Skip to content

Enchanted Tiki Room in Florida closed — Stitch show from Japan on the way!

| More

April Fools!I wouldn’t have believed it unless I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, but the controversial Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management show in Florida’s Magic Kingdom has closed, to be replaced by a new show featuring Stitch.

I received a frantic cell phone call from a friend this afternoon tipping me off — a quick check of WDW’s website confirmed that two attractions, Minnie’s Country House and The Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management both closed today for refurbishment. Needless to say, I high tailed it to Orlando post haste to see what was up. By time I got to Adventureland the sun was setting, but I was able to get this photo of the construction wall, confirming the rumors that began circulating this week in chat rooms that the Stitch show already under construction in Japan was coming to Florida.

According to sources familiar with the project, the Stitch animatronic figure from Stitch Encounter will be repurposed for the new Tiki attraction (see conceptual art) in the space where the Uh-Oa figure currently stands today. What this means for Stitch Encounter, which replaced the moderately popular Alien Encounter attraction, remains to be seen. However, speculation runs high that Stitch Encounter will close later this year to make way for a reworking of the Concourse Six location to a revamped throwback of the original Flight to the Moon/Mission to Mars attraction, themed around Pixar’s sure-to-be-a-hit summer release, “Wall-E.” This would free up the Stitch AA for use in the Tiki Room. One could easily see how the movie’s cylindrical rocket, as seen in the poster, could serve as a vehicle to carry WDW’s visitors into space.

FYI: This story was an April’s Fools joke. The show is still open — but we can dream.

 

Related posts:

  1. Enchanted Tiki Room may be returning to WDW in 2011
  2. Enchanted Tiki Room and Haunted Mansion mash-up: Mystic Manor at Hong Kong Disneyland
  3. Daveland at Disneyland Enchanted Tiki Room photo archive
  4. Final Disney Enchanted Tiki Room merchandise goes on sale tonight
  5. Enchanted Tiki Room tiki drummer, host aloha shirt and hostess dress on sale

View Comments

Categories: Attractions.

By Ken Kanaka
— April 1, 2008 at 10:01 pm
  • bob from Punta gorda Florida
    When I was growing up...I went to Disneyworld 30+ times and Disneyland in California, Once... so I have a large heart full of magical memories at Walt Disney World in Orlando and of all those memories I cherish those of The Enchanted Tiki Room with Jose and company leading the show... even a 41 years of age I know all the song tunes and many of the words...I cannot tell you the many times I have even parodied the "Its time for you to Go" ending song to people visiting and its truly time for them to go :) lol .... In the mid 1990s I was forced to stop visiting WDW like I used to because I found out I needed two total hip replacement surgeries but that I needed to wait a few years before having them...NOW they are complete and I am ready to return to Disney again and the first place I intended to go was The Enchanted Tiki Room...I had heard there was an update at WDW so I wanted to preview it BUT after viewing a YOUTUBE version of Under New Management I must admit shedding a few tears of sadness... No more Jose leading the flock, No "In the Tiki tiki tiki room" no "When the Flowers Sing".. NONE OF IT IS IN THE WDW SHOW. What the Disney Imagineers were trying to do was Noble, BUT they missed the mark by a million miles... The show actually insults those of us (quite directly and verbally by the new characters) who enjoyed the old show... My brother just purchased a DVC (disney vacation club timeshare)membership for all of us to enjoy, so now I can see a long happy future of visits to Disney in our midst... And while yes the original Enchanted Tiki Room lives on in Disney Land, it is very expensive for us when you consider that we live on the West coast of Florida and only 2 1/2 hours now from Walt Disney World! The Enchanted Tiki Room has always been the first thing I see in my mind and feel in my heart when I think of WDW... Those birds are alive to me (and yes I understand the robotic technology).... If I had a chance to have my picture with any Disney character, I Love Mickey, Goofy, etc...BUT my choice always was and always will be with a picture of Jose...


    If any Disney Imagineers read this... Please change it back or as a compromise perhaps design the show to alternate at different hours between the new show and the old show...I know it can be done with a little adjustment.

    Disney wants to grant us a Million wishes...I do no want money, nor some special hat, or anything, Just PLEASE consider returning Jose and the Tiki Room to us at WDW before I get to go there in November (right after thanksgiving).
  • As a California native , haven't been back to WDW since the mid 80s - is this seen as a change for the better or for the worse?
blog comments powered by Disqus