Armchair Imagineering: Adventureland Amphitheatre

This is an idea for a revamped theatre attraction to go in the space currently occupied by Aladdin’s Oasis at Disneyland. The Oasis is suffering from gross under-utilization of its space and facilities, having gone over the years from a “dinner and a show” experience in the vein of the Tahitian Terrace that it replaced, to a mere backdrop for a character meet-and-greet. It’s time to shake things up and return a taste of the theatre to Adventureland.

Changes to the building itself would be mostly cosmetic. Although the ancient Middle East is an exotic location in the eyes of most Disneyland guests, it is awkward to have a Persian palace sandwiched between a Polynesian jungle setting on the one side and the Old World jungles on the other. The Middle Eastern theming would be removed and replaced with catch-all “tropical rain forest” theming including large tropical trees, bamboo, showy flowers, leaf-patterned fabrics, and native art from Africa, Polynesia, South Asia, and South America. The stage would be completely remodeled, all the Aladdin set pieces removed and replaced with a backdrop of mock trees suitable for a wide variety of Adventureland-style performances. The object would be for the stage to be very easily modified with temporary set pieces in order to accommodate the new range of shows performed there.

These shows could include almost anything in the Adventureland vein. Daytime performances might be geared toward kids and based on the Disney films The Jungle Book, The Lion King, Tarzan, The Emperor’s New Groove, and Lilo and Stitch. In the evenings, adults could be entertained with dance and musical performances characteristic of the tropical cultures of the world—hula artists, Balinese dancers, Afro-Caribbean musicians, Indian music and dance troupes. The whole family could enjoy educational shows featuring exotic live animals such as parrots, monkeys, and tropical snakes. The simple, modular stage design would allow the shows to be rotated frequently, so that even frequent Disneyland guests would have a chance of seeing something new every time they visit.

The restaurant aspect would not return, but before the beginning of each show, Cast Members would make a circuit of the seating area with trays and carts containing hors d-oeuvres, snacks, and beverages for sale. Offerings would include typical fresh fruit, cookies, chips, and bottled drinks as well as Adventureland-specific treats such as Bengal Barbecue skewers and Dole whip floats. Some shows might even have their own special food items—imagine watching a Jungle Book performance while chowing down on a King Louie banana split, or learning firsthand about South American parrots while snacking on the Brazil nuts that they themselves eat in the wild.

The Adventureland Amphitheatre could even have a positive influence on the nearby Adventureland shops, by encouraging them to stock interesting, high-quality, and/or educational merchandise in line with the current shows. The Velcro-palmed plush monkeys and bamboo windchimes are old hat by now; it’s time to see some nature books, world music CDs and authentic art pieces on the shelves. Disneyland’s “synergitis” is probably here to stay, so why not make it work for the good?

In short, with very little effort, an aging and all but mothballed attraction could become a real crowd-pleaser again, a gift that keeps on giving for both park guests and those in management with their eye on the bottom line.