Was Enchanted Tiki Room The First ?

**Myron** · 10-20-2005, 08:42 AM

I believe I once read that "The Enchanted Tiki Room" was the very first attraction at Disneyland using the then new audio-animatronics. If true, what was the first Walt Disney World attraction using audio-animatronics?

**20K** · 10-20-2005, 09:24 AM

I would have assumed they all mutually shared the 'first' title at WDW...

**olmec26** · 10-20-2005, 12:48 PM

At WDW, several attrcations were present on opening day that use AA figures...Tropical Serenade, HM, Hall of Presidents (I think that was there), Country Bear Jamboree...the list goes on.

**SecondStar** · 10-20-2005, 01:32 PM

Country Bears was there opening day too

**dzney4lyf** · 10-20-2005, 01:35 PM

I wish I was there opening day... oh wait I'm not old enough!!

**20K** · 10-21-2005, 08:06 AM

Yeah, I would have thought the majority of attractions used AAs as part of the show.

However, Jungle Cruise and 20,000 Leagues (Although it opened two weeks later) were exceptions. Because of the exposure to water, Jungle Cruise's mechanical effects were built at the time using air pressure, or so I believe. Because the effects at 20K would be submerged all day and only checked by dive teams underwater every night or every other night, they were completely air-powered.
Or so I believe...

**MickeyBabe** · 10-21-2005, 09:13 AM

Yes in WDW there wouldn't really be one specific first AA attraction.

On onpening day these attractions were present sharing that title....

*Country Bear Jamboree October 1, 1971
*Tropical Serenade: Enchanted Tiki Birds October 1, 1971
*Hall of Presidents October 1, 1971
*Haunted Mansion October 1, 1971
*It's A Small World October 1, 1971
*Jungle Cruise October 1, 1971
*Mickey Mouse Revue October 1, 1971

20K... I believe you are correct about the AAs in the water at the Jungle Cruise but the ones on land I think are still considered AAs.

As far as the figures in 20K (the attraction) Many were hung from the ceiling of the attraction building on cables and floated from the bottom of the lagoon on strings (I remember seeing the strings

) Also enlisting the presurized air 20K (the person) mentioned for movement of key figures such as the squid and divers.

**20K** · 10-21-2005, 09:27 AM

Yeah, the fish in the Abyss section were hung on strings in the caverns. And yup, the lagoon fish were famously plugged into the bottom! According to one former CM, Disney were at one point considering replacing the almost trademark stationary cabled fish with a series of fish tanks.

I don't think the first squid moved at all, at least from my memory and videos I've seen dating back to 1976. This is the one of course grappling with 'Nautilus Unit 13'

. The effect with the tentacles could have been, but I don't know. I had always imagined it being accomplished by having stationary tentacles mounted at varying distances from the sub, so that when a sub moves past it at speed, the tentacles appear to lash at the hull. Could be and probably am wrong, but this is how I always imagined it.

**MickeyBabe** · 10-21-2005, 09:30 AM

As far as firsts go... The Mickey Mouse Review exceeded the other opening day attractions for Audio Animatronics firsts.

It had the most AAs assembled into one attraction at the time and the most complex AA figure in WDW.

73 Disney characters with musical inclinations. Those characters were represented by 81 separate animated figures (8 of whom were alternate versions that appeared in different onstage locations.)

About the show's figures: They ranged in height from 12" (the Dormouse) to 6' (Baloo), not counting the long-stemmed Alice flowers. Mickey stood at 42" tall, and at the time of the show's opening was Disney's most complicated Audio-Animatronic figure. "No," you say, "What about Lincoln?" Here's the rub: Mickey was capable of 33 functions, the same as the much taller (6'4") Lincoln figure housed in the nearby Hall of Presidents. So all of the mouse's mechanical grace had to be stowed in a much smaller frame, hence the greater complexity.

**MickeyBabe** · 10-21-2005, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by 20K

I don't think the first squid moved at all, at least from my memory and videos I've seen dating back to 1976. This is the one of course grappling with 'Nautilus Unit 13'

. The effect with the tentacles could have been, but I don't know. I had always imagined it being accomplished by having stationary tentacles mounted at varying distances from the sub, so that when a sub moves past it at speed, the tentacles appear to lash at the hull. Could be and probably am wrong, but this is how I always imagined it.

It could very well have been the wild imagination of a very young MBabe.

I do, however, remember the fish on strings

Fish tanks would have been really cool.

**20K** · 10-21-2005, 10:08 AM

There was a guy not long ago selling those fish from both 20K in Florida and Submarine Voyage in California, strings and all. Unfortunately I wasn't really into collecting 20K stuff, and missed out. To think, 20K's...err...20K collection could be complemented with a box full of rubber fish-on-strings

**MickeyBabe** · 10-21-2005, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by 20K

To think, 20K's...err...20K collection could be complemented with a box full of rubber fish-on-strings

Hmm

A Fish Tank full of rubber fish-on-strings would work.

Definately.

**20K** · 10-21-2005, 11:37 AM

Could be!

I'm thinking of taking photos of my 20K stuff and uploading them. It's quite funny though, it currently stretches to a few uniform pieces, the ride poster, rolls of seaweed and a jar full of lagoon water. Still, gotta start somewhere!