Adventureland opened small and didn’t expand much

Image: DisneyThe other commonality of these two iterations of Adventureland is that they were sparse at the start. Magic Kingdom’s version debuted with only three attractions: Jungle Cruise, Swiss Family Tree House, and Tropical Serenade (The Enchanted Tiki Room by a different name). That doesn’t sound like much, but it’s three times as many as Disneyland offered. The ONLY Adventureland attraction on opening day in 1955 was Jungle Cruise.

The oddity of Adventureland is that it’s remained sparse throughout its existence. Two years after Magic Kingdom opened, Disney introduced an East Coast version of Pirates of the Caribbean for reasons we’ll discuss in a moment. That ride debuted in 1973. Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland wouldn’t get another new attraction until 2001! And that one is a copycat ride, Magic Carpets of Aladdin, which functionally clones Dumbo the Flying Elephant. As of today, the Aladdin ride is still the newest thing at Adventureland, meaning that Disney’s only added two true rides in 45 years! Adventureland needs more love, Disney.

Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room has a fascinating history

Image: DisneyWhen you think of Stouffer’s foods, you probably think of microwave food that tastes similar to the cardboard box containing it. Had things worked out differently, you might have always associated it with one of the seminal engineering marvels of Disneyland.

As Walt Disney planned the Happiest Place on Earth, he was desperate for cash and always looking to make a deal. He worked out several sponsorships for the various attractions. One that he strongly considered was with Stouffer’s. He wanted to build a restaurant that combined technology and food. Guests would eat as they sat under Audio-Animatronic birds who would entertain them. Yes, The Enchanted Tiki Room in its original version was dinner and a show.

There was just one little problem. Disney worried that their revolutionary new technology was too realistic. Some guests would believe that the birds were real, creating an unpleasant dining experience. After all, would YOU want to eat while you were sitting directly under birds? No, there are *ahem* hygienic issues that would cause problems. For this reason, The Enchanted Tiki Room dropped the dinner part and emphasized the show. It was still the first home to Audio-Animatronics at any theme park in the world, making it historic.

Here there be pirates?

Image: DisneyAs previously discussed, Walt Disney loathed the idea of his Orlando project becoming merely an East Coast version of Disneyland. He viewed the theme park branch of the Florida Project as a moneymaking venture to support the grander ambitions for his Experiment Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Still, he didn’t want to duplicate prior works.

After his death, Imagineers tried to respect that thought process. They chose not to build Pirates of the Caribbean, an important and popular attraction. It was the last one that Uncle Walt worked on, and he even had a special harness system so that he could comfortably mimic the ride experience toward the end of his life. Theme park tourists immediately responded to the Disneyland version, but park planners ultimately decided it wasn’t right for Magic Kingdom.

That decision was a mistake quickly rectified, albeit an understandable one. Disney officials questioned whether the pirate lifestyle would resonate in Florida, where the culture was already well-established. In California, the premise was original. In the Sunshine State, it was derivative. When East Coast residents learned that they wouldn’t have it, however, they revolted. And that’s how Pirates of the Caribbean became the last new ride at Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland from 1973 until 2001.