As we plan our next trip, the kids are insisting we put the Tiki Room on our itinerary. I think this has less to do with their affection for the attraction than it does with the fact that the visiting the Tiki Room has become a vacation challenge.
Let me explain.
When we first took the kids to WDW, I was the only one in our party who wasn't a Disney Rookie. It had been about ten years since I'd been to WDW, but I remembered liking the Tiki Birds, and begged Captain Planner (my husband) to put in on the agenda. You'll recall that this was the week between Christmas and New Years, so every minute counted, and we followed the Unofficial Guide's touring plan very carefully.
Finally, the time came for the Tiki Birds. Unfortunately, we arrived just as a show had been filled. Faced with a 20+ minute wait for the next show, we moved to the next attraction on the plan, and vowed to try again later.
Later, we had about a ten minute wait, but we were determined. Eight minutes into the wait, my four-year-old informed us that she had to go RIGHT NOW. Not wanting to split up (we'd had a "where in the World is Mom? hour the evening before at Epcot. More on that later.), we all left the waiting area and proceeded to the facilities.
In spite of my "hurryuphurryup", we returned to the Tiki Birds some ten minutes later to discover that once again, the theatre was filled.
On Day Two, we tried again. We had time for one more attraction before we said goodbye to WDW, and rushed to fit in the Tiki Birds. Wait, wait, wait: "Mom, I have to go NOW."
The restrooms in the passageway between Adventureland and Frontierland are legendary for their tendency to cause a Lost Child Problem. Later, we took a certain amount of pride in being able to validate the UG's warnings about that passageway. At the time, however, it meant no Tiki Birds.
The following year, when we announced that we were tackling the World again, we promised - SWORE - that we would see the Tiki Birds. Upon arrival, while hordes were stamepding toward the Mountains, we raced to the Tiki Birds.
Closed for refurbishments for the length of our stay.
The kids finally did get to see the Tiki Room - Under New Management last trip. And they vow to do it again, every trip, just to make a point. Unfortunately, I think I'll skip it next time - I've sat through it twice now, and it's just not the same as the Tiki Birds we never got to see.
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