Tiki Themed Engagement Photos at Disneyland

photo by D Park Photography

Aloha! Why so much radio silence on the blog lately? Over the summer, Mr. Hockey/Baseball popped the question and we spent the last several months planning a wedding… The Tiki Chick is now Mrs. Hockey/Baseball!

Enchanted Tiki Room photo by D Park Photography

To the surprise of many of our friends, we did not have a tiki wedding. (The newlyweds from Modern Tiki Lounge can show you that’s done, though!) However, our fantastic wedding photographers, D. Park Photography, also happen to specialize in engagement photo shoots at Disneyland. So, of course, I couldn’t resist the chance to get some snaps taken at the Enchanted Tiki Room.

photo by D Park Photography

The photos gave me the opportunity to wear my tropical floral printed dress from Stop Staring! — it was a print created exclusively for Unique Vintage in Burbank. Pure Beauty by Danielle got me all dolled up for the occasion.

photo by D Park Photography

The shoot was back in January, during the wettest winter Southern California had experienced in years. I think it had been raining the whole week leading up to this day, but we lucked out with sunshine!

Dole Whip photo by D Park Photography

What’s a visit to the Enchanted Tiki Room without Dole Whip? The mischievous Mr. Hockey dabbed some on my nose! (Thankfully, this was not foreshadowing to any cake smashing to the face at the wedding — it was all very civil.)

Photo by D Park Photography

It was super crowded that day, but D. Park Photography is very adept at making it look like you’re secluded in your own little world at the Happiest Place on Earth.

Tangaroa photo by D Park Photography

I couldn’t have been happier with how the photo shoot turned out. Drexelle and David of D. Park Photography are total pros and utter sweethearts, too! I need to get some of these photos framed to put on display in our home tiki room.

photo by D Park Photography

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More Tiki Treasures – The “Collecting Disneyland” Auction

Disneyland auction at Van Eaton Galleries

One of my 2016 goals was to be more timely with my posts — obviously, I’m already slipping — but in the meantime I’ve got some catching up to do. Last February, the Van Eaton Galleries in Sherman Oaks presented “The Story of Disneyland,” a massive auction of Disneyland memorabilia (as covered in a previous blog), and it was so successful that they did it again in November.

Mad Tea Party concept art

The first auction was the stockpile of one person, while “Collecting Disneyland” featured items from more than 20 different collectors. They ranged from souvenirs and ephemera like popcorn boxes to concept art, cast member costumes, Imagineer prototypes and models, attraction posters and even ride vehicles.

Adventureland salt and pepper shakers

Some of the lots were repeats of things we’d seen in the last auction, like these Adventureland Moai salt and pepper shakers.

Indiana Jones hand

Among the more oddball items was this prop hand from the Indiana Jones animatronic figure in the final scene of the Indiana Jones Adventure attraction. Its value was estimated at $5,000-$7,000 but it went for $10,000.

Pirates of the Caribbean cups

I adore most things mid-century so I guess it shouldn’t have been surprising that I was drawn to the items from the 1960s, like this set of condiment jars themed to Pirates of the Caribbean ($2,250).

Disneyland suitcase

This 1960s canvas suitcase emblazoned with “I’m Going to Disneyland” ($2,250) was another of my favorite finds. The origin is a bit of a mystery — it’s unclear whether it was ever for sale at the park or of it was part of a store window display or other promotion.

Enchanted Tiki Room shield by Rolly Crump and more

Also towards the top of my wish list would have been this Enchanted Tiki Room shield ($6,500) molded after the ones Rolly Crump designed to surround the “magic fountain.” Apparently, it had been part of a juice stand at The Poly in the 1970s.

Enchanted Tiki Room art by Shag

More recent items up for auction included “One Enchanted Evening,” an original Shag painting ($15,000) created for the 40th anniversary of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room in 2003.

People Mover and more

What really made this exhibition special were the retired ride vehicles from the PeopleMover, Skyway and Space Mountain housed in a separate room next door. Visitors even had the opportunity to get in and take some photo ops. The PeopleMover vehicles (restored with the help of original designer Bob Gurr) were valued at $200,000-$300,000 but I didn’t see a final sale price, same for the Space Mountain car ($50,000-$60,000). In comparison, the Skyway bucket must have seemed like a bargain to the person who snagged it for $11,500.

Disneyland collectible

Alas, the auction has already come and gone, but you can still purchase the catalog for “Collecting Disneyland: An Exhibition and Auction” on Van Eaton Galleries’ web site for $30 for the softcover book and $95 for the hardcover (also includes the softcover).

Related Posts:

Tiki Treasures from The Story of Disneyland Exhibition & Auction

Tiki Treasures from The Story of Disneyland Exhibition & Auction at Van Eaton Galleries

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Right now, the two-room space at Van Eaton Galleries in Sherman Oaks (LA area) is so full of Disney treasures that it may be the next best thing to visiting The Happiest Place on Earth itself. (Also, it’s free and you’re probably less likely to catch measles.)

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It’s all part of The Story of Disneyland: An Exhibition and Sale, one anonymous person’s massive collection that will be auctioned off piece by piece on February 28 & March 1, 2015. A substantial portion of the items are on view to the public through February 27, Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

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The colorful castmember uniforms ($400-$600) from Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room were so popular that the fabric was sold in Adventureland stores. There were a few different patterns, with my favorite being the one featured here on the left (closeup on Instagram). On the right is a vintage hostess costume ($900-$1200) complete with nametag from the now-defunct Tahitian Terrace restaurant. In the middle is an original Enchanted Tiki Room attraction poster ($10,000-$12,000).

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The Adventureland piece with the highest bidding estimate — $20,000-$30,000 — is this animatronic member of the Enchanted Tiki Room’s chorus from the 1970s. It was apparently purchased from an Imagineer who worked on the Tiki Room and it still has all the original hardware inside.

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The same can’t be said for this feathered friend, so he’s valued a little lower at just $18,000-$20,000. How did this little birdie fly away? A cast member received it as a retirement gift from their supervisor! (Sure beats a gold watch.)

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Recognize this? It’s the finial that sat atop the A-frame ticket booth at the entrance to the Enchanted Tiki Room. According to the catalog, an Imagineer rescued this one-of-a-kind piece ($15,000-$20,000) from demolition when the bamboo and wood structure had to be torn down in 2000. Later, renowned carver Leroy Schmaltz of Oceanic Arts was commissioned to make a wooden base for it.

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Not everything will cost you beaucoup bucks, though. There are lots of things in the $100-$200 range, like these Disneyland Moai salt and pepper shakers from 1956. (These seem to appear on eBay for less every now and again, but the attention for this particular auction will surely drive up the price.)

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Now this face I really couldn’t place. Turns out it’s one of three handpainted “Nature Tree Masks” ($2,000-$4,000) that adorned the trees near the loading area of the Jungle Cruise for a few years around 1956.

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There are also six “Tangaroa-Ru Babies” that descended from the flowers of the Tangaroa tree of life at the end of the Enchanted Tiki Room pre-show. Disney Legend/Imagineer Rolly Crump designed these based on Polynesian carvings. They’re estimated to go for about $3,000 each. The deep-pocketed collector could be well on their way to building their own authentic Enchanted Tiki Room.

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Rolly Crump also designed these smaller ceramic versions ($200-$400) that were sold as souvenirs at Disneyland. The catalog notes that they’re rare finds.

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Many of the artifacts were once Disney property or official souvenirs, but there are also stashes of visitors’ personal slides and photographs from over the years. I adore this picture of these ladies posing with the Marquesan tiki that used to be in Adventureland. It’s part of a bundle of 10 amateur photos at Disneyland circa 1956-1959.

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You can browse through the entire collection in the 300-page online catalog, which is also available for purchase in a soft-cover version ($30) and a hard-cover edition ($95, including a complimentary soft-cover copy). (There’s a section dedicated to Disney World’s Polynesian Resort starting on page 287.)

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Which of these items would you bid on if you had unlimited funds? I’d love this flower boat ($12,000-$15,000) from Disney World’s Enchanted Tiki Room as the centerpiece for my own tiki room. Or perhaps the Pirates of the Caribbean skeleton ($60,000-$80,000) guzzling liquor for more of a Smuggler’s Cove style…

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The Story of Disneyland
Van Eaton Galleries
13613 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
818-788-2357