Tiana's Bayou Adventure: Disneyland Watch & Discussion

[D.Silentu]

The unifying feature in all of the aforementioned appearances is the film's music. I hear it talked about less than I feel I should, but The Princess and the Frog has a great soundtrack. It's one of the things that encourages me most about the changeover.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Off the top of my head, Tiana has been/is a part of:
-Showboat Jubilee, both US parks I believe?
-Soundsational
-Mickey's Magical Map
-Festival of Fantasy parade (MK)
-Mickey and the Wonderous Book (HK)
-One of the four seasonal murals inside Shanghai Disneyland's castle

She's not Mickey Mouse, but I wouldn't say she's barely been featured either. So far as I know, the only resort where she has not been featured ever is Tokyo. I'd say of the Disney movies made during Iger's tenure, she's been featured less than Rapunzel and the Frozen sisters, but more than anyone else. Maybe that could be interpreted by some as tokenism or something like that, but ultimately even people who promote inclusivity care about the bottom line. They're not going to keep putting Tiana out there if no one responds to her when they have hundreds of characters at their disposal that would prompt a better reaction. I don't think it's as complicated as some are trying to make it.

Also New Orleans Bayou Bash at Disneyland. I’d say the film has had a pretty good amount of exposure in the parks.

 

[Roger_the_pianist]

This reworking of Splash Mountain shows me that Disney is making a commitment to increasing Tiana's presence. It's like the ride is going to be a sequel to the film.

 

[Ne'er-Do-Well Cad]

There was so much water coming in the log I couldn't even concentrate on anything except the fact that I was soaked from head to toe.

Yeah... I'm really hoping they use the overlay as an opportunity to fix the drop in the dark. That moment in particular is quite clearly an engineering error.

 

[Ne'er-Do-Well Cad]

I don’t have a problem with French Market either. It’s not the best Creole food I’ve had, but for a quick sevice option in a theme park, it holds up pretty well. I prefer French Market over Rancho Del Zocalo.

So glad I'm not alone in my moderate enjoyment of French Market Restaurant! I'd put it on par with Rancho del Zocalo; both are quite generic theme-park-quality interpretations of widely-loved real world cuisine, but executed well enough for theme park standards and at relatively good price points.

Contrary to the sentiments I'm seeing on Twitter and Reddit, I really don't think FMR is begging for an overlay. Would probably be fine if it got one, though. In fact, I'd rather see FMR become Tiana's Place than Hungry Bear.

 

[Californian Elitist]

So glad I'm not alone in my moderate enjoyment of French Market Restaurant! I'd put it on par with Rancho del Zocalo; both are quite generic theme-park-quality interpretations of widely-loved real world cuisine, but executed well enough for theme park standards and at relatively good price points.

Contrary to the sentiments I'm seeing on Twitter and Reddit, I really don't think FMR is begging for an overlay. Would probably be fine if it got one, though. In fact, I'd rather see FMR become Tiana's Place than Hungry Bear.

The thought of either restaurant being turned into a PatF restaurant saddens me, honestly. I wouldn’t want to see either go.

I’d prefer they carve out a little space somewhere for a PatF-themed walk-up window or a little cart that serves Creole food.

 

[Ne'er-Do-Well Cad]

Not sure why it matters if PatF or Tiana are popular or respected by the company. Even if PatF were an outright terrible film and a historic box office bomb, it would have little relevance to the wisdom of building a PatF attraction, IMO. Films and attractions are different mediums. Perhaps the aesthetic, characters, and music of PatF didn't amount to a great film, but it's pretty obvious (even to me, a guy who's watched maybe 20 minutes of PatF) they could work beautifully in a log flume.

To make a trite observation... Cars is a pretty stupid movie, but Radiator Springs Racers is wonderful. Waterworld is dreadful, but the stunt show is a lot of fun. Personally, I can't stand Disney's Star Wars films, but I find Rise of the Resistance to be a spectacular, impressive attraction. And of course... Song of the South is straight-up unknown to most, but Splash Mountain is cherished.

I'm as devastated as anyone to be losing Splash (seriously, looking back, I'm sort of alarmed at how much the initial announcement affected me...), but the endless discussion in this thread about PatF's popularity is sort of baffling to me.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

I’d like Disney to go full bore and change out Critter Country into an extension of NOS with live oak, Spanish moss, and lots of Deep South charm. Pooh won’t be a fit but it belongs in Fantasyland as it did before.

Not that they’d ever spend the money.

 

[J4546]

Not sure why it matters if PatF or Tiana are popular or respected by the company. Even if PatF were an outright terrible film and a historic box office bomb, it would have little relevance to the wisdom of building a PatF attraction, IMO. Films and attractions are different mediums. Perhaps the aesthetic, characters, and music of PatF didn't amount to a great film, but it's pretty obvious (even to me, a guy who's watched maybe 20 minutes of PatF) they could work beautifully in a log flume.

To make a trite observation... Cars is a pretty stupid movie, but Radiator Springs Racers is wonderful. Waterworld is dreadful, but the stunt show is a lot of fun. Personally, I can't stand Disney's Star Wars films, but I find Rise of the Resistance to be a spectacular, impressive attraction. And of course... Song of the South is straight-up unknown to most, but Splash Mountain is cherished.

I'm as devastated as anyone to be losing Splash (seriously, looking back, I'm sort of alarmed at how much the initial announcement affected me...), but the endless discussion in this thread about PatF's popularity is sort of baffling to me.

waterworld is dreadful...? how dare you

 

[Ne'er-Do-Well Cad]

The thought of either restaurant being turned into a PatF restaurant saddens me, honestly. I wouldn’t want to see either go.

I’d prefer they carve out a little space somewhere for a PatF-themed walk-up window or a little cart that serves Creole food.

Yeah, I'd also prefer to keep French Market and Hungry Bear as they are. Replacing either restaurant with Tiana's Place would be problematic for one reason or another -- if they replace Hungry Bear, we lose/mess up the wilderness vibe in that corner of the park; if they replace French Market, there's suddenly a Tiana ride and a Tiana restaurant on each side of the Haunted Mansion, which is strange.

I'm not even sure what I want them to do (since Instagrammable Tiana food/drinks are inevitably coming). I think I'd just prefer them to keep all the PatF stuff in that back corner by Splash's entrance (so I guess that leaves... Pooh Corner?).

 

[Californian Elitist]

Yeah, I'd also prefer to keep French Market and Hungry Bear as they are. Replacing either restaurant with Tiana's Place would be problematic for one reason or another -- if they replace Hungry Bear, we lose/mess up the wilderness vibe in that corner of the park; if they replace French Market, there's suddenly a Tiana ride and a Tiana restaurant on each side of the Haunted Mansion, which is strange.

I'm not even sure what I want them to do (since Instagrammable Tiana food/drinks are inevitably coming). I think I'd just prefer them to keep all the PatF stuff in that back corner by Splash's entrance (so I guess that leaves... Pooh Corner?).

That’s what I was thinking. I like Pooh Corner, but if something has to be sacrificed, let it be that.

 

[Professortango1]

Can't they just replace Pooh with an AA show where wilderness creatures put on a show? Have Tiana welcome us to a Bayou Jamboree. They can even use a real actress interacting with puppets a la Storytime with Belle at WDW. Having a jazzy musical show sounds more fitting than the log flume retheme.

 

[Anjin]

Can't they just replace Pooh with an AA show where wilderness creatures put on a show? Have Tiana welcome us to a Bayou Jamboree. They can even use a real actress interacting with puppets a la Storytime with Belle at WDW. Having a jazzy musical show sounds more fitting than the log flume retheme.

This actually seems like a fun idea. Let's turn it into a game. Here are the rules:

1. Bob Chapek has, upon hearing this idea, agreed that tossing out Pooh for Tiana is a magnificent idea. (They can always find somewhere else for Pooh.) He has put you in charge of the Critter Country project.
2. Bob's has two priorities for you to meet: first, you must remove Song of the South from the park. Second, Bob being Bob, you have to put an existing IP in its place.
3. This is more a reminder: with Tiana taking over Pooh, Splash Mountain is now boxed in between Tiana and Haunted Mansion, making Critter County into a de facto New Orleans Square extension.
4. Bob, being a corporate machine, will not accept leaving Splash Mountain as is. Now that he's in love with Tiana taking over Pooh, Splash has to be rethemed with a different IP or he will just tear it down and replace it with an entirely different ride.

I'm curious how you, or anyone one else who wants to play, would thread this needle. Or how many of you would relish destroying the mountain to save it.

 

[truecoat]

So this PATF redo is just going to be screens and projections, right? I heard they are scrapping the animatronics in the ride.

 

[the_rich]

So this PATF redo is just going to be screens and projections, right? I heard they are scrapping the animatronics in the ride.

No, apparently they are going to have animitronics similar to then new BatB ride in Tokyo. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Disney Analyst]

So this PATF redo is just going to be screens and projections, right? I heard they are scrapping the animatronics in the ride.

They explained that they are working on some of the most advanced AAs yet for this attraction.

Most of us figure we’ll have new advance figures for Tiana, Naveen, and possibly Louis. Possibly some new builds for animals they want to add, and then some reused animals.

 

[misfitdoll]

I just want the animal animatronics to keep their scruffy fur. Please, please no smooth plastic on critters that should have fur.
It’s a major difference between Hunny Hunt and the US Pooh ride. The ride system on Hunny Hunt is better of course, but the fuzzy animatronics in Tokyo give the creatures such a more lovable and realistic quality. Like real teddy bears come to life. Splash is the same way.

 

[Ne'er-Do-Well Cad]

I don't want 2 or 3 state-of-the-art animatronics. I want 100 animatronics, most of which have very minimal motion.

 

[Brer Panther]

So this PATF redo is just going to be screens and projections, right? I heard they are scrapping the animatronics in the ride.

I'm expecting a lot of the original animatronics to be scrapped, especially the Brers (a few Brer Bears might be reskinned as Louis), but we'll apparently be getting one or two Tiana and Naveen animatronics.

 

[Ne'er-Do-Well Cad]

That’s what I was thinking. I like Pooh Corner, but if something has to be sacrificed, let it be that.

Replacing Pooh Corner could still be problematic, though. My understanding is that in the film (which admittedly I haven't seen in its entirety), Tiana's Place is located right in New Orleans. If they build a replica of the restaurant as seen in the film, it will make little sense in that back corner of Critter Country (nor would it make sense replacing Hungry Bear). Maybe they could build Tiana's Other Place, a second restaurant she opens up in the bayou? I'd be supportive of anything, as long as Splash and Hungry Bear continue to be surrounded by nature.

I’d like Disney to go full bore and change out Critter Country into an extension of NOS with live oak, Spanish moss, and lots of Deep South charm. Pooh won’t be a fit but it belongs in Fantasyland as it did before.

Not that they’d ever spend the money.

I love this idea. My sense is that Disney would like to remove most references to the Deep South from their parks and resorts, which is understandable but a shame given the undeniably interesting environments of that region.

My best case scenario would be scrapping Critter Country and allowing Tiana Mountain to occupy a sort of bayou/wilderness extension of New Orleans, just as you've described. Ideally, by recontextualizing the Deep South environment around a confident and ambitious African American woman character, the Imagineers could circumvent some of the ugliness potentially associated with the southern vibe.

Oh, and in this scenario Pooh should be moved, replacing the Fantasyland Theatre.