Florida Orange Bird

[buzzlady]

Does anyone remember the Florida Orange Bird. It was always on an orange juice commercial (Tropicanna I think) with Anita Bryant back in the early 70's. I can remember seeing the commercial and it saying Look for the Florida Orange Bird at Disney World (only the MK way back then). So I made sure that when we went in '72 I looked for it.
(I was 10yrs old). We search and search and finally found it - it was a tiny little plastic orange bird that they had on an orange juice cart. I was so disappointed Below is a picture of a pair of earings that I got on that trip.

 

[Margie J]

I loved the Orange Bird! I always thought it was so cute.

 

[luv2nascar]

I'm sorry but we are ROFLOAO at you searching and searching for it and it was only a tiny little crappy plastic bird
My DH remembers it well
sorry I don't mean to laugh but it is cracking me up

 

[luv2nascar]

My DH thinks it was a commercial for Florida Orange Growers
and he wants to know if you remember what were you expecting a character dressed up or a real bird or what
Still laughing

And was the bird like a couple inches big or what
Just a picture on the cart?
Sorry for being nosey-Saturday night boredom

 

[buzzlady]

Originally posted by luv2nascar
My DH thinks it was a commercial for Florida Orange Growers
and he wants to know if you remember what were you expecting a character dressed up or a real bird or what
Still laughing

And was the bird like a couple inches big or what
Just a picture on the cart?
Sorry for being nosey-Saturday night boredom

I was hoping it was an orange bird character ~ just like the rest of the characters.

It's been over 30 years, but I think it was about 6 inches tall ~if that and yes, it was a crappy little plastic bird.

 

[luv2nascar]

That's okay FIL is still looking for Circus World
Do you remember that park from the 70's
After we got home from WDW in 2000 w/in laws we were looking at their old pictures of WDW from 70's and he sees the picture of circus world and goes "hey that was a great place why didn't we go there when we were in Florida this time?"
We were all like DUH it's not there anymore

 

[luv2nascar]

I'm sorry but I searched on the internet for info on the Florida Orange Bird and found this info below. If you go to the website they have a picture of the character there.

I guess the character was at the end of the Tiki room. Sorry you missed him. I feel really bad you missed him.



Next up on the list of discoveries is the Tiki bird Tropical Serenade and Sunshine Pavilion. The Tikiroom can be viewed as a sister to the landmark attraction in Disneyland which debuted Audio Animatronics in 1963. The pagoda style building houses a 340 seat theater containing some 250 birds, flowers, and tikis that deliver a "tropical serenade" to it's guests every twenty minutes. Once the show is over, guests exit by the Sunshine Tree Terrace for a cool desert and a visit from none other than the Orange Bird himself.
The terrace was a bar stlye location serving up slushes and drinks complete with a mock tree inside offering a perch to a "scaled down" Orange Bird. The three million dollar pavilion was sponsored by the Florida Citrus Growers who were on hand at the opening ceremonies along with Governor Askew. The entertainment for that day included a visit to the Tikiroom and an outdoor performance by Anita Bryant.

Beyond the Tikiroom sat the Carribean plaza with it's stucco fortress

http://www.geocities.com/wdwfob/map.html

 

[WDWLVR]

I remember Orange Bird and loved him so much I bought two off of eBay. One is plastic and one beanie baby type. Love them! Sure wish he was still part of WDW.

 

[Stepharoonie!]

Nope, but I remember Donald Duck orange juice

 

[LuvN~Travel]

Hey...I remember Circus World! Of course at the time, I would've rather been visiting WDW.
My biggest laugh though, was telling my husband all about the myriad orange groves before we went down in '97. Told him that the area around Central Fl, was nothing but... The strangest thing though, as we were driving along on our way to WDW, those trees sure looked more and more like PINE TREES! Don't know who took away all of the orange groves.....My dh still teases me about that.
Kim

 

[PeterPanette]

I just had to pipe in here and say that I, too, remember miles and miles of orange groves on the way to WDW, as a teenager in the late 70's.

We would always stop, and my Dad would have his picture made, reaching up and grabbing an orange, as if to pick it. There was a fence separating the highway from the groves, but at the time, it was just a short, country farmer type of fence.

So, no, you're not misremembering. As an adult, I was really saddened by not seeing the groves any longer. I don't know if the main traffic has been re-routed to a new highway, or what. I think it must have been, because I remember always making a stop at the "Citrus Tower" on our way to Orlando. I kept looking for the tower on my adult trips, and never saw it. When I tried to find it on a map, it's still there, but not on the route we used from Atlanta to Orlando. The Citrus Tower had the BEST fruit!! They would have chilled samples of all types of citrus for you to try. I remember the red grapefruit being so sweet and refreshing. Hmmm....I think the hubby and I are going to have to just make a sidetrip to the tower. But, alas, as with too many things....it probably won't be as great as my childhood memories.

And, back on topic.....the Citrus Tower always seemed to be represented well by the cute little "Orange Bird". I seem to remember a good selection of souvenirs there.

Charlene

 

[luv2nascar]

When we were in Orlando in 2000 with inlaws FIL was looking for all the old stuff. My DH's family had gone to WDW in 1976 when it was only MK. Like I said they went to Circus World and Gator World. In 2000 we drove to Cypress Gardens (it broke his heart when I told him they closed that now too). I don't remember the highway we took to get there (FIL drove) but there were orange groves all along that road. We stopped at an orange stand and had fresh squeezed OJ and bought souviners.
That was the only time in the two weeks we were in Orlando that I saw and orange tree. It was quite nice to see. I can't remember where Cypress Gardens is, so I don't know if I was in Orlando or not.

 

[Stepharoonie!]

I can't remember the name of the road for the life of me now, but right along side of our apartment is a road that will take you directly into Downtown Disney, and there's a huge (unattended) orange grove still there. Sadly, those trees have seen better days, but it is kinda nice to still see them