News Splash Mountain retheme to Princess and the Frog - Tiana's Bayou Adventure

[Kirby86]

Ha good question. A bit more complicated because I think they'll remove a fair number of them also. If the total number now is 58 animatronics, then I'd say the O/U for removal is 25 (extra geese, some of the dancing birds on the Zip-A-Dee Lady, and whatever else saves them an extra buck on maintenance costs). For repurposing, I think the O/U would be 14 (though I don't count removing clothes from an existing animatronic). For removal, I'll take the over. Between screens and cost-cutting, it just makes sense to me. For repurposing, I think I take the under, simply because they'll get rid of so many of them. The rest will either be stripped of their garments or reskinned altogether as characters. Even Brer Rabbit could be reshaped into a Tiana or Naveen frog (supposing they go that route and change them back at any point).

After the push back they got with her being a frog through most of the movie.. There is no way they are having Tiana be a frog in the ride.

 

[Dear Prudence]

The real question is whether the new Tiana animatronics will be rear-projection faces like Frozen Ever After, or full animatronics like Tokyo's Beauty and the Beast. If they do rear-projection, it won't match the other animatronics, which will be another test of how much they really care.

I've said this since tge beginning! Anything less than Tokyo quality for this is just downright disrespectful. If this has the meaning they say it does, then they need to prove it. I couldn't imagine waiting your entire life to see a character who looked like you and then have it look cheap and ugly. Disney, you messed up the first time making her a Frog the whole movie, don't bungle THIS, too.

Either way, I hope they do a good job with Tiana's hair. Even in WRECK IT RALPH 2 they ROYALLY messed up and had to reanimate her skin and hair (again, the sheer level of disrespect). I hope they take all the notes from their mistakes and really do what needs to be done here. Stop telling us how important this is when you guys clearly can't put the effort in, Disney.

 

[DisneyDodo]

I do expect that we’ll get some of the impressive BatB-level animatronics. The concept art of Tiana holding the lantern looks eerily similar to the animatronic of Belle holding one. However, I would expect the total number of animatronics in the ride to drop by ~50%, with the majority of Splash AAs being removed completely. We’ll get a lot more empty space, plus some projection effects (e.g. fireflies) to fill some of it. There will be a lot of head-swiveling by riders to follow a set of two impressive AAs with their eyes for as long as possible until they reach the next interesting thing to look at.

 

[Midwest Elitist]

I do expect that we’ll get some of the impressive BatB-level animatronics. The concept art of Tiana holding the lantern looks eerily similar to the animatronic of Belle holding one. However, I would expect the total number of animatronics in the ride to drop by ~50%, with the majority of Splash AAs being removed completely. We’ll get a lot more empty space, plus some projection effects (e.g. fireflies) to fill some of it. There will be a lot of head-swiveling by riders to follow a set of two impressive AAs with their eyes for as long as possible until they reach the next interesting thing to look at.

Isn't that kind of bad though? From what I recall, you never have to swivel your head on the current splash, everything is directly in front of you or off to the side a bit.

 

[DisneyDodo]

Isn't that kind of bad though? From what I recall, you never have to swivel your head on the current splash, everything is directly in front of you or off to the side a bit.

It wouldn’t make me happy. But highly advanced AAs are very marketable and will make the average guest (and non-guest) feel that Disney went above and beyond for Tiana.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

I do expect that we’ll get some of the impressive BatB-level animatronics. The concept art of Tiana holding the lantern looks eerily similar to the animatronic of Belle holding one. However, I would expect the total number of animatronics in the ride to drop by ~50%, with the majority of Splash AAs being removed completely. We’ll get a lot more empty space, plus some projection effects (e.g. fireflies) to fill some of it. There will be a lot of head-swiveling by riders to follow a set of two impressive AAs with their eyes for as long as possible until they reach the next interesting thing to look at.

And what will they do with the leftover animatronics??? #MakeAmericaSingAgain

Your guess about the decrease fits in well with my O/U estimate. I totally agree with you.

I've said this since tge beginning! Anything less than Tokyo quality for this is just downright disrespectful. If this has the meaning they say it does, then they need to prove it. I couldn't imagine waiting your entire life to see a character who looked like you and then have it look cheap and ugly. Disney, you messed up the first time making her a Frog the whole movie, don't bungle THIS, too.

Either way, I hope they do a good job with Tiana's hair. Even in WRECK IT RALPH 2 they ROYALLY messed up and had to reanimate her skin and hair (again, the sheer level of disrespect). I hope they take all the notes from their mistakes and really do what needs to be done here. Stop telling us how important this is when you guys clearly can't put the effort in, Disney.

They're already doing a disservice to the film by not giving it a clean slate attraction. They could have made it something brand new, but now it will always be the ride that used to be Splash Mountain. If it's true that this "reimagining" has been in the works for years, you can't tell me there weren't other proposals of a standalone attraction. And why is the planning not done yet if it's been so many years? I think it's because this project actually got greenlit when that petition was covered by the news. It may have been a suggestion before that, but concrete plans...I bet not.

Yet another example of Disney rushing to do something that should be done right (put in a PatF attraction), and it's almost certainly going to disappoint a lot of people (though I'm sure Good Morning America will be gushing over it in 2027 or whenever it finally opens).

 

[Midwest Elitist]

And what will they do with the leftover animatronics??? #MakeAmericaSingAgain

Your guess about the decrease fits in well with my O/U estimate. I totally agree with you.


They're already doing a disservice to the film by not giving it a clean slate attraction. They could have made it something brand new, but now it will always be the ride that used to be Splash Mountain. If it's true that this "reimagining" has been in the works for years, you can't tell me there weren't other proposals of a standalone attraction. And why is the planning not done yet if it's been so many years? I think it's because this project actually got greenlit when that petition was covered by the news. It may have been a suggestion before that, but concrete plans...I bet not.

Yet another example of Disney rushing to do something that should be done right (put in a PatF attraction), and it's almost certainly going to disappoint a lot of people (though I'm sure Good Morning America will be gushing over it in 2027 or whenever it finally opens).

It probably got greenlit and barely any work has gone into the plans. But they'll make sure to pretend they care by slowly removing any history of the attraction, such as taking Zip (absolutely uncalled for) off the park speakers and clearing all merchandise (Which they're so incompetent at doing).

I think we're going to be in an awkward place with no souvenirs, no references to the ride, but it still being there for a couple years in it's current form.

 

[erasure fan1]

They're already doing a disservice to the film by not giving it a clean slate attraction. They could have made it something brand new, but now it will always be the ride that used to be Splash Mountain.

Yup. That's why I said in the beginning, just bulldoze splash and start new. Even if the reskin isn't meh. It will always feel like a reskin, instead of actually doing a PatF ride justice.

 

[RSoxNo1]

After the push back they got with her being a frog through most of the movie.. There is no way they are having Tiana be a frog in the ride.

They would never replaced the principle character with a Frog in a flume ride... never.

 

[Kirby86]

They would never replaced the principle character with a Frog in a flume ride... never.

I'm just saying they won't make Tiana the Frog again. People complained about it last time with the movie and it really wouldn't be worth the headache. They can turn the prince back into the Frog since no one will care.

 

[GoneForGood]

Yup. That's why I said in the beginning, just bulldoze splash and start new. Even if the reskin isn't meh. It will always feel like a reskin, instead of actually doing a PatF ride justice.

I agree with this 110%. It also wouldn't force them to create a story that somehow ties into and flows with the 4 or 5 drops. What makes splash so good is that the drops aren't JUST for thrill, but tie closely to the narrative and story taking place around you. Not that they cant come up with something that makes sense.

 

[Kirby86]

I agree with this 110%. It also wouldn't force them to create a story that somehow ties into and flows with the 4 or 5 drops. What makes splash so good is that the drops aren't JUST for thrill, but tie closely to the narrative and story taking place around you. Not that they cant come up with something that makes sense.

I'm sure they can but I don't have the highest confidence that they will.

 

[mickEblu]

I’d have to imagine a lot of people that work at the company are upset about the decision to retheme Splash Mountain even from strictly just a financial perspective. Retheming one of your most popular rides in the wake of the pandemic? Or am I wrong and is everyone that works at Disney a raging “progressive?”

 

[Cesar R M]

It wouldn’t make me happy. But highly advanced AAs are very marketable and will make the average guest (and non-guest) feel that Disney went above and beyond for Tiana.

Yes, but look at what we got with the NAVI River.
The ride itself is just sort of forgettable and short.... the big highlight is the animatronic which is only one.

 

[Cesar R M]

I'm just saying they won't make Tiana the Frog again. People complained about it last time with the movie and it really wouldn't be worth the headache. They can turn the prince back into the Frog since no one will care.

I'm confused. Isnt the ride going to be a retelling of the movie?
If yes, why would people complain about Tiana being frost for the center of the movie? (where she is human in the intro and the end and some flashbacks as well as the magic deception of the shadowman )

 

[Kirby86]

I'm confused. Isnt the ride going to be a retelling of the movie?
If yes, why would people complain about Tiana being frost for the center of the movie? (where she is human in the intro and the end and some flashbacks as well as the magic deception of the shadowman )

If I recall correctly during one of the two times they spoke about this retheme the project lead said this was going to be Tiana and Lewis preparing for their first Mardi Gras after the film ends.

 

[Cesar R M]

If I recall correctly during one of the two times they spoke about this retheme the project lead said this was going to be Tiana and Lewis preparing for their first Mardi Gras after the film ends.

That sort of makes no sense unless Tiana will definitively be human over the entire ride
And kinda does not fit most of the other attractions where they are retellings. hmm..
I wonder how will it end.

 

[MisterPenguin]

That sort of makes no sense unless Tiana will definitively be human over the entire ride
And kinda does not fit most of the other attractions where they are retellings. hmm..
I wonder how will it end.

Festival of the lion king, and frozen ever after both take place after the events of the movie.

I thought that "book report" rides were 'bad'.

 

[Cesar R M]

Festival of the lion king, and frozen ever after both take place after the events of the movie.

I thought that "book report" rides were 'bad'.

Frozen Ever After seems to be a recap as well.
It has the LET IT GO, the monsters, the sequences..
It didn't feel like an "after" the events thing.

As for Festival, its a show, not technically a ride.

 

[Dear Prudence]

I do expect that we’ll get some of the impressive BatB-level animatronics. The concept art of Tiana holding the lantern looks eerily similar to the animatronic of Belle holding one. However, I would expect the total number of animatronics in the ride to drop by ~50%, with the majority of Splash AAs being removed completely. We’ll get a lot more empty space, plus some projection effects (e.g. fireflies) to fill some of it. There will be a lot of head-swiveling by riders to follow a set of two impressive AAs with their eyes for as long as possible until they reach the next interesting thing to look at.

Isn't it kind of sad that they're again (potentially) recycling for Tiana (i.e., the Belle animatronic) and taking shortcuts instead of giving this character their due? It's bad enough as it is that she's getting a recycle of an existing attraction they allowed to run into the ground. :x