A couple of readers were lucky enough to experience the soft (re)opening of Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room on Sunday, August 14!

Walt Disney in the Disneyland version of the Tiki Room

Reader Polly E. sent this review:

I feel fortunate to have experienced the classic versions of the Enchanted Tiki Room at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. I watched each one time as a child, and while I remember considering them quaint and dated even back then, they apparently left a lasting impression on me, as I would find myself singing "In the Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room...In the Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room..." at odd times well into my adult years.

I suppose I would consider The Tiki Room to be among Disney's "gateway" attractions -- experiences which are required viewing for all guests. Classics, if you will. So it was understandably quite disheartening to return to the Magic Kingdom after a half decade's absence only to discover that a sentimental favorite had been given a tacky re-vamp.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not against updating rides to draw modern audiences, but "Under New Management" was neither bold enough to merit the expense, nor respectful enough of the original show to be worthy of the name "The Enchanted Tiki Room." The refurbishment felt temporary, like it was a holdover for something better. Little did I know that Zazu and Iago would be touting their new, "improved" show for 13 years, and that the "something better" was going to be the original show!

Thankfully, the restored Tiki Room is mostly just as I remembered it. The Phil Hartman / Don Rickles pre-show has been replaced with Claude and Clyde. The Offenbach number is not part of the show, as in the current Disneyland version, but to be honest I don't remember if I ever got to experience that section live or on LP. "Let's All Sing Like the Birdies Sing" also seems to have been truncated; there is not an audience sing-along section (again, not sure if I experienced that live before). These are minor omissions that I suspect few guests will miss, if they remember the old show in that much detail at all.

The most welcome change is the upgrade of the show with current technology. Everything seems fresh, new, and clean, the sound is terrific, and the lighting is crisp and bright. The new Tiki Room is the attraction equivalent of a Disney movie being digitally remastered for DVD or Blu Ray.

Reader FastPasser G. sent this review:

Wow! It has been a looong time since I heard anyone applaud for The Enchanted Tiki Room, but the audience did today! I was just 12 the last time I watched the original show, way back in 1989. "Under New Management," the attraction which took its place, was amusing, but it seemed like a parody which had replaced the original. (Imagine if we could only watch "Spaceballs" instead of "Star Wars"). True, the original show had a self-referential aspect to it too, but it wasn't tacky and crass. I liked the concept of UNM, but I think it should have been something that was shown seasonally or for special occasions.

But now we have the original show back, and it is oh so great to have it! In the history of Disney Parks, this sort of thing simply does not happen very often -- the restoration of an attraction to its classic state after so long an absence.

If there were any differences between the new version and the old one, they were too small for me to notice. Our beloved Tiki Room has never looked better!

Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room is expected to open to the public on Monday, August 15!