How much longer can "classics" survive?

[jawnjarvis]

The Tiki Room is a good example. It's already fallen to a "trendy" overhaul in WDW, how much longer until it falls at Disneyland?

My reasoning for this isn't because I don't enjoy said attraction, but the complete opposite, I LOVE IT! My concern comes from the outdated jokes, old audio that keeps getting cleaned and some songs cut out, and the lack of interaction from guests anymore.
I know I feel like the only one who sings, whistles, claps, and stands up at the end.

Any thought?

The refurbish made for the 50th I feel was a little short handed. YES it did get a major re-working and YES things are better, but maybe it's just that kid in me that still wants everything to be magical. (meaning) not knowing how everything works and believing everything they throw at me.

Could the birds be "revieled" instead of sitting dark and without movement untill the show starts? Could the audio be re-recorded to update jokes, or just help emurse the audiance in the fact that these birds do sing words. Maybe some (not alot) Roz technology. "ack, pardon madame that whistle was for my good friend fritz!" Direct that to someone in particular. That joke flys over so many people's heads. (no pun intended) "ack, I see fritz has no hair" Is a reference to the original Slue Foot Sue's Golden Horseshoe Revue. Let's update shall we?

But I guess it's a double edged sword. How do you stay true to the original but change some outdated items?

To me the audio now (as it does sound better) sounds like a recording. I would love to hear the individual voices come from the individual characters. (not just the lead four) PLUS I feel the audio is just too quiet for such small room filled with so many "entertainers". The room should be just bussling.

Let's run with this.

[musiken]

Having been in the "under new management" tiki room at WDW, I am thrilled that Disneyland hasn't followed suit. In fact, I wish they would return the song that was cut years ago. I recently saw a photo on a Disney blog that featured the motor boats, people mover, and skyway all in the same shot. All are gone. I don't think anything is sacred at a Disney park. I truly expect to see Lincoln disappear next.

[HBG2]

The DL Tiki Room has three things working for it:

1) A fairly recent, complete overhaul. It will be left substantially alone for awhile.

2) The mini-Renaissance of "Tiki chic" in the pop culture. However campy, it gives the attraction a new lease on life. It's "cool" again, at least for the time being.

3) The snide WDW redo is widely reviled as a complete disaster. If and when they redo the DL Tiki room, it will be probably be done without any snark by people who genuinely love the original, and they will go out of their way to avoid the same mistake.

Now, let's bring back Uti.

[fo'c's'le swab]

The DL Tiki Room has three things working for it:

1) A fairly recent, complete overhaul. It will be left substantially alone for awhile.

2) The mini-Renaissance of "Tiki chic" in the pop culture. However campy, it gives the attraction a new lease on life. It's "cool" again, at least for the time being.

3) The snide WDW redo is widely reviled as a complete disaster. If and when they redo the DL Tiki room, it will be probably be done without any snark by people who genuinely love the original, and they will go out of their way to avoid the same mistake.

Now, let's bring back Uti.

(BOLD mine)
AYE!!!

[TikiRoomLiz]

Yes! Uti needs to come back! I would like the Offenbach number back, it was one of my favorites. The OP does have some good points though, it seems that most folks aren't into participating ... for instance at the end nobody stands up, probably why when the CM's tell you DO NOT CROSS THE ROPE they still cross them.

[pineapplewhipaddict]

The DL Tiki Room has three things working for it:

1) A fairly recent, complete overhaul. It will be left substantially alone for awhile.

2) The mini-Renaissance of "Tiki chic" in the pop culture. However campy, it gives the attraction a new lease on life. It's "cool" again, at least for the time being.

3) The snide WDW redo is widely reviled as a complete disaster. If and when they redo the DL Tiki room, it will be probably be done without any snark by people who genuinely love the original, and they will go out of their way to avoid the same mistake.

Now, let's bring back Uti.

What he said.

We don't have to worry about our Tiki Room getting the WDW treatment, nor do we have to worry about it going anywhere for quite a while. The attraction has seen a huge increase in attaendance since the refurb...and I think that's mainly because, before, it was hard to tell that there was an attraction there in the first place. Now it has a beautiful entrance and signage, and it becons visitors.

I'm sad you haven't had good experiences with the guest response. I've seen much different audiences than yourself. There's always people when I go singing along, clapping, and yes, even laughing. But I do agree that many of the jokes fly right over people's heads. I agree that perhaps the jokes should be updated a bit (perhaps avoiding contemporary references would be a good idea), but like you, I have very little faith that it would be done correctly.

As for your idea of "revealing"...while that would most certainly be cool, I can't see how physically in the space we have that it would work...no, I take that back. I have one idea that just randomly popped into my head. Have some sort of bamboo divider that would act as a false ceiling, then fold back above guests' heads for the show to start. But then we can't "wake up Jose!" either.

That's the whole point with the birds being seen from the beginning. They are sleeping. Perhaps, if this was conveyed better, it would be more realistic. Have their chests going in and out for their breathing, maybe have them ruffle their feathers as real birds do when they sleep (also have them sleep with only one leg on their branch, as real birds do as well), make it clear that they have their eyes closed...many things could be done in this area with the technology WDI has now, I'm sure. It would probably be a huge undertaking...and something Walt would be proud of.

As for the music that was eliminated...I saw the original Tiki Room, but can't remember it very well as compared to the refurbed one, so I can't really judge between the two in this aspect. However, the music was taken out for the show to not "drag"...that was the reasoning behind it. I don't know myself if it dragged. I guess that's a real matter of opinion. But it was altered with good intentions.

[nish221]

Huh? I'm embarrassed... I didn't realize that Uti the Fisher was AWOL!

Definitely, "We want Uti back!"

Back on topic.... I definitely think that the "classics" can definitely "survive" or even
thrive to an extent.... But my guess that this can be done w/ "plussing" rather
than a complete revision or even a replacement.

Using your example (Tiki Room),
I can easily see Jose incorporate Roz (or better) technology in the future to provide
jokes directed at one person or another. (Just Comedy Club tech really).

Another set of technology that could be used:
* smell-a-vision (for rain, lava, flowers singing)
* vibration simulating earthquake (during gods sequence)

[SilentDante]

* vibration simulating earthquake (during gods sequence)

As a SoCal resident, I'm not particularly comfortable with earthquake simulation. One of my greatest fears is being in the Earthquake part of the Universal studio tour when an actual earthquake hits. Oh the chaos!

[nish221]

BTW. one way to easy let people know that the birds are sleeping (although not accurate at all)
is to faintly have audio of the birds "snoring". And a sign at the entrace asking people to
be quiet since the "performers " are "asleep".

[DisneyDude2006]

How did they change the WDW tiki room? I thought the audio change in the DL tiki room made it much better.

[MrLiver]

The Tiki Room only survives because it is a throwback to the 1960s. It has Walt's name on it. If they change it in any significant way, it would no longer be the classic Tiki Room, and as such there would be no reason to save it.

If the time ever comes that the original Tiki Room concept can no longer draw a crowd, instead of changing it into something else, I'd like them to abandon the concept altogether and turn that whole facility into a restaurant concept similar to the original idea for the Tiki Room.

[HBG2]

Incidentally, if anyone thinks "you can't go home again" and you just can't replace a classic show in the same spirit as the original, I would point to the Billy Hill and the Hillbillies show at the Golden Horseshoe. I would never have thought that they could ever replace the original Revue or find another Wally Boag, but I've got to hand it to them: that's a terrifically entertaining, wildly funny show, with the same good-natured humor.

[Druggas]

Wally Boag is gone?

[HBG2]

Wally Boag is gone?

Not gone gone, just retired gone.

[Melonballer]

How did they change the WDW tiki room? I thought the audio change in the DL tiki room made it much better.

The WDW version is "Under New Management". The new management is Iago from Aladdin and Zazu from the Lion King. Iago and Zazu are really nice animatronics. BAsically Iago comes down from the ceiling about halfway through the Tiki Room song and interrupts the show. He complains about how dated the show is and wants to Jazz it up. Then the gods get angry.

I think the show has moments. While it is not as good as the original, it is nice to have a different show.

Best moment: If stick around after the show is over and you listen closely, Iago says "Man, I'm tired. I think I'll go over to the Hall of Presidents and take a nap."

Here's a link to a video on You Tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C__11rUroZ0