The Tropical Hideaway - Everything We Know So Far
We’ve been waiting for the area, formerly known as Aladdin’s Oasis in Adventureland, to officially be replaced, since rumors began late last year. In February, Disney officially announced that it would be remodeling the area, and naming it The Tropical Hideaway.
Here’s some background on the area. When Aladdin’s Oasis originally opened in 1993, it took the place of The Tahitian Terrace, a full service restaurant featuring food and a show inspired by Polynesia. Entertainment included dancers in sarongs and grass skirts, as well as barefoot fire walking and a fire-knife dance.
A postcard showing the waterfall and stage at The Tahitian Terrace.
For a better idea of the general atmosphere, here is the introduction from the back of the menu:
Welcome to the wondrous realm of Polynesia . . . the Tahitian Terrace! Here Walt Disney has opened wide the portals to an enchant-ing island world across the blue Pacific...a world of romance, beauty, and exciting entertainment!
Towering high above you is an amazing tree, a tree that grew (in less than a year) to a height of 35 feet through a secret formula of Walt Disney and his “imagineers”! The branches of this “species Disney-Dendron” are laden with more than 14, 075 hand-grafted leaves and fiery-colored flowers that bloom perpetually. Today this tree is Disneyland’s second largest of this rare, unnatural species, exceeded only by the Swiss Family Treehouse.
Nestled beneath the tumbling waterfall is a matchless stage setting…a stage whose “curtain” is a cascade of water, and whose “footlights” are a leaping flame of fire burning on the water itself! For your summer evening entertainment, the falls magically draw aside . . . and out from behind the waters, sarong-clad natives appear to perform the swaying rhythms and amazing rituals of the islands . . . the hypnotic bare-foot fire walk and thrilling fire-knife dance, and the traditional grass-skirted “twist” of Samoa, Tahiti and Hawaii. (The dedicated student will note how the story-telling technique varies from island to island . . . here a hip movement, there the entire torso.)
This unique amphitheater, Disneyland’s Tahitian Terrace, is open on Summer afternoons for your dining pleasure, and every Summer evening, for dining and Polynesian shows. Sunday evening, dining only.
The Tahitian Terrace was open from 1962-1993, a thirty-one year run!
In 1992 Walt Disney Pictures released the animated film Aladdin, which was a hit, scoring over 500 million dollars at the box office, with a budget of 28 million. The soundtrack won multiple awards, including two Golden Globes. When Aladdin was released on VHS on October 1, 1993, it sold over 10.6 copies in its first weekend. By 1994, the VHS had sold over 25 million units total. While The Tahitian Terrace sounds breathtaking, you can see why Disney would have wanted to continue to ride out that success, by utilizing the IP in the parks.
In 1993, Aladdin’s Oasis opened, it featured dining and a stage show, telling the story of the recently released film. Entering through the foyer, guests would enter into a jungle garden featuring the cave of wonders. However, the show wouldn’t last long, and was discontinued in 1995, although the restaurant remained open. In 1996, the area was usually closed, but was consistently open in 1997, and featured Kazoo the story teller, who told the story from the film, Aladdin, with help from Jasmine and Aladdin himself.
In more recent years, the area has only been open to host special events and experiences, such as the Indiana Jones stunt show in 2008, and Fantasmic! and Paint the Night dinging packages. It’s hard to understand how Disney could have spent so many years underutilizing this prime real estate, especially in such a small, yet crowded area of the park.
Back in December rumors began that Disney would be making the area into something new! Disney had filed for permits indicating a “dining conversion,” as well as bathroom renovations, and the removal of an exterior wall. In February of this year, we received an official announcement: The area would be called The Tropical Hideaway.
“Welcome to our tropical hideaway, you lucky people you!”
However, our information has been limited to the statements made in The Disney Parks Blog.
“This one of a kind destination will be a popular rest stop for Adventureland locals and weary explorers alike. Guests will be able to rub elbows with their favorite skippers in an exotic traders’ market, featuring all the sights, sounds, and flavors of the tropics.”
That sounds great! But it doesn’t answer a lot of questions. The Disney Food Blog offered up a little more information, telling us that it wouldn’t be a full dining experience with table service (nor would alcohol be available.) More clues can be gleaned from the released concept art. The dining area will be opened, providing a view of the Jungle Cruise boats as they float by. The stage simply isn’t there, so it is unlikely that Disney will be giving us a new stage show.
I’ll be sure to share any and all updates with you all when I hear them! What do you think so far? Are you excited for The Tropical Hideaway? For some new corny jokes on the Jungle Cruise? Or do you think Disney won’t be matching the success of the Tahitian Terrace? Let me know in the comments below, or at mainstreettelegraph@gmail.com, and I’ll be more than happy to read it on the show!
