Take for example the Little Orange Bird. Who? What, you don't remember the Little Orange Bird in the Sunshine Tree?
Well you're probably not alone, especially if you're under the age of 35 or so.
Back in the late 60's the Florida Citrus Commission approached Disney about creating some from of attraction & character to promote orange juice. As Florida was to be Disney's latest and greatest home, they agreed to help promote the state's greatest export.
And so hatched the oddly cute and eerily silent character seen above, the Orange Bird. And at the Sunshine Tree Terrace in Adventureland, guests of Walt Disney World could sip fresh Florida orange juice from plastic orange shaped bottles (which also doubled as bath and pool toys. Trust me, I know.) Kids could even meet and pose for pictures with the Orange Bird.
Sadly, since the Orange Bird didn't speak, another voice was hired to tell his story in song. Enter Anita Bryant. Former beauty queen and future hate-monger who sang and recorded The Orange Bird theme song, penned by the great Sherman Brothers.
My first exposure to Ms. Bryant was a Jimmy Buffett song from the 70's called "Manana" and the line "And I hope Anita Bryant never ever does one of my songs!" I didn't get it until I got a little older.
Without giving her too much virtual ink, Bryant became the poster girl for an incendiary campaign against the gay community (a community with a strong presence in Florida . . . whoops) that soon caused serious a backlash & lots of bad publicity.
Not even the Disney Company or that poor defenseless little fruit-headed bird were safe from the shrapnel.
Disney and the Citrus Commission parted ways and little by little, the little Orange Bird went the way of the Dodo.
But now some 40 years later, after enough orange juice . . . err, water has passed under the bridge (to Adventureland) the little guy (or girl . . . how do you tell anyway) is back!!!
The Orange Bird's home in Adventureland, The Sunshine Tree Terrace has been polished up and reopened for business. And the Little Orange Bird is back at his perch!
I only even bring it up to share with you a video posted by my pal, Walt Disney World guru, Lou Mongello. My eyes were immediately drawn past the speakers on stage to the detail of the Sunshine Tree Terrace. As with all thing Disney, you can already see every little detail, all the painstaking care put into what is essentially a snack bar. It's gorgeous. It's what makes them the best. It makes me want to hop a plane just for some fresh OJ (and of course a round plastic Orange Bird sippy-bottle!)
Obviously the Orange Bird's phoenix-like rise from the ashes this isn't purely a nostalgic one. With his return comes a new line of exclusive merchandise and collectibles for sale at Walt Disney World. And I openly admit, I want most of it!
At any rate, please check out Lou Mongello's video. The audio is a tad rough in the opening but it clears up quickly:
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