Enchanted Tiki Room Brings Air Conditioned Relief on Hot Days

When temperatures jumped over the 100 degree mark in Disneyland a week or so ago, my first instinct was to say "no way man.... that's the last place I want to be." But sometimes luck gives you no choice in the a matter and people are left to their own preferences to play the beat the heat game. Where do I want to be if the temperature is insufferable in Disneyland? It's a no brainer. Nowhere in the park does the air conditioning work better that the Enchanted Tiki Room. Gobs of cooling air is needed to keep the animatronics in working order and the Tiki Room is kept cool enough that you could hang meat in there.

The only sad part is the show is a bit on the short side in which case, go back around and see it again. Even if you have seen it a hundred times, its still kind of cute. C'mon...... admit it, on a blistering hot day, who couldn't picture themselves sprawled out on one of those padded Tiki Room benches for a nice cooling nap?

Jingle Cruise Didn't Exactly Jingle All The Way

Jingle Cruise False Advertising

For the 6 days we were at the Disneyland Resort, the lines never wavered a bit for the renamed and re-themed Jungle Cruise now known for the holiday season as the Jingle Cruise. The lines were always long, often longer than the neighboring epic Indiana Jones Adventure attraction. The lines were typically in the 30 - 60 minute range for a ride when outside of the Christmas season is usually no more than a 15 minute wait.

But to say the ride was re-themed on the scale of the Haunted Mansion or it's a small world would be a very large stretch. A few Christmas decorations were added to the queue line (with the lines so long I saw parts of the queue line I hadn't seen in years, especially on the upper level), some Santa hats were added to the ride characters that are encountered, and the legendary Jungle Cruise skippers added some holiday shtick to their comical narration. In the end it adds up to very little and certainly didn't equal that wait time it took to get on the ride.

The whole idea of the Jingle Cruise, while a good idea, seemed rush and half hatched. It could have been thought out better and delivered more. I must confess I went on the ride during the day when maybe the after dark cruise would have been preferable but I'm sure the lines would have been even longer. In the end, it was still the same Jungle Cruise ride everyone knows with a couple of Christmas twists along the way. The Jingle Cruise just wasn't a very big deal unfortunately.

Adventureland State of Mind

The broadband connection to the internet was down for awhile this morning. The wireless router needed to be reset and in order to do that it would require me to sneak back into the bedroom where Mrs. DisneyalndTraveler was sound asleep. Sneaking back into the bedroom would have caused the dog to go bat crap crazy waking Mrs DLT to begin her Saturday in a not very good mood. I waited for the boy to get up then I held the dog while he sneaked into the room and reset the modem. Mrs. DLT did not wake up. Whew!!! one less thing to not get in trouble for today.

So  I worked on the above picture with software on the computer while the internet was down. I hadn't done that for a very long time. I mus say, I'm rather please with myself. 

Memories From Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room

In my last visit to Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room in April, Mrs. DisneylandTraveler and I did our usual. We got tired and hot and needed a place to relax and cool off. So through the turnstile we went into the courtyard of the Tiki gods. Mrs. DLT found a slab of cement to sit down on while I got in line for our Dole pineapple refreshments. Be patient, the line moves SLOWLY. Always has. Always will. After getting our refreshments and witnessing the creative movements of the various Tiki gods we were summoned to enter the Enchanted Tiki Room. Going from bright sunlight outside into the cool darkened showroom, my eyes somehow failed me and while making our way to the padded bench (we always sit in the back row for better back support) I whacked my shin on the side of the bench. @#$%! @#$%&! So as the birds sang and the flowers bloomed in the Tiki Room, my leg was throbbing in pain.

That was my last memory of the Tiki Room. But for me, down deep, I know the Tiki Room isn't about my last memory, it's about my first memories of Disneyland.

Walt and Jose Opening the Tiki Room in 1963.
A Disney Photo

I grew up in San Francisco, California. I don't live there anymore so it's been many years since I have seen the house I grew up in, or my old school, or the old neighborhood. There's not a lot left that ties me with my boyhood. My parents passed away many years ago and now with my own family and all the responsibilities of adulthood, life has moved on or I should say, life has moved on until I get to Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room.

Fifty years ago tomorrow, Walt Disney opened his Tiki Room and in that little building gave us a world of music, charm, and enchantment and gave me years of wonderful memories.The same way I walked into the Tiki Room in April with Mrs. DLT and my younger sister and her husband, many years ago, I walked into the Tiki Room holding the hand of my my mom and dad. Oh yes, my sister was there too. It wasn't 1963, the year that Tiki Room opened but probably more like 1967 or 68 (it would have to be been because Pirates of the Caribbean was opened) when I entered the Tiki Room for the first time and even has a young boy, thoroughly enjoyed the little show.

So how many times have I been in the Tiki Room through the years? That's probably not as important as the people I've been blessed to walk in there with and a sit along side - people that I love dearly and yes, some that have sadly passed on. But in the show of singing birds we were able to share a very special memory and I am fortunate to have a chance to relive those memories every time I go back.

Visiting the Tiki Room now isn't so much about eating ice cream, seeing the show, or beating the heat outside. Going into the Tiki Room now is walking into a time portal where decades of memories are connected together with people that were a very large and important part of my life. 

I think Walt Disney understood this. His Disneyland wasn't just an amusement park, it was a place where memories could be collected and forever treasured throughout a lifetime. And for me, no place in Disneyland does this better than Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. Thanks again, Walt.

Two Weeks Until The Enchanted Tiki Room's 50th Anniversary

Two weeks from today, Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room in Disneyland will celebrate it's 50th anniversary. The attraction was opened by Walt himself - June 23, 1963. I'll have more to write about this great attraction as the anniversary date gets closer, but just begin to think about what a special place this really is.

Disney is busy ramping up with all the collectible anniversary merchandise they can sell. I'm thinking about the countless wonderful memories the attraction has given me.

Disneyland Resort A to Z - Enchanted Tiki Room

My best thoughts about Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room have already been written in this blog. It's one of my favorite pieces of writing since I started this thing. You can read it from the link below....

The Tiki Room Is Not An Excuse To Eat Ice Cream

For me, the Enchanted Tiki Room in Adventureland is what Disneyland is all about. It's what Walt Disney was all about - a thousand details working in harmony to provide entertainment and magic to all who see and hear. The Enchanted Tiki Room is the sound of innocence in an age of complexities. It's decades worth of joy and fond memories.

Should Disney ever make the ill-fated decision of removing the Tiki Room as some people who have grown tired of the attraction have suggested, then that will be the day Disneyland really dies. WDW made the ill-fated decision of updating their Tiki Room for a new generation with the - Under New Management idea. It's pretty much universally hated for what they did to the original attraction, a poster child for imagineer's over thinking and "don't let this happen again"

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The Enchanted Tiki Room is not an attraction with the "wow" factor. It's an attraction for the heart and soul. Not every attraction has to tie into a movie or whatever else Disney may be promoting at the time. Sometimes it's just nice to hear the birds sing.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of (Darkness)

Forgive me for continuing to explore the Indiana Jones character in a Disney blog but I can connect the dots. Even though Indiana Jones is NOT a Disney character (I believe our friend George Lucas is the rightful owner and maybe Paramount Pictures a little bit), the Indiana Jones Adventure - Temple of the Forbidden Eye ride continues to rank near the top of the favorite attractions when talking about Disneyland. When it runs, it is a great, great ride. It breaks down a lot and as mentioned earlier, several features inside the ride are not operational - hence it goes down for refurbishment on Tuesday and will not open until it is almost time for Santa Claus to come to town.

In the meantime, Raiders of the Lost Ark is set to hit a one week run on IMAX screens beginning next weekend and this is right ahead of the release of the Indiana Jones movies in high definition blu-ray on September 18. Of course, they make you buy all 4 Indiana Jones movies not giving the consumer the opportunity to pick and choose. So yes, in order to be able to watch Raiders of the Lost Ark in blu-ray at home, you will have had to also buy Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom along with it - two movies in that series that are not looked upon very fondly by many. (We'll give the third movie - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade a pass since Indy goes back to his Raiders roots and fights the Nazis and it has Sean Connery in it)

Yesterday, Sports Guy Bill Simmon's Grantland magazine (somehow connected to the Disney owned ESPN) published an article written by Bryan Curtis that explored the darkness of the second Indiana Jones movie - The Temple of Doom. It is a very interesting read on what was going on in the lives of George Lucas and director Steven Spielberg at that time. You can read the article from the link below.

Exploring Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - Grantland

I'm not sure I am buying into all the doom and gloom aspects of the article. Granted, Temple of Doom did have a few disturbing scenes and a long period of the movie is spent in underground caves but I thought the movie was entertaining enough (though certainly not up to the standards set in Raiders of the Lost Ark). Anyway, it is an interesting article written about an interesting movie made by some interesting men. Memo to self: Go watch Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom again.

Indiana Jones: An Opened and Closed Adventure

Disney has not made a huge effort to make this known yet but apparently it is official that the massively popular Indiana Jones Adventure ride in Disneyland will close next month for a much needed refurbishment. The dates of the closure are Sept. 4 through Dec. 7 - down 3 months give or take a few days. Of course, those who have booked trips range from the mildly disappointed to the very upset about this news. For many, IJA is tops on their list of favorite attractions including Mrs. DisneylandTraveler. But it is needed. You wouldn't know it by me but there are several elements within the attraction that either aren't working or aren't working they way they used to. Regular riders know this, occasional riders may not see the difference from one ride to the next. The ride is also subject to frequent temporary breakdowns. Supposedly, during this refurbishment, not only will the ride get fixed up but a new thrill element may be added (a loop? no, just kidding about that).

So no Indiana Jones in Disneyland beginning in early September. But not to worry Indy fans. For one week only George Lucas plans to bring his thrill seeking archaeologist back to the big screen - the really big screen - as for the first time ever, Raiders of the Lost Ark will be shown in 70mm IMAX. This limited release is just ahead of planned re-release of the classic film in a blu-ray edition. It's a great, great movie, though made in 1981, stands up to the test of time. Director Steven Spielberg has said it is one of the few films in his large body of impressive work he can sit down and enjoy without thinking about all the things he might have done differently if he had the chance. My closest IMAX will be showing the film. I'm there.

How popular is Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (now the official title of the film)? I was watching a rerun of the TV show The Big Bang Theory (which is on about 50 times a week) where the gang of geeks is huddled around their TV watching a Raiders tape. At the end of the movie they head down to their local movie theater to get in line for a special Raiders big screen showing that has 21 seconds of added footage (only to find out that the line was longer than the number of theater seats). 

For those refusing to believe in the closing of the Indiana Jones Adventure ride - here it is - right from Disneyland's attraction web page - IJA Link

Jungle Cruise Changes - Mr. Safety Strikes Again

Disneyland seems to be all about guest safety these days and that's probably a good thing. The Matterhorn sleds were changed to make the vehicles more secure. We can disregard the fact that it also made them more uncomfortable and difficult to get in and out of. Safety first. Or another way to put it "what can we do to keep sue-happy guests with sue-happy lawyers off our back?"

Which brings us to changes made on the Jungle Cruise boats after a brief refurbishment last week. If you check out the picture above that I found on the internet, you can see the new mesh screens around the seating area designed to keep hands and arms (and small people) inside the boat. Of course, if you are 4 years old and taking your first Jungle Cruise, well, you really don't need to see anything that you won't remember when you are 40 anyway. And then there's mom and dad. Disney probably got sick and tired about hearing of dropped cell phones and cameras into the water.

The other change is that little rubber bumper that runs along the side of the boat. Actually, this is one of Disney's better safety ideas. The bumper is meant to stabilize the boat against the dock as passenger get on and get off the boat. For those advancing on in years and not quite as nimble as they used to be, the stabilizing bumpers along with the guiding arms of cast members should eliminate some of the unsteadiness of the process. Yeah, they are a bit of an eyesore but I can live with it. I'm the one who is advancing in years and not as nimble as I used to be.

A Closer Look At - The Jungle Cruise

I really do like The Jungle Cruise. I should give it a little more respect though. Too often a trip on The Jungle Cruise becomes an afterthought, something to do when you are waiting for your Indiana Jones fast pass time to open up, something to do just because, well, except on very busy days, the line is generally short.

But The Jungle Cruise is much, much more. I've probably got more pictures of my Jungle Cruise excursions than almost any other attraction in the park (the Mark Twain and the Rivers of America is right up there as well with photos). The ride is an original going back to opening day 1955.  It's actually a ride that is not based on a Disney movie but rather the Humphrey Bogart classic - The African Queen. Over the years, the jungle canopy is so developed that it is its own eco-system. There is very little landscaping maintenance required in the expanse of the jungle. And the ride itself is usually an employable trip even if you have seen the same sites and heard the same lame ol' jokes a hundred times over.

Notice I used the word 'usually'. Occasionally, you can get a clinker of a trip. Sometimes when its crowded I swear the skippers have a side bet going on about how fast they make the round trip through the jungle. The boats seem to fly with barely a second to take in some of sites. Then there is the skipper himself or herself. Some are better than others. The sound system on the boats generally isn't very good. If you have a skipper that doesn't have a clearly defined voice, then the muffled sound is sometimes difficult to hear as you try and catch the jokes. A few years ago I think I wrote in a forum that females tended to make the worst JC skippers because there voices just didn't seem to be as clear or forceful. I've dropped that sexist remark from my observations. I've had plenty of male skippers who have dropped a dud of a trip as well.

But if you get the right skipper, one that really does enjoy his or her role, then The Jungle Cruise is one of the most fun things you can do in the park.

A few more random thoughts about The Jungle Cruise. We will go on the ride at least once and probably twice on every trip we make. Someone said if I wanted to enhance my Jungle Cruise experience, go on the ride at night. I did. It was kind of the same only dark.

And as many times as I have been on that ride, I didn't know the bird in the cage above the entrance to the ride was real until the last year or so. Always something to learn. A Jungle Cruise movie starring Tom Hanks and Tim Allen has been in serious discussion for quite some time. That sounds like it would be a winner.

Anyway, I have The Jungle Cruise as a solid D-ticket attraction and an absolutely must do on every trip to Disneyland. Here are a few more Jungle Cruise pictures followed be an Asianjma123 YouTube video that takes you through the whole ride.

Shrunken Ned - the Jungle's Only Self Service Witch Doctor

I've seen him many times in the Adventureland Bazaar across from The Jungle Cruise. I've just passed him by even more which probably ticks him off to no end but while researching something else Disneyland related I discovered several YouTube videos which impart the sage advice and wisdom of Shrunken Ned, the self proclaimed "jungle's only self service witch doctor". Spending a few quarters and a little time with Shrunken Ned is now on my Disneyland "To-Do" list for my next trip. Enjoy practical advice for good ol' Ned...

The Disneyland Things You Learn

I write a blog about Disneyland but I am no Disneyland expert. There are people who are. I might think I know a lot about Disneyland but meet up with one of these real Disneyland trivia experts and you'll find out how quickly you can come up short on Disneyland facts and details. I don't know how many days I've spent in Disneyland over the years. Over a hundred? - probably. I've been on The Jungle Cruise countless times. It's a classic and one of my favorites. For the life of me, I never knew the bird in the cage above the ride entrance was real until a month or two ago. 

The Tiki Room Is Not An Excuse To Eat Ice Cream

So, Mrs. DisneylandTraveler and I are at Disneyland.  It's getting mid-afternoon, lunch was a few hours ago, the temperature is warming up, the feet are getting tired and then one of us will say 'Do you want to go to the Tiki Room?".  "Sure!" the other one of us that didn't ask the question will say.  There seems to be a lot of code words that float around Disneyland. Say "Tiki Room" first thing in the morning might not mean anything at all.  It probably doesn't even get said.  Say "Tiki Room" in late afternoon and it can mean only one thing for me and Mrs. DLT:  let's go get some pineapple ice cream - a whip for Mrs. DLT and a float for me.  

I don't believe Mrs. DLT and I have ever gone to the Dole pineapple stand without going in to see the show in the Enchanted Tiki Room.  I don't believe we have ever gone to the Tiki Room show without getting ice cream.  The two seem to go together so well.  It's tradition. On our trips, we usually end up seeing the animatronic bird show two, sometimes three times.  "Don't you ever get tired of seeing that show?" one might ask.  "Nope, doesn't matter, I got my float and I'll finish it off while seeing the birds perform and all will be right with my Disney world".  This is what Disneyland is all about.

But there's another reason for my love for Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room and it has nothing to do with ice cream at all.  My parents passed away long ago as did an older sister and brother.  The places we lived and shared our lives together are a distant past.  But there is a room a little over 400 hundred miles away from where I write this where we went in together to see birds that could talk and sing.  It is the same now as it was many, many years ago.  Sitting in the Enchanted Tiki Room now connects me with a place I sat with my parents and my brother well over 40 years ago and with my sister 10 years ago.  They are no longer around, but my Disneyland memories with them have not faded.  It's so special, magical, and powerful.  We all have Walt Disney to thank for that.  He knew these things.

Walt Disney and Jose at the Tiki Room - A Disney Parks Blog Photo

Indiana Jones & the Temple of the Broken Down Ride

So a couple of posts ago I, unashamedly, admitted that Pirates of the Caribbean was my favorite ride in Disneyland. And while Mrs. DisneylandTraveler loves Pirates, her favorite is the Indiana Jones Adventure. She's not alone. I have heard people sing the IJA praises over and over again for years. It's a huge ride - big in concept, big in what it delivers, just plain big period.

Now I have issues, personal ones though they may be. If you want to get on the ride early before the crowds show up, it is one long walk back to show building first thing in the morning. I feel like I kind of need to run because other people probably already are and I'm just getting in their way. The ride full of bumps, twists, and turns often leaves my spine in a somewhat unforgiving mood the rest of the day. The ride itself is OK but not better than the neighboring Haunted Mansion or Pirates experience.

And then there is the problem with the seemingly endless series of mechanical issues. It breaks down. It breaks down a lot. Sometimes castmembers claim the ride has broken down BEFORE the park opens. It closes for hours at a time at the drop of the hat. The claim is any suspicion of leaking hydraulic fluid from the ride vehicles will cause the castmembers to shut it down immediately to investigate. There is also the claim that many of the show elements of the ride when it opened about 20 years ago either don't work or have been removed leaving true fans somewhat frustrated over how much care and effort have been put into maintaining the quality of the ride.

In the grand scheme of things many people love Indiana Jones Adventure. There are a few, like me, who in a "take it or leave it" proposition could easily just "leave it" and that just ticks Mrs. DisneylandTraveler off to no end.