Before the Birds Sang Words

by Ken Bruce

The result of of more than a decade of meticulous research, Before the Birds Sang Words is a scholarly, fascinating and playful deep dive into the creation of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, the timeless Audio-Animatronic musical revue that’s been delighting Disneyland audiences for over sixty years. Detailing not only the genesis and evolution of the revolutionary attraction, this is a story that also explores the contributing influences and passions of the man who spearheaded it—in turn becoming one of Walt Disney’s most personal projects. Full of set backs and surprises, the tale of the Tiki Room began long before an army of marauding pirates, grinning ghosts or singing dolls set up shop at Disneyland. In fact, the seeds for the world’s most famous tropical hideaway were planted well before Disneyland, before Mickey Mouse, before even Walt himself. With a foreword by writer-director Brad Bird, Before the Birds Sang Words is quite the story. For those ready to take the flight—you lucky people, you! "Masterful in its execution, and likely the best written work on the development of a theme park attraction ever attempted. Run, don’t walk to pick this one up," writes Imagineer and historian Christopher Merritt. Applause! Applause! This truly is THE book I've waited my entire life to read," adds Disney Parks Collectibles designer Kevin Kidney. "It's such an enlightening read. I cannot recommend it highly enough."

Genres: Nonfiction, History

396 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2023

Reviews

[Kevidently · Rating 5 out of 5]

For such a quaint attraction, the Enchanted Tiki Room was a groundbreaking blockbuster in its day. When it first opened, no one had ever seen anything like it. Birds were singing calypso! Flowers were singing in Hawaiian! The very walls were coming to life! The attraction, a favorite of Disneyland parkgoers for half a century, came to its current form after years of painstaking trial and error, sponsorships coming and going, assistance from a government missile system, and more. The creative talents of designers, actors, singers, artists, and technicians came together to bring Walt Disney's astounding (and ever-shifting) vision to life, and Ken Bruce's book delves into every aspect of that vision. From deep dives into Disney histories, making tech advancements accessible and exciting, and maintaining a reverence for tradition while also understanding the limitations and preconceptions of the time period, Bruce delivers an exhaustive and thrilling book on one of the best theme park experiences of all time.

[Emily Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as the July 2024 selection for my podcast, Book of the Mouse Club (a book club podcast dedicated to Disney themed books). You can find the show wherever you get your podcasts. Listen to episode #104 where my co host and I interview the author, Ken Bruce, about his very detailed history of the iconic attraction, Walt Disney’s The Enchanted Tiki Room.

[Daniel Butcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

From BetweenDisney.com

I have to beg the Between Kid to enter Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room in the Magic Kingdom! Maybe it takes a Dole Whip to get him to agree to enter. Maybe I just have to demand a break in the AC. Cearly, singing colorful birds doesn’t excite him. Now, Pirates of the Caribbean, he can ride all day! And what’s sad about this situation is that José is essential to the story of Jack Sparrow, Elsa, Mr. Potato Head, and Hondo Ohnaka when we see them in the parks today.

Before the Birds Sang Words by Ken Bruce outlines the long, and we mean long, saga of the Disneyland Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. While the attraction may have opened in 1963, Bruce ties the origins of the singing bird attraction not in just the popular tale of the New Orleans bird toy that Walt Disney brought to Imagineering, but even earlier to the astronomical clock in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg in Alsace, France. The 60-foot clock was created in 1354 and seen by Walt as a young Red Cross volunteer and an American businessman visiting France in the 1930s. Bruce uses the clock as a foundation from which he builds intersecting histories of mechanical toys, American views on Tiki and Polynesian culture, and Walt Disney’s development of the American theme park as seen through Disneyland. With Disneyland established, and his gift of a mechanical bird to Imagineering, Disney charged his artists to develop a bird restaurant. This challenge would lead to a ten-year development cycle that includes some of Disney’s most respected artists including John Hench, Marc Davis, Rolly Crump, the Sherman Brothers, Harriet Burns, and numerous other Disney Legends who participated in the evolution of a planned restaurant to a higher-capacity singing bird show. Bruce provides a comprehensive view of the show's development discussing Disneyland food service (can we talk about Stouffer’s Foods friends), Audio-Animatronic development, show scripting, building layout, song selection, recording, and virtually any topic of relevance to the show. Bruce finishes with a discussion of the evolution of the Disneyland attraction and its duplication in other parks like Walt Disney World.

I really enjoyed Before the Birds Sang Words. It is well-organized, well-written, and engaging. As someone who is not in food service, if you had told me that I would be fascinated by a chapter discussing Stouffer’s Foods I would have loudly said that would not happen. But in the big picture of Disneyland and Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, this one small detail matters for understanding the relationship between leasees in Disneyland and why Walt Disney moved away from their large role in the park. The quality of the book and its definitive coverage of the attraction is surprising to me due to the fact it’s not a Disney Press edition yet it meets or exceeds the qualities of that press.

I called this story a saga, and it really is. The short story us Disney fans tell is that Walt Disney wanted a bird restaurant, Walt Disney realized that the birds were above the food, and he moved to an attraction. No, this is a ten-year development where technology changed, capacity was better understood, and Tiki culture grew in popularity. What’s also interesting to me is that honestly no one seems to have gotten what they wanted. Marc Davis designs were rejected, along with Rolly Crump’s. I really enjoyed the pages that discussed Davis and Hench working at cross-purposes. Songs were revised by George Bruns. Scripts and roles were changed, taking out some of Wally Boag’s saucy jokes. In the end, the attraction was rarely what anyone truly wanted, but a true collaboration between many visions. Though some would be able to show in the attraction’s evolution that what they wanted likely would have been for the best from the start.

Before the Birds Sang Words by Ken Bruce is a engaging saga of one Disney attraction. But it’s an attraction who’s impact extends beyond the four corners the bird room. Bruce notes that some like the Between Kid may not be an enthusiastic for singing birds today as in the past. But Bruce gives us a context to better understand how important singing birds really are in Disney history and a chronicle of the hit they really were for Disney fans in Anaheim and beyond. Bruce helps us understand fully the lastly impact of the tiki birds and their entertainment legacy even for those who lack modern interest.

Clearly next time I’m in the park, I need a AC break even if he says no! Because I love legacy.


Review Copy Provided for Review

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this FAR exceeded my expectations. When I asked for this as a gift, I assumed it would be a 100 page roundup of all the stuff I already knew about Disney, The Tiki Room and 60s Tiki culture. I couldn't be more wrong.

It's actually a deep dive into the entire lead-up to the Tiki Room's concepts and technology, starting decades previous. It includes a heavy dose of Audio Animatronic history and lots of information about Walt's early attempts at moving his created environments (from the world of film) into real life, which resulted in Disneyland and the Tiki Room specifically.

An absolute must-read for anyone interested in Disney parks history, AA technology, or the Tiki Room itself.

[Otto Von · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mandatory reading for any fan of Disneyland. Ken has provided a totally unique take on the history of the Tiki Room which is the cornerstone of Disneyland. The author explains how the development of the technology of the Tiki Rom impacted other theme parks and society in general. The Tiki Room was also such a huge part of exposing Tiki Style to the general public and tourists visiting California. Anyone who is currently interested in the Tiki Style craze of cocktails and collecting mugs should read this book!

[Jordan Reidinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolute delight of a book!
If you know nothing about this attraction, but you still love all things Disney - you will absolutely love this book.

It’s full of so many amazing stories about how Walt created everything, what interested him, all of his collections of various things over the years, and the amount of passion he held for bringing stories to life in whatever ways possible.

So much amazing research went into this book and I cannot express how thankful I am to own a copy of this.

It makes me with I was in the Enchanted Tiki Room at that very moment.

[Glen Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed retelling of the story of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room and Disneyland as a whole. This was a delightful read for the Disneyphile. The comprehensiveness of the story telling caused the narrative to meander at times, but I wholly enjoyed the detail and care given to the history of Audio-Animatronics, Disneyland, and one of Walt’s most endearing attractions of the Tiki Room

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and thoughtful read about Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. Ken Bruce does a great job diving into the history and charm of this unique attraction. The book mixes facts with nostalgia and has some great behind-the-scenes details. It’s a bit niche, so it may not be for everyone, but fans of Disney parks will really enjoy it. Four stars for a well-researched and entertaining tribute.

[Courtney]

An incredibly in-depth look at the iconic Disney attraction. Book of the Mouse Club podcast July 2024 selection as part of our Adventureland Attraction Summer Series. Catch our interview with Author Ken Bruce wherever you listen to podcasts.

[Shawn Deal · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly deep dive into the making, and the cultural influences that went into making of the Enchanted Tiki Room attraction. If you are a fan of this attraction, or a Disneyland history buff, this is a must.

[Kris Van de Sande · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thrilling read where every step is a little detour into its relevant history, adding needed context and giving an even bigger appreciation for the best animatronic show ever made.

Must read for any Disney fan.