Passing The Enchanted Tiki Room

 

 

The first thing that my family would pass on our journey into Disneyland was the Enchanted Tiki Room. Notice I said pass. For my entire childhood we would walk past without so much as a glance. I can remember asking about the strange looking attraction with it's thatched roof and wooden carvings and getting the same response; "You just sit there and the birds sing. It's boring." That seemed to satisfy me and we would move on. I never went in past the gate until I was about 28.

 

It's strange how embedded in my head the idea was that this attraction was boring. Even when I went back as an adult I would pass by the Tiki Room with barely a glance. I had heard more about it by this point, but so many other attractions held more magic for me so I made no effort to look into it.

 

Being a bit of a Disney nut I did end up looking more into the attraction as I got older. I had no idea it was the first place that Disney instituted the audio animatronics, that it had originally been planned to be a restaurant, or at the time of it's opening it was one of the most popular attractions because it was air conditioned. After doing a bit of study I looked at the Enchanted Tiki Room with a bit more interest.

 

Another thing that caught my eye was the little shop at the entrance, with its perpetually long line. It was yet another thing our family would pass by, we had a tight schedule to keep and standing in that line just cut into our time way too much. I soon discovered the wonders of the Dole Whip however and I have never regretted standing in that line since. Have you tried these things? They are amazing! I've wondered why they keep the Dole Whips and Dole Floats contained in this one spot, I can only imagine they could make so much more money if they offered them in a few more spots.

 

My first journey into the Enchanted Tiki Room I was intrigued by the moving Tiki gods that fill the open garden area in front of the actual building, which I assume were put there to entertain the Dole Whip line (Which tends to be only just a bit shorter in there) I don't pretend to know much about the culture involved, but they are cleverly presented.

 

Inside, I was fortunate enough to be in a room full of very enthusiastic Tiki Roomers. (As a side note; any and every ride in Disney can be enjoyed by anyone of any age if you have a good attitude. There is nothing more entertaining than seeing a group of adults clapping and singing along with the songs in the attractions) I didn't know the songs, besides the "Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room" song that everyone knows, but it was fun anyway. The whole room was clapping and singing and reacting to the attraction as if we were all seven years old.

 

While I have no nostalgia for The Enchanted Tiki Room, I've had a blast every time I've gone in, eating my Dole Whip and laughing along with all the people who do have a love for it. And just as a side note; don't get up and run out as soon as the show is over, the parrots hang around (pun intended) and make clever remarks as the people leave.

 

Life Lesson:

It doesn't matter what activity you are doing, a good attitude and good company can make any experience pleasant and memorable. 

The "Happy" Mansion



Just a quick doodle of me in The "Happy Mansion"

 

My earliest memories of Disneyland are tied to my trips there with my mother. Mom was raised in southern California, and according to her; "There is no other Disney." and to this day she still has refused to set foot in the 'other park'. I was very lucky to have Grandparents who loved spoiling their grandchildren and no summer was complete until the trip to Disneyland.

Our day at Disney started (what seemed to a child) obscenely early. My older sister and I were dragged out of bed and shoved into my Grandparents station wagon before the sun was up. Let it be known that I am not, nor ever will be, a morning person. Even now it takes some effort to smile before ten in the morning. Mom's grand plan was to get to the park as early as possible so that we had to stand and wait for them to drop the velvet rope and the crowd would run into the park.

While I'll get into my Mother's OCD Disney routine later, very early in the morning we would end up in front of what my Mom would cheerfully call "The Happy Mansion". Being as oblivious as we were, my older sister and I would stand in the creepy, very un-happy line never questioning. By the time we were in the cobwebbed foyer it was too late to back out and I would spend the rest of the time with eyes screwed tightly shut. I can remember cowering in the doom buggy, clutching whichever adult happened to be close, occasionally mustering up enough courage to peek and see if the ride was almost over. The only part I actually liked was when the ghost sat in the ride with us, not because I thought it was fun, but because it meant I was almost done with this torture.

 

Repeat the same situation EVERY YEAR.

When my sister turned about seven (I would have been five at this point) we were on our trip to Disneyland and we arrived at the metal gates and my mother trilled that it was time for the "Happy Mansion". My sister scowled at the sign on the front of the attraction. She had learned to read pretty well by this point and she practically screamed; "THAT DOESN'T SAY HAPPY!" Panic ensued. I was a very willful child, and when combined with my sister we could dig in our heels pretty well.

Finally Mom put her foot down;

 "You have been on this every year with no problem, you are getting on."

The only thing that can trump combined sibling meltdown; Mom.

I decided right then that reading is very important. Thank you Disney.

Life Lesson:

Don't accept spoon fed answers or knowledge you haven't acquired on your own. Get educated and form your own informed opinions.