If you’re practically sitting on the edge of your seat with anticipation each time Disney releases news on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, you’re not alone!
The all-new Magic Kingdom and Disneyland attraction, set to open sometime in 2024, has been a hot topic recently. The ride will replace the former Splash Mountain, and will pick up where Princess and the Frog left off. Tiana has achieved her dream of owning her own restaurant — Tiana’s Palace — and in the ride’s story, it’s Mardi Gras season. She’s preparing for a big celebration at her restaurant when she realizes she’s missing a key element. So, the riders must tag along with Tiana and her friends on a journey through the bayou to collect everything she needs to make Mardi Gras a success. So… how exactly does Disney plan to make this story come to life? We have details!
NOLA.com got to interview Disney Imagineer Ted Robledo, who has played a large role in bringing Tiana’s Bayou Adventure to Life. The best part? NOLA got to go on an exclusive tour of the incomplete ride. Along the way, they got some pretty awesome details that we can’t stop thinking about.
Animatronics
Lots of Disney fans have been curious about how Disney plans to bring this story to life to connect to the viewer — especially since there isn’t a second movie to do part of the work. Robledo shared that throughout the ride, the story would be told by multiple Tiana animatronics!
Based on Robledo’s description, it seems that around every turn, Tiana will be there to guide viewers along in the story. Plus, we already knew that there will be a Louis the alligator animatronic. Robledo also confirmed a group of “critters,” which will be an animatronic band of bayou animals.
The animatronics are not currently in the ride. Instead, Imagineers are using cutouts to work around artistically. This helps them position things properly so that the story can be told seamlessly. Oh, and it’s worth mentioning that the animatronics won’t be like the ones with projected faces — as you see in EPCOT’s Frozen Ever After.
They’re state of the art and highly advanced, similar to what can be found in Hong Kong Disneyland’s Frozen Ever After attraction.
A Love Letter to New Orleans
Robledo said, “New Orleans as a place is as important as a character. The story reacts to the place. We’re starting to hint at that in the queue, to try to craft that love letter to New Orleans in every way possible.”
You’ll be immersed in New Orleans and the bayou from the moment you enter the queue! Robledo said we can expect PA speakers to be set up “Grease style” near the barn with the mural (painted by New Orleans artists), which will play reimagined New Orleans classics. The barn is also where the Tiana’s Foods offices are located, Robledo said!
The smell of beignets will also waft through the queue, so that’s another aspect that’ll make ya feel like you’re really there.
Nods to Splash Mountain
Throughout the ride and queue, you’ll see a few resemblances from Splash Mountain. The path of the queue is the same, as well as the loading area. Plus, you’ll load into the same log flumes from Splash.
And don’t you worry. The ride itself follows the same track. There will be outdoor floats, “baby” drops, and of course — the BIG drop at the end! Now, you’re probably wondering why there’s a mountain in Louisiana. Well, according to Robledo, the Tiana’s Foods complex where the ride takes place is home to a large salt dome.
Robledo told us that we can expect to see a few more nods to the former attraction throughout the ride. NOLA reported that the boulders throughout the inside of the attraction is still there, and they also saw some stone arches that span the flume as well.
A Whole Lot of NEW
That’s about where the similarities end, though, it seems! Robledo assured us that the storytelling for the new attraction begins as soon as you enter the queue, with the music that we mentioned earlier as well as the scent of beignets. Plus, Robledo says Tiana’s Foods crates have been added to the loading area!
On the ride itself, every single bit of foliage from Splash Mountain has been replaced with vegetation native to Louisiana. You’ll see Cyprus trees, Spanish moss, and more!
After a “brief outdoor float” followed by a couple of drops, that’s when you’ll start to see these big changes, as well as the animatronics we mentioned. NOLA’s tour ended right before the former Laughing Place, as Robledo said the rest was a surprise.
He said regarding the rest of the ride, “I’ll just say it’s got a lot to do with magic. It’s a magical moment that happens down there.”
We saw some lanterns being hung at the crest of the big drop, so it looks like it’ll definitely be a party. Disney shared that these lanterns were a reference to the scene in Princess and the Frog with Mama Odie.
Plus, the tree stump that once perched atop the Splash Mountain attraction has been removed to allow for more “real estate” for something that Robledo hinted would be super magical. Y’all. We can’t WAIT to see it.
We’ll be sure to keep you updated with more Disney news, so make sure to follow along so that you’re always in the loop.
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What do you think of all these exciting new details? Let us know in the comments!
Sounds great! Any idea when it will open?