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

[Pi on my Cake]

Despite being a commercial failure

It made over 2.5 times its budget despite being released a week before Avatar (The biggest movie ever made) and has had strong merch sales ever since. Not to mention that it was competing with Disney's own Christmas carol to be the big holiday family film that year (something Christmas Carol had an obvious advantage at as it is actually a Christmas movie and was given double the budget of PatF). No idea why the mouse would cannibalize their own market trying to release two animated movies in the same Christmas timeframe.

It might not have been a Frozen/Lion King level smash hit, but it was absolutely not failure and did well at the box office considering what it was up against. It was the highest grossing 2D animated film from Disney in a decade when it released

 

[MagicHappens1971]

How many other princesses have a store, restaurant, and an E Ticket ride?

Ariel has a show at DHS, a ride at MK and a M&G.

Snow White has an “E-ticket” & a M&G @ MK, as well as the same E-ticket in Shanghai. a Dark Ride at DLR. Snow also has the “Wishing Well” experience in the castle in Shanghai. She also meets at Epcot.

Belle has Be Our Guest at MK, as well as Enchanted Tales with Belle, the Sing a long & M&G at Epcot.

Sleeping Beauty has 2 castles, Cinderella has 2 castles.

Moana has a walkthrough/M&G attraction at Epcot.

Frozen (Anna/Elsa) are not “technically” “Disney Princesses”, but they have an attraction at Epcot, a show at DHS. A whole new land in DLP & HKDL, as well as another attraction on the way in Tokyo.

I’m sure I’m missing a few things, but to say that “Tiana is getting more than others” is kinda ridiculous

 

[SuddenStorm]

Ariel has a show at DHS, a ride at MK and a M&G.

Snow White has an “E-ticket” & a M&G @ MK, as well as the same E-ticket in Shanghai. a Dark Ride at DLR. Snow also has the “Wishing Well” experience in the castle in Shanghai. She also meets at Epcot.

Belle has Be Our Guest at MK, as well as Enchanted Tales with Belle, the Sing a long & M&G at Epcot.

Sleeping Beauty has 2 castles, Cinderella has 2 castles.

Moana has a walkthrough/M&G attraction at Epcot.

Frozen (Anna/Elsa) are not “technically” “Disney Princesses”, but they have an attraction at Epcot, a show at DHS. A whole new land in DLP & HKDL, as well as another attraction on the way in Tokyo.

I’m sure I’m missing a few things, but to say that “Tiana is getting more than others” is kinda ridiculous

My point was that there's now Tiana oversaturation at Disneyland Park, and will likely soon follow in the Magic Kingdom. You listed a ton of things - but they are spread out among various parks.

The speed in which there's been new Tiana offerings- and the quantity is unprecedented. Not even Frozen got as much physical presence so quickly, and that was a worldwide phenomenon.

 

[SuddenStorm]

It made over 2.5 times its budget despite being released a week before Avatar (The biggest movie ever made) and has had strong merch sales ever since. Not to mention that it was competing with Disney's own Christmas carol to be the big holiday family film that year (something Christmas Carol had an obvious advantage at as it is actually a Christmas movie and was given double the budget of PatF). No idea why the mouse would cannibalize their own market trying to release two animated movies in the same Christmas timeframe.

It might not have been a Frozen/Lion King level smash hit, but it was absolutely not failure and did well at the box office considering what it was up against. It was the highest grossing 2D animated film from Disney in a decade when it released

Tiana's box office disappointment and its contribution to Disney shifting away from hand drawn animation is well documented- and considering how poor Disney's performance was in the 2000's, being the highest grossing 2D film they did that decade isn't exactly a high benchmark (though a quick Google search says Lilo and Stitch beat it by 2 million?).

It's a perfectly fine animated film- and better than a lot of Disney's output the last 20 years- but it was hardly a success in theaters.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

My point was that there's now Tiana oversaturation at Disneyland Park, and will likely soon follow in the Magic Kingdom. You listed a ton of things - but they are spread out among various parks.

The speed in which there's been new Tiana offerings- and the quantity is unprecedented. Not even Frozen got as much physical presence so quickly, and that was a worldwide phenomenon.

I think you may be biased against Tiana (PATF) for whatever reason…. I just explained that Frozen is getting two brand new lands at DLP & HKDL, as well as a “mini-land” as part of the Fantasy Springs expansion in Tokyo. Tiana is getting an attraction that has an exit gift shop, and possibly a retheme of a QSR. I don’t see how that’s “saturation”. Belle has Enchanted Tales with Belle, Be Our Guest and Gaston’s Tavern, as well as “Bonjour Village Gifts” that used to feature more BATB merch.

It’s not possible to expand a physical presence so quickly, but Frozen got a myriad of temporary “physical” offerings, for example Frozen Summer Fun @ DHS, Frozen Holiday Wish @ MK, the then rethemed Maelstrom, and Sumerhaus M&G @ Epcot.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I think you may be biased against Tiana (PATF) for whatever reason…. I just explained that Frozen is getting two brand new lands at DLP & HKDL, as well as a “mini-land” as part of the Fantasy Springs expansion in Tokyo. Tiana is getting an attraction that has an exit gift shop, and possibly a retheme of a QSR. I don’t see how that’s “saturation”. Belle has Enchanted Tales with Belle, Be Our Guest and Gaston’s Tavern, as well as “Bonjour Village Gifts” that used to feature more BATB merch.

It’s not possible to expand a physical presence so quickly, but Frozen got a myriad of temporary “physical” offerings, for example Frozen Summer Fun @ DHS, Frozen Holiday Wish @ MK, the then rethemed Maelstrom, and Sumerhaus M&G @ Epcot.

Frozen also has the 2 highest grossing Disney animation movies ever, at $1.5 and $1.3 Billion dollars, and was an international sensation.

The animated Beauty and the Beast was not quite the same box office beast but still did nearly $1 Billion (inflation adjusted) and the live action remake made $1.3 Billion.

By comparison The Princess and the Frog made about $400 Million (inflation adjusted).

On a global scale the popularity levels are not even in the same league.

A Tiana restaurant is long overdue and would have been absolutely amazing, I’d even buy she deserved her own ride… but a restaurant, a ride, a store, floats in multiple parades… it’s a bit much for a middle of the pack Disney Princess movie.

 

[disneylandfan95]

For conversation, at Disneyland in CA:

Alice in Wonderland: dark ride attraction, flat ride attraction, store, daily meet-and-greets/musical chairs, dolls in its a small world, house in storybook land, floats in various parades (including Parade of Dreams, which many say was their best parade)

Peter Pan: dark ride attraction, restaurant (1955-1984), dolls in its a small world, park in storybook lane, representation in all fireworks, parades, and fantasmic, daily meet-and-greets, pixie hollow area by the Matterhorn

Star Wars: entirety of galaxys edge, star tours, launch bay, yearly festival including hyperspace mountain and themed food/entertainment throughout Tomorrowland

Pinocchio: after 1984 remodel- dark ride attraction, Village Haus restaurant, small shop, parades/fireworks

Just pointing out that a single film having an attraction, restaurant, entertainment, and shop is not out of place, at least at Disneyland CA. Has been happening since 1955

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Frozen also has the 2 highest grossing Disney animation movies ever, at $1.5 and $1.3 Billion dollars, and was an international sensation.

The animated Beauty and the Beast was not quite the same box office beast but still did nearly $1 Billion (inflation adjusted) and the live action remake made $1.3 Billion.

By comparison The Princess and the Frog made about $400 Million (inflation adjusted).

On a global scale the popularity levels are not even in the same league.

A Tiana restaurant is long overdue and would have been absolutely amazing, I’d even buy she deserved her own ride… but a restaurant, a ride, a store, floats in multiple parades… it’s a bit much for a middle of the pack Disney Princess movie.

Check out Encanto's box office relative to the concept art featuring Encanto lands at MK and Animal Kingdom.

They are obviously competing ideas - if Disney builds one they won't build the other - but clearly initial Box Office only tells part of the story.

Disney has many other avenues by which they're able to measure the popularity and earning potential of a character, and they don't spend big on the ones with no potential. Regardless of how her movie performed in 2009, Tiana makes Disney money.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Frozen also has the 2 highest grossing Disney animation movies ever, at $1.5 and $1.3 Billion dollars, and was an international sensation.

The animated Beauty and the Beast was not quite the same box office beast but still did nearly $1 Billion (inflation adjusted) and the live action remake made $1.3 Billion.

By comparison The Princess and the Frog made about $400 Million (inflation adjusted).

On a global scale the popularity levels are not even in the same league.

A Tiana restaurant is long overdue and would have been absolutely amazing, I’d even buy she deserved her own ride… but a restaurant, a ride, a store, floats in multiple parades… it’s a bit much for a middle of the pack Disney Princess movie.

Thank you for stating it better than I could.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Check out Encanto's box office relative to the concept art featuring Encanto lands at MK and Animal Kingdom.

They are obviously competing ideas - if Disney builds one they won't build the other - but clearly initial Box Office only tells part of the story.

Disney has many other avenues by which they're able to measure the popularity and earning potential of a character, and they don't spend big on the ones with no potential. Regardless of how her movie performed in 2009, Tiana makes Disney money.

You are correct that box office isn’t the only measure of success, Encanto being a great example, lackluster box office but then found a massive audience on D+.

I think Moana is another good example, it did well in the theaters but wasn’t a blockbuster, but has been fairly consistently on the top streaming list for a couple years straight now, people cant seem to get enough of it.

Disneys handling of Tiana has been strange, largely ignored for over a decade and now suddenly everywhere, and unfortunately shoehorned into existing spaces so some of the excitement over “new” is lost. Tiana’s palace should have been an amazing sit down restaurant, instead it was shoehorned into an existing quick service, it looks good but pales compared to what it could have been, TBA is tbd at this point, fingers crossed it turns out amazing but judging by the backstory they are working hard to try to make it fit into a space that wasn’t initially designed for it.

In a couple years all the Tiana stuff will probably feel right at home, it just feels like a lot right now because it’s happening all at once.

 

[Tha Realest]

It made over 2.5 times its budget despite being released a week before Avatar (The biggest movie ever made) and has had strong merch sales ever since. Not to mention that it was competing with Disney's own Christmas carol to be the big holiday family film that year (something Christmas Carol had an obvious advantage at as it is actually a Christmas movie and was given double the budget of PatF). No idea why the mouse would cannibalize their own market trying to release two animated movies in the same Christmas timeframe.

It might not have been a Frozen/Lion King level smash hit, but it was absolutely not failure and did well at the box office considering what it was up against. It was the highest grossing 2D animated film from Disney in a decade when it released

Can someone show me some independent evidence of “strong merch sales?” If I recall correctly, there were many complaints that Tiana merchandise was not as readily available soon after the film, and doll sales figures showed she didn’t sell as well as other Disney princesses.

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ✨ ᗩζᗩᗰ]

They mention Al Jolson in CoP and he wore blackface

Nah they were talking about the lovably looney Owl Jolson. He Loves to Singa.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Can someone show me some independent evidence of “strong merch sales?” If I recall correctly, there were many complaints that Tiana merchandise was not as readily available soon after the film, and doll sales figures showed she didn’t sell as well as other Disney princesses.

At the end of the day, Disney has the data. If they’re pushing more Tiana, they must have a reason.

 

[Tha Realest]

At the end of the day, Disney has the data. If they’re pushing more Tiana, they must have a reason.

But some in here keep claiming it sells a ton of merch. If that’s going to keep being claimed, let’s see the evidence.

 

[JoeCamel]

But some in here keep claiming it sells a ton of merch. If that’s going to keep being claimed, let’s see the evidence.

It sold a boatload of Splash stuff........

 

[MagicHappens1971]

But some in here keep claiming it sells a ton of merch. If that’s going to keep being claimed, let’s see the evidence.

It’s anecdotal, I got attacked for saying the same thing about a different IP. Disney has said that IP in parks = more money, more sales, etc.

Disney has the data, again…. If it wasn’t selling merch, or they didn’t think it would, they would’ve chosen a different IP for this attraction.

 

[Rich Brownn]

Tiana's box office disappointment and its contribution to Disney shifting away from hand drawn animation is well documented- and considering how poor Disney's performance was in the 2000's, being the highest grossing 2D film they did that decade isn't exactly a high benchmark (though a quick Google search says Lilo and Stitch beat it by 2 million?).

It's a perfectly fine animated film- and better than a lot of Disney's output the last 20 years- but it was hardly a success in theaters.

It was profitable, but performed below expectations. It also made Disney afraid to use the word "princess" in a movie title (thinking it alienated the boys). Hence the retitle of both "Frozen" and "Tangled"

 

[MagicHappens1971]

It was profitable, but performed below expectations.

At the end of the day, movies can be a long term investment. Disney continues to mine and profit off of decades old IPs.

Things also cost less to produce back then, if we really wanted to get into “profitability”

 

[SpectreJordan]

I'd feel the Tiana stuff would be overboard if it was multiple parks within the same resorts. But it's being condensed into a ride with a restaurant right next to it; it's an IP with food as apart of the story, so it makes sense to give it a restaurant alongside the ride.

 

[Brer Oswald]

It’s anecdotal, I got attacked for saying the same thing about a different IP. Disney has said that IP in parks = more money, more sales, etc.

Disney has the data, again…. If it wasn’t selling merch, or they didn’t think it would, they would’ve chosen a different IP for this attraction.

Something something BlackRock.

It was definitely the most obvious (and profitable) of the limited options they had.