Another WDW closing

[plutogoodboy]

It's not recorded music, but it is a music show... The luau at the Polynesian is closing after the Christmas holidays. It will be replaced by a "Polynesian-themed show," though no one is calling the replacement a luau. I've been trying to find out if Lilo and Stitch will be making appearances...

 

[SharonKurland]

No offense to anyone who liked the Polynesian Luau, but that is one of the few attractions at WDW that I wouldn't miss. I saw it in 1979 and hated the food and was bored with the stage show. By the time I went to WDW in 1991, I went to the Luau again, figuring the problem was that I had only been 12 the last time and had taste up my butt. No go...I STILL didn't like it.

But don't go by me...I went to a luau on the Big Island of Hawaii (in Lahaina) during our honeymoon and STILL wasn't impressed .

-Sharon-

 

[chris]

wow. I, for one, find this to be sad news. I always thought the Luau was really special. The show was very good and the atmosphere was exceptional.

I still miss the "Top of the World" dinner show at the top of the Contemporary Resort Hotel. I only saw it once, but it was great. The food was some of the most delicious I've ever had at WDW, and the show of Broadway songs was first rate.

 

[Disney Bean Counte]

I'm with you Sharon

I took my kids to the Luau in 1998 as a single parent. The food was so bad, they wouldn't eat it, and I wasn't doing too well eating it myself. When the castmember serving us brought my kids hotdogs, which they wolfed right down, I asked her to get me one too...

The Luau is the only Walt Disney World Restaurant, outside of the Liberty Tree Inn, that I have nothing but bad memories of.

Now Riley at the Coral Reef is another story.

 

[SharonKurland]

Chris-

Ah yes..."The Top of The World!" We saw "Broadway at The Top" in 1983 and that was GREAT, but before they had that show, we saw Barbara Eden do a show there in 1979 (same trip where we had the lousy Luau food).

Bean-

My parents didn't know to ask for "real kid food" when I was 12. Heck, I didn't know to ask for it when I went at age 25! But a friend of mine said that when SHE went in 1972, she got a hamburger when she hated the food so much .

Funny story about the Luau. When my friend and I went in 1991, it was before I had "discovered" the Adventurers Club (since then, I've spent every night of every vacation, plus now every Saturday night closing that place at 1am). It was my first trip to WDW since 1983 and her first since the early 1970's. Being excited, we did the Disney Commando thing, with waking up at the crack of dawn to be there at rope drop. So there we were, staying at the Poly. on some long-extinct Magic Kingdom Club plan. But it was the cheapo version of the plan, so we're in Samoa (I don't know what it's called now...Tuvalu maybe? It's about as far from the Great Ceremonial Hut as can be. I think it's closer to the Grand Floridian than anything else. You know the longhouse I'm talking about). It's our first night and we're EXHAUSTED. We're in bed by 9pm. We talk about our day and our plans for tomorrow. We say goodnight and are JUST falling asleep when all of a sudden we hear:
ALOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-HA!!!! BOOM boomboom BOOM boomboom BOOM boomboom BOOM boomboom

OK...I guess you hadda be there. WE thought it was hysterical.

-Sharon-

 

[SFMike]

I'll never forget seeing the "Top of the World" dinner show at the top of the Contemporary Resort in 1982. It was getting pretty dated even then and reminded me of the Welk show on steroids. We laughed so hard at all the inappropriate places it was hard to eat. I particulary loved when some of the perfomers stood up on the wall edges between the seating. I got this skirt in the face, which was even more hilarious. ;D The whole show was major cheese, but served up very well. I really enjoyed it and was sad when they closed it. I like the food a lot better now though.

I also enjoyed the Luau show on the same trip. I didn't mind the food that much. Maybe it was all the cocktails with umbrells in them that made the difference? Anway, any show with hula girls in metallic tinsel skirts doing "Moon of Manakorra" has a lot going for it in my book.

I too am now an "Adventurer's Club" junkie. But I must say that I believe I had the most fun at WDW durning that 1983 trip. Back then it seemed the pace was slower, the attractions were all open and well kept up, and you felt you were very far from the real world. On my last trip it all seems to have gotten out of hand. Urban sprawl within the park and things looking a little threadbare. I'll miss the Luau...even with the lousy food.

 

[SharonKurland]

SF Mike-

I agree that WDW seemed "brighter and better" back then. but for me I'm not sure if it's because I grew up and can see beyond the "magic" (which is all a kid sees), because I go so often and read so much about Disney parks that I'm jaded or there really IS that much of a difference over the years.

Don't get me wrong...I still LOVE WDW and Disney parks in general...but it's not the same.

Kungaloosh!

-Sharon-

 

[chris]

LOL! Sharon! That is a funny story about your night at the Polynesian just going to sleep and then Boooom! Booooom! you hear the Luau starting up. Thanks for sharing that. You gave me a good laugh.

I really know what you guys mean about "the old days" being brighter and more exciting at WDW. I think it's both a combination of us getting older, and the changes that have occured at WDW. It really is a sentimental thing for me to hear that the Luau is closing.

Mike, I'm glad to hear that even though you thought that "Broadway at the Top" was cheesy, you got a kick out of it all. Where else could you hear "Hello, Dolly", "I Dreamed a Dream", and "What I Did For Love" with all that beautiful cheese? It was fun and you can't beat that view from the top of the Contemporary. Ahhhhhhhh.

Thanks for sharing these memories, guys. I really enjoy it.

 

[Shane]

Bean,

What may I ask happened at the Liberty Tree Tavern to sour your opinion of it? I loved their Patriot's Pot Roast and the steins they gave away when one ordered the punch to drink. Of course, they ruined it in the evening w/ the character buffet or whatever, but last time I was there they still served lunch from a menu.

Shane