General Discussion of Tiana's Bayou Adventure

[Disney Analyst]

The back story is going to be more critical on this ride since everyone's first question is "why is there a mountain in the bayou?" It's hard to avoid when it used to be called a mountain and now has bayou in the title.

I never would have even thought to ask myself that question

 

[brettf22]

The back story is going to be more critical on this ride since everyone's first question is "why is there a mountain in the bayou?" It's hard to avoid when it used to be called a mountain and now has bayou in the title.

Maybe I’m underestimating humanity, but I’m not sure the vast majority of people *do* know that there aren’t mountains in a bayou.

Anymore so than knowing and being critical of the fact that Georgia wasn’t part of the post Civil War “frontier.”

 

[Brer Oswald]

Maybe this could’ve all been avoided if they set it in a fictional mountain called, I don’t know, “Splash Mountain”? And gave Tiana some motivation for adventuring to this unexplored location?

 

[celluloid]

agree, but remember they are squashing the mountain, removing the top, its going to look smaller once they do that and with the added trees. Just as dumb as holing up maelstroms cool rock opening...Bad imagineering, if it can even be called imagineering anymore.

We also lose the illusion of going into a pit of briar patch that was designed with the flume going under itself.

So much tossed out for cheap change.

 

[SuddenStorm]

I still think a complex with a sit down 'Tiana's Palace' restaurant and a richly themed dark ride themed to the film would be absolutely wonderful.

 

[LittleBuford]

The back story is going to be more critical on this ride since everyone's first question is "why is there a mountain in the bayou?" It's hard to avoid when it used to be called a mountain and now has bayou in the title.

I very much doubt geographical accuracy is a big concern for most visitors to the Magic Kingdom. One of the mistakes the Imagineers made was taking the elevation "problem" seriously in the first place; that's how we ended up with the salt mine.

It's worth noting that Splash Mountain, too, combined a bayou with a "mountain". No-one gave it a second thought.

 

[Drdcm]

My big question is… what kind of mountain is only 87ft tall?

Maybe they could have removed the word mountain from the ride name?… oh wait!

 

[celluloid]

Notice they are having some sort of event where the Briar Patch Store is being used as a backdrop for a villians meet and greet. They may have been the Irredecent evenings or another private event.

Construction/destruction wise. So odd.

 

[GhostHost1000]

I still think a complex with a sit down 'Tiana's Palace' restaurant and a richly themed dark ride themed to the film would be absolutely wonderful.

That would have been great. A good table service cajun style restaurant and ride themed to the existing movie within (like Mexican pavilion). Oh well

 

[drizgirl]

I still think a complex with a sit down 'Tiana's Palace' restaurant and a richly themed dark ride themed to the film would be absolutely wonderful.

Unfortunately I don't think we're getting either.

 

[Kirby86]

I very much doubt geographical accuracy is a big concern for most visitors to the Magic Kingdom. One of the mistakes the Imagineers made was taking the elevation "problem" seriously in the first place; that's how we ended up with the salt mine.

It's worth noting that Splash Mountain, too, combined a bayou with a "mountain". No-one gave it a second thought.

Imagineering came up with a solution to a problem that didn't really exist. I was team keep the name Splash Mountain even if they were going through with the retheme.

However with what little we know so far there seems to be very little of the bayou in this ride called Tiana's Bayou Adventure. Most of it seems focused on the salt mine.

 

[Midwest Elitist]

Notice they are having some sort of event where the Briar Patch Store is being used as a backdrop for a villians meet and greet. They may have been the Irredecent evenings or another private event.

Construction/destruction wise. So odd.

It's like they have no respect for the works of those before them. I thought it was crazy someone brought this up at first, but now I honestly believe that new Disney leadership / Imagineering only cares for "one upping" Disney of the past, but of course will fail miserably without that genuine, loving talent. I'm worried about the older rides.

 

[LittleBuford]

However with what little we know so far there seems to be very little of the bayou in this ride called Tiana's Bayou Adventure. Most of it seems focused on the salt mine.

The concept art they’ve released—even recently—suggests otherwise, which is why I’m holding out hope that the backstory relates mostly to the queue.

 

[Drdcm]

Notice they are having some sort of event where the Briar Patch Store is being used as a backdrop for a villians meet and greet. They may have been the Irredecent evenings or another private event.

Construction/destruction wise. So odd.

Is this legit? The video says it was uploaded a few days ago but it looks like the villains special event. Maybe a previous closure for refurbishment? The construction walls don’t have the salt mine stamp or the Tiana posters. Maybe I missed it?

 

[DisneyDebRob]

It's like they have no respect for the works of those before them. I thought it was crazy someone brought this up at first, but now I honestly believe that new Disney leadership / Imagineering only cares for "one upping" Disney of the past, but of course will fail miserably without that genuine, loving talent. I'm worried about the older rides.

I surely hope that private event wasn’t packed or sold out because I can see them just shuttering the whole Tiana ride and use it for a back drop. I’m kidding kind of. This so reminds me of the “festival center” in Epcot. Shut down wonders of Life for a big new attraction.. then realize they can save money and even make more money but just using it to house merch. It’s a stretch I know.. especially in MK but it does make me think. Thought would never even cross my mind but with decisions over the last few years anything is possible.

 

[LittleBuford]

Is this legit? The video says it was uploaded a few days ago but it looks like the villains special event. Maybe a previous closure for refurbishment? The construction walls don’t have the salt mine stamp or the Tiana posters. Maybe I missed it?

Plus the Splash Mountain sign is still up (I've timestamped the relevant section of the video):



Wasn't it taken down immediately after the ride closed?

 

[Smiley/OCD]

He's not the leader on this project (even if I suspect he might be taking the lead over the interior scene designs), and he's also an independent consultant instead of a full employee at Disney. There's probably also a fear at Disney of allowing an "old white man" to "upstage" Carter's team in any way on their own project. Keep in mind that Tony Baxter created Splash Mountain in the first place. And with Disney trying to purge all traces of that ride from existence, along with any connecting threads, that's another reason they'd probably want to downplay his involvement in the replacement.

This is a bad move to be clear. Most of the doubt involving this project is due to a lack of faith in Carter's team and their abilities (a very valid concern). Letting Tony speak more on his involvement with the project would help to diffuse quite a bit of this negativity. But like I said, it will take attention away from Carter. And Disney likely considers that to be risky from a PR perspective given who they're trying to pander to with this project.

Bob Weis was another I was told worked on this project. And he has his own baggage that would be pointed out if there was mention of his involvement (especially regarding the scrapped Disney's America theme park).


It's not even a bus driver rumor, they literally said they were joking and didn't actually know.

You’re line about Disney worrying about “an old white man” (I.e. Tony Baxter) to upstage Carter’s team…see, that situation in and of itself could be seen as “problematic”… if Disney was so concerned about that, since Tony was already “retired”, why even bring him back? I understand, they’re trying to move as far away from Splash as possible, but yet, because Tony’s name keeps getting mentioned; involved/not involved, in name only, here we are yet again with these same nagging, unanswered questions.

IMHO, what TWDC should have done is have Tony (like they did), at the first few announcements, and let him go off into the sunset.
When Tiana opens, put up a REALLY NICE, complementary plaque in the queue honoring Tony for being the original creator/imagineer of Splash. A nice, little photo op with him at the plaque and that’s it. That would be Toad handing the deed over to owl.
As far as the back story goes, it just feels like Disney is trying to be SOOO accepting and inclusive, that instead of cohesiveness being the priority, checking all the boxes is the number one priority.

Just my two cents…I REALLY want to ride this and say WOW!! What an awesome job!! Unfortunately, I’m not holding my breath…

 

[Midwest Elitist]

Plus the Splash Mountain sign is still up (I've timestamped the relevant section of the video):



Wasn't it taken down immediately after the ride closed?

No, I believe it's still there.

 

[Kirby86]

The concept art they’ve released—even recently—suggests otherwise, which is why I’m holding out hope that the backstory relates mostly to the queue.

Out of The 2 pieces of concept art (for the salt dome version) they have shown. Those scenes look like it takes place right after Slippin Falls. That is the bayu part of the original ride. The Laughing Place and the lift hill will be the salt mine more likley than not. Maybe the outdoor portion after the drop could be a "bayou" but it won't be extravagantly themed just like Splashes outdoor section after the drop wasn't. Maybe the Riverboat scene could be a bayou.

 

[celluloid]

Is this legit? The video says it was uploaded a few days ago but it looks like the villains special event. Maybe a previous closure for refurbishment? The construction walls don’t have the salt mine stamp or the Tiana posters. Maybe I missed it?

Good point. Interesting. Magic Kingdom closed early the other night for an event though. What you are seeing is the first night(s) before Salt Dome stamps went on the walls.