Two worlds, one family.

The magic of Disney's Tarzan swings into The Chaparral Theater in a riot of spectacular dance, jaw-dropping acrobatics and catchy jungle rhythms!

The entire stage has been transformed into a wild, exciting jungle, full of hidden secrets and fun effects. Swinging vines appear from nowhere, leaves rustle on cue, Jane's tent pops up from nothing and swirling smoke fills this mysterious unexplored landscape. The large, talented cast, intricate set and pounding musical score make sure you're totally immersed in the magic of the legend.

Trust your heart and step into the jungles of Tarzan, as he learns to accept his differences and gains the power to be strong and the wisdom to be wise...

The Show

Deux mondes: le monde sauvage rencontre la civilisation.
The worlds: the primitive meets civilised.

Join us now on a magical journey into the jungles. The jungles... of Tarzan.

The Hairless Wonder

The sound of beating drums fills the grand amphitheatre. "Two Worlds, One Family" blares out in countless languages as the leaves begin to rustle and creates tiptoe all around. You're in a different world now, a paradise untouched by man. As the drums surround you and the rhythm takes hold of you, a tribe of gorillas burst onto the stage and begin their ritual dance. Have no fear - they live in peace. Until... The wails of a human baby break the jungle rhythm and send this peaceful world spiralling into disarray. Trusting her heart, Kala climbs up into the branches of the tree and recovers the child. With a peaceful lullaby and a unbreakable bond, Kala brings young Tarzan into their world and into their hearts.

Taking a leap forward in time, the young gorillas of the tribe invite Tarzan into their vine-swinging acrobatic antics. With swooping dives and death-defying falls, Tarzan isn't quite ready to join in their fun. Whilst the others show off their talents with precision jumps and catches from the springy jungle floor, Tarzan must work hard for the faith and understanding to become a true Son of Man. Finally, with a roar of confidence, Tarzan bursts out from behind the vines and cries out his native call, before grabbing hold of a vine and swooping right over the others, landing perfectly in front of the captivated audience.

Strangers Like Him

The next act begins with a band of ape-like workmen carrying an assortment of New World inventions on stage - from a bird cage to a gramophone and countless cases, this tourist - Jane Porter - has most definitely come prepared for anything. But, as she carefully tiptoes across the stage to her base camp, in her pristine yellow dress, is she prepared for these two worlds to collide?

Jane emerges from her tent to find a cheeky monkey playing with her luggage. After attempting to capture this curious creature in a drawing, he grabs her book and makes a run for it! With a quick tease, Jane manages to snatch it back, and the upset ape runs to Tarzan for help. After surveying the area and watching Jane explore, Tarzan swoops down and introduces himself to the mysterious stranger. But soon he realises she isn't so much of a stranger as he first thought, and he whisks Jane off for an exciting treetop tour of his magical home. As they swirl high into the air and glide gracefully over the audience, a bond like no other forms between these two strangers who aren't that different at all.

As Tarzan carries Jane off to explore more of the jungle, Terk bounds onto the stage and sets about "Trashin' the Camp" with all of his gorilla friends. What starts as a tap-tap-tapping soon turns into a full-scale gorilla symphony, with every item from Jane's mysterious world becoming a part of the jungle rhythm. Soon, the whole audience is invited to get involved, as Terk bounces from one side to the other, whipping up a frenzy of clapping and shouting between the two teams. As a grand finale to this unconventional musical number, Terk invites all the children in the audience to join in the noise by bashing and clashing a selection of a pots, pans and utensils to create a deafening crescendo!

Two Worlds as One

Returning from their tour of the wonders of the jungle world, Tarzan and Jane meet the group of gorillas in a tense introduction. However, after an authentic jungle call and an acrobatic spin, Jane is part of the family.

As the gorillas and monkeys dart about the stage, swinging from the vines and spinning through the air to celebrate their new family member, Tarzan climbs to the top of the rock face with Jane to send out his final call to the world. And, in a final fearless stunt, Tarzan and Jane swoop down across the stage to somersault in the air and land triumphant centre stage, two worlds joined together as one.

Trust your heart... let fate decide.

The Music

The soundtrack of The Tarzan Encounter comprises mainly of music taken directly from the 1999 Disney feature film, which used songs written and sung by Phil Collins and a score by Mark Mancina. Transferring these songs into a show for a park which aims to support six major European languages provided some challenges, especially in how to make sure everyone in the audience would understand and follow the story and events on stage. In addition to exaggerated visual performances from the cast (such as the young ape's tantrum after trying to steal Jane's book) and an entire lack of live speech, the show also makes use of the pioneering multiple language recordings Phil Collins made of his Tarzan soundtrack.

In addition to the original English language recordings, Collins also recorded his songs in French, German, Spanish (both Latin American and Castillian) and Italian. This was the first time that a Disney animated feature had been released with international versions of songs by the same major recording artist. "When they first asked me if I'd be willing to sing the songs in other languages, I wasn't sure I could deliver what they wanted but I was willing to give it a go," Collins, a frequent visitor to Disneyland Resort Paris, said at the time. "Working with some top producers as well as music and language consultants, I was able to learn the words phonetically and, with a lot of practice, give them the same feelings that I could in the English language versions."

In the show, the songs are, for the most part, played in their original state, with the vocal changing between the different languages they were recorded in. These Academy Award-winning songs by Phil Collins plus music from the original score by Mark Mancina are added to some brand new instrumental sections to give the show a powerful and moving effect on guests of all ages and nationalities.

History & Creation

Bringing the legend of Tarzan to the stage in Disneyland Park took nearly one hundred people from countless professions. Reed Jones and Doug May had two of the most influential roles in the creation of the show, as Director and Artistic Director respectively. Together they created a totally original new show with the emphasis on highly skilled acrobatics rather than the usual Disney musical numbers.

Costumes for the show were created by Sue Lecash. Due to the nature of the show and large amount of flexibility and movement required of the costumes, the costumes for the gorillas and other monkeys were created in a stylised design. This meant that they would allow the acrobats to fulfil their demanding dance routines and acrobatics (choreographed by Kat de Blois) whilst still having a visual style close enough to that of their respective animal. The costumes for Tarzan and Jane, however, were able to be very similar to those seen in the film itself. The green and luscious set for the show was designed by Bernard Arnould, who is now best known for his spectacular work on The Legend of the Lion King. The set uses a large amount of replicated jungle greenery and rock formations with enough of an aged and wild look to give the setting a real sense of history.

After a joint press premiere with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril: Backwards! on March 25th 2000, The Tarzan Encounter premiered to the public on April 1st 2000 and has returned every year since, pulling massive crowds to The Chaparral Theater between April and September. Each season has brought new changes and updates to the original show, with lighting and choreography adjustments enhancing the impact of the show and new props, such as those introduce for the "Trashin' the Camp" scene in 2005, giving the show a fresh touch of magic each year.