Adventureland T-Shirts ...

It takes a little while for the Jungle Drums to reach the Secret Island, and sometimes it means you miss out on what's hot... like this fantastic shirt from graphic designer Richard who describes himself as..

"A born dreamer & doer. An idea guy who understands the importance of magic. Specializing in graphic design, typography, painting and illustration."

His blog page is stuffed to the brim with wonderfully creative designs for Disney, that are in every way unofficial but are of the quality that should demand respect from the head honchos in purchasing.

His retro inspired designs have created quite a stir around Tiki Blogs and Forums. To avoid any complications with Disney this shirt design is not based on a show or attraction. Richard says

"Within Adventureland at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, there's a "must eat" on every visitor's list: the Dole Pineapple Whip! If it's not on your bucket list, it should be. It's the most amazing frozen concoction in the parks! The Dole Pineapple Whip is a staple and is so popular that Disney added a whip machine in the Polynesian Resort back when the quick service area was refurbished."

"I tried to take a whimsical yet kitschy approach with the design. I wanted to not only represent the whip itself, but to also reflect the tropical Tahitian feel of Adventureland. What better icon to represent the spirit of Oceania than a Tiki warrior? To throw a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor into the design, I thought it would be clever to have him holding a whip in his hands. Of course this fierce tropical warrior couldn't be so mean when enjoying this delectable treat, so his intimidating frown has been turned upside down. I can imagine after the park closes that the statues, carvings and idols from around Adventureland break their poses and all hit up the Dole Whip stand to reward their hard day’s work of entertaining guests."

The good news for Richard is that the demand was so huge that he fulfilled his order ... the bad news for most of you guys and me is that we missed out! ;0(

... it won't happen again!

Trader Sams ... open for business.

Back at the start of May I posted about the imminent opening of Trader Sams at Disneyland. Well the question is, is it any good?

Well what better place to find out than check Critiki . Well it would appear that its well worth the visit, scoring an average of 9.4. Whilst the decor is grabbing the headlines it is disappointing to see that its lowest scores come when reviewer score the drink quality, drink selection and food... all key elements of a quality Tiki Bar. The Critiki review states...

"Trader Sam's is named for the "head" salesman from the Jungle Cruise ride at Disneyland, and the decor is a mix of influence from that ride and the Enchanted Tiki Room, with a little of Walt Disney World's Adventurer's Club thrown in for good measure. Top-notch Disney designers Kevin Kidney and Jody Daily were able to work on some of the decor. There are reports of some interactive elements at the bar.

The early word is that the drink quality is higher than one might expect, with syrups from Portland's Trader Tiki in use. If you like the punny performance given by the Jungle Cruise skippers, you'll love the drink names: "HippopotoMaiTai", "Schweitzer Falls" and "Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum" are some of the cleverly-named cocktails."

To mark the opening Richard at the Designerland Blog has created and shared a rather nice unofficial Trader Sam's Soundtrack. Get over there and check it out...

Trader Sams - The Enchanted Tiki Bar ...

The Disney Parks Blog is reporting that its two new Disneyland restaurants will open later this month- Tangaroa Terrace and Trader Sam's.

"Trader Sam’s—Enchanted Tiki Bar is adjacent to Tangaroa Terrace – Casual Island Dining, with substantial “bar food” – sweet ‘n spicy Asian wings, chicken lettuce wraps, panko-crusted Chinese long beans with Sriracha mayo, tamarind-glazed pork shanks with green papaya slaw and ahi poke (sushi-grade tuna) with avocado, green onion and crispy wontons."

"But it’s the vintage island cocktails in kitschy glassware that we can’t wait to try. How about Krakatoa Punch with reserve aged rum, light rum, tropical juices, almond syrup and hibiscus grenadine? Or Uh Oa!, with light rum, spiced rum, guava, orange, passion fruit, grapefruit, fresh lime juice and cinnamon? Serious rum lovers will want to try the HippopotoMai Tai with two shots of light and dark rums, orange curacao, almond syrup, organic agave nectar and fresh lime juice. Now we’re dreaming of vacation time!"

While the drink names might have been over sweetened Disney style and leave a bitter taste I'm hoping that the drinks themselves hit the spot. Looking forward to hearing of some taste tests and seeing images of the actual interior.

Shag: All at Sea...

Despite his recent accident SHAG continues his prolific works for Disney. This Summer (... Winter for the inhabitants of the Secret Island!) Disney will release the full Walt Disney World 40th Anniversary collection. I can hardly wait to see the prints and piles of merchandise that will be made available before I bid for them with hugely inflated prices on eBay. 

"Top Deck" by SHAG

In addition to the amazing artwork that Shag has created for Walt Disney World, he has also created new artwork for the Disney Cruise Line! SHAG’s Disney Cruise Line artwork captures the magic and excitement of the Cruise Liner and and the tropical island paradise of Castaway Cay, Disney's very own Island!.

'Island Intermission' by SHAG

"The talented teams at Disney Theme Park Merchandise have pulled elements out of each of the paintings and applied them in fun and creative ways to commemorative merchandise keepsakes. SHAG’s artwork for the Disney Cruise Line can be found on charm bracelets, designer apparel for men and women, postcard sets, as well as home goods such as a tumbler set and coaster collection."

If you want to check out what is available take a look at Tiki Chick's Blog.

If you've not seen the Disney Dream check this video clip out ...



... I'll be sure to give it a wave as it passes on the horizon.

Fire at the Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Room...

Here's a clipping from the Orlando Sentinel...

Firefighters were called to a small fire at an attraction at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom Park on Wednesday, officials said. According to the Reedy Creek Fire Department, firefighters were called to the park's The Enchanted Tiki Room – Under New Management attraction in the Adventureland section of Magic Kingdom about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Fire Department spokesman Bo Jones said a small fire in the attic of the attraction was extinguished by fire sprinklers. Firefighters worked to evacuate the area and to check to make sure the fire was completely out, Jones said. After determining that the fire was out, firefighters reopened the area, officials said. About 8 p.m., Jones said only the Enchanted Tiki Room remained closed to park goers, as crews worked to clear excess sprinkler water.

... if it aint broke!

The cause of the fire was still under investigation Wednesday evening. Jones said crews were still working to determine the extent of the damage, but he said it appeared the sprinklers had kept the fire from spreading to other structures. "They did their job today," he said. Firefighters did not report any injuries as a result of the fire.

According to Disney's website, The Enchanted Tiki Room – Under New Management is a

"Polynesian musical revue starring singing birds, flowers and tiki idols, performed for Guests of all ages inside the Sunshine Pavilion in the Adventureland area at Magic Kingdom theme park."

Watch this clip until 1:44 ... it's downhill from there!

The Disney World version of the Tiki Room was once at the forefront of audio-animatronics the benchmark by which all other attractions should be measured. In 1998, thankfully after my two visits, the show was redesigned (wrecked in my opinion!) and updated to feature the Lion King's Zazu and Aladdin's Iago. Therefore my sadness at any damage at Disney World is tempered by the fact that the attraction was damaged more significantly back in 1998! If you're still looking for the original Tiki Room experience then head to Disneyland California as they have remained faithful to the original preserving its timeless charm.

Aloha Aulani ...

Aulani is a Disney Resort & Spa under development at the Ko Olina Resort & Marina near Kapolei on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Phase 1 is expected to open in August 2011; it will be the third Disney Vacation Club Resort located outside of a Disney theme park property.

Aulani" has more than one meaning. It is "the messenger of a chief", yet it is also "the one who delivers a message from a higher authority." To that end, Aulani tells the epic story of Hawai`i through every brushstroke, beam and sculpture.

So what can visitors expect?

The white sandy beach, tropical gardens, turquoise lagoons and sparkling waterfalls are just a few highlights of this balmy paradise. Inside the Resort, lava rock rises up through the floor of the grand lobby as dual pools of water cross the expanse: one gently flows with flora while the other rushes wildly through.

Check out more renderings of what you can expect in the Aulani Resort gallery.

In this short video clip imagineer (... love that Disney job title!) Joe Rohde, the leader of the creative team on Aulani, talks about the ongoing thrill of discovery and how the design and experience of Aulani are inspired by the stories and culture of Hawai'i itself.



I have to admit to having more than a soft spot for the Enchanted Tiki Room as well as anything produced by SHAG for Disney. If they can manage to weave some of the Disney magic into the local culture and traditions and people of Hawaii then they could be on to a good thing... just please keep the Mouse ears off the Tikis!

Disneyland's Jungle Cruise...

There are many childhood experiences that have shaped the Tiki Lifestyle that I live here on the Secret Island today. One of those was a visit on the Jungle Cruise in Adventureland at Disney. This year Disneyland was fifty years old, since its opening on July 17th 1955, many attractions have come, gone or been modernized beyond recognition. The Jungle cruise however has stood the test of time.

Another boat leaves on a Jungle Adventure.

"Taking up approximately three acres of Disneyland's eighty-five, the attraction was one of the park's largest and most hyped entertainments. Guests board a gas-powered boat that winds through a murky river along a hidden track. Dense foliage surround the banks where many exotic (and animatronic) animals and natives play out scenes before the voyagers. The boat's skipper guides the guests through the treacherous waters, punctuating their continuous narration with many a pun. Head-hunters, hippos and pistol-wielding monkeys all approach you but as the skipper always states, the scariest part of the Jungle Cruise is the return to civilization."

          Taken from Metro Classics.
 

Walt and Harper Goff the design discuss the attraction before opening.

The skipper's poor quality jokes, were and still are part of the attractions charm. Pixar's John Lasseter, whose first job was working at Disneyland, always stated that his favorite shift was manning the Jungle Cruise boat.

Walt with a model of the final design. Much cleaner in design than Goff's original concept.

Disney designer Harper Goff is best known for creating the world's most fantastic submarine, the Nautilus for Walt Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. But his creative touch can be seen all around Disneyland and in the jungles of Adventureland. The little canopied launches that cruise the world's exotic waterways were first conceptualized by Harper Goff in 1954. His early sketches show vessels more rugged and "travelled" than the shiny bright boats that appeared at Disneyland® on opening day.

Never resisting the opportunity to empty my pockets with cool artworks and collectables, most notably through Josh Agle, Disney are now releasing a model based on Goff's original concept. Kevin Kidney and Jody Daily's scale replica of the Amazon Belle looks as though it may have crossed the Mekong, borne the rains of the Irrawaddy, and survived the rapids of Kilimanjaro a million times before. Disney say that "it's absolutely the perfect thing to display in your study next to your shrunken head collection." I have to agree!

Early Concept Jungle Cruise Boat

Artists: Kevin Kidney & Jody Daily

Medium: Resin and Metal on Wood Base

Edition Size: 500

Retail: $225

Dimensions: 12-3/4" long x 5-1/2" tall x 4-1/2" wide

Release Date: October 16, 2010

Want to find out what else Disney are working on - click here.