Fond memories of Looney Bird's in Orlando

[Jenna52]

Hello. I was searching the Internet looking for a blast from the past, and I found one. I am a former employee of Aaron’s (back when I was in high school -1997) at the Looney Bird’s in Orlando. Now I’m a high school teacher in Orlando and I often ask my students if they went to LB’s when they were little—and they did! I remember dressing as Mitzy Mouse and standing on the side of Curry Ford Road waving in customers. I miss the restaurant and often wonder if the “yellow-Beak-road” is still intact. Ah, the memories.

[macrossmaster]

I never went there, but I am keenly interested in others memories of the place - was always curious about what Aaron did minus the interference of Showbiz. Also, my senior year in HS was 97. :)

[Larry the Tech]

Hey Jenna52, welcome to the boards! Nice to know a Looney Bird employee!

[zeekeroo]

Welcome to the boards! Did you ever get to meet Aaron?

I would also be interested in memories about Looney Bird's. Are there any Looney Bird's Stores open still?

[Jenna52]

Here is what I remember. . .

I was hired by Aaron in October 1996 to be a waitress at his new restaurant Looney Bird’s. All of the employees were area high school students so we pretty much knew each other and got along well. At the beginning, I remember one of Aaron’s big concepts was “cleanliness.” There was a little sink to the left of the stage and kids were supposed to wash their hands before every meal at this sink. That concept died down though. Also, at first everyone had specific jobs: waitress, cook, entertainers. A couple of months later, Aaron changed the restaurant’s concept. Instead of waitresses, someone stood at the cash register and took orders. The customer was then given a number and his food was brought to him. We served pizza, ribs, corndogs, and other things that could be sent through the warmer.
I just loved working there. By the time I left, I knew how to expertly run the shows and karaoke machine. When you entered the door, you walked along the “yellow-beak-road” which took you past all of the shows. The first show was the gorilla. It sang the song “Tusk” by Fleetwood Mac. Next came the big stage. In the middle was Mitzi Mouse, Billy Bob, and maybe Fatz (my memory is hazy). On the right was Looney Bird sitting in his can. On the left was Beach Bear. Also on each side were large screens. There was a big key pad in front of the stage. I think it had about 12 or so buttons on it. Each button corresponded to a show. For instance, I remember one show went to the tune of Amy Grant’s “Baby, Baby.” The show was really random. I remember there was kitten footage on the screens while the animals sang. My favorite responsibility was working birthday parties. I always made a guest appearance dressed as Looney Bird and paraded around with the kids to a montage of bad dance songs like the Macarena and Chicken Dance. Also, this one time our paychecks hadn’t shown up on time, and my friend and I drove to the workshop/warehouse in downtown Orlando. That was neat. I don’t remember who took us on a tour, but we saw how all the characters were put together and other shows like a Wizard of Oz show.
The concept behind Looney Bird’s was great. Now that I have a little one, I’d love to take him somewhere like that. But. . . first off, the restaurant wasn’t in the best of locations. Second, many people did come in and not order food. It was that type of neighborhood. Mothers would bring in their children while waiting for the bus at the bus stop. In the beginning, Aaron’s concept included NO games. But, slowly, a few random video game/arcade machines did show up. I really think most of the problem was location. I know I enjoyed it!

[CEC3066]

so was that the first time you had seen the New Rockafire Explosion stage as it's called,(NRAE for short)

[lildook]

Looney bird in a can eh? Hmm... Doesnt jive with NRAE but who knows! Its been long. But last I saw that stage it was Mitzi, Fatz, n Billy in the center. Turn table 1 with Beachbear and Looney at his desk on the left (stage right) and turntable 2 with Dook n big TV on the right (stage left).. I sure wish someone had video of this store ! That'd be sweet.

There are only two others running that setup (if you call running the word) up just south of Chicago. The 2 Odyssey Worlds.

Right now the best place to see a rockafire is Showbiz Pizza Zone in Phenix City, AL. Or if your lukcy enough to trick one of the private show owners into giving you a tour! :), Mississippi, Indiana, umm Pennsylvania, Minnesota....

[RalphWolfe]

Looney Bird isn't in a can for the new version in which the characters are so much smaller than the original. He's at a desk with a white lab coat on. I went to the Naperville location at the Odyssey Fun World 2 years ago, and the show was going, and than it suddenly stopped. Last year I went, and it stopped again, and they were asking the mechanic guy to start it up again, but nope the mechanic guy is a bum over there. He was taking his sweet time just playing with a ticket machine in which no one wanted to play. That guy should be canned.

Yes, the show was broken, but still he could have gone and fixed it or restarted it when we asked. What's good now is that I was looking at Aaron's site about requesting songs for money for the show, and it says on there he is getting some type of pc based controller for Chicago which most likely means Odyssey Fun World.

Something different by I wonder if the reason why CEC went with Chuck E. Cheeses instead of Rock Afire Explosion was partly because of Aaron's attitude. He just seems like a jerk in a way.

[VegaNova]

There was several reasons why the companies split and as usual, it mostly involved money and control. So the "fault" really boils down to point of view and opinion.

But at any rate, the Tinley Park OFW is operational again. Lots of movements out and lots of stuff jimmy-rigged in place, but it runs and is tolerable to watch. We probably watched it for 3 hours less than a week ago. Aaron did install a new control system and made some minor mechanical tweaks so that's why it even runs at all again.

Even with lots of stuff shot and not working, it was still nice to finally see one running.

[raebigc]

Too bad Looney Bird's never took off.

[Flash Kid]

...it says on there he is getting some type of pc based controller for Chicago which most likely means Odyssey Fun World.
I'm guessing it's for Looneymagic's show that he has stored in a private warehouse.

He just seems like a jerk in a way.
You're not the first person to think that about him. I've talked to a few people who used to be on this board who don't like him at all.

FK

[raebigc]

I have a lot of respect for Aaron Fechter.

[pasqually333]

I have a lot of respect for Aaron Fechter.
I do to Charles. welcome to the boards:)

[raebigc]

I do to Charles. welcome to the boards:)

What do you mean, I'm already a member dude lol

[Flash Kid]

What do you mean, I'm already a member dude lol
He was talking to the person who started the thread.

FK

[zeekeroo]

You're not the first person to think that about him. I've talked to a few people who used to be on this board who don't like him at all.

FK

I've talked to him and he's just soooo nice!

[Harmony Howlette]

Talkin' bout CEC/SPP/RAE/CEI politics, are we?

http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/8387/jacksonpopcorn.gif

I think Veganova really hit the nail on the head though - it's pretty complicated - all how you look at it. You've got to be kind of objective, I guess, which can be pretty hard with anything, really.

[Rockafirefan]

Do you have any pictures and/or videos from Looney Birds?:choochoo: