Tahitian Terrace, July 1964
The Tahitian Terrace is one of those Disneyland features of which few people have memories - it was open from June of 1962 through to April of 1993, so it has been gone for 30 years. At the time, I don't think I was really aware of what went on inside (and sadly I never experienced it). Order yourself some Ko'aia Haia Kahiki, l'wi'ao'ao; or maybe the Kuke Ka Moa Momi, and while you're eating, enjoy a show with singers and beautiful dancers.
Nothing is happening yet, but our photographer must be focused on that waterfall for a reason. Perhaps the guests were told to expect... something.
The water magically parted to reveal a beautiful - and scantily-clad (for Disneyland, anyway) dancer, while to her right is a woman on a microphone. Singing, I presume. I'm kind of shocked at how nobody in the audience appears to be paying the slightest attention!
I love me a hula dance. Pretty women in grass skirts! What's not to like?
Oops, I forgot to eat and now my food is cold. WORTH IT.
If I'd been a cast member at Disneyland in 1964, I would have spent all my spare time hanging around the Tahitian Terrace!
31 comments:
Major-
"I'm kind of shocked at how nobody in the audience appears to be paying the slightest attention!"
It's all part of the game: If guests completely ignore the dancers, they'll receive a free (tropical) dessert. Judging from this image - I hope the kitchen made plenty-!
I wish I had a more clear memory of my [nighttime] visit to the Tahitian Terrace - back right around this time - but it's a little cloudy; but at least I was there.
Thanks, Major.
Wow, Tahitian Terrace photos have been scarce here on GDB, but now it looks like we hit the jackpot! These are the most revealing ;-) images of the show that I've seen.
In the first photo, there is a Mouse-ear hat being worn by someone to the right of center. At least, I think there is somebody under that hat.
That really Is strange that nobody is looking at the performers performing their hearts out. Weird. Also rude.
Is that a hand-made Disney tree behind the performers? Like the Robinson's tree?
Nice to see a set of images devoted to the Tahitian Terrace, Major. Thanks.
If memory serves, the show features prominently in "Disneyland After Dark". Full of now-comic (and then-comic?) reaction shots, plus a big text warning not to attempt the fire stunts at home. There are also amusing reaction shots when Bobby Rydell swings the theme from the already-vintage "Around the World in 80 Days" (teen girls smiling while their dates look annoyed), plus the subtle irony of Louis Armstrong and the Young Men From New Orleans performing for a very, very white and well-dressed crowd on the Mark Twain.
I'm imagining the lady with the white headband (first photo) saying, "I've been smoking for 3 whole decades now, and I only sound a little bit like Krusty the Clown."
This is another situation where we can say that it was an absolute CRIME that they removed this place! And the restaurant that replaced it wasn't even successful. How long did it last, anyway? Not 31 years!
One of those things I wish I’d seen. I did see the luau dance show at the Polynesian Resort at WDW, and while that was fun, it was, like everything else at WDW, done at a much larger scale. I like the smaller, more intimate feel of the Tahitian Terrace, with the faux lava rock and waterfall curtain.
I think those dancers in the 3rd through 5th photos are performing a Tahitian ʻōteʻa dance, characterized by a rapid shaking of the hips and a drum accompaniment, rather than a Hawaiian hula, which tends to be slower, more gently flowing, and has more varied instrumentation. Note that the musicians are playing drums and a guitar is sitting unused on a stand. The costuming looks more like what is normally used for ʻōteʻa, too, while the costume worn by the dancer in front of the waterfall in the second image looks more like what is normally seen with hula dancing.
JB, if memory serves, yes, that’s a variety of Disneydendron, although I can’t recall the specific species. Did the Robinsons have a tree? I remember a robot and a spaceship, but no trees on that set.
And maybe nobody is looking at the performers because they were all ghosts and could only be captured on film!
Chuck, isn't there a story about that Disneydenron, prior to the restaurant opening to the public? I seem to remember reading that when they were finished with the tree, Walt went to sit in one of the higher "terraced" seating areas, in the back of the restaurant, and realizing that the branches of the tree blocked the view of the stage. He then had them "raise the tree" in height, despite being warned of the cost. Isn't that how the story went? And now I'm wondering if Marty Sk-liar just made the whole thing up.
I recently rhapsodized all about this wonderful experience, so will spare readers a repeat, but these lovely shots bring it right home.
Diners came in waves for the show, seating and leaving in groups, as I imagine they were planning for Tiki room. Yes, that meant keeping everything on a schedule, and yes food got cold if you were focused the performers; the room would either appreciate or ignore the show depending on the prevailing reaction, people would be uncertain what was expected. I would gobble while watching and applaud each segment. Dessert is coming soon, then you’ll have to get out. No matter, it was WONDERFUL.
MS
My goodness, this is a thorough expose’ of the Tahitian Terrace (such a great name).
I’ve never seen the waterfall in the closed position before, this is a first!
The floor show looks much like what would be done for a hotel luau in Waikiki, and of course Tahitian style dances would the main event here.
JB, the TT tree was grown from a branch cutting of the Robinson Tree. That variety does not come true when propagated by seed. The excellent soil and weather in Anaheim and a truckload or two of cementitious fertilizer results in rapid growth.
I wish we had gone in here, even just once. I have no idea why we didn’t. Dad loved Hawaii, and the dancers are all modestly dressed, maybe he thought it was too expensive? The food must have been good since no one is looking up from their plates.
Thank you Major!
JG
Tahitian Terrace, Pack Mules, Indian Village with performers, Keel Boats--all attractions I had a chance to see, and regrettably didn't. The menu included the Monte Cristo sandwich, same as the Blue Bayou. I did visit the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu, which is the Tahitian Terrace spread over 40 acres.
In the 1970s, at the International Market Place on Waikiki, was a Disney-inspired walk through attraction about the history of Hawaii; one strolled through six chambers for each island and was treated to cute animatronic and scrim-revealing effects, as in Small World and Carousel of Progress -- the advertising even played up the resemblances.
You want an attentive audience at TT? Pack it with sailors. If a boat load of seamen got an off-color spiel from a Jungle Cruise skipper, imagine swabbies at the TT ...Pele-style fireworks!
Anyone have a guess as to what the musician at the far right in the last photo is playing? It looks like some plastic box with a 1950s diamond design. Maybe he's playing some sort of keyboard? I give up.
Of all the restaurants at Disneyland, Tahitian Terrace is the one that I didn't do. I guess I was so familiar with that type of entertainment in Hawaii, that I passed it up. Now I wish I had eaten there just to be able to claim that I did. Oh well. You can't do everything.
I wonder if the parting waterfall of Walt Disney World's Tropical Serenade (Enchanted Tiki Birds) pre-show with Clyde and Claude was influenced by Disneyland's Tahitian Terrace parting waterfall.
Awesome pics of a lost Disneyland classic restaurant. Thanks, Major.
Nanook, I admit that a tropical dessert would get my complete attention. Sorry, ladies! At night I’ll bet the fire dances looked pretty amazing.
JB, yep, a mouse-ear hat in the wild. Or does Disneyland count as “in the wild”? I wonder how the performers felt, dancing and singing for a bunch of guests who were chowing down? And yes, that tree is artificial, just like the Swiss Family Treehouse.
DBenson, yeah, they have the Tahitian Terrace show (surely an abbreviated version) on that TV episode. When it was put on DVD, they added the completely-unnecessary warning that kids should not play with fire. Argh. Kids shouldn’t lay down in a busy street either. I remember some of those reaction shots, and am glad that they were added! As for Louis, I’m sure he played for a lot of white audiences, at least they seemed to appreciate his talent.
TokyoMagic!, I love that “smoker’s voice”, so alluring. And I have no doubt that the park’s #1 goal for re-theming the Tahitian Terrace was so that they did not have to pay all those performers (ditto the Golden Horseshoe Revue).
Chuck, I can’t believe that I did not recognize the Tahitian ʻōteʻa dance, and will turn in my grass skirt immediately. I kind of wish I was wearing underpants though!
TokyoMagic!, I’ve read that same story, and like you, I have a hard time believing that it is true. It could be, but as you hinted, Marty Sklar loved a good story.
MS, I actually never knew how they scheduled the Tahitian Terrace; I kind of thought maybe they admitted a large group, did the show, served the food, and then everyone left for the next batch. But it sounds like I was wrong! You’re lucky you got to see the original TT!
JG, I think I may have posted a photo or two of the closed waterfall before, but admittedly those photos would not exactly grab the imagination. Now I need to work the word “cementitious” into my vocabulary today. And I know my dad would have LOVED this show, it amazes me that we never checked it out. Maybe my mom nixed it!
Stefano - SAME. My excuse is that I was a kid and didn’t even think about the fact that any attraction could go away someday. But still! Funny that the International Market Place made reference to IASW and the CoP! If the Tahitian Terrace ever had an audience of just sailors, things might have gotten out of control!
Sunday Night, I have NO idea, a keyboard is a good guess, maybe Disney put it in a custom enclosure?
K. Martinez, hey, I haven’t even been to Hawaii, so at least you have that to remember. They won’t allow me in Hawaii, but I can’t say why. I’ll bet you are right about the parting waterfall in the Tropical Serenade being inspired by the one in the TT, maybe it was even an inside joke.
Definitely "Wish we were there!" pictures. I probably should say, "Wish we were there, THEN!" pictures. Though I was there then and loved it, I would still like to go back more times.
Please refresh my memory, exactly what is currently in this spot?
Thanks, Major.
Sue....The space is now occupied by the Tropical Hideaway, a quick-service location set in the lush landscaping, dishing out Dole Whip and bao buns just a stone’s throw from those Jungle Cruise boats.
Here's good article on the TT. https://www.sfgate.com/disneyland/article/missed-disneyland-restaurant-tahitian-terrace-17731255.php
There was a little more to i then just a re-creation. We had CMs from those lands performing. And the sounds of the shows with their drums, hoots and hollers, filled the land with Adventure. I can easily bring back those sounds to life especially since I spent time on the Jungle Cruise. KS
Ah, yes, KS, now I remember. I have good memories of stopping there on my last visit to Disneyland. Thank you.
Sue
The last time I ate at the Tahitian Terrace and saw the show was at lunch on the opening day of Splash Mountain!! The very last time I ate there was during the mad rush to eat there one last time after we Doug’s out it was going to close ( the ALADDINS OASIS hadn’t been announce yet ) for all you EISNER lovers out there : the Tahitian Terrace was a Eisner victim …. Too expensive to pay the entertainment and their show unions. Eisner’s solution; MAKE THE GUESTS PAY A SET 33.00 for a dinner show. …. Well we know how that turned out!!!
When people started to rush to eat one last time at the Tahitian Terrace - few saw anymore shows as the lunch shows were cut and only the dinner shows were left … greatly edited … “thank you Michael Eisner : May me have another!??”
The Tahitian Terrace never had a seating schedule for guests … the shows were performed at set times and you were seated at any point before - during - or after the show . There were many versions of shows over the years … Jack Wagner produced the ones with the characters starting in the 80’s usually performed during lunch. A friend of mine was once a dancer there … she married cook … both are Hawaii decent.
The Monte Cristo debuted at the Tahitian Terrace long before there was a Blue Bayou. It is based on a similar fried sandwich once served at DELMONICO’s of New York in the 1890’s. Delmonicos is the inspiration for Harmonia Gardens in the movie Hello Dolly.
The Tahitian Terrace featured about a dozen of the fiberglass tiki gods that talk at tiki room … but they were static decorations; when the tiki garden used ones were replaced they were regulated to TT to sit in silence.
A funny story: when the Tahitian Terrace closed many of the static fiberglass Tiki Gods were re-used as decor and fixtures over at the tropical imports and Adventureland bazzaar … one even had a basket bolted to its head to sell tropical bracelets ! The old Tiki Room/ TT gods still had that old speaker cloth in them … hiding where they once spoke from. One time with some friends in the bazaar we notice all the old tikis added for decoration .. so I tried to “buy” one … RONGO was the shortest…. And easiest to big up.
We looked for the most expensive item in the shop with the adhesive stickers … Disneyland still used price codes …. I think we found something that was 70.00 ( this was the mid 90’s) so we stuck the sticker on RONGOS back of head. We looked for the GREENEST - NEWEST … TIMIDEST looking cast member and went to her register …. I held RONGO up so she could enter the code … she’s asked if it was ok if she removed the price sticker to read it better. As she enter the code “70.00” showed up on the register … And she hesitated … and said … in a confused way .. “ you know … I don’t know if we sell those … she asked another cast member to assist her who was busy ringing up some guests …. He didn’t know for sure …. And they got a lead … I actually was acquainted with the lead and she explained that it was only a decoration to the Adventureland cast and I just played “innocent” And acted disappointed…
But I tried to purchase a tiki god…. “Tropic Tiki’s the Isle’s Once Had … Cozart will leave with an empty bag!!”
TM!, a vaguely remember that story, but don’t remember where I heard it from. I spent a few minutes looking in an old Disneyland hardcover guide from 1972 and Disneyland: Inside Story but couldn’t find it.
Sunday Night, I think that guy’s playing some sort of drum. Note what looks like a percussive device in his hand. That tracks with the way ʻōteʻa dance is normally performed.
SOUTH SEA TRADERS - part of the Advevtureland Bazzar.
Mike, I love that story…and that you have your own, personalized Tiki Room pre-show spiel!
Hahahaha, Mike! You need to write a book!
Sue
And now the Ohana dinner show at WDW's Polynesian Resort is also gone. I never took the time to see it.
K. Martinez - yes, the preshow at WDW's Tiki room borrowed the effect from the TT, since they didn't have it at their dinner show.
Chuck, Robot swinging his tiny T-Rex arms: "Danger, Fritz Robinson! Danger!"
Sunday Night, it's an acoustic Theremin.
Technically the Tropical Serenade waterfall curtain was a left over from Floridas first Country Bear “show” there wasn’t originally going to be a scripted Bear show …. WDW’s Frontierland was going to have a large outdoor seating area facing the “wilderness” at various times waterfalls would curtain open or a rock outcropping would slide over revealing a cave with random bear band performances … sone in marching band costumes … others in French Cabaret outfits …circus outfits .. and hillbilly outfits … each on rotating turntables like Carousel of progress … to house double scenes … this is all show in Sam
McKim concept art using Marc Davis renderings …. Eventually only the hillbilly bears were left and it was decided to moved the now scripted show into the restaurant… then the restaurant and Bear show were separated … but Marc loved the waterfall curtain idea and used it for tiki . But probably the TT curtain inspired the bear band falls …
As you all know there was never any plans whatsoever for Bear Band at mineral king ski resort … it was ALWAYS a WDW developed show … there was a suggestion of doing something similar for project LAKE INDEPENDENCE in the late 70’s…. But never mineral King .
Mike, that is a great story. Too bad you didn't get that figurine. I have a small hand-carved tiki that I bought from the artist in Kauai, but Mrs. G. will not let me get the seven-foot tall one that I really wanted, something about not having room for one...
Somehow not surprised that the shows have stopped in WDW too.
It sounds like if anyone wants to see a show like this now, you have to go to Hawaii. I've seen the Luau show at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and it is very entertaining, a nice family show. I haven't been to the Polynesian Cultural Center yet, but might have to do that someday. I'm sure other hotels have similar shows, luau's a very popular event.
A very nice hula dance only entertainment is at the patio of the bar "House Without A Key" at the Halekulani hotel in Waikiki. The solo female dancer is a Hawaiian celebrity and she does a beautiful dance. The band accompaniments change but always talented acoustic players doing Hawaiian language lyrics. Technically, the HWAK is a bar, and I've only been with adults, so I don't know if younger children are allowed.
The Halekulani Hotel is on the site of the original "House Without A Key" featured in the Charlie Chan novel of the same title by Earl Derr Biggers. The singers' outdoor backdrop is the original Hau Tree described in the story. Worth a visit if you are able.
Thanks Major.
JG
Now we know how Mike C. comes by all his neat stuff... price tag swapping! I'm surprised that worked for the PeopleMover car. Cashier person, "89¢!... Are you sure?!" ;-p
Hahaha, JB!
—Sue
Both my PeopleMover and Rocket Jet have WDI tracking numbers and property relinquish codes … they were attached to both vehicles with zip ties. Disney also provided DISNEY-AUCTIONEERS certificates and they are described as a “PART” lol. “Original Disneyland PeopleMover Part” ….
Mike, what about your Monorail?
—Sue
Mike just put a license plate on the monorail and drove it home.
LOL
GDB-Gold, today...thanks, all!
—Sue
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