By Peter Covino

Lifestyles Editor

The birds are back.

The Enchanted Tiki Room, one of the original attractions at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, and an attraction that dates back to 1963 (pre-Disney World) is slated to return to the Magic Kingdom next week.

The good news for Disney fans with long memories, when the Tiki Room reopens Aug. 15, it will be pretty much as it was in 1963.

A fire in the attic area of the attraction last May shut down the Tiki Room.

But Disney officials announced that when the attraction reopened, it would return to Walt Disney’s original vision.

The Enchanted Tiki Room show was part of Walt Disney World when it opened on Oct. 1, 1971.

Part of The  Sunshine Pavilionat Disney World, the Tiki Room originally debuted at Disneyland in California in 1963. The show actually had been slated to be part of the New York World’s Fair (1963-64).

It was the first Disney Audio-Animatronic attraction, and even though there have been many updates to the show technology-wise, the Disneyland version has remained pretty much the same.

At Disney World however, the show was revamped  in 1998, following substantial refurbishment, and re-launched as The Enchanted Tiki Room-Under New Management, with two famous Disney birds – Iago from Aladdin and Zazu from The Lion King – taking control and trying to spruce up the show.

But Disney purists can rejoice — the original is back at Walt Disney World.

The show is probably best remembered for the Enchnatd Tiki Room song, written by the Sherman brothers, who wrote many classic Disney songs for both film (Mary Poppins) and Disney shows (It’s a Small World After all).

If you forgot how it goes, here is a brief sampling. You will have to hum the tune yourself.

In the tiki, tiki, tiki, tiki tiki room

In the tiki, tiki, tiki, tiki tiki room

All the birds sing words and the flowers croon

In the tiki, tiki, tiki, tiki tiki room.

Back in charge of the room are José, Fritz, Michael and Pierre – four crooning parrot hosts who have been entertaining guests at California’s Disneyland since 1963.

Prior to 1963, Walt Disney’s creative team had produced movable figures, but none had the sophistication of the bird-brained cast of the Tiki Room. José, Fritz, Michael and Pierre produce movements when solenoid coils hidden inside receive signals recorded onto magnetic tape and are regarded as the first “true” Audio-Animatronics figures.

They introduce a musical presentation by more than 200 birds, flowers and tikis. Even the audience gets into the act, joining in during the musical ditty “Let’s All Sing Like the Birdies Sing.”

While the show is steeped in tradition and maintains the original intent created by Walt Disney and his original team of Imagineers, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room will feature the latest in technology – a state of the art show-control system, remastered audio, and a new versatile and energy efficient lighting system, Disney officials said.

The attraction has shows throughout Magic Kingdom operating hours.