The lifespan of this specific type of attraction began in 1963 and ended around 1983. The first was Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room and was a smash hit showcasing Walt’s new form of animation. The next two were created for the New York World’s Fair, these were Carousel of Progress and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. In 1971, Imagineering created a second wave of A-A shows for the Magic Kingdom with three new shows including The Mickey Mouse Revue, The Hall of Presidents and Country Bear Jamboree. Tropical Serenade aka Tiki Room was created for the park as well. The popularity of Country Bear Jamboree would help replicate the show and bring it to Disneyland in 1972. By 1973, Carousel of Progress at Disneyland began to see dwindling attendance so it was decided to be moved to DisneyWorld and in it’s place, a new A-A show would debut, America Sings.
Imagineering began to take a break from Animatronic shows as the 70’s brought more thrill seeking fans and the Imagineers answered by bringing in Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain and an abominable snowman filled Matterhorn Bobsleds. It wasn’t until an animatronics heavy Epcot began to come into being. Slated for Epcot in 1982 was a new slate of Audio-Animatronic shows, these were The American Adventure, Kitchen Kabaret and Meet the World. In the late 70’s, officials from Tokyo went to the Magic Kingdom to pick out a selection of attractions to replicate in Tokyo. Among them, The Enchanted Tiki Room, Country Bear Jamboree and The Mickey Mouse Revue we’re picked. Rather than replicate The Mickey Mouse Revue, they thought it would be easier to relocate it to Tokyo. Some say reasons for this was because of low attendance and others say it was because the queue could not fit the amount of people allowed inside. Meet the World would also make the change by heading to Tokyo Disneyland instead of Epcot which had already completed the building for the attraction. In 1983, Tokyo Disneyland would debut Country Bear Theater, The Enchanted Tiki Room, Meet the World and The Mickey Mouse Revue.
After 1983, Animatronic shows seemed to be a thing of the past, a lost art and something the public wasn’t really interested in. New shows were kinda bounced around in late 80s and 90’s but they never came into being. Animatronic shows were more integrated into 3-D shows and shows which had a video element, examples being Muppet-Vision 3D, The Timekeeper, Cranium Command and it’s Tough to be a Bug!. When Disneyland Paris debuted there was not one A-A show in sight, nor for any other theme park thereafter.
Many of these shows have gone under, America Sings saw dwindling attendance in the 80’s and closes it’s doors in 1988, the source material didn’t help it’s case either. In 2001, Country Bear Jamboree at Disneyland closed because of low attendance numbers that began in the 80’s. Meet the World in Tokyo closed in 2002 due to low attendance. Kitchen Kabaret/Food Rocks closes in 2004, also the source material was a big reason for that. Lastly The Mickey Mouse Revue closed in 2009, why? I’m not sure because Disney characters are highly popular in Japan.
Many of these existing A-A shows have held onto life by being reprogrammed in some form or another. Many still exist for various reasons, Carousel of Progress was Walt’s favorite attraction and the family made a deal with the company to never get rid of it. Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln was important to Walt because Lincoln was his idol, it would be very upsetting to take this out and considering it takes up such a small space. Tiki Room at Disneyland still fills the seats in my experience. CBJ and Tiki Room are very popular in Tokyo. American Adventure is very important to Epcot and defines its country at World Showcase. Hall of Presidents has encountered it’s political problems so who know how long more it could last. I feel like the Country Bears and Tiki Room in Disneyworld are holding on by a thread.
I love these shows, they are of a bygone era and something you just don’t see anymore, there are many who feel they are boring because they are not rides but use Disney ride elements. When I’m watching them, it just screams Disney, it’s something Disney created and perfected and it just represents such a classic Disney feel. How do you all feel about Animatronic shows? Like them? Love Them? How do they make you feel? Dislike Them? Find them Boring? Please explain.
Imagineering began to take a break from Animatronic shows as the 70’s brought more thrill seeking fans and the Imagineers answered by bringing in Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain and an abominable snowman filled Matterhorn Bobsleds. It wasn’t until an animatronics heavy Epcot began to come into being. Slated for Epcot in 1982 was a new slate of Audio-Animatronic shows, these were The American Adventure, Kitchen Kabaret and Meet the World. In the late 70’s, officials from Tokyo went to the Magic Kingdom to pick out a selection of attractions to replicate in Tokyo. Among them, The Enchanted Tiki Room, Country Bear Jamboree and The Mickey Mouse Revue we’re picked. Rather than replicate The Mickey Mouse Revue, they thought it would be easier to relocate it to Tokyo. Some say reasons for this was because of low attendance and others say it was because the queue could not fit the amount of people allowed inside. Meet the World would also make the change by heading to Tokyo Disneyland instead of Epcot which had already completed the building for the attraction. In 1983, Tokyo Disneyland would debut Country Bear Theater, The Enchanted Tiki Room, Meet the World and The Mickey Mouse Revue.
After 1983, Animatronic shows seemed to be a thing of the past, a lost art and something the public wasn’t really interested in. New shows were kinda bounced around in late 80s and 90’s but they never came into being. Animatronic shows were more integrated into 3-D shows and shows which had a video element, examples being Muppet-Vision 3D, The Timekeeper, Cranium Command and it’s Tough to be a Bug!. When Disneyland Paris debuted there was not one A-A show in sight, nor for any other theme park thereafter.
Many of these shows have gone under, America Sings saw dwindling attendance in the 80’s and closes it’s doors in 1988, the source material didn’t help it’s case either. In 2001, Country Bear Jamboree at Disneyland closed because of low attendance numbers that began in the 80’s. Meet the World in Tokyo closed in 2002 due to low attendance. Kitchen Kabaret/Food Rocks closes in 2004, also the source material was a big reason for that. Lastly The Mickey Mouse Revue closed in 2009, why? I’m not sure because Disney characters are highly popular in Japan.
Many of these existing A-A shows have held onto life by being reprogrammed in some form or another. Many still exist for various reasons, Carousel of Progress was Walt’s favorite attraction and the family made a deal with the company to never get rid of it. Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln was important to Walt because Lincoln was his idol, it would be very upsetting to take this out and considering it takes up such a small space. Tiki Room at Disneyland still fills the seats in my experience. CBJ and Tiki Room are very popular in Tokyo. American Adventure is very important to Epcot and defines its country at World Showcase. Hall of Presidents has encountered it’s political problems so who know how long more it could last. I feel like the Country Bears and Tiki Room in Disneyworld are holding on by a thread.
I love these shows, they are of a bygone era and something you just don’t see anymore, there are many who feel they are boring because they are not rides but use Disney ride elements. When I’m watching them, it just screams Disney, it’s something Disney created and perfected and it just represents such a classic Disney feel. How do you all feel about Animatronic shows? Like them? Love Them? How do they make you feel? Dislike Them? Find them Boring? Please explain.
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