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

Disney Analyst

Well-Known Member
I really don’t understand why the actual elevation of New Orleans / Louisiana matters at all, whether to commenters here or to the Imagineers in the video. Do people care about such accuracy anywhere else in Magic Kingdom? We’re not talking about a World Showcase pavilion here, but a ride that’s always involved a huge leap of the imagination (there’s quite a difference between Chickapin Hill and Splash Mountain).


I don’t get it either. When I am thinking a ride that is authentic to New Orleans and the culture… it wasn’t based on the geography / mountains or lack of.
 

Smiley/OCD

Well-Known Member
I bet the name Splash Mountain was dropped because a lot of times when you type the ride up on google, the word "racist" appears in the search results and Disney doesn't want people to associate this new version of the ride with Song of the South AT ALL.

While I think a retheme could be great and I support getting rid of the SotS theme, I'm a bit troubled that all of the marketing for the new ride has focused on "authenticity" and "inclusion" rather than "fun" and "thrilling." Don't get me wrong, they should be authentic in representing New Orleans, but I'm worried there won't even be an antagonist/threat in the ride. Splash Mountain — while fun — should have an element of danger about it. The name "Tiana's Bayou Adventure" seems to be lacking the thrill factor.
Maybe this will become the final nail in Chappy’s coffin…I hope it comes sooner, but…
 

Kirby86

Well-Known Member
oh my god. Now we want the historical accuracy of the levees in the ride.
The ride about a girl who kissed a frog, became a frog, talked to fireflies, met a singing alligator and was chased by a man who controlled (at least tried) voodoo spirits.
Also one of the fireflies was in love with the star from Pinocchio and when he died he turned into Neverland.
 

networkpro

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
oh my god. Now we want the historical accuracy of the levees in the ride.
The ride about a girl who kissed a frog, became a frog, talked to fireflies, met a singing alligator and was pursued by a man who controlled (at least tried) voodoo spirits.
At least get the sequence right, Prince Naveen was turned into a frog first, kissed Tiana sharing the Vodun curse turning her into a frog as well.
 

LittleBuford

Well-Known Member
Then why even attempt the New Orleans cultural facade?
As I’ve already noted, the video’s emphasis on authenticity and accuracy seemed misplaced to me. The ride can evoke New Orleans and its environs without accurately representing them. It’s a Magic Kingdom attraction, for goodness’ sake—the whole point is to create something whimsical and different from our own mundane world.
 

Smiley/OCD

Well-Known Member
Might as well just add `Adventure` to all the rides' names. ;)

  • Avatar Flight of Passage the Adventure
  • Na'vi River Journey Adventure
  • Star Wars: Millenium Falcon – A Smugglers Run and Adventure
  • Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance's Adventure
  • Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway Adventure
  • Remy's Ratatouille Adventure
  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Adventure
  • Tron Lightcycle Run Adventure
  • Moana: Journey of the Adventure of Water
  • Tiana's Bayou Adventure
You forgot Carousel of Progress Adventure
 

Smiley/OCD

Well-Known Member
Not that I want to join the naysayers, but I have to say that the latest update has me worried about the story, or rather lack thereof (and I was largely optimistic till now). I really hope the ride lives up to its name and features some kind of adventure.
Welcome to the dark side…
 

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
Let's be honest here and acknowledge that Disney would never spend the money to just change MK's Splash and this whole project is happening in Florida only because, in their minds, they're splitting the cost between two versions.

MK's Splash changing is simply a matter of convenience and brand consistency. They do not care one bit about the differences between the two versions and why they were not built exactly the same to begin with. You could change the theme of MK's Splash to something that better fits its surroundings, but that would cost extra and this is a park that has abandoned attraction, retail and dining space because the most popular theme park in the country wants to avoid any kind of investment.

The New Orleans theme is being pushed because it fits at Disneyland, which is the only thing that matters to California-centric WDI. MK is the junk park in the swamps and they know that park's fans are so starved for anything new they'll be happy with whatever they get.
 

Sir_Cliff

Well-Known Member
Let's be honest here and acknowledge that Disney would never spend the money to just change MK's Splash and this whole project is happening in Florida only because, in their minds, they're splitting the cost between two versions.

MK's Splash changing is simply a matter of convenience and brand consistency. They do not care one bit about the differences between the two versions and why they were not built exactly the same to begin with.

The New Orleans theme is being pushed because it fits at Disneyland, which is the only thing that matters to California-centric WDI. MK is the junk park in the swamps and they know that park's fans are so starved for anything new they'll be happy with whatever they get.
I don't necessarily disagree that Disney likely didn't likely put a huge amount of thought into the differences between both versions when announcing this, but isn't the reason it's set in New Orleans more a function of them deliberately choosing PatF as the overlay for fairly clear reasons?

I find it hard to imagine a scenario where they would have announced a PatF version for Anaheim and then something completely different or no change for Florida because it would have undercut the logic of why they were doing it at all.
 

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
I don't necessarily disagree that Disney likely didn't likely put a huge amount of thought into the differences between both versions when announcing this, but isn't the reason it's set in New Orleans more a function of them deliberately choosing PatF as the overlay for fairly clear reasons?

Absolutely.

They chose a movie that has a black lead, an official Disney Princess and is set in New Orleans.

It makes perfect sense...if you're only thinking of Disneyland in California.

I find it hard to imagine a scenario where they would have announced a PatF version for Anaheim and then something completely different or no change for Florida because it would have undercut the logic of why they were doing it at all.

Ideally, WDW would get a PatF offering of some other kind, plus a change to their Splash. However, that would require extra time and money, which would be seen as a waste by corporate (like tearing down Communicore to build...another version of Communicore)
 

EricsBiscuit

Well-Known Member
Genuine question, is there any mound of dirt 30, not evens 50, feet high around New Orleans? I mean, most of the city is UNDER sea level! How does this attraction fit into NO??
 

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