Some things should just be considered sacred in the world of entertainment and pop culture.

Prior to last week's visit to Walt Disney World, my last visit with my parents was in November 2004.

I remember my mom Peggy being disappointed when we arrived at The Magic Kingdom and one of her favorite attractions, The Enchanted Tiki Room, was temporarily closed.

During last week's visit, The Enchanted Tiki Room, was open, along with large sign that said "Under New Management."

The sign is actually a clever pun, since the attraction has been part of Walt Disney World in Florida since the first day The Magic Kingdom opened in 1971 and up until 1986, was sponsored by The Florida Citrus Commission.

(The same attraction at Disneyland opened years earlier, originally sponsored by United Airlines and later, Dole Pineapple.)

However, the "new management" lays an egg in my opinion.

The show starts out, as many readers might recall, true to tradition. The opening "pre-act" in the lanai area where guests wait until the hut doors open has been slightly altered. Two arguing toucans still "magically" appear from behind a small waterfall to entertain. Named "William" and "Morris," (a pun that refers to the William Morris Talent Agency), they are voiced by Don Rickles and the late Phil Hartman, and now introduce themselves as "agents."

As for the actual show, it begins the same with four parrots (including the voice talents of the late Thurl Ravenscroft, who also voiced Tony the Tiger) as hosts singing the theme song "In the Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room." But as the show has been retooled, it is suddenly interrupted by that annoying, loud-mouthed parrot from Disney's "Aladdin" voiced by the equally annoying and loud Gilbert Gottfried. The African bird Zazu from Disney's "The Lion King," also now has a featured part, although less intrusive as Gottfried's infectious impact. The show now includes Gottfried's parrot alter-ego singing "You Ain't Never Had a Friend" as well as a rap song before a grand finale, which now has all of the "magically" animated flowers (like Birds of Paradise, orchids), assorted perched birds and totem poles singing Gloria Estefan's seedy song "Do the Conga."

Another new face

Disney's theme park updating has been going on for a few years now. Despite protests a decade ago, in 1998, Walt Disney World closed "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride," based on the book "The Wind in the Willows" and the 1949 Disney animated feature film version. Featuring a wildly violent ride in an old jalopy, as featured in the storybook, the ride's big finish had guests landing "in Hell" before Satan, as small devils dancing around in flames. The ride, which had been around since the park opened in 1971, has been replaced by "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh." The Mr. Toad ride still remains in Disneyland in California, where it's been around since opening day in 1955. Meanwhile, Johnny Depp, who was just named this year's "sexiest man" by People magazine is now officially, as of 2006, part of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride at both Disneyland and Disney World's Magic Kingdom. An animated version of Depp as his "Jack Sparrow" movie character is included along the ride, with Depp providing his own voice for the ride. In 1998, this attraction made headlines when it was "updated to be less offensive," (kind of defeats the purpose of a pirate-themed attraction, doesn't it?). Gone now are silhouettes of pirates chasing women for "pleasure" (for a few years, the images were altered so the women being chased had platters of food), along with fewer uses of the word "wench." Also gone is a pirate looking for a young maiden, who's hiding in a barrel. Now, he's looking for Depp as Jack Sparrow, whose hiding in that same barrel.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at philip.potempa@nwi.com or 219.852.4327.

Today's Celebrity Birthdays

Actor Alan Young ("Mr. Ed" and voice of Disney's Uncle Scrooge McDuck) is 90. Talk show host Larry King is 76. Talk show host Dick Cavett is 73. Media mogul Ted Turner is 71. Newsman Garrick Utley is 70. Actor Dan Haggerty is 68. Fashion designer Calvin Klein is 67. Sportscaster Ahmad Rashad is 60. Actor Robert Beltran ("Star Trek: Voyager") is 56. Actress Kathleen Quinlan is 55. Actress Glynnis O'Connor is 54. Journalist Ann Curry is 53. Actress Allison Janney ("The West Wing") and cartoon greats Bullwinkle J. Moose and Rockey the Flying Squirrel are all 50. Drummer Matt Sorum of Velvet Revolver (and Guns N' Roses) is 49. Actress Meg Ryan is 48. Actress Jodie Foster is 47. Actress Terry Farrell ("Becker") is 46. Drummer Travis McNabb (Better Than Ezra) is 40. Singer Tony Rich is 38. Singer Jason Albert of Heartland and country singer Billy Currington and dancer-choreographer Savion Glover are 36. Singer Tamika Scott of Xscape is 34. Rapper Lil' Mo is 32.