restaurant-conversion, Orlando's Tropical Serenade was majestic, spacious, comfortable, and had real working rain that you see out the windows! It would be wonderful to have it back, if only for a short time.

Read the full story at Progress City

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