Toronto Zoo (The Santa Clause)

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Address: 2000 Meadowvale Road
Date: Nov 2010
Website:  www.torontozoo.com

  If you have ever taken a ride on the zoomobile at the Toronto Zoo you may have heard the guide state.  "Our reindeer are movie stars. They appeared in the hit movie The Santa Clause starring Tim Allen."  Not only did the reindeer appear in the movie, but there are also a couple of scenes that were filmed on the zoo grounds.

  The first scene takes place in the polar bear underwater viewing area where Scott (Tim Allen) and his son Charlie debate whether or not he is Santa Claus.  This area has undergone a bit of a facelift since the 90s, but it is a great spot to watch these huge bears as they swim through the water.  If you are lucky one may come right up to the window to check you out.

  The second scene shows Scott and his son walking along the Camel Trail continuing the discussion.  The Camel Trail used to loop around the Eurasian section of the zoo and if you look closely you can still see some of the yellow camel feet painted on the pathway.  As they walk further along the path the son turns and smiles.  This is the big movie moment for the zoo's reindeer as they follow behind them walking in a row.  Why else would they be following Tim Allen?  He must be Santa Claus.
 

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Click here to take a virtual tour and see our collection of Toronto Zoo animal photos.

Map of Our World
Toronto Zoo (The Santa Clause)
Toronto Zoo (Tundra Trek)

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Post # 32

South Street Diner

Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Address: 178 Kneeland St
Date: Sept 2010
Website:  www.southstreetdiner.com

  South Street Diner used to be known as The Blue Diner.  It is one of those old time, 24 hour diners that looks sort of like someone deposited a railway dining car on the corner of the street.  It is also the type of place that will have interesting characters both as staff and customers.  We drove past the restaurant while on a Boston Upper Deck Trolley Tour.
  The diner was used as a filming location for the movie Hiding Out staring Jon Cryer.  Jon Cryer is best known as Alan on Two & a Half Men or Duckie from Pretty in Pink.  In this movie he plays Andrew Morenski who ends up wanted by the mob and is taken into protective custody by the FBI.  He manages to convince them to let him have a meal at the diner.  In the movie you can see that the sign on the roof still says the Blue Diner.  During the meal a mob hit man takes out the FBI agents and Andrew has to crash through the window and run for his life down the street.  He eventually escapes on a train leaving Boston's South Street Station.  He hides out by enrolling as a high school student under the name Maxwell Hauser, which he made up while looking at a Maxwell House coffee tin.

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Map of Our World
South Street Diner

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Post # 31

Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room

Location: Anaheim, California, USA
Address: 1313 Disneyland Dr
Date: May 2012
Website:  disneyland.disney.go.com/destinations/disneyland/

  When visiting Disneyland one of our absolute favourite places in the park is the Enchanted Tiki Room. The Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room.  It is a show performed by animatronic birds and has been part of the park since 1963.  We find that whenever we are walking through Adventureland we have to stop and watch the show, which repeats about every fifteen minutes.  The show is currently sponsored by Dole and they run a juice bar right out front.
  

    Everyone waits outside of the Tiki Room. The Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room.  A few minutes before the main show is about to start, the different Hawaiian gods introduce themselves from their locations around the Tiki Garden.  Then the doors to the Tiki Room open. The Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room.  You are then welcomed to a world of joyous song and wondrous miracles as everyone goes inside and takes their seats.

  Ole! Ole! It's showtime! Up above you can see some of the birds on their perches.  The four main birds are Jose, Michael, Pierre and Fritz who introduce the show.   You may recognize some of their voices from other attractions in the park or from Disney films.  The most recognizable voice belongs to Thurl Ravenscroft who is best know as Tony the Tiger and for singing "Your'e a Mean One, Mr. Grinch".  Then the whole glee club of birds break out into song and sing "The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room".  All the little animatronic birds flap and move their beaks as they belt out their tune.
  Next the enchanted fountain in the center of the room is lit up.  "Look. Here come the girls."  We are introduced to Collette, Suzette, Mimi, Gigi, Fifi and Josephine, who rise from the fountain and perform "Let's All Sing Like the Birdies Sing".  You will soon find yourself happily tweet, tweet, tweeting along.
  The final song is the "Hawaiian War Chant" which starts out beautifully but then the whole room is filled with drumming as the walls come alive.  The tension builds and the birds get more and more excited until a storm breaks out.  Then it all clears up again, but the show has to come to an end and the birds must say adieu.  You have now heard the birds and the flowers sing and seen the Tiki's play their drums.  Don't worry you can always go back around and wait in the garden for the next show.  No matter what, the songs of the birds will now be with you always. All together! In the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room.

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Map of Our World
Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room

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Post # 30