Orange Bird

Orange Bird is a Disney character first created in 1969 and debuted in 1970 as a mascot for the Florida Citrus Commission, in exchange for them sponsoring the Enchanted Tiki Room attraction and Sunshine Tree Terrace at the Magic Kingdom theme park.[1] Orange Bird is an animated orange canary.

Orange Bird
First appearanceWalt Disney Studios' The Orange Bird (1970)
Created byThe Walt Disney Company
Don McLaughlin
Designed byDon McLaughlin
Voiced byN/A
SpeciesOrange canary (with an orange (fruit) head)
GenderMale

Personality

Unlike other animated birds, Orange Bird is incapable of singing or speaking, and instead communicates with orange-colored smoke clouds.

Appearances

Advertising and animated shorts

Orange Bird appeared on national television, print and radio ads for Florida oranges alongside singer Anita Bryant.[2] In 1971, Bryant narrated a record album telling the character's story. The album included an illustrated 10-page storybook, and included back-up singing by the Mike Sammes Singers. Orange Bird appeared on the cover of Citrus and Vegetable Magazine in 1977.[3] Orange Bird later had a solo career and appeared in a few Disney educational shorts in the 1980s such as "Foods and Fun: A Nutrition Adventure" and "The Orange Bird and the Nutrition Bandwagon". The Sherman Brothers wrote "The Orange Bird Song" song which became the theme song for Orange Bird. Orange Bird became a ubiquitous citrus icon, particularly throughout the State of Florida and United States. Orange Bird is featured in exhibits at the Orange County Regional History Museum in Orlando, Florida and McKay Archives at Florida Southern College.[4]

Disney theme parks

In the 1970s, Orange Bird appeared at Magic Kingdom as a walk-around character. He would often be found walking throughout Adventureland, outside the Enchanted Tiki Room. A figure of the character was also perched in a spot behind the counters of the Sunshine Tree Terrace, which has since been restored to the location after having spent years in the Disney Archives. Orange Bird merchandise can be found in retail locations at both Walt Disney World and the Disneyland Resort.[5]

In 2004, Orange Bird was featured at Tokyo Disneyland due to the character's high popularity in Japan. The Walt Disney Company created merchandising to coincide with Japan's annual Orange Day on April 14. The Orange Bird soon returned to appearing regularly on merchandise in the United States Disney Store as well. This includes t-shirts, pins, ear hats, Vinylmation figures, and cups shaped like Orange Bird.[6]

In April 2012, the Orange Bird made a return to a fully restored Sunshine Tree Terrace at Walt Disney World.[7]

Comics

Orange Bird is a character in the Disney Kingdoms comic book series, appearing in the Enchanted Tiki Room issue. Orange Bird also appeared on a page in the 2015 Inside Out book The Bing Bong Book.

References
  1. "Give it a squeeze! For Orange Bird Fans Only". Disney. 2015-06-04. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  2. Dotz, Warren; Morton, Jim (1996). What a Character! 20th Century American Advertising Icons. Chronicle Books. pp. 26–27. ISBN 0-8118-0936-6.
  3. http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/415544/17229649/1332287574730/Imagineering-Disney_Orange-Bird_3_Lisa-Maile_1977_1.jpg?token=3WlTNKG6N1TTOWDjbYmfhl%2BwpYg%3D
  4. Nayden, Lacey. "The Orange Bird". Florida Southern College, McKay Archives & Roux Library. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  5. "The History of the Orange Bird". Disney Avenue. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  6. Mancini, Nicole (2 May 2012). "Historic Orange Bird Flies Out of the Archives and back to the Magic Kingdom". DIS Unplugged. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  7. "Historic Orange Bird Returns to Adventureland at Magic Kingdom Park". Disney Parks. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
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