What does Fiddler, Fifer and Practical mean anyway?
Before the Guardians of the Galaxy moved in, Disney California Adventure had a Hollywood Tower of Hotel of their own. Like most defunct Disney attractions, there’s some remnants of the past which can be found in the park today, and it’s more obvious than you think. In case you’re unfamiliar with the backstory for The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, here’s a quick rundown:
On October 31st, 1939, the prestigious Hollywood Tower Hotel in Los Angeles hosted an exclusive Halloween party for the city’s elite. The event took place in the Tip Top Club, a nightclub located on the thirteenth floor of the hotel’s central tower.
The entertainment for the evening featured the “Silver Lake Sisters”—Dottie, Dolly, and Ethel Bounds—who were known for their vaudeville performances under the name “Fiddler, Fifer and Practical.” The performers were amongst many others as a bolt of paranormal lightning from the 5th Dimension struck the hotel, causing the elevators to plummet and trapping the few individuals inside. They were spirited away, becoming ghosts bound to the hotel. The fate of the rest of the party-goers and performers remain a mystery to this day, though we know the Silver Lake Sisters lived on according to the story below, now possessing a certain connection with the paranormal nature of the hotel.
Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Café is the Starbucks of Disney California Adventure park, located on Buena Vista Street. The café’s imaginative backstory says the establishment was founded by the Silver Lake Sisters — Dolly, Dottie, and Ethel Bounds — who were once vaudeville stars. Inside, the décor reflects the sisters’ colorful history, with memorabilia from their performances, including posters from their iconic show in the ballroom of The Hollywood Tower Hotel on that fateful Halloween night.
Set in the 1930s, the café was established by the trio, known for their stage names “Fiddler, Fifer & Practical”. They spent many years entertaining audiences across the country, performing on the vaudeville circuit, entertaining troops during World War I, and becoming minor celebrities in Hollywood’s nightclub scene, particularly on the iconic Sunset Strip.
After two decades of music, dancing, and comedy — Dolly playing the violin, Dottie on the flute, and Ethel on the piano — the sisters decided to settle into Buena Vista Street. The idea came from Ethel, the practical one, who had long managed the group’s business affairs. She had been urging her sisters to open a more stable, legitimate business. Eventually, they agreed, and the sisters launched Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Café, naming it after their beloved act as a tribute to their storied career.
But wait, there’s more! As the story goes, later in life as they resided on Buena Vista Street, the Silver Lake Sisters came to know a young Walt Disney in 1933, who used them as the basis for his company’s animated short The Three Little Pigs. As we know, this cartoon features the three little pigs also called Fiddler, Fifer and Practical; with Fiddler and Fifer being the work-shirking music lovers and Practical being the intelligent builder of a sturdy brick house.
Some additional lore: the name “Silver Lake” is a tribute to Walt Disney Studios, which was located in the Silver Lake District of Los Angeles.
Today, you’ll find memorabilia from The Silver Lake Sisters’ heyday all over the café walls: from black-and-white publicity photos to posters of venues they’ve played. You’ll also notice a music theme throughout.
And in the days leading up to Tower of Terror’s closure at Disney California Adventure, Disney Entertainment lined up the Silver Lake Sisters to perform inside the lobby!
Whew, what a story! As a massive theme park nerd, and Tower of Terror lover, I love these “ridiculous” backstories linking defunct attractions to random places like a Starbucks. Next time you pick up your cup of coffee at DCA, be sure to say hey to the Silver Lake Sisters!
