Florida Orange Bird Vinylmation

"From 1972 when Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom opened, through the mid 1980’s, there was a concession stand in Adventureland called the Sunshine Terrace, where guests could get a Citrus Swirl.

The stand still exists, but the animatronic Orange Bird that turned his head and flapped his wings is gone."

"In the late 1960s, Walt Disney Productions struck a deal with Florida Citrus Growers. An attraction would be sponsored by the Citrus Growers in Disney's Magic Kingdom theme park, and Disney would create an Orange Bird mascot to appear in a multitude of promotional items. Thus, the unique Orange Bird was born.

Visitors driving into Central Florida in the 1970s couldn't help but see countless billboards along the roads featuring the sunny, smiling Florida Orange Bird. It was part of an exciting build-up for a trip to Walt Disney World.

The Orange Bird appeared in countless television ads, magazines, newspapers, and Florida tourist souvenir shops. But there was only one place where one could *meet* the Florida Orange Bird. That was in the Magic Kingdom, in Adventureland's Sunshine Pavillion.

The Sunshine Pavillion featured the Florida Citrus Growers-sponsored show "The Enchanted Tiki Birds." More importantly, though, it featured the Sunshine Tree Terrace. Here visitors could sample the world-famous Citrus Swirls, and maybe be lucky enough to meet the Orange Bird himself.

The Sunshine Tree Terrace served a variety of ice cream goodness and popular sodas. Behind the counter "grew" a real plastic orange tree, extending its leaves to provide a leafy canopy over the area. It was covered in real plastic oranges and orange blossoms. And Guests who missed meeting the Orange Bird in the Adventureland courtyard, only needed to look into this Orange tree. Observant Guests could see him perched on one of the branches.

In 1981, Disney and the Growers signed a new contract, but by that time the Orange Bird had stopped making Adventureland appearances, and was no longer seen on television. By this time, he could only be seen in souvenir shops around the Sunshine State. In 1986, the contract ended and, unimaginable as it may seem, the Orange Bird was forever removed from the Sunshine Tree Terrace. Even worse, a refurbishment of the area in 2000 saw the removal of the orange tree, itself.

The good news...Disney still owns the rights to the Orange Bird! He's made a successful comeback in Japan, with a variety of merchandise. Hopefully, it's just a matter of time before he flies across the ocean and makes a big splash in Florida again."

More info about the Florida Orange Bird Here!