General Discussion of Tiana's Bayou Adventure

[_caleb]

I really believe they still have the ability to create something amazing—but they’re doing themselves no favours with what they’re choosing to share with us at this stage.

One mistake might have been assuming people know the difference between an attraction’s story and its backstory.

 

[GhostHost1000]

One mistake might have been assuming people know the difference between an attraction’s story and its backstory.

Regardless I don’t think it makes what they released the other night more exciting

 

[Tha Realest]

One mistake might have been assuming people know the difference between an attraction’s story and its backstory.

Why are you imputing a distinction absent in the official Disney description? Disney does not mention backstory once, saying this is explicitly the storyline of the attraction.

Disney Reveals New Storyline for Tiana's Bayou Adventure

Walt Disney Imagineering shares next chapter in Tiana's story, as part of Tiana's Bayou Adventure attraction experience coming to Disneyland Park and the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort.

disneyparks.disney.go.com

 

[SuddenStorm]

There appears to be two things feeding into it-

1- The assumption that he's always just been used as a PR mouthpiece for the project and has no actual involvement beyond that. And that his lack of "presence" in any of the photos or videos about the ride's creation is "proof" of this.

I have always assumed he was included in the initial announcement in an attempt to placate Splash fans. He's done a handful of interviews since the announcement and he mentions Tiana briefly in one of them, but he isn't exactly a 'PR mouthpiece' if he hasn't actually been a part of any of the ride's publicity.

2- Someone made a post in the other thread that he used to be involved but jumped ship very early on. This appeared to be a joke though as the followup post said the source was a "bus driver".

Splash is a huge part of Baxter's legacy- so this wouldn't surprise me.

An independent source that I trust (and has gotten other things correct about the project so far) stated that Tony Baxter is indeed working on this substantively. And that he's glad to be involved and didn't angrily dump the project. And until I see evidence otherwise (like from one of the established trustworthy insiders here or comment from Tony himself), I'm trusting this source. I'm guessing at the very least Tony is involved in the interior scenes. They look like they have his influence.

I'd love for Baxter to be more involved in WDI, so I hope this is the case- but until I see something with his name on it in the PR for the ride I think the 'bus driver' rumor is more likely.

 

[_caleb]

Regardless I don’t think it makes what they released the other night more exciting

Right. I don’t think it was, either. But I don’t think it was written to be exciting. I honestly suspect they plugged each location of the new Tiana “mini-land” into ChatGPT and asked it to write a backstory for Tiana.

But the point is that backstories like this are written for nearly all attractions, and they’re not designed to promote the attraction or to build excitement. They’re working documents that serve to ensure each element fits into the same theme.

If this is a backstory, it’s like WDI releasing schematics, concept art, or storyboards. Those things rarely tell the story of an attraction.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Right. I don’t think it was, either. But I don’t think it was written to be exciting. I honestly suspect they plugged each location of the new Tiana “mini-land” into ChatGPT and asked it to write a backstory for Tiana.

But the point is that backstories like this are written for nearly all attractions, and they’re not designed to promote the attraction or to build excitement. They’re working documents that serve to ensure each element fits into the same theme.

If this is a backstory, it’s like WDI releasing schematics, concept art, or storyboards. Those things rarely tell the story of an attraction.

lol ok then why even release it and create this kinda reaction to it?

 

[_caleb]

Why are you imputing a distinction absent in the official Disney description? Disney does not mention backstory once, saying this is explicitly the storyline of the attraction.

Disney Reveals New Storyline for Tiana's Bayou Adventure

Walt Disney Imagineering shares next chapter in Tiana's story, as part of Tiana's Bayou Adventure attraction experience coming to Disneyland Park and the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort.

disneyparks.disney.go.com

They used the term “storyline details.” So I’m distinguishing between “the ride’s story” and “the backstory, which explains how all the elements (ride scenes, characters, shops, merch, food) fit together.”

Maybe I’m wrong. But it seems more logical (and consistent with what we already know about WDI and about this ride in particular) than what others here are assuming it is.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Why are you imputing a distinction absent in the official Disney description? Disney does not mention backstory once, saying this is explicitly the storyline of the attraction.

Disney Reveals New Storyline for Tiana's Bayou Adventure

Walt Disney Imagineering shares next chapter in Tiana's story, as part of Tiana's Bayou Adventure attraction experience coming to Disneyland Park and the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort.

disneyparks.disney.go.com

Because fans of the retheme desperately want it to be good, and have been giving Disney the benefit of the doubt here for almost three years.

It's been interesting to see the internet collectively groan with this detailed overview of the new attraction's story.

When people think 'Tiana' and 'Splash Mountain', they think fun musical filled bayou. They think voodoo and Dr. Facilier on the final lift hill.

They don't think 'hunting for a missing food ingredient'. They don't think 'Salt mine'. They don't think 'food co op'.

I personally don't like that you can see the agenda. They're going into this with the intention of making Tiana an altruistic entrepaneur. a 'I don't wear a dress' kind of princess. But she can't be a 'for profit' entrepeneur and has to be as generous as possible, so it's 'employee owned'. All things meant to inspire- which is a noble pursuit, except they seem to have forgotten this ride has to actually be fun.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Baxter’s not been bashful with his time, appearing in many podcasts and interviews since. He’s not mentioned his involvement once. Neither has Disney since the announcement. Why is that?

Because a member of the Imagineering team isn't supposed to spill the beans on a project unless OK'd by more senior execs and PR. It would be unprofessional to do so.

Notice how Zach isn't posting much about EPCOT projects any more. Instead, we get short video updates produced by PR.

Sorry that this conspiracy theory has a huge hole in it.

 

[celluloid]

People are trying to complicate this to defend this:

The things said include the backstory and story. This is why it was published and explains the throughline of the ride.

The backstory is the Salt Dome and her acquisition of a Salt Dome. It happened before guest's arrived.

The story: Everything that happens once guest arrive in the attraction.

We don't know the details of what will happen in staging these events, but we do know the story now.

Both were presented.
The backstory is vague, but not great. It is the backstory.
The Story is described, and terrible.

 

[MisterPenguin]

it’s set in the 1920’s?

Little of what has been shared is time-period appropriate. Food coops existed in the 19th century but what appears to be the concept here didn’t exist until the 1960’s. Women-owned businesses? Certainly possible for a woman to start her own business in the 1920’s, there are businesses dating back into the 1700’s but they are very few, but most weren’t until later in the 1900’s - in 1972, only 4.6% of all businesses were owned by women. It’s hard to suspend this much disbelief.

Women Entrepreneurs Take the Stage During New York's Jazz Age | Entrepreneur

These trailblazing business owners have much to teach their contemporary counterparts about taking risks and acting independently.

www.entrepreneur.com

 

[_caleb]

lol ok then why even release it and create this kinda reaction to it?

Like I said:

• I don’t think you/we are the intended target audience for this ride
• I think they assumed people would understand this was a backstory rather than a story
• I think the kind of reaction you’re seeing are from a certain disaffected segment
• I think they put this out relatively early in the process in hopes any negativity might blow over

But that’s just my initial take.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Like I said:

• I don’t think you/we are the intended target audience for this ride

Die hard Disney park fans aren't the audience? Than who is?

• I think they assumed people would understand this was a backstory rather than a story

It is both.

• I think the kind of reaction you’re seeing are from a certain disaffected segment

I've never seen a more collective 'groan' over an announcement. Heck reddit- which is usually fairly positive on this stuff- has almost unanimously said 'what the heck is this'.

• I think they put this out relatively early in the process in hopes any negativity might blow over

Why would they do that? They put it out in an attempt to generate buzz and excitement in the wake of WDW's version of the ride closing. Not to get negativity out of the way. I genuinely believe Disney is confident in this and thought their new story was a home run.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Like I said:

• I don’t think you/we are the intended target audience for this ride
• I think they assumed people would understand this was a backstory rather than a story
• I think the kind of reaction you’re seeing are from a certain disaffected segment
• I think they put this out relatively early in the process in hopes any negativity might blow over

But that’s just my initial take.

I’m not buying that at all but ok

 

[_caleb]

Of course the story will fit into the backstory. Take the example shared upthread from Pandora’s backstory. Flight of Passage fits into the backstory, but does not—even in its overly-expositional pre-show—include a scene for each piece of the backstory.

So I don’t expect TBA to have a scene with a cooking class. Instead, I think they’re going to offer cooking classes in a storefront somewhere nearby. I don’t think the ride will have a scene explaining food co-ops, instead, I think that will be the explanation that ties it into the D+ series and explains away any ride scenes that depict Tiana as beloved in the community despite her business success.

 

[celluloid]

I’m not buying that at all but ok

Me either, It is definitely an apologist take isn't it?

And I will be even keel on the I don't know what the ride will truly be.

I am not even saying that the ride could not turn out to have some really fun and good staging of immediate events that happen throughout, but sticking to the facts.

This is the story AND backstory.

I don't think many would or should consider it early in the process as it open ready within 18 months and Disney has had PR for this thing for over three years now, starting with an announcement that stated this specific attraction has been in the works for years.

 

[SuddenStorm]

starting with an announcement that stated this specific attraction has been in the works for years.

I still, to this day, thoroughly believe that was a lie. Or at least an exaggeration of the truth. I know the 'insider' that shared this is a bit controversial and not always reliable- but the take that it was a blue sky concept pitched at one point but not actively developed makes the most sense.

Just look at how much the project has changed in three years- Disney made the announcement then decided to design an attraction.

 

[Tha Realest]

Me either, It is definitely an apologist take isn't it?

And I will be even keel on the I don't know what the ride will truly be.

I am not even saying that the ride could not turn out to have some really fun and good staging of immediate events that happen throughout, but sticking to the facts.

This is the story AND backstory.

I don't think many would or should consider it early in the process as Disney has had PR for this thing for over three years now, starting with an announcement that stated this specific attraction has been in the works for years.

And remember, they totally had thought-out plans to do this well before Summer 2020, as evidenced by the Thomas Kincaid concept art showing Tiana in her Princess dress next to Splash Mountain with a more verdant tree at the top.

 

[_caleb]

Die hard Disney park fans aren't the audience? Then who is?

I consider myself to be a “die-hard,” and I haven’t felt like I was the main audience for some time.

I've never seen a more collective 'groan' over an announcement. Heck reddit- which is usually fairly positive on this stuff- has almost unanimously said 'what the heck is this'.

Right. And this does seem to be a somewhat unique situation in terms of the rational and context of the retheme. Also, this sort of document isn’t typically shared in this way (little actual marketing polish) or this early in the process.

Why would they do that? They put it out in an attempt to generate buzz and excitement in the wake of WDW's version of the ride closing. Not to get negativity out of the way. I genuinely believe Disney is confident in this and thought their new story was a home run.

This certainly didn’t seem like a promo piece to me.

 

[GhostHost1000]

I consider myself to be a “die-hard,” and I haven’t felt the main audience for some time.

Then the future of disney parks are heading in a worse direction than I thought.

Who is their new audience then? People dumb enough to overspend thousands for mediocre things?