Tarzan Rocks!

Last updated

Tarzan Rocks
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Area DinoLand U.S.A.
Coordinates 28°21′26″N81°35′14″W / 28.3571592°N 81.587295°W / 28.3571592; -81.587295
StatusRemoved
Opening dateJuly 9, 1999
Closing dateJanuary 21, 2006
Replaced Journey into Jungle Book [1]
Replaced by Finding Nemo – The Musical
Ride statistics
Attraction type Musical show
ModelTheater
Theme Tarzan
Audience capacity1,500 [2] per show
Duration30 minutes
DirectorReed Jones [3]
ProducerAngie Howard [3]

Tarzan Rocks! was a live amusement show at Disney's Animal Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. It is based on the 1999 animated film Tarzan , and utilizes the music written by Phil Collins. The show opened Friday, July 9, 1999, [3] [4] and featured the use of acrobatics, a live band, costume characters, and cast members on rollerskates. After nearly a seven-year run, the show closed January 21, 2006.

Contents

History

The stage musical Journey Into The Jungle Book, occupied the Theater in the Wild at DinoLand USA in Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida. It was themed to the 1967 animated film The Jungle Book . The show was an opening day attraction, and was received well. But Walt Disney Attractions, (now known as Disney Parks) was looking for a location for a new Tarzan stage show which could debut in the parks alongside the film's theatrical release. [5] Journey Into The Jungle Book closed April 1999, and the Theater in the Wild began preparations for Tarzan. The new show, which was officially named Tarzan Rocks! was produced by Angie Howard, the resort's Entertainment Operations Manager. Howard brought in Reed Jones, to write and direct the new show. [3] During previews, the make-up for Tarzan featured heavy eye liner to make his eyes appear, "...dark, deep set and mysterious..." according to his actor John Coulter. [6] The eye liner wasn't used after the previews. The costumes were created by designer Cynthia Nordstrom, in her first stage show with the company. [7]

When the show premiered in Disney's Animal Kingdom on July 9, 1999, it featured an ensemble of 27 people, with the titular character being played by Coulter, and Jane being played by Ramsi Nia Stoker. [8] Howard stated that the show would be expected to run, "...for about three years." [3]

Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York, tourism in the United States dropped dramatically. In response to the lower attendance, Tarzan Rocks! in addition to Festival of the Lion King , and a number of other shows reduced the amount of performances each day. [9]

Closure

Rumors began circulating in late 2005 that the show would be closing, [10] possibly due to the broadway show debuting in May 2006. It was speculated a Finding Nemo -related show would be replacing Tarzan Rocks. [11] On a Disney World forum, January 11, 2006, an accident reportedly happened when aerial rigging snapped sending the Tarzan falling into the band. [12] Another accident reportedly happened on January 16, 2006. [13]

The show officially closed on Saturday, January 21, 2006. [14] The Finding Nemo rumors were revealed to be factual in April 2006, when the Walt Disney Company confirmed Robert Lopez and his wife, Kristen Anderson-Lopez were hired to write Finding Nemo: The Musical. [15]

Musical Numbers

The music from the film, written by Phil Collins, was performed by a live band on stage.

  1. "Two Worlds"
  2. "You'll Be in My Heart"
  3. "Son of Man"
  4. "Strangers Like Me"
  5. "Trashin' the Camp"
  6. "You'll Be in My Heart/Finale"

Reception

The show was fairly divisive. [16] [17] While people applauded the acrobatics, the utilization of rollerskates were highly criticized. [18] [19]

Legacy

Following the successful debut of Tarzan Rocks, Disney had actor John Coulter film a television pilot for a live action Tarzan series. Produced under the working title Tarzan’s Animal Friends, the episode was filmed in the swamps of Florida, but was never picked up. [20]

An attraction similar to Tarzan Rocks! named Tarzan: Call of the Jungle opened at Shanghai Disneyland in 2016. [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walt Disney World</span> Entertainment resort in Florida, US

The Walt Disney World Resort is an entertainment resort complex located about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is operated by Disney Experiences, a division of The Walt Disney Company. The property covers nearly 25,000 acres, of which half has been developed. Walt Disney World contains numerous recreational facilities designed to attract visitors for an extended stay, including four theme parks, two water parks, four golf courses, conference centers, a competitive sports complex and a shopping, dining, and entertainment complex. Additionally, there are 19 Disney-owned resort hotels and one camping resort on the property, and many other non-Disney-operated resorts on and near the property.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epcot</span> Theme park at Walt Disney World

Epcot, stylized in all uppercase as EPCOT, is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Disney Experiences division. The park opened on October 1, 1982, as EPCOT Center, the second of four theme parks built at the resort. Often referred to as a "permanent world's fair", Epcot is dedicated to the celebration of human achievement, particularly technological innovation and international culture and is known for its iconic landmark Spaceship Earth, a geodesic sphere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disney's Animal Kingdom</span> Zoological theme park at Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida, United States

Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park is a zoological theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. Owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Experiences division, it is the largest theme park in the world, covering 580 acres (230 ha). The park opened on Earth Day, April 22, 1998, and was the fourth theme park built at the resort. The park is dedicated and themed around natural environment and animal conservation, a philosophy once pioneered by Walt Disney.

<i>Fantasmic!</i> Nighttime show at Disney Parks

Fantasmic! is a nighttime show at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios. The show formerly operated at Tokyo DisneySea. It features fireworks, characters, live actors, water effects, pyrotechnics, lasers, music, audio-animatronics, searchlights, decorated boat floats, and mist screen projections. The narrative of Fantasmic! is a voyage through Mickey Mouse's imagination that culminates in a battle against the Disney Villains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adventureland (Disney)</span> Themed area in Disney theme parks

Adventureland is one of the "themed lands" at the many Disneyland-style theme parks run by the Walt Disney Company around the world. It is themed to resemble the remote jungles in Africa, Asia, South America, Oceania and the Caribbean. "To create a land that would make this dream reality", said Walt Disney, "We pictured ourselves far from civilization, in the remote jungles of Asia and Africa."

<i>Tarzan</i> (1999 film) Animated Disney film directed by Kevin Lima and Chris Buck

Tarzan is a 1999 American animated coming-of-age adventure comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is based on the 1912 story Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs, being the first animated major motion picture version of the story. The film was directed by Kevin Lima and Chris Buck and produced by Bonnie Arnold, from a screenplay written by Tab Murphy and the writing team of Bob Tzudiker and Noni White. It stars the voices of Tony Goldwyn as the title character along with Minnie Driver, Glenn Close, Rosie O'Donnell, Brian Blessed, Lance Henriksen, Wayne Knight, and Nigel Hawthorne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Discovery Island (Bay Lake)</span> Former attraction in Walt Disney World

Discovery Island is an 11.5-acre (4.7 ha) island in Bay Lake, Florida. It is located on the property of Walt Disney World in the city of Bay Lake. Between 1974 and 1999, it was an attraction open to guests, who could observe its many species of animals. Disney originally named it Treasure Island, and later renamed it Discovery Island. It currently sits abandoned, but can be seen by any watercraft in Bay Lake. Discovery Island is now the name of one of the lands in Disney's Animal Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage</span> Former Dark Ride at the Magic Kingdom Theme Park

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage was an attraction at the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World from 1971 through 1994. Based on the characters and settings of the 1954 Disney film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, which was adapted from Jules Verne's 1870 novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, it was a re-theming of the Submarine Voyage attraction at Disneyland. The ride involved a 20-minute submarine ride through a lagoon filled with sea life and mermaids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tree of Life (Disney)</span> Sculpture at Disneys Animal Kingdom

The Tree of Life is a 145-foot (44 m) sculpture of a baobab tree at Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort. With over 8,000 branches of very different sizes and about 102,000 artificial leaves, the sculpture debuted when the theme park opened on April 22, 1998. Inspired by the mythological concept of the same name, the Tree of Life features 337 carvings of existing and extinct animal species on its trunk and surrounding roots; after Jane Goodall's visit, her famous subject David Graybeard was carved into the tree. The sculpture took 18 months to create. Designed and fabricated at Greens Bayou Fabrication Yard in Houston and based on the natural forms of baobab trees, the Tree of Life is located on Discovery Island, roughly in the center of the park. The tree features over 100,000 thermoplastic kynar leaves. At the structure's interior base is a 428-seat theater that hosts It's Tough to Be a Bug!, a 3-D film attraction based on the 1998 Disney/Pixar film A Bug's Life. The tree also has a walking path, the Tree of Life Garden, that provides a closer look at the sculpture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Magic of Disney Animation</span> Former show and tour at Disneys MGM Studios

The Magic of Disney Animation was a show and tour located at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. A Disney animator would show guests how the characters in Disney animated films were chosen and designed. The attraction closed permanently on July 12, 2015. In December 2015, the building began to be used to house the Star Wars Launch Bay.

<i>Finding Nemo: The Big Blue... and Beyond!</i> Live puppet and musical stage show at Disneys Animal Kingdom theme park

Finding Nemo: The Big Blue... and Beyond! is a live puppet and musical stage show based on Disney/Pixar's 2003 film Finding Nemo, located at the Theater in the Wild in DinoLand U.S.A at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The original 40-minute show titled Finding Nemo – The Musical started holding previews on November 5, 2006, officially opening on January 24, 2007. The music is composed by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who also composed the music for Frozen, using direct lines from the film.

<i>Finding Nemo</i> (franchise) Film series and media franchise

Finding Nemo is a CGI animated film series and Disney media franchise that began with the 2003 film of the same name, produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The original film was followed by a standalone sequel, Finding Dory, released in 2016. Both films were directed by Andrew Stanton. The film series received widespread critical acclaim from critics and audiences with two films released to-date, the series has grossed $1.9 billion worldwide.

Tarzan is a Disney media franchise that commenced in 1999 with the theatrical release of the film Tarzan, based on the character Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

<i>Rivers of Light</i> Former show at Disneys Animal Kingdom

Rivers of Light was a nighttime show at Disney's Animal Kingdom in the Walt Disney World Resort. Located in the park's Discovery River lagoon between Discovery Island and Expedition Everest, the show featured water fountains, mist screens, floating lanterns, fire effects, lasers, lights, fog, projection mapping, and until September 2018, live performers. Lakeside seating areas were able to accommodate 5,000 guests.

<i>The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic</i> Former show at Disneys Animal Kingdom

The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic was a short lived nighttime show at Disney's Animal Kingdom in the Walt Disney World Resort. The Jungle Book: Alive with Magic was located in the park's Discovery River. The show was limited-time engagement and filled the space of the delayed Rivers of Light night-time show, presumably until Rivers of Light was ready. The show featured music from the film, adding an Indian influence. The show opened on May 28, 2016, with a soft opening the night before.

References

  1. ↑ Rasmussen, Nate. "Vintage Walt Disney World Resort: Building a Theater in the Wild". Disney Parks Blog. Archived from the original on April 6, 2013. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
  2. ↑ "Finding Nemo - the Musical at Disney's Animal Kingdom". allears.net. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Anderson, Jamie (July 11, 1999). "A SWINGING NEW SHOW - Orlando Sentinel". Orlando Sentinel.
  4. ↑ J. Anderson, Jamie (July 9, 1999). "Animal Kingdom Rocks With 'Tarzan' Stage Show". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on November 20, 2015. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  5. ↑ Geryak, Cole (May 10, 2018). "Disney Extinct Attractions: Journey into the Jungle Book: Alive with Magic". Laughing Place.
  6. ↑ @JohnCoulterDesigns (March 22, 2022). "John Coulter- Tarzan Tuesday: Guyliner - Instagram" – via Instagram.
  7. ↑ @CynthiaNordstromDesigner (July 16, 2020). "TBT: Young Designer - Instagram" – via Instagram.
  8. ↑ @DefyingGravityUtah (April 29, 2022). "Ramsi Nia Stoker - Instagram" – via Instagram.
  9. ↑ Schneider, Mike (October 19, 2001). "Disney Eliminates 100 Entertainment Jobs". Panama City News Herald . Panama City, Florida. p. 106.
  10. ↑ "New Rumors about Tarzan Rocks Replacement!". WDW Radio. September 5, 2005.
  11. ↑ "Nemo to Replace Tarzan at Animal Kingdom". DVDizzy. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Thread: The mishap at Tarzan Rocks (not in the news!)". Mouse Planet. January 11, 2006.
  13. ↑ "Thread: Was Tarzan Hurt?". DIS Discussion Boards. January 16, 2006.
  14. ↑ Powers, Scott (January 24, 2006). "Tarzan show ends at Animal Kingdom". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on July 30, 2014. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  15. ↑ Hernandez, Ernio (April 10, 2006). "Avenue Q Composer Lopez Co-Pens Musical Finding Nemo for Disney". Playbill.com. Archived from the original on December 29, 2008.
  16. ↑ "Tarzan Rocks - All Ears". AllEars. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  17. ↑ Geryak, Cole (February 15, 2018). "Disney Extinct Attractions: Tarzan Rocks (a Roller Coaster)". Laughing Place.
  18. ↑ "Doctor Disney Remembers: Tarzan Rocks at Disney's Animal Kingdom". Doctor Disney. March 14, 2013.
  19. ↑ Berton, Lisa K. (September 17, 2009). "Come Home". All Ears.
  20. ↑ @JohnCoulterDesigns (April 14, 2020). "John Coulter - Tarzan Pilot - Instagram" – via Instagram.
  21. ↑ Wall, Kim (June 14, 2016). "The Magic Kingdom Meets the Middle Kingdom in Shanghai Disneyland". Time.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.