MK Tiana's Bayou Adventure - latest details and construction progress

[SuddenStorm]

Man, these characters are just so much better designed. Look at that face and the feathers on his neck. Why does Louis the the Alligator looks like he's wearing a fur suit?

Splash had the perfect blend of Gen1 DNA- this is a Davis designed character, and didn't Gibson do the animatronic sculpts?

And Gen2 DNA since the project was developed by the second generation of Imagineering.

I've made this point before but when you listen to Baxter or Gordon talk about Splash Mountain or Disneyland in general- there's this huge sense of love for the brand and what Disneyland represents. They genuinely wanted to improve the park and create something wonderful.

I don't get that sense when I listen to Charita talk about Tiana. It doesn't strike me as wanting to improve Disneyland, it strikes me as trying to further a cause. And the end result is telling.

 

[Epcot81Fan]

For me, it's almost created this massive sense of denial. I've been to Disneyland twice since it's closed- and it doesn't feel real. Because what they're doing is so dang terrible and the new façade is so bland.

In my mind, I'll be able to go back and ride Splash. But we can't. It's gone. And they've replaced it with Lari the Armadillo and an employee owned food cooperative that operates out of a salt mine. It's hard to believe that the same company that delivered Splash, Indiana Jones Adventure, Star Tours, Big Thunder, Pirates, Mansion could defile a classic and replace it with this nonsense.

This whole thing is baffling.

And at Disneyland it is even worse because we actually know what is coming so there is absolutely no (misguided) anticipation and hope like they had at WDW.

This is like your favorite movie theater closing for a year, but knowing when it opens in six more months all they are going to be showing is “G-Force”, the Disney hamster spy movie (which outgrossed PATF at the box office in 2009, BTW).

 

[mickEblu]

And at Disneyland it is even worse because we actually know what is coming so there is absolutely no (misguided) anticipation and hope like they had at WDW.

This is like your favorite movie theater closing for a year, but knowing when it opens in six more months all they are going to be showing is “G-Force”, the Disney hamster spy movie (which outgrossed PATF at the box office in 2009, BTW).

It is worse because for them not to make any improvements after seeing the response to the version at MK reeks of arrogance and denial. There are a few huge improvements they can make that would cost so little that most of us here have enough money to make the changes.

 

[SuddenStorm]

And at Disneyland it is even worse because we actually know what is coming so there is absolutely no (misguided) anticipation and hope like they had at WDW.

Yep, I don't envy Disneyland's marketing department. I wish I could hear the conversations going on in TDA over this... Or at least the conversations between Iger, D'amaro, and Potrock.

They know they have a dud. And they still have to finish it, market it, and hope it drives attendance as it was likely their 'big new thing' for Disneyland's 70th.

I also wish we could learn the merchandise sales, as that was often cited as a reason for this change.

This is like your favorite movie theater closing for a year, but knowing when it opens in six more months all they are going to be showing is “G-Force”, the Disney hamster spy movie (which outgrossed PATF at the box office in 2009, BTW).

PatF was considered a dud with limited appeal for 10 years until she became Disney's darling in 2020. Now Tiana has a healthy presence out in Anaheim- with a shop and restaurant in New Orleans. And Rey's Beret's, Salt Mountain, and the retheme of Pooh's Corner store to all be Tiana themed. Is that Disney Plus show still being developed? It's gonna have to be a smash hit to justify all of this.

 

[WorldExplorer]

That's Lari! An important part of the attraction, this armadillo necessitated his very own blog post!

Who is Lari the Armadillo? | Disney Parks Blog

You’ve seen him on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and he’s seen you, too. Learn more about Lari the Armadillo and his love of umbrellas and beignets.

disneyparksblog.com

My goodness WDI is lost.

Oh, good, so THIS is what they got out of the research trips. They needed to actually take a picture of an armadillo in the bayou to confirm they lived in the bayou. Gotta be "authentic" and you know, maybe every online resource, books on New Orleans fauna, and whatever locals they managed to talk to were all lying.

I've been told kangaroos live in Australia, but hey, until I get down there and take a picture of one myself, I'm not believing anything!

 

[Epcot81Fan]

Yep, I don't envy Disneyland's marketing department. I wish I could here the conversations going on in TDA over this... Or at least the conversations between Iger, D'amaro, and Potrock.

They know they have a dud. And they still have to finish it, market it, and hope it drives attendance as it was likely their 'big new thing' for Disneyland's 70th.

I also wish we could learn the merchandise sales, as that was often cited as a reason for this change.



PatF was considered a dud with limited appeal for 10 years until she became Disney's darling in 2020. Now Tiana has a healthy presence out in Anaheim- with a shop and restaurant in New Orleans. And Rey's Beret's, Salt Mountain, and the retheme of Pooh's Corner store to all be Tiana themed. Is that Disney Plus show still being developed? It's gonna have to be a smash hit to justify all of this.

The merch sales are the same as they always have been for PATF - weak. Go to your local Wal*Mart, Target, or heck World of Disney store for the past ten years and it will show the myth of huge PATF branded merch sales.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

and yet none of this feedback matters because I'm sure over in Burbank they've convinced themselves that all the poor reviews are because people can't let go of Splash Mountain. The TBA project team probably thinks they deserve an award for doing this "so fast" and on such a "tight budget."

Imagineers these days are clueless about anything. I have met Imagineers who didn’t even know Hagrid’s was a thing years after it opened. They’re not what they used to be.

 

[SuddenStorm]

The merch sales are the same as they always have been for PATF - weak. Go to your local Wal*Mart, Target, or heck World of Disney store for the past ten years and it will show the myth of huge PATF branded merch sales.

I think a lot of the narrative surrounding this whole project came from wishful thinking and justification, not reality.

Disney's letting down the people that loved this attraction, and they're letting down the people who didn't want this change. They aren't pleasing anyone with this.

 

[mickEblu]

The merch sales are the same as they always have been for PATF - weak. Go to your local Wal*Mart, Target, or heck World of Disney store for the past ten years and it will show the myth of huge PATF branded merch sales.

Honestly, Disney should fly Drew out to Anaheim and have him stand in front of that construction fence all day from open to close and chat up random guests to get them excited. He may be the only person on Earth who was, and apparently still is, genuinely excited about this attraction.

Some people around here wouldn't believe this but I found myself playing the PatF soundtrack in the car (when my daughter who enjoys the movie) was in the car with me in the months leading up to TBA opening. As down as I was on this project I still somehow found a way to buy into the hype, hoping there was a surprise in store even though everything pointed to the attraction being a mess. I haven't played that soundtrack since the POV was released in early June. Just completely turned off by the franchise at the moment and Im someone who really enjoyed the movie and the soundtrack.

 

[SuddenStorm]

I wish we could dialogue with Carmen and Charita on this. Just ask about the marketing and creative decisions. I'd love to hear the explanations on a few things...

 

[mickEblu]

Serious question, how long do we think the lines will be to meet Girl Boss Body Positivity Swamp Tiana? If the ride was great then you could say Ok maybe kids will warm up to this new version of the character. But the ride isn't exactly doing the character any favors.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Serious question, how long do we think the lines will be to meet Girl Boss Body Positivity Swamp Tiana?

Is this where we call in @TP2000 to talk about Tiana's new design and how it makes no sense in a better way than any of us can?

 

[EagleScout610]

I wish we could dialogue with Carmen and Charita on this. Just ask about the marketing and creative decisions. I'd love to hear the explanations on a few things...

Unfortunately we know their creative direction, "We love Tiana and this is the most realistic New Orleans and authentic experience despite being in a Disney park and if you don't think so, pound sand"

 

[TP2000]

Is this where we call in @TP2000 to talk about Tiana's new design and how it makes no sense in a better way than any of us can?

All I can say is, if just one single girl shows up on my doorstep this Halloween dressed like this; in jodhpurs and no-shape trousers and glamourless utility jacket and hand woven frumpy hat, I will buy everyone a churro...

 

[wdrive]

Serious question, how long do we think the lines will be to meet Girl Boss Body Positivity Swamp Tiana? If the ride was great then you could say Ok maybe kids will warm up to this new version of the character. But the ride isn't exactly doing the character any favors.

I completely forgot about this. Is she still supposed to be meeting in this outfit?

 

[GhostHost1000]

I do not think the ride is “doomed” or “cursed” or “being rejected by nature”. I just think it was opened too soon. Let them fix things.

It wasn’t opened too soon. It was doomed at the initial design discussions

 

[LittleBuford]

You’re proceeding from the false assumption that quality was ever a goal here.

Of course it was a goal, even if the end result is a huge disappointment. It’s silly to pretend otherwise. You undermine your criticisms of the ride with such hyperbole.

 

[LittleBuford]

The sets are bland and confusing, and reminiscent of elementary school shoebox dioramas.

That must be some elementary school you’re talking about!

Again, the hyperbole doesn’t help. There’s plenty to criticise without this sort of reaching.

 

[Brer Panther]

and yet none of this feedback matters because I'm sure over in Burbank they've convinced themselves that all the poor reviews are because people can't let go of Splash Mountain. The TBA project team probably thinks they deserve an award for doing this "so fast" and on such a "tight budget."

They're probably just gonna brush off everyone who doesn't like the attraction as racist.

PatF was considered a dud with limited appeal for 10 years until she became Disney's darling in 2020.

And y'know what? It didn't underperform because it was a bad movie. It was given a lousy release date against films like Avatar and Sherlock Holmes. It wasn't even a flop, but Disney came to the conclusion that it was a bomb because "people don't like hand-drawn animation anymore" or whatever. I wouldn't be surprised if there were pitches for far better Princess and the Frog attractions before 2020 that were rejected because the film underperformed, like what happened with Atlantis.

 

[LittleBuford]

They're probably just gonna brush off everyone who doesn't like the attraction as racist.

Why would they? Complaints about the ride’s weak storyline and technical woes are coming from all quarters. We’ve already seen from other examples (I’m thinking of Harmonius in particular) that Disney is not as deaf to guest complaints as posters here often claim.