Disney Parks Blog Denies Tiki Room Rumor, But…
The Walt Disney Company is clearly fed up with park rumors and other reports. Disney’s Parks Blog provided a stern rebuke on Wednesday about reports of the demise of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. Let’s update you on the future of two beloved Magic Kingdom attractions.
The Rumor
The other day, I discussed a couple of Disney rumors. Both of them involved Magic Kingdom changes. Specifically, the fate of two attractions seemed cloudy. As all Disney fanatics know, D23 is right around the corner. And this convention is when park officials will reveal any number of changes at the theme parks.
I’m speaking of Country Bear Jamboree and Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, two of the most historically significant attractions at Walt Disney World. Unconfirmed rumors from multiple sources suggested that the future of both shows was cloudy.
I don’t want to pile on, but one site, in particular, went out of its way to say that Country Bear Jamboree could close at any time. While they weren’t one of my sources, they also discussed the same topic that I did, the fact that the Enchanted Tiki Room might receive an overlay.
Disney Parks Blog Chimes In
Disney’s official Parks Blog took the unusual step of posting a rumor killer update. In a post entitled “A little birdie told us…”, the editorial content director for all Disney parks, Thomas Smith, flatly denied that the Tiki Room’s in danger of closure. And Mr. Smith is someone who would know.
The key part of his text is this quote:
“A little birdie told us there are some rumors flying around about our beloved Tiki birds at Walt Disney World Resort. We’re sorry that our fans are being fed incorrect information by unscrupulous sources. While “toucan” play at that game, we deal in facts here at the Disney Parks Blog. Although we won’t address every rumor, we want to set the record straight: there are no plans for our feathered friends to fly the coop any time soon. We’re constantly evolving our stories, but these birds will continue entertaining our guests at the Magic Kingdom Park just as they have done since 1971.”
That’s an aggressive denial from Disney, one that seems to remove any doubt about the fate of our Tiki friends.
What This Means
There are several things to unpack here. First of all, this is one of those situations where the teacher icily calls a student up to the front of the class in order to punish them in front of everyone. The site that I referenced earlier has drawn the ire of Disney officials for many of its negative posts in recent years. It feels like they’ve just been sent to the principal’s office.
You remember school, and you remember the feeling. Right now, all of the rest of us who write about Disney are glad that it wasn’t us. Still, it reinforces something that you should understand. The topic of Disney rumors has become a sore subject to some.
I recently mentioned a Spider-Man ride coming to Disney California Adventure that the company’s CEO, Bob Iger, wasn’t sure whether the company had announced yet or not. The line between open secrets and rumors gets blurry. Awkwardly, readers want to know everything they can about upcoming park additions, and it falls on people like me to report what we know responsibly, accurately, and fairly.
In this instance, Disney has firmly denied the veracity of a rumor. Cynics quickly pointed out an example at Disneyland wherein park officials adamantly denied a rumor. It stated that PUSH the Talking Trash Can would shut down for good soon. Literally the day after Disney denied it, Push stopped appearing at the park. And that’s not a great look for our favorite company on Earth.
Are These Rumors Dead?
Situations like PUSH are why some people still don’t take Disney at its word on the subject of rumors. They clearly want to save their huge reveals for special events like D23 2019. Their denial, while emphatic, still raises some questions.
The first question is why Disney firmly stated that the Tikis would remain but wholly ignored our friends, at Country Bear Jamboree. Corporate executives obviously love these characters so much that they once created a live-action movie called The Country Bears. The attraction’s declining attendance in recent years is still cause for concern.
I’m worried that in denying one rumor, Disney explicitly ignored the other. Again, this is one person’s blind speculation, but it’s an odd Parks Blog update in this way. They had to know that both rumors were out there, yet they only refuted one. I find that odd and a bit troubling as a Country Bears fan.
The second question involves the precise language of “constantly evolving our stories.” The rumor I discussed was an overlay of Moana, replacing a prior rumor of a Lilo & Stitch addition. Such an overlay isn’t even unprecedented.
From 1998 through 2011, Magic Kingdom hosted The Enchanted Tiki Room (Under New Management), a modified show co-starring Iago and Zazu, characters from Aladdin and The Lion King. In a time before Disney had gone all-in on intellectual property, they spiced up their Tiki Room with beloved cartoon sidekicks.*
Given the recent history of the Tiki Room, a Moana overlay wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility. Importantly, it would still fit the Parks Blog’s wording. Our favorite bird friends wouldn’t go anywhere. They’d just get a new friend in Moana.
So, I’m not quite sure what to think right now. Reliable sources indicated that the future of both shows was in doubt. Disney has just squashed one rumor, albeit leaving a touch of wiggle room. They wholly ignored the other one.
As a Disney loyalist, I’m going to trust them that they mean what they say about Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. Even if it gets modifications, the birds that I love are staying, and that’s all I really want/need.
The lack of comment on Country Bear Jamboree makes me extremely nervous, though. What are your thoughts on the subjects? Please leave your thoughts in the comments. Also, if you have any thoughts or suggestions on our monthly rumors pieces, please mention them on social media.
* = speaking of Zazu and Iago, expect a list of your favorite Disney animated sidekicks here in a couple of weeks