slushy and vanilla soft-serve ice cream , this sweet treat remains a favorite at Sunshine Tree Terrace to this very day .
While Sunshine Pavilion was Orange Bird ’ s main nest , he also migrated over to Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village — now Disney Springs . O . B . roosted at a shop called the Captain ’ s Tower , now Pin Traders . His likeness adorned a larger banner welcoming guests on behalf of the Florida Citrus Growers . He also appeared in the form of a large sculpture depicting him mid-jaunt .
Orange Bird remained a strong presence around Walt Disney World into the 1980s , but orange you wondering why the character isn ’ t super well-known today ? That ’ d be because the partnership between Disney and the Florida Citrus Growers eventually went kaput in 1987 , putting this little birdie in limbo … for a while , at least .
ORANGE BIRD COMES HOME TO ROOST By the 2000s , Orange Bird had become something of a distant memory living on in the hearts and minds of Disney fans who had been lucky enough to experience his meteoric rise . But you can ’ t keep a good half-bird , half-orange down for long .
The new sign proudly proclaims Sunshine Tree Terrace as the home of Orange Bird . PHOTO BY LAURIE SAPP
In 2004 , Orange Bird found feathered favor with a new audience at Tokyo Disneyland . April 14 is Orange Day in Japan , a holiday wherein couples exchange oranges as a sign of their undying love . And who better to become an unofficial mascot for this most romantic of holidays than Orange Bird ?
Orange Bird had taken flight once again , proving that Tom Waits isn ’ t the only one who ’ s big in Japan . The flap of his mighty , leafy wings eventually created enough of a swell that Orange Bird reemerged once more on the other side of the Pacific .
After gradually creeping back into the zeitgeist via merchandise , Orange Bird made his long-awaited return to Sunshine Tree Terrace at Magic Kingdom in April 2012 . The cute little fellow ’ s face adorned not just the signage over the terrace but also a new line of merchandise including commemorative cups and T-shirts .
A set of Orange Bird ears from EPCOT . PHOTO BY LAURIE SAPP
Disney even broke out an old statue of Orange Bird that had been on display during his beak — err , peak . The statue , retrieved from the Walt Disney Imagineering Sculpture Studio , sits at Aloha Isle as a reminder that Orange Bird has been a part of the WDW family since the beginning and isn ’ t going anywhere anytime soon .
THE PRESENT AND FUTURE OF ORANGE BIRD On top of the statue and Orange Bird mural at Aloha Isle , delicious Citrus Swirls , and unique merch like his very own EPCOT Food & Wine sipper , you can still spot Orange Bird around Walt Disney World . You ’ ve just got to keep your eyes peeled . You know , like an orange ?
A whole wall of Orange Bird plushes at the Emporium Shop . PHOTO BY LAURIE SAPP