Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment
A Heapin’ Helpin’ of Horror
JHM columnist Seth Kubersky returns from Tampa with a review of Busch Garden’s “Howl-O-Scream” festivities. Seth also gives us an update on Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights. Have the scares suddenly become scarce at that Central Florida theme park?

Pop quiz: What is the #1 haunted attraction in America?
Wrong!
According to Haunt World Magazine (2002), the answer is Howl-O-Scream at Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay, Florida. At least, that’s what the advertising that has been blanketing Central Florida claims; I can’t find back issues of Haunt World, and there’s no mention of it on their website, so we’ll have to take their word for it.
Busch has been heavily advertising Howl-o-scream (HOS) to the Orlando market this season, positioning their event as an alternative to Universal’s heavily-attended Halloween Horror Nights (HHN). This surprised me, since I’d heard little buzz over the years about HOS. Certainly not enough to make it worth the hour-plus drive, especially when Universal’s HHN is right in my neighborhood. I must admit some bias, since I am a staff alumni of HHN, as readers of my last review know. But the claims of #1 status intrigued me enough to get me on I-4 last Thursday afternoon for a trip to Tampa.
And you know what? They were right!
Busch Gardens’ Howl-o-scream is not as slick or sophisticated as Universal’s event. But in all the important ways, it’s just as much fun, if not more. I had a fine time, and I’d recommend a visit to anyone in the area, as long as you go in with appropriate expectations.
But before I delve into my HOS experience, I’d like to share some thoughts from my return visit to Universal’s HHN. Readers of my earlier review will recall I visited on the first Sunday of the event, and had a great time. I judged it a significant improvement over last year’s event, and rated it a “B+”. Since I have a “Frequent Fear” pass (unlimited off-peak visits), I decided it was time for another look, since the event often changes during its run.
What I encountered on Wednesday evening made me rethink my recommendation of the event. I had assumed that a mid-week visit was my best chance for a low-attendance crowd. Boy, was I wrong. Even with a projected attendance of only 24,000, the park felt more crowded than I found comfortable. Walkways were constantly jammed, destroying any opportunities for walk-around scareactors. The one house I experienced had a 65 minute wait, and it was one of the less crowded houses. I would have considered the Express passes mandatory for first-time visitors on that night, which is probably why their price had been raised to $20. Without those Express passes, it would be impossible for a guest to see all 6 haunted houses before the 12am closing, let alone see shows or ride the roller coasters.
And this was only a Wednesday. I can’t fathom the disappointment of a guest paying full price for a Friday or Saturday night, discovering they’ve paid over $50 to fight maddening crowds and experience one or two attractions.
One thing I did enjoy was seeing the Lizardman. He performs in the Funhouse of Fear queue line, and is a genuine freak (he even has the word tattooed across his chest). He performs classic sideshow feats like sword swallowing, body manipulation, and blockhead tricks. Best of all, it does it with an engaging (and often crude) patter. This is what America is all about, kids, and it was the highlight of my visit.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of my second viewing of the Bill & Ted show. This is not one of the better editions of the show, and I may have been too kind in my first review. The big fight scene is so busy that you are distracted from the fact that the choreography is rather sloppy. Worse, the dancing is uninspired, and kills whatever comic momentum the show builds. People started fleeing the theater as soon and the dance number that occupies the last third of the show began. The friends I was with, first-time visitors to HHN, enjoyed the show, but I wanted to tell them about the sharp satire and big laughs from years past. And one of my favorite bits, involving a Disney cast member trying to deliver a safety spiel, has apparently been cut.
It was with all this in mind that I made the trip to Tampa the next afternoon. I arrived at 4:20 and entered the park a half hour before minutes before the 5pm closing. Once inside, I purchased a HOS upgrade pass ($21), and grabbed a map. Here is where you see the differences between Universal and Busch. Whereas Universal’s map is legible and informative, Busch’s is a mess. Entrances for houses are vague, there’s no indication of what rides are operational, and the scarezone locations aren’t labeled. One nice thing as the houses are given an “intensity” rating of one to five “skulls”, though I didn’t find that to directly correlate to the scariness of the attractions.
The employees weren’t much help either. While all the employees were polite, friendly, and competent at their particular task, they we’re very informed on basic details about the event. Questions to multiple staff members like “where is the nearest haunted house?” or “where am I on the map?” were repeatedly met with “I don’t know”.
For example, I saw a sign mentioning their “Fright Advantage” coupon booklets, similar to Universal’s Express booklets. I went hunting for them, and was bounced among 5 different shops in the main entrance plaza, the last one sending me back to the first. I finally went to guest services. The gentleman was kind enough to walk me to a shop, show me which line to stand in, and point out which staff member to speak to. When I got to the head of the line, I discovered the guy he had pointed out didn’t know what I was talking about, and sent me back to guest services.
At this point I read the flyer guest services had handed me, and just gave up looking for them all together. Universal’s booklets run $15-$20 on an off-peak night, and give you a coupon for every house, ride, and show in the park. Busch’s are $20 ($15 if bought in advance) but only give you front-of-the-line passes for 4 of the 6 houses. You also get a pass for one of the three roller coasters, and some modest discounts on concessions. As it turned out, there was no need for the booklet, and I never saw any being sold or used during the night.
I had just enough time before closing to ride Kumba a few times. This is the most underappreciated roller-coaster in Florida. Upstarts like Hulk and Kraken may get more buzz, and its park-mates Gwazi and Montu get more advertising play. But Kumba may be, second by second, the best of all of them. It doesn’t have Hulk’s dramatic takeoff, but you get a great view from the lift hill, and unlike Hulk it is intense and relentlessly paced from the first drop to the final brake run. It is perfectly integrated into the landscape, with tunnels and closely planted palms. I was able to ride three times before they kicked us off, and could have happily gone again. Gwazi, Montu, and most of the “spin & puke” rides were also open throughout the event, with modest waits. The roller coasters are some of the best in the country, and are well worth riding, especially in the dark.
At 5pm I discovered another big difference between Universal and Busch – how they handle the in-between guests. At Universal they treated like people who have spent a lot of money on both day and evening tickets (or valued annual passholders) deserve to, and are given perks. While they are necessarily confined to one area while the park is swept of day guests, they are given food, shopping, and attractions while they wait. More importantly, they are guaranteed early entry to at least one haunted house. This waiting period usually run less than 90 minutes.
Busch, on the other hand, shut down at 5pm with a vengeance. Those of us who were inside the “Timbuktu” area before 5pm were locked down with no food or drink to buy, no air conditioned place to sit, and no attractions operating. Just outside the entrance to the plaza we were trapped in was a crowd of other day-and-night guests who had been caught outside the neutral zone after 5pm. They were held standing in the sun, clutching their passes, waiting for someone or other to give the signal to allow them in. I know they were out there for at least half an hour, and for all I know they might still be there.
After exploring the architectural charms of the dormant Timbuktu plaza (total time: 6 minutes), I tried asking cast members if they had any idea when there would be anything for us to do or buy. “Nothing until 7:30” was the most popular answer, followed by a bored shrug. I finally found a manager who said there might be something open soon, but that all the houses and rides would be closed until 7:30.
Finally, after an hour of waiting, the area began to show signs of life. While the air-conditioned restaurant and larger snack bar remained closed, the smaller snack bar opened and was quickly swamped. Frightened by the look of the corn dogs, I went with the only other option, the slightly-less-scary chicken fingers. For my $10, I got a basket of limp fries, a small cup of lemonade so tart it made my eyes roll back, and the worst chicken fingers I’ve ever tasted. You couldn’t even buy a beer, which I think would be unconstitutional in an Anheuser-Busch park. Not a good way to start the evening, especially since Busch usually has the best food of all the major theme parks.
Finally, at 6:40pm, after an hour and 40 minutes sitting outside, the “Haunted Lighthouse” attraction opened. This “4D” movie, based to the kiddie-horror books by R. L. Stein, is housed in the former dolphin show arena. How they got a very good horror director (Joe Dante) and very funny actors (Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean) to make a movie that wasn’t the least bit scary or funny is beyond me. This is a 22 minute waste of time that recycles every gag from every other 3D movie, does it badly, and then does it again until you’re bored. The 3D is weak, with a distracting shimmering effect, and isn’t as nearly as convincing as “Shrek 4D” or “Philharmagic.” The plot is thin and uninteresting, the adult actors are given nothing to do, and even Weird Al seems embarrassed. Worst of all, the water effects are unpleasantly overdone, and it’s no fun to tromp through haunted houses in damp clothes. This attraction made me long for Williamsburg’s departed “Haunts of the Olde Country”, which should give you an idea just how bad “Haunted Lighthouse” is.
Finally, at about quarter past 7, the haunted houses started opening up. There was no communication with the guests as to what was open or where we could go. I just discovered that the barrier to a house entrance had been removed. The attendant casually informed me that “everything” was now open, and that I could go in. In reality, the total time I was left waiting was less than 2 hours, and it didn’t kill me. But it bothered me to see such poor communication with guests. If nothing else, we were a captive audience that could have been marketed to. Universal recognizes that these guests will spend more and stay later if treated well, and I wish Busch had picked up on that. Most importantly, they need to train their employees to communicate effectively with guests, and give accurate and consistent information.
But you know what? All these minor gripes and distractions melted away once the event got rolling. After two hours of aggravation and boredom, I was in the perfect mood to criticize the rest of the evening, but I just had too much fun.
Haunted Houses
A Halloween event lives and dies by its haunted houses, and in this Busch does not disappoint. You need to know up front that the production values in the houses, like everything else in the park, are not up to the high standard that Universal sets. While the houses are all large, creative, and well-constructed, they are not nearly as elaborate or detailed. Artistic details of lighting, sound, and scenic decoration are noticeably less refined, though still effective. There are few of the special effects and mechanical gags that Universal does so well. Gore is less prominent (though neither attraction is particularly bloody) and the severed heads and mutilated bodies that are there are obviously store-bought. Makeup and masks on the actors are also less elaborate, though this is an area Universal has also slipped in the last few years. Overall, finer points of story and theming, while a cut above your local neighborhood haunted house, suffer in comparison to Universal’s bigger budget event.
To be honest, these aren’t deficits that the average visitor will ever notice. Haunted house connoisseurs will notice the cruder designs and less elaborate effects. The other 99% of guests will be too busy being scared. It seems Busch has taken some of the money that would have been spent on sets and props, and spent them on actors instead. Though their houses are, on average, about the same size as Universal’s, it felt like they were much more populated. A room that would have one scareactor at Universal had two or even three at Busch. I wasn’t able to make a scientific count, but the effect was a more constant barrage of live scares. Again, the actors might not be as elaborately made-up or thoroughly directed, but there are lots of them, and they perform with as much energy and enthusiasm as any at Universal.
The other difference from Universal that every guest will notice is even more important: Busch pulses. Universal’s HHN has become so popular that crowds overwhelm the houses, even on off-peak nights. Lines quickly exeede and hour, and the only way to keep them moving is to send a steady stream of guests though the houses. This destroys the sense of isolation that is key to effective scares.
Busch, on the other hand, is much better able to handle the smaller crowds that attend their event. The difference between the two parks was like night and day: while the crowds at Universal on Wednesday were so uncomfortable that I left after one house, Busch on Thursday felt practically empty. I was able to experience every house in the park (half of them twice), three shows, and a couple roller coasters, all before 10:30pm. None of the houses had more than a 15 minute wait during my visit, and most were much less.
Best of all, the smaller crowds allow Busch to pulse small groups through the houses, with brief gaps between groups. This makes for a much more intimate experience, and actors can time their scares better without fear of giving their position away to the next group. This alone elevates the houses above whatever budget limitations they might suffer from. As a guy who has worked in many a haunted house, the highest compliment I can give is to say that more than one of Busch’s actors “got” me, something I cannot say about my 2 trips to this year’s HHN.
Interestingly, several of Busch’s houses use very similar themes to HHN’s houses, so you can do an apples-to-apples comparison between the two events. Here is a brief summary of each house:
Tortured: This was the first house I visited, and the most generic. It is a fairly standard haunted dungeon, with the usual assortment of gothic torture devices. Lighting is poor, and there is no real sense of space, probably because the entire house is contained in the area usually used for the bumper cars. Still, the actors were well-hidden and aggressive, and there was no wait. The least of the houses, on the level of one you’d find in most towns this time of year. Grade: C
Ripper Row: This is more like it. Based loosely on Jack the Ripper, this house takes you through a series of Victorian London environments, from city streets to a barn (nice use of hay smell) to a park and a slaughterhouse. Simple but effective theming, some well-disguised boo-holes, and an energetic cast make this one a winner. The only thing that hurts it is being a little too short. Grade: B
Dark Heart’s Fear Fair: Like Universal’s “Funhouse of Fear”, this is a circus-themed house. Unlike Universal’s house, this one uses a wide variety of indoor and outdoor environments. It begins with a disorienting spinning tunnel, always a favorite of mine, and takes you though a series of freak sideshows and demented carnival games. There are mirror mazes, a strobe-lit shooting gallery, clowns on bungie cords, and even an opera performance. Best of all, there are multiple points at which the path diverges, with significant differences between the two sides, making this perfect for a second walk-though. Grade: A-
The Mortuary: Much like HHN’s “Screamhouse”, this is styled as a Southern gothic funeral home. A mortician/preacher regales the queue with a creepy revivalist patter, setting the mood perfectly. Inside is the usual succession of coffins, autopsy rooms, and crematoria, concluding in a trip through the underworld. Though not nearly as detailed as Universal’s version, it is a very large house with lots of effective scares and, again, a large and enthusiastic cast. Grade: A-
Escape From Insanity – Resident’s Revenge: This house is directly analogous to “PsychoScarapy”, the highlight of this year’s HHN, and nearly gives that house a run for it’s money. It doesn’t have the amazingly detailed sights (or smells) of Universal’s house, or it’s extremely creative actors. But it is just as effective in it’s own way, and exceptionally long. There are some great moments, like a hallway covered in bugs, and plenty of actors, including a very disturbing drag queen who greets you. The downfall of this house is that much of the final third feels unfinished. After a series of well-designed sets depicting the inside of an asylum, you come to a very long stretch of unthemed black hallways with no actors to speak of. Perhaps they ran out of budget, but it’s a shame that the excellence of the first part of the house is followed with such an uninspired finale. Grade: B+
Demented Dimensions: This house is also similar to HHN’s “Funhouse of Fear”, in that it combines bright colors, black light, and prismatic 3D glasses. It is also the most elaborate house scenically, with huge fluorescent murals covering every surface. This house will make you feel like you took the brown acid. It isn’t particularly scary, but it is trippier than anything this side of “The Cat in the Hat”, and a whole lot of fun. I only wish it could have been twice as long. Grade: B+
Scarezones: Universal themes each island at HHN with scenic pieces and scareactors. They are more successful in some islands (Jurassic Park, Toon Lagoon) than in others (Marvel, Seuss). Busch Gardens is far too large to theme every area, so instead they have designated 5 “scarezones”, much as Universal used to at USF. These scarezones are like miniature outdoors haunted houses, themed side paths that can be explored or avoided at the guest’s discretion. They combine set pieces, lighting, fog, and hidden actors to create some great scares (and photo ops). I especially liked the “Grisly Gardens” with moving shrubs and living statues, and the “Agony Express” filled with undead train conductors and tortured passengers. Grade: B
Shows
As a former employee (and current fan) of Universal’s entertainment department, it kills me to say this: Busch has them beat this year. HHN’s “Bill & Ted” show, once worth the price of admission by itself, has grown stale. Infestation is a waste of time, and is standing room only. The old days, when there would be an illusionist or hypnotist in one stadium and a musical revue at the main stage, are long gone. Busch, on the other hand, presents two fun (if corny) shows with comfortable seating, an amusing outdoor show, and a number of interactive DJs and street dancers. Like the houses, Busch’s shows don’t have Universal’s production values, and they’re not big on sophisticated satire or postmodern pop-culture deconstruction. What they do have is talented, enthusiastic performers, dance routines that don’t wear out their welcome, and a good dose of creepy-funny Halloween spirit.
“Eternal Reward”: This show is performed inside the air-conditioned Haunted Grill restaurant, so you can grab a sandwich and a beer while you watch the show. The plot is simple: four characters gather for the reading of the late relative’s will, and the audience decides which one is guilty of murdering the deceased. The black widow sings the “Cell Block Tango” from Chicago, the son does a boy-band medley, the mistress lip-synchs to some Britney, and the stoner uncle jams to some classic rock. In the end, the audience votes by applause for one of the four to be tastefully disembowled. The music is a mix of live singing and tracking, the dancing is Vegas-lite but energetic, and the show moves at a zippy pace. Bonus points for using a song from the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” musical. Grade: B+
“Fiends”: Dr. Freakinstein and Igor (“it’s pronounced Eye-gore”) build some monsters and throw a party in this song-and-dance answer to Universal’s Beetlejuice show. The characters are unlicensed, so the creature makeup is crude, the illusions are simple, and the jokes were old when Abbot and Costello were in vaudeville. But the dancers are athletic, the choreography is acrobatic, and the girls are great eye candy. Bonus points for gratuitous use of the “Time Warp”, along with a good mix of Motown, disco, and 80’s pop. Everyone on stage looks like they’re having a great time, and the audience was too. Grade: A-
“Theatre De La Morte”: This brief open-air show, performed near the “Escape from Insanity” house, is a “re-enactment” of an 18th century witch trial. After an over-long setup involving a flower girl hawking souvenirs, and warlock is dragged on stage and asked to recant his sins. The ensuing mayhem, involving a decapitation, resurrection, and disappearance, uses simple illusions and pyrotechnics. I found it amusing, especially the knot of teenagers behind me who seemed determined to create a “Rocky Horror” -style call-and-response to the show. Worth seeing if you’re nearby when the show is about to start. Grade: B-
Final Grades:
Universal’s HHN (revised grade after 2 visits): B
Busch Garden’s HOS: B+
Busch Gardens has done what I would have thought impossible – they beat Universal at their own game. For the most part, Universal is a victim of their own success. HHN has become so popular that the heavy crowds hurt the guest experience on all but the slowest nights. This is exacerbated by the move to IOA, which handles large crowds much less efficiently than USF did. All the elaborate decor and expensive effects in the houses mean nothing if you have to wait hours and hours to see them.
Busch, on the other hand, has the blessings of size and lower attendance. They might not have the Hollywood-quality scenic designs, but they have plenty of thrills and chills. Maybe in a few years, when word of mouth spreads, Busch’s HOS will become as overrun as HHN. Until then, it offers the better value for those in the area looking for tricks and treats. I’m just glad they’re both in my backyard, so I don’t have to choose!
Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment
From Aladdin to Indy – How Did We Get an Indiana Jones Stage Show at Disneyland?

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Be sure to check out Part One: How Did We Get “Aladdin’s Oasis” at Disneyland?
The Tahitian Terrace – a Polynesian-themed restaurant which had operated in the Adventureland section of Disneyland Park for 30 years – was shut down in the Spring of 1993 to “ … make way for Prince Ali.”
“Aladdin’s Oasis” (the dinner adventure) only operated for 14 months. This show closed in August of 1994.
“Aladdin’s Oasis – The Restaurant”
Just to clarify here, though. The “Aladdin’s Oasis” show closed after a brief 14 month run. But because the Park had spent so much money building this new Adventureland restaurant (Remember it had been a rush job – going from concept to throwing open its doors in just 5 months – on Michael Eisner’s expressed orders) … That – in an effort to recover some of that money – “Aladdin’s Oasis” (in 1995) re-opened as just a restaurant in Adventureland that didn’t offer a show. People oohed & aahed at all the exquisite detail inside (the in-laid ceramic tiles in the floor. That 15 foot-tall tiger’s head that sat at the center of the stage at the front of this restaurant. FYI: This served as the Cave of Wonders in the “Aladdin’s Oasis” show).
This Adventureland restaurant was admittedly a beautiful venue. But Disneyland visitors in the mid-1990s weren’t all that adventurous. At least when it came to food. And a restaurant that served Americanized Middle Eastern fare had trouble attracting customers back then. Which is why the only-a-restaurant version of “Aladdin’s Oasis” closed in 1995.
The way theme parks operate financially … Well, Disneyland couldn’t just tear “Aladdin’s Oasis” down and start anew. They’d spent far too much money building the thing. Strictly for tax purposes, this big chunk of Adventureland real estate now had to just sit there, empty as it depreciated.
“Storytime with Aladdin & Jasmine”
Disneyland would periodically try & find other uses for this space. For a time, there was a “Storytime with Aladdin & Jasmine” show staged inside of this now vacant restaurant. Two Cast Members dressed as Aladdin & Jasmine would first tell the story of the “Aladdin” movie. Then – as this show’s finale – the Cave of Wonders would suddenly come roaring to life. And – in a puff of smoke – the Genie would magically appear by leaping out of this giant stone tiger’s open mouth. And then … Well, it was time for the Guests to line-up and get their picture taken with these three characters from “Aladdin.” Maybe grab an autograph or two.
But “Storytime with Aladdin & Jasmine” was only presented at the Park on a seasonal basis. Only during those times of year that Disneyland was busiest. For the most part, this Adventureland eatery stood empty for the better part of a decade. Until word came from Lucasfilm in 2007 that they were about to begin production of a new “Indiana Jones” film.
Indiana Jones Back in Theaters and Promotion at Disneyland
Given that the previous “Indiana Jones” film (i.e., the third in the series, “Last Crusade”) had come out back in May of 1989 … To finally be getting a new “Indy” film after 18 years was a very big deal.
FYI: The gap between the release of the fourth film in the series (i.e, 2008’s “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” and “Indy” film No. 5 (i.e., 2023’s “Dial of Destiny”) is almost as long. 15 years & change.
Given that Disneyland obviously had its “Indiana Jones Adventureland” attraction (which opened in March of 1995) … Well, they saw the upcoming release of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” as a synergistic opportunity. So Disney reached out to Lucasfilm and proposed a bit of cross promotion that would involve Disneyland Park.
Just to be clear here: This was back in late 2007 / early 2008. The Walt Disney Company’s acquisition of Lucasfilm wouldn’t happen ‘til October of 2012. That’s more than 4 years off in the future.
Translation: It was Lucasfilm – with the highly anticipated movie that Disney now wanted to capitalize on — that had all of the power in this situation. NOT the Mouse. Keep that in mind as we move ahead with our story here.
“Indiana Jones and the Secret of the Stone Tiger” – Disneyland Show
Anyway … In March of 2008, Disneyland announces that it will be holding auditions for a new show that will soon be presented in the Adventureland section of that theme park. They’re looking for performers with stage combat experience to fill the following roles:
- Indiana Jones: Male, 40’s; a rugged adventurer, great physical shape; can play drama, toss off comic lines and throw a punch all with equal ability; must interact well with children.
- An archaeologist: Female, late 20’searly 40’s; English accent; starts out kind and helpful but eventually reveals a villainous side; will interact with children and lead them through a series of activities.
- The Bad Guy: Male; imposing stature; physical agility and stamina a must; pursues Indiana Jones through the crowded streets of Adventureland, ending in a series of balcony and rooftop confrontations.
This supposedly kid-friendly attraction – which goes by the name “Indiana Jones and the Secret of the Stone Tiger” – is supposed to be alive-action adventure that will be staged several times a day all over Adventureland. The idea here is that – over the Summer of 2008 (coming right on the heels of the theatrical release of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” In fact, this new show at Disneyland would begin presenting performances at that Park on the very same day “Indiana Jones 4” was released to theaters. Which – again – was May 22, 2008) – Disneyland Guests could join Doctor Jones and solve mysteries, battle evil villains and uncover ancient mysteries.

On paper, this three month-long cross promotion (which – because it was only going to held at Disneyland over that theme park’s Summer months – went by the title of “Indiana Jones Summer of Hidden Mysteries”) was a great idea. In their heart of hearts, the Entertainment team at Disneyland Park was hoping that the centerpiece of this three month-long seasonal event (That would be the “Indiana Jones and the Secret of the Stone Tiger” show. Which we’ll get to in a moment) would be such an enormous success that they’d then be able to turn this kid-friendly show into a permanent attraction at Disneyland Park.
Indiana Jones Themed “Jedi Training Academy”
Let me explain what was really going on here: Disneyland’s Entertainment team was hoping that they’d be able to turn the “Indiana Jones and the Secret of the Stone Tiger” show (which – given its title – was obviously going to be staged inside of the now-empty “Aladdin’s Oasis” with that 15-foot-tall version of the Cave of Wonders serving as the centerpiece of this show) into another “Jedi Training Academy” -like show.
Just so you know: The “Jedi Training Academy” started out as a kid-friendly offering at the very first “Star Wars Weekend” at Disney-MGM in February of 1997. This show was so hugely popular with the under-10 crowd that it was eventually pulled out of this seasonal event at the Parks and turned into an audience-participation experience that was then offered multiple times at Disney’s Hollywood Studios as well as out in Anaheim at Disneyland Park.
Anyway … That was the template that Disneyland’s Entertainment team was using. The Jedi Training Academy. So what they were shooting for here was a 15-minute-long audience participation experience themed around the adventures of Indiana Jones that could then be presented inside of the old “Aladdin’s Oasis” restaurant.
Again, a great idea on paper. But harder to pull off in the real world then you might think.
“The Secret of the Stone Tiger” Stage Show Premise
Why? Okay. The villain in the “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” was Irina Spalko, a Soviet scientist played by Cate Blanchett.
So to keep some sort of continuity between the “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” movie and “The Secret of the Stone Tiger” stage show, it was decided that the villain of this kid-friendly audience participation show at Disneyland Park would also be a female.
Okay. So this 15-minute-long show would start out with a Doctor Rachel Flannery standing in front of the Cave of Wonders inside of the old “Aladdin’s Oasis” restaurant. Only – according to Rachel – these supposedly long-abandoned ruins were now the Bengalese temple of Sherdil, the tiger-god.
As Dr. Flannery explains, Indiana Jones had recently rediscovered this temple and gone inside. Indy was supposedly searching for the Golden Rod of Sherdil, an ancient object which is rumored to have great mystical power. But it had now been days since anyone had last seen Doctor Jones.
Anyway … Rachel recruits the help of the kids in the audience. And by using various clues scattered around “Aladdin’s Oasis,” they figure out how to re-open the now-sealed temple of Sherdil. Whereupon Indiana Jones comes stumbling out of the Stone Tiger’s mouth clutching the Golden Rod of Sherdil.
As Indy is thanking the kids in the audience for getting him out of that sealed ancient temple, he puts down the Golden Rod of Sherdil. Dr. Flannery now picks it up and seemingly suddenly gets possessed by the demonic spirit of Kartikeya, the Hindu God of War.
Just a quick reminder here: “Indiana Jones and the Secret of the Stone Tiger” is supposed to be a kid-friendly audience participation show for the under 10 set.
Indy now realizes that Doctor Flannery is holding the Golden Rod of Sherdil and is possessed by Kartikeya, the Hindu God of War. He first tries to wrestle this ancient artifacts out of her hands, but Rachel (because she’s possessed by the Hindu God of War) is super-powerful. She punches Indy a few times, so he punches her back.

Stage Show Complaints
It was at this point that the mothers of Orange County got upset. That’s a man beating up a woman in a show at Disneyland. To which the Entertainment team at that theme park said “Actually, no. That’s Indiana Jones battling with an fellow archaeologist who’s just been possessed by Kartikeya, the super-powerful Hindu God of War. Indy’s battling with a female character, just like he does in ‘Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.’ Which just opened at a theater near you.”
That explanation didn’t matter. The mothers of Orange County were outraged. They marched en masse to Disneyland’s Guest Relations Department to lodge their complaints. Which is why – just days after the “Indiana Jones and the Secret of the Stone Tiger” show opened at that theme park, in an interview with the Orange County Register – Disneyland’s PR team announced that “Secret of the Stone Tiger” would now be altered. Indiana Jones would no longer throw direct punches at the woman character (Doctor Flannery) in this supposedly kid-friendly show, he would simply dodge.
And speaking of dodging … What also upset the mothers of Orange County (as well as a significant number of Disneyland Guests) was … Well, in the agreement that Disney had cut with Lucasfilm to have the Indiana Jones character appear at that theme park during “The Summer of Hidden Mysteries,” the Cast Member playing Indy was not allowed to meet with park guests in your typical meet-and-greet format. This meant that no one came away with a photo of or an autograph from their favorite archaeologist.
This meant that a lot of little kids walked away from the “Indiana Jones and the Secret of the Stone Tiger” show in tears. Not because Indy beat up the lady. But because Dr. Jones wouldn’t sign their autograph book.
Irony here: Remember that scene in “The Last Crusade” where Indy accidentally bumps into Adolph Hitler at a book-burning rally. And the Fuhrer then signs Doctor Henry Jones, Str’s grail diary.
So sure. Adolph Hitler gives autographs. But not Indiana Jones.
Fate of “The Secret of the Stone Tiger” and “Aladdin’s Oasis” – Disneyland “Tropical Hideaway”
This is why the “Indiana Jones and the Secret of the Stone Tiger” show didn’t become the next Jedi Training Academy. By the Fall of 2008, the only Indy-related things that was left in Adventureland was the “Temple of the Forbidden Eye.”
More to the point, this is why – some ten years later (after “Aladdin’s Oasis” had experienced enough depreciation that it could now be taken off of Disneyland’s books) – this long-empty Adventureland venue was torn down in early 2018 and then turned into the “Tropical Hideaway.” Which soft-opened in December of that same year.
Kind of appropriate that this new Adventureland eatery soft-opened. Because they serve several different types of Dole Whip here. Along with Bao Buns & Sticky Pork.
Full circle. Kind of back to what the Tahitian Terrace offered.
Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment
How Did We Get “Aladdin’s Oasis” at Disneyland?

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Disneyland had what it thought was a solid expansion plan for the early 1990s.
- “Fantasmic!” – this theme park’s new nighttime show – would open in May of 1992.
- Then – in January of 1993 – Mickey’s Toontown (Disneyland’s first new “land” in over 20 years) would open just seven months later at the very back of the Park.
- A year after that (January of 1994), Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin would throw open its doors
- And then – 15 months after that (May of 1995) – the Indiana Jones Adventure come online at this theme park.
This plan meant that – for four years – Disneyland Park would have something new to help drive up attendance levels. Which – given that the Happiest Place on Earth relied heavily on the annual visits of millions of Southern Californian locals in order to meet its annual attendance goals – seemed like a great idea. So budgets were approved, schedules were set. Mouse House managers seemed happy.
But then Disney’s “Aladdin” opened in theaters on November 25, 1992.
Success of Disney’s Animated Film “Aladdin”
This hand-drawn animated feature quickly became the highest grossing film of the year. This Ron Clements / John Musker movie also became the very first full-length animated feature to sell over a half a billion worth of tickets worldwide.
More to the point, “Aladdin” turned out to be an attendance driver at Disney-MGM Studio theme park in Florida. When the “Aladdin’s Royal Caravan” parade debuted at that theme park on December 21, 1992 (some four weeks after this film had first bowed in theaters), people lined up along Hollywood Boulevard hours in advance to claim a great viewing spot for this twice-daily presentation.
Likewise the Soundstage Restaurant at that theme park was doing turn-away business for its “Breakfast with Aladdin.” Which did not go unnoticed by the folks back in Burbank.
They turned to the team at Disneyland and said “ … have you seen what’s going on in Orlando with all of the ‘Aladdin’ stuff?” To which Disneyland managers said, “Yes, that’s nice. But have you seen our already scheduled / budgeted expansion plan for the next four years?” To which the folks back in Burbank would say “ … Mr. Eisner really wants to see some stuff in Disneyland that celebrates Aladdin.” To which the people who work in the Team Disney Anaheim building said “Yes, sir. Right away, sir.”
“Aladdin’s Royal Caravan” Parade
The first thing they did was order up a clone of Disney-MGM’s “Aladdin’s Royal Caravan” parade. Even with a rush order, this 5 unit parade (which was supported by a cast of nearly 100 performers) didn’t begin rolling through Disneyland Park ‘til April 2, 1993. Nearly six months after this animated feature first arrived in theaters.

Interesting side note here: Because the parade route at Disneyland is so much longer than the one that runs through Disney-MGM, the Entertainment team in Anaheim decided to expand the cast of their version of the “Aladdin’s Royal Caravan” parade. It featured three new sets of characters:
- peacock girls
- silk maidens
- and harem camels.
Trust me on this, people. You do NOT want to Google “Harem Camels.” This walk-around characters from the “Aladdin’s Royal Caravan” parade will haunt your dreams.
Dining with Aladdin – Transforming Disneyland’s Tahitian Terrace
Which brings us to the food component of today’s story. Because Disneyland really wanted its own “Aladdin” -themed restaurant that would then do the same sort of turn-away business that Disney-MGM’s Soundstage Restaurant was doing with its super-popular “Breakfast with Aladdin” offering.
On a parallel track, the folks who ran the Tahitian Terrace at Disneyland Park (which had first opened back in 1962 and – I’m now quoting from the flyer that they used to hand Guests as they came through the turnstiles at the front of the Park – served “ … unique Polynesian specialties served in an exotic setting bordering the Rivers of the Jungle Cruise”) realized that this Walt-era restaurant really needed some TLC.
By that I mean: The waterfall curtain (This was one of the defining features of this Adventureland eatery. As Guests dined on teriyaki steak and Australian lobster tail, this waterfall curtain would suddenly part. And then performers would come out and spin fire torches or pull people up onstage & teach them to hula) was looking kind of raggedy. And the Park’s Maintenance Team had a sit-down with the Imagineers about how …

“While You’re Fixing the Jungle Cruise, can you….?”
Well, given that the Jungle Cruise was scheduled to undergo a reinvention the following year (The idea was that all of the boats in this Adventureland attaction’s fleet would then lose their signature red & white awnings and then become far grubbier, more beat-up looking. So that Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise and the soon-to-open “Temple of the Forbidden Eye” would then appear to be telling one consistent, cohesive story), the folks in charge of the Tahitian Terrace were like “ … Hey, you’re making all of those changes to the Jungle Cruise next year. While that work is going on, can we please get some guys come by and fix the waterfall curtain at our restaurant? Cause it’s looking kind of raggedy.”
To which the Imagineers replied “We’ve got an even better idea. We’re now going to gut the Tahitian Terrace and turn it into ‘Aladdin’s Oasis.’ Which will feature animatronics & elaborate special effects that happen right at the dining table in front of the Guests and a big cast of performers. And … “
To which the folks in charge of the Tahitian Terrace said “ … We just need the waterfall curtain repaired.”
How Long Did it Take to Build “Aladdin’s Oasis”?
It didn’t matter. After nearly 30 years in operation (and 40,000 performances of the show which was offered with dinner at this Adventureland eatery), Disneyland’s Tahitian Terrace closed on April 17, 1993. Only to then re-opened just three months later as Aladdin’s Oasis.
To say that this was a rush job was putting in mildly. I got to talk with some of the folks who worked construction on this project. They talked about how – on the usual Disneyland restaurant redo – there was typically a full year between when a concept was first developed and when the finished eatery then opened its doors. In the case of “Aladdin’s Oasis,” from the moment where people in Burbank initially suggested this idea to when this new Adventureland restaurant then opened was five months.
Things were moving so fast on this project … Well, they initially didn’t have any finished blueprints on site. So – to get a sense of what an Aladdin-themed restaurant might look like – one of the construction foreman went down to Main Street and purchased a copy of John Culhane’s “Disney’s Aladdin: The Making of an Animated Film” with his own money. The construction team then regularly consulted Culhane’s book when it was crafting props right there onsite.

“Aladdin’s Oasis” Shows and Presentation
The plan here was that “Aladdin’s Oasis” would present eight shows a day starting at 11 a.m. (Three lunch-time performances and then five dinner-time presentations). With the final show getting underway at 10 p.m. every night.
As for the old Tahitian Terrace space with its waterfall curtain, it had been reimagined as this grand Persian Palace which has been built right at the edge of the Rivers that Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise plies. “Aladdin’s Oasis” is – for lack of a better term – a sixth century supper club. 250 people at a time would be seated & then greeted by Kazim, the owner of this now-ornate establishment. Which was now festooned with hanging brass lanterns, colorful canopies and Oriental carpets.
As Guests eyeball the menu (trying to decide if – for their entrée – they’re going to have the chicken shish kabob served with a herb yogurt sauce, the beef shish kabob with ride, or the vegetarian offering), Aladdin suddenly runs into this restaurant clutching a loaf of bread. He’s then pursued by Jafar’s henchmen. And – as these performers race up & down the aisles of this café – they then sing the “One Jump” song for the “Aladdin” film.
That moment pretty much established the style & tone of the show presented in “Aladdin’s Oasis.” It’s not a beat-for-beat recreation of the storyline of that animated feature. But – rather – kind of a greatest hits. With the idea that – whenever possible – the storyline of this sixth century supper club show would then circle back to a food-based moment.
Take – for example – when “Friend Like Me” was performed in this Adventureland eatery. Before this song got underway, Guests were encouraged to rub the magic lamp which was right in the center of their table. It would then begin to smoke. And as the song began, servers would then come out and deliver dessert. Which was a chocolate lamp filled with chocolate mousse and a berry topping.
And did I mention the Audio-Animatronic version of Iago (which Gilbert Gottfried recorded all sorts of new dialogue for?) Or how Jafar actually performed magic tricks onstage, with he & an assistant jamming swords into the top & the sides of a box that Princess Jasmine was supposedly hiding in? Or the ”Three Wishes,” which was this scantily clad trio of girls who belly-danced and often sang back-up for Aladdin & Kazim.
There’s a number of videos of the “Aladdin’s Oasis” show up on YouTube right now. So it’s easy for you to go see how elaborate & ambitious this Disneyland supper club experience once was. What’s not easy to understand is why – even though “Aladdin” was a hit movie (and would then go on – in September of 1993 – to sell millions of VHSs) – why this Adventureland eatery then closed its doors in the late Summer of 1994 (Just 14 months after it first opened).
Was “Aladdin’s Oasis” Successful?
To be blunt, everything at a Disney theme park is considered its own profit center. It has to make a certain regular return-on-investment in order to justify the ongoing cost of staffing the place. And that just wasn’t the case with “Aladdin’s Oasis.”
As it was explained to me … This Disneyland project had been so rushed (in order to make Michael Eisner happy. He reportedly insisted that “Aladdin’s Oasis” had to be up & running at Disneyland Park before the VHS version of “Aladdin” became available for purchase in September of 1993) and the Company has spent so much money getting this sixth century supper club up out of the ground … Well, the only way this place could ever recover its construction costs was if every single seat at all eight seatings every day were filled. And especially during Disneyland’s off-season (when fewer people went to the Park each day. Especially mid-week), that just wasn’t possible.
Disneyland did what it could to boost advance reservations at “Aladdin’s Oasis.” For a time, if you booked a dinner package at this Adventureland eatery, you not only got a reserved viewing spot for the “Aladdin’s Royal Caravan” parade, you also got a prime viewing spot for “Fantasmic!” thrown in for free too.
After “Aladdin’s Oasis”
A few months after the very last presentation of the “Aladdin’s Royal Caravan” parade rolled through Disneyland in June of 1994, “Aladdin’s Oasis” shut its doors over in Adventureland. For a time, the Park’s Entertainment team would use this space for a storytime meet-n-greet experience with Aladdin, Jasmine and the Genie.
More recently, this space along the Rivers that make up Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise was gutted so that the Tropical Hideaway could then be built. This quick service restaurant opened in Adventureland back in December of 2018. Its primary appeal is that you can get a variety of flavors of Dole Whip here, plus Polynesian themed nibblies.
More Supper Club Experiences
Just so you know: The failure of “Aladdin’s Oasis” back in 1993 & 1994 exacted a price. The Imagineers had two other supper club experiences in the works back then. One that was supposed to be built at Disney’s Boardwalk and was supposed to have been Little Mermaid-themed, and another that was supposed to have been built inside of Disney-MGM as part of that theme park’s Sunset Boulevard expansion. That one was supposed to have replicated the South Seas Club from Disney’s June 1991 release, “The Rocketeer.”
Did any of you get to experience “Aladdin’s Oasis” in person? What do you remember of this short-lived dining experience at Disneyland?
Theme Parks & Themed Entertainment
Get Your Hands Dirty with Disney-MGM Studios “Star of the Day” Program

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Not so long ago, we got a query from a “Disney Dish” listener about some of those concrete slabs that Guests can see over at the Theater of the Stars at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. These are the ones that feature the handprints, footprints & signatures of various celebrities. I believe the two slabs that we specifically asked about were the ones for Monty Hall & Bob Denver.
These were done back when Disney-MGM (Now Disney’s Hollywood Studios) used to have a “Star of the Day” program. Which …
Well, to tell this story properly, we really have to go back to when the original Grauman’s Chinese Theater (the building that the Chinese Theater – now home to “Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway” – was modeled after).
Celebrity Handprints in Concrete – Grauman’s Chinese Theater Tradition
This ornate structure was built on the really-for-real Hollywood Boulevard back in the mid-1920s.
Mind you, this massive structure – which originally had seating for 2,200 people inside of one giant theater (but has since been subdivided into six smaller theaters. Which only have seating for 932 people now) – took 18 months to build. And as the story goes, Sid Grauman – the guy who originally funded the construction of Grauman’s Chinese Theater – was taking movie star Norma Talmadge on a tour of this still-under-construction massive movie palace (which cost $2 million to build. A huge sum back in the day).

Anyway … Norma isn’t really watching where she’s walking. And as she’s touring this still-active construction site, Talmadge accidentally steps in some wet cement. Sid – who was already a master showman – looked at Norma’s footprints in that wet cement and immediately saw a promotional opportunity. He leaned over and – right next to Talmadge’s footprints – used his finger to quickly scribble Norma’s name and the date.
And thus a Hollywood tradition was born. Getting your footprints and/or handprints cast in cement so that they could then be displayed in the forecourt of the Chinese Theater. Back in the day, you weren’t really considered a star in Tinsel Town until Sid extended an invitation to you to come on down and do the whole step-in-wet-cement thing with the whole Hollywood press corps looking on. Not to mention all of your adoring fans.
Celebrity Cement Prints at Disney’s Chinese Theater
Okay. So the original Chinese Theater opens in May of 1927. And the clone of this structure that Disney was building in Florida in the late 1980s.
FYI: The Imagineers used the exact same blueprints that Meyer and Holler – an architectural firm that was based in LA – originally drew up for Sid Grauman when they were building a copy of this movie palace to then serve as the central icon [the castle, if you will] of WDW’s third theme park
Well, then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner wanted the forecourt of Florida’s Chinese Theater to be just like the original in Hollywood. Which meant that the Imagineers needed to start collecting celebrities’ signatures in cement ASAP.
The first two modern day stars to be captured in cement for Disney-MGM were TV legend Carol Burnett and Cindy Williams, co-star of 1970s sit-com, “Laverne & Shirley.”
Carol Burnett
Burnett signed her cement block onsite at the still-under-construction Disney-MGM back on June 25, 1988. She was down there then to film “A Conversation with Carol.” Which was one of the very first things to be shot at Disney-MGM. This one-hour-long look back at Burnett’s career was shot inside of the just-completed Soundstage 3. The live audience that attended this taping had to hike across a muddy construction site in order to reach this soundstage. The completed show would then debut on the Disney Channel just two months later and then repeatedly air on that cable channel in the months leading up to the official opening of Disney-MGM.
Cindy Williams
Cindy Williams – on the other hand – did her cement handprint ceremony out in LA on the set of “Save the Dog.” Which was a TV movie that Cindy was shooting for Disney which would eventually air on NBC as part of that network’s “Magical World of Disney” programming block.
Shipping Cement Blocks from California to Walt Disney World
That’s the dirty little secret of the forecourt of the Chinese Theater at Disney-MGM (Now Disney’s Hollywood Studios). Because the Imagineers needed hardened cement blocks with celebrities signatures & handprints & footprints that they could then put into place prior to the official opening of this Studio theme park on May 1, 1989 … A bunch of these were done in advance far away from Florida.
The giveaway is the date. If you see a cement block with a star’s signature that says “1988” (EX: Alan Alda’s block), that was most likely done off-site well ahead of the official opening of this theme park.

Disney-MGM Grand Opening
Mind you, for the actual grand opening of Disney-MGM (a three day-long affair that stretched from April 29th – May 1st), there were celebrities galore on hand. And the Mouse deliberately staged several events in front of the press where multiple stars pressed their hands in wet cements (at the same time, mind you) in front of the cameras.
Among the stars who did this as part of Disney-MGM official grand opening were Bette Midler & Kevin Costner. There were also representatives from Hollywood’s golden age like Mickey Rooney & Ann Miller. Former glamor girls like Lauren Bacall & Audrey Hepburn. Television pioneers like Buffalo Bob of “Howdy Doody” fame, Imogene Coca and Edie Adams. Sitcom stars from the 1960s like Rose Marie & Morey Amsterdam. Not to mention Werner Kempler (Colonel Klink from “Hogan’s Heroes”).
Entertainment legends like Bob Hope & George Burns. Top music stars like Willy Nelson & the Pointer Sisters. Disney Legends by Annette Funicello & Art Linkletter. Not to mention modern day icons like Walter Cronkite, Leonard Nimoy and Dick Van Dyke.
And Disney did their damnedest to capture all of these celebrities’ signatures & handprints & footprints in cement. Which – after they dried & hardened – were then dropped in the forecourt of the Chinese Theater at Disney-MGM.
“Star of the Day” at Disney-MGM
The week that WDW’s third theme park first opened, Disney-MGM then kicked off its “Star of the Day” program. FYI: Annette Funicello officially kicked this program off.
This is the typical schedule that Disney-MGM’s “Star of the Day” program followed (FYI: There were typically two “Stars of the Day” each week at this theme park. One would appear Monday – Thursday. Then the second star would make appearances at Disney-MGM from Friday – Sunday.
Sweet gig. Disney would fly celebrities who’d agreed to part of MGM’s “Star of the Day” program into Orlando. They put these people & their immediate families up at the Grand Flo. Given them free admission to the Parks / assign them a Plaid to make sure that they never waited in line for anything. Comped all of their meals. Their hotel room as well.
All Disney asked in return was three hours of that celebrity’s time each day that they agreed to be a part of MGM’s “Star of the Day” program. They’d be picked up at the Grand Flo each day at Noon and then travel by town car backstage to the Studio theme park. Once there, they’d have a quick hair & make-up session. Then …

“Star of the Day” Celebrity Schedule
This celebrity’s day in the Park would typically kick off at 1 p.m. with a “Star Conversation” in the Theater of the Star (This was back when that outdoor performance venue was located just off of Hollywood Boulevard next to the Brown Derby), where this performer would then answer questions that Guests in the audience of this show would ask. At 2 p.m., it was then time for this celebrity to then ride up Hollywood Boulevard while seated in an open convertible. They’d then take part in a public handprint ceremony that was staged in front of the Chinese Theater and then pose for some pictures out in front of that building.
By 2:30 p.m., this “Star of the Day” was now off the clock. The Plaid that was assigned to them would now run this celebrity back to the Grand Flo and/or take them to wherever their family was playing on property. Like I said earlier, sweet, sweet gig. Basically a free WDW vacation for you & your family in exchange for three hours of being adored by the theme park-going public. What celebrity would say “No” when offered this gig.

FYI: A lot of folks said “Yes” when offered an opportunity to take part in the “Star of the Day” program when Disney-MGM was still relatively new because they themselves were curious about the Park / wanted to check out the Company’s new state-of-the-art soundstages, etc.
We were just talking about people taking pictures of those celebrities out in front of the Chinese Theater pressing their hand into the cement … If you didn’t bring your camera to Disney-MGM and then couldn’t capture an image of this performer in action … Well, if you wanted an official 5 by 7 black & white image of that “Star of the Day,” all you had to do – when you were leaving Disney-MGM for the day – was swing into Guest Relations. They always had a stack of free pile of official images of that day’s “Star” to then give away to Guests there.
Are There Multiple Concrete Slabs with Celebrity Prints?
Yes, I’ve been told by folks who worked at Disney-MGM during the height of that theme park’s “Star of the Day” program (which was largely discontinued in the mid-1990s once Sunset Boulevard & Twilight Zone Tower Terror opened) that – yes – they’d wind up with multiple slabs of hardened concrete with that celebrity’s signature in them.
If a decision was eventually made to install that celebrity’s slab in the forecourt of the Chinese Theater at Disney-MGM, they’d actually gather those three or four cement slabs that this celebrity had signed over their stint as “Star of the Day” at that theme park and then decide which was the best looking slab with the easiest-to-read signature. Some celebrities have horrible handwriting.
If a celebrity really messed up when doing their slab as part of their public handprint ceremony, that one would then be trashed backstage. If they were all good, the multiples were then carefully catalogued and warehoused.

Concrete Slabs at the “Theater of the Stars”
This brings us to Bob Denver & Monty Hall’s cement slabs (The ones on display in the Theater of the Stars). When the decision was made to relocate this performance venue from the edge of Hollywood Boulevard over to Sunset Boulevard when WDW’s third theme park was being expanded in 1993 & 1994 … The decision was made to place the cement blocks of television legends in that space. Which is when the Imagineers went back into the warehouse, pulled out a number of the signed cement blocks that celebrities had done as part of the “Star of the Day” program that weren’t already on display in the Park and … Well, picked the performers with the strongest name recognition AND the best / clearest handwriting.
Quick note to Mr. Iger: You’ve got a warehouse full of cement blocks with celebrities’ signatures on them. Many of these folks were screen & television legends that are no longer with us. If I were Bob, I’d reach out to Van Eaton and hire them to auction some of those suckers off.
Experiencing the “Star of the Day” Program
I was there for the press opening of Disney-MGM (34+ years ago). Almost got a broken neck from my head constantly whipping around at all the celebrities who were there in the Park for this event. People like Rick Moranis & Jim Varney. Three of the four “Golden Girls” (Betty White, Rue McClanahan & Estelle Getty). Comedy legends like Steve Allen & Tony Randall. Disney Legends like Jimmy McDonald (Got all sorts of stories from him about working with Walt as part of an interview I did with him at the event. Really need to dig out that tape at some point). Likewise Charles Fleisher, the voice of Roger Rabbit (Very funny guy. Kind of crazy, though).
If you want to get a sense of who actually took part in Disney-MGM’s “Star of the Day” program (because not all of those cement blocks with celebrity signatures wound up being displayed in the forecourt of the Chinese Theater or over in the Theater of the Stars off Sunset), go to Mama Melrose. There – in the waiting area of that Muppets Courtyard restaurant – you’ll see dozens of those black & white 5 & 7 images that I was telling about. Those cards that Guest Relations used to give away of the “Stars of the Day.”
This article is based on research for The Disney Dish Podcast “Episode 426”, published on May 8, 2023. The Disney Dish Podcast is part of the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network.
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