Disneyland's new restaurant, The Tropical Hideaway offers some tasty snacks in a delightful space that fits perfectly between the Enchanted Tiki Room and the Jungle Cruise.
But The Tropical Hideaway does much more than that. If you know your Disney theme park history and take a moment to look around, you will see how The Tropical Hideaway helps advance one of the two major story arcs that Disney has developed across its theme parks around the world.
One of those is the Stark Enterprises story from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But The Tropical Hideaway fits in the other — Disney's original multi-park story arc, the Society of Explorers and Adventurers.
Much like the Marvel Cinematic Universe tied together dozens of Marvel films, Walt Disney Imagineering's Society of Explorers and Adventurers ties together multiple theme park attractions and restaurants at Disney theme parks. We explore those connections in our latest video:
From its world headquarters inside Magellan's restaurant in Tokyo DisneySea, the society and its members created or controlled attractions at Tokyo DisneySea, Hong Kong Disneyland, Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon, the Disney Cruise Line, and now Disneyland. Disney's Imagineers have promised that some of the S.E.A members on the Hideaway wall will figure in upcoming attractions at Disney theme parks around the world, too. Here is that line-up:
Harrison Hightower III is perhaps the most notorious member of the Society and the first to have his story fully developed. The owner of New York's Hotel Hightower, he is the central antagonist of the Tower of Terror ride in Tokyo DisneySea.
Lord Henry Mystic lived in Mystic Manor at Hong Kong Disneyland with his monkey sidekick Albert, whose love for mischief kicks of the events of that Theme Park Insider Award-winning ride.
Dr. Albert Falls was the founder of the Jungle Navigation Co. His daughter, Alberta, owns the Jungle Navigation Co. Skipper Canteen at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom and started the Jungle Cruise ride after her father's disappearance. She also is a member of the Society.
Merriweather Adam Pleasure was the namesake and original owner of the old Pleasure Island nightclub district at Walt Disney World and founder of its Adventurer's Club, which was retconned after its closing to the be Florida headquarters of the Society.
Captain Mary Oceaneer was the explorer of Disney's Castaway Cay island in the Bahamas and the inspiration for both the Miss Adventure Falls ride at Typhoon Lagoon and the Oceaneer Lab on the Disney Magic and Wonder.
Barnabas T. Bullion was the owner of Big Thunder Mining Company. His portrait hangs in the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad queue in the Magic Kingdom.
Other, lesser-known members on the Hideaway wall:
Jock Lindsey from Hangar Bar at Disney Springs also is supposed to be a member of the S.E.A., which links the Society arc with the Indiana Jones franchise. All we need now is some acknowledgment that Howard Stark was a member of the S.E.A. — which, frankly, ain't a stretch at all — and we will have our Grand Unified Theory of Disney Theme Park Attractions.
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What about the Dreamfinder? I would argue he was one of the founding members? Brings EPCOT in the mix as well!