We Finally Rode Tiana’s Bayou Adventure for the FIRST TIME EVER – and We Have THOUGHTS

Y’all, the time has FINALLY come. We are officially getting to ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Magic Kingdom!

We have been reporting on all the updates of this new ride. From construction walls going up to hidden queue details to sneak peeks at the critters, we have kept you updated on ALL of it. Now, we can all finally take a breath as we ride over the 50-foot drop.

The story of this ride picks up after The Princess and the Frog ends. Tiana has opened her restaurant and expanded her business with an employee-owned cooperative called Tiana’s Foods. To celebrate the community that supported her and her restaurant dreams, Tiana is throwing a Mardi Gras party but there’s a problem. It seems an ingredient is MISSING. That’s where you come in because Tiana will need your help to find the missing ingredient!

You’ll begin this new adventure right when you enter the queue. While we’ve seen several details get pieced together over the many months of construction, nothing could prepare us for just how beautiful this queue is!

We spotted a nod to Ray and Evangeline in the queue for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure! ✨ pic.twitter.com/QhNQek7ggb

— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) June 7, 2024

It has TONS of detail. From the gardens all around to the lilies you can spot throughout, you’ll have to look closely (or ride it multiple times) to see everything.

The queue introduces you to Tiana’s Foods, an employee-owned company. There are hints all around indicating that you’re browsing the local shop.

Did you smell that? Oh, yeah, that’s the smell of fresh beignets! It smelled mostly like powdered sugar to us with a tiny hint of bread smell. We thought they did a nice job with this — it was noticeable for sure!

We didn’t have too long of a wait during the previews, but just a reminder that this ride will have a Virtual Queue when it opens as well as the option of grabbing a Lightning Lane by purchasing Genie+.

Once you get through the queue, you come up to the spot where you’ll climb into the logs for your trip through the Bayou. The ride vehicles are essentially the same, with the same seat configuration and restraint system, and the same storage — or lack thereof — to keep belongings from being soaked.

WE DID IT! We finally got to ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Magic Kingdom! pic.twitter.com/TgJvQuhEiS

— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) June 7, 2024

Yes! We’ve made it into our log! Now, let’s set off to find that missing ingredient. Hi there, Tiana!

So, as we rode through Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, some of our first thoughts gravitated towards the ride it replaced: Splash Mountain. Overall, we thought the ride may have been a bit faster than Splash, but it could depend on how many people are trying to be pushed through the queue. It makes a ton of sense that with a brand new ride, they would want to get as many people through as possible so we could see it stay the same speed for at least a while. We also caught a nod to Splash Mountain’s “butt” joke with Louis similar to Brer Bear and Brer Fox on the previous ride. One major difference: The smell, as the water definitely didn’t smell the same as it used to.

Overall, we think Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will be an attraction that grows on riders the more they ride. Initially, we weren’t so sure about the screens but there weren’t that many of them and they’re similar to what’s on Navi River Journey. The animatronics are the real highlight here, ESPECIALLY seeing Tiana in so many outfits.

?SPOILERS?
Apologies to the headphone users, but we just couldn’t help ourselves from screaming! Here’s the big drop! ?? pic.twitter.com/8ivjazE1xf

— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) June 7, 2024

The ride’s final drop felt a bit different to us. We would describe it more as quirky than ominous as it was before. The mountain’s opening is different and more open so you see Cinderella Castle as a prominent focal point in a way you couldn’t before.

Following the drop, the ride’s finale is a massive celebration, featuring critters we’ve met along the way, as well as some recognizable characters from the film. Finally, there’s a sequence with Mama Odie at the very end, which features the smell of beignets pumped in.

Once you get off the ride, you will stop by Tiana’s General Store! This is a new store where the old Splash Mountain exit store used to be. It’s not open yet, but it looks to be almost ready.

Don’t forget, you’ll also be able to visit Critter Co-Op soon after the ride opens. We got an exclusive look inside and at the merchandise line (which will be available at the Emporium as of June 28th) — take a look at that here! Yes, the firefly already has a special place in our hearts.

Well, we made it, and we found that last ingredient so Tiana can have a happy Mardi Gras! Thanks for riding with us! We can’t wait until June 28th when Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is open for everyone. Until then, keep following AllEars for more Disney news!

It’s been a struggle trying to ride. Read about Quincy’s experience waiting in line for seven hours and not being able to ride!

Are you excited to ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure? Let us know in the comments!