Tiana’s Bayou Adventure SPOILER Thread

[Magenta Panther]

I've seen more videos, and this ride is truly awful. In the beginning, you go through the flume and to your left is this huge black board with badly-painted vegetables on it. It just sticks up like a wood fence on one side of the flume while the other side is open. Its placement makes no sense whatsoever, plus it's hideous. Then you as you keep going, you see this big sign saying "Tiana's Foods" arching over the flume. And it's like, what - does Tiana have a store or restaurant down in a gully with a river running through it? How does that sign make any sense? Then Mama *shudder* Odie shrinks you down for some reason to be frog-sized, and you float through a big empty area with one - count him - ONE frog puffing on a petunia. Then Odie makes you big again before you go down the big drop. And what for? Why'd she shrink you in the first place? Holy crap. This ride is such a bargain-basement misfire. Splash Mountain was mocked and denigrated and murdered for THIS?

Sickening.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Please forgive the photoshopped nightmare-fuel CGI animal character designs - but think how much of a difference would be made by simply filling the empty spaces with more critter figures. Have them coming out of the woodwork to hear the bands play and dancing along. Squint if you have to:

For reference, the actual scene:

 

[Tom Morrow]

you go through the flume and to your left is this huge black board with badly-painted vegetables on it. It just sticks up like a wood fence on one side of the flume while the other side is open. Its placement makes no sense whatsoever, plus it's hideous.

I agree with the rest of your post, but this fence was there before and it was plain. It's there, I believe, to discourage riders from stepping out there.

 

[Tom Morrow]

I just realized it - everything about the presentation of the scenes in this ride - their staging, the spacing, the empty openness, and the way the figures "activate" for you - reminds me of all those awkward dark rides from Dubai and wheverever else in the middle east that have sprung up over the last decade, albeit with fancy animatronics instead of statues. If you don't believe me, just look up some ride POVs on YouTube. You can tell all these rides are attempting to mimic what a good Disney ride does but they just don't quite get it and it feels weird, dull, and lifeless - and that's exactly what this is.

 

[doctornick]

More of a general observation..

It kinda bothers me, especially with how great these modern AA’s look, that their movements look silly and overly exaggerated. When you break it down, all they’re doing is aggressively flaring their arms as they talk. Reminds me of those inflatable tube balloons.

It’s not a problem exclusive to just Tiana’s, it’s there in Fantasy Springs too and a lot of other modern AA’s.

Would much rather have them look like they’re walking along with us, or engaging in some type of unique way.

Yes, there is a benefit of having AAs have movements that are purposeful. Look at the POTC auctioneer for example where the (advanced for the time) movements were utilized to really mimic how a human would be presenting in that situation.

 

[UNCgolf]

It's not a very convincing attempt, but having Tiana's giant face on a screen in the Shrunken scene is meant to feel to the audience like she's "there", the way she's "there" when you go by her Animatronic, not like you're seeing her on a screen. In Tiana's world there are no screens. But it's a lot to ask of audiences these days - I'd say too much, even - to pretend they can't tell a screen is actually a screen. In basically every case it's at least somewhat obvious.

I feel like Na'vi River Journey is still the best Disney has done at this (at least in the US). Of course you still know they're screens, but they're not jarringly obvious like they are in nearly every other attraction. They seem especially bad in Tiana, with the exception of the one scene with fireflies in the background (not the shrunken scene but earlier), but I think some of that may be that the 3D animated versions of the characters feel off and the animation itself isn't the highest quality (especially the Tiana/Louis one).

 

[JD80]

This is a very slight critique, but I am a little sad that Tiana's design now is closer to the Frozen/Tangled/Raya sameface designs , rather than the beautiful one of the film. It's not as extreme as those ones, and she still retains a lot of her original essence, but it's still a little disheartening.

I mean, the characters on the Frozen ride don't have faces.

 

[JD80]

I feel like Na'vi River Journey is still the best Disney has done at this (at least in the US). Of course you still know they're screens, but they're not jarringly obvious like they are in nearly every other attraction. They seem especially bad in Tiana, with the exception of the one scene with fireflies in the background (not the shrunken scene but earlier), but I think some of that may be that the 3D animated versions of the characters feel off and the animation itself isn't the highest quality (especially the Tiana/Louis one).

The two screens on the ride - prior to the lift hill and Tiana peering in to the are where you are shrunk, look pretty off. Only thing I can say is that I hope the cameras that are recording them make them look off. Most of the time cameras recording screens always make them look bad. They seem too bright.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

I feel like Na'vi River Journey is still the best Disney has done at this (at least in the US). Of course you still know they're screens, but they're not jarringly obvious like they are in nearly every other attraction. They seem especially bad in Tiana, with the exception of the one scene with fireflies in the background (not the shrunken scene but earlier), but I think some of that may be that the 3D animated versions of the characters feel off and the animation itself isn't the highest quality (especially the Tiana/Louis one).

The video elements that work best for me in Na'vi River Journey are the faux-waterfall, the caterpillar-like creatures crawling over the log, and the Na'vi that seem to be migrating along the backdrops. They don't completely hold up to scrutiny, but they work by staging themselves in such a way that they mostly avoid scrutiny - they are pretty naturalistic, and almost never the main focus of your attention. They are additional information happening around things that otherwise pull your focus. The migrating Na'vi projections in particular feel designed to be seen in your peripheral vision - and the scene around them is designed to support that notion. Mostly.

Projections can make good sprinkles, but they make terrible cake. Ya know?

 

[Dear Prudence]

I mean, the characters on the Frozen ride don't have faces.

They do in the vastly superior iterations at the Japanese and Hong Kong parks.

 

[Dear Prudence]

The video elements that work best for me in Na'vi River Journey are the faux-waterfall, the caterpillar-like creatures crawling over the log, and the Na'vi that seem to be migrating along the backdrops. They don't completely hold up to scrutiny, but they work by staging themselves in such a way that they mostly avoid scrutiny - they are pretty naturalistic, and almost never the main focus of your attention. They are additional information happening around things that otherwise pull your focus. The migrating Na'vi projections in particular feel designed to be seen in your peripheral vision - and the scene around them is designed to support that notion. Mostly.

Projections can make good sprinkles, but they make terrible cake. Ya know?

I was just thinking about how TBA is giving me Na'vi vibes, and this nails it. The screens in the Snow White makeover are actually effective (when they work, lol), but they're used like sprinkles.

 

[Disney Rocks]

The more I think about it, the more the food co-op backstory bothers me. I mean, it's clear they came up with it as an explanation for the outdoor portions and for why a Tiana ride would involve barns and a big mountain/salt dome. But it really amounts to nothing but overthinking.

They really could've saved a lot of work (and money) just having us go on a random boat tour through the bayou and go down Slippin' Falls and happen to meet the PatF characters while we're down there. It works for Pirates of the Caribbean.

Though if Pirates were built today, there'd be a long backstory about how Jack Sparrow built a restaurant enterprise on the Blue Bayou and he needs us to go into the Caribbean to help him find gold to pay off his small business loan.

 

[UNCgolf]

Yes, there is a benefit of having AAs have movements that are purposeful. Look at the POTC auctioneer for example where the (advanced for the time) movements were utilized to really mimic how a human would be presenting in that situation.

This is the reason I've never been convinced that animal AAs would actually improve Na'vi River Journey in practice -- they certainly would in theory, but I'm not sure they can make animal AAs that are realistic enough to enhance the experience rather than detract from it. I suppose you could have one that's asleep or in some other position where a lack of movement makes sense, but any kind of repetitive motion from what's supposed to be a realistic animal is going to feel very off. For some reason (and maybe it's just me) it feels like it's easier to do that with a human (or human analogue) figure.

Could have had a few more Na'vi AAs, though.

 

[UNCgolf]

The video elements that work best for me in Na'vi River Journey are the faux-waterfall, the caterpillar-like creatures crawling over the log, and the Na'vi that seem to be migrating along the backdrops. They don't completely hold up to scrutiny, but they work by staging themselves in such a way that they mostly avoid scrutiny - they are pretty naturalistic, and almost never the main focus of your attention. They are additional information happening around things that otherwise pull your focus. The migrating Na'vi projections in particular feel designed to be seen in your peripheral vision - and the scene around them is designed to support that notion. Mostly.

Projections can make good sprinkles, but they make terrible cake. Ya know?

Yes, exactly -- it's the staging that makes the screens/projections work relatively well in NRJ. They're never the primary focus; you aren't supposed to just watch whatever is happening there.

If an attraction is going to use screens, that's how they should be used (with a few exceptions).

 

[Tom Morrow]

Well, another thing about Na'Vi River Journey is, despite only the one AA, there's a lot of signs of life and movement around you. The screens show animals and Na'Vi and it's fairly convincing looking. You see animals and insects projected on the plants and they move as if they are being stepped on. You see floaty, twirly, twinkly little creatures all over. It's a pretty good effort at making it feel like a lot more than fake plants in a dark room.

 

[Surferboy567]

Well, another thing about Na'Vi River Journey is, despite only the one AA, there's a lot of signs of life and movement around you. The screens show animals and Na'Vi and it's fairly convincing looking. You see animals and insects projected on the plants and they move as if they are being stepped on. You see floaty, twirly, twinkly little creatures all over. It's a pretty good effort at making it feel like a lot more than fake plants in a dark room.

I like Navi for one reason. I enjoy being in the world of Pandora and the scenery is very nice. It isn’t a perfect attraction but it’s fun for a little. A drop would of been nice but not needed.

Oh and the song is actually kinda catchy lol.

 

[Surferboy567]

Just a fun little reminder of how full of life and magical this could have been... if they had let anyone with an ounce of creative talent work on it instead of focus group feedback...

One more note about this, if you take away the really bad story. This is the room in Tiana’s I enjoy the most (beyond the finale). The atmosphere that is set up is kinda nice. Of course it’s not as lively as splash but I like this room over what they did in the Laughin Place.

Going down the bayou is also a decent song.

 

[Dear Prudence]

The more I think about it, the more the food co-op backstory bothers me. I mean, it's clear they came up with it as an explanation for the outdoor portions and for why a Tiana ride would involve barns and a big mountain/salt dome. But it really amounts to nothing but overthinking.

They really could've saved a lot of work (and money) just having us go on a random boat tour through the bayou and go down Slippin' Falls and happen to meet the PatF characters while we're down there. It works for Pirates of the Caribbean.

Though if Pirates were built today, there'd be a long backstory about how Jack Sparrow built a restaurant enterprise on the Blue Bayou and he needs us to go into the Caribbean to help him find gold to pay off his small business loan.

They put more effort into the strange shoehorned co-opt backstory girl bossifying a yucky period of history (yet again) than they did in the actual attraction. She could have still had her amazing restaurant business without all that.

I don't understand why they keep stressing how important Tiana is, and then cutting so many corners every time she's up for something significant. What a squander.

 

[Dear Prudence]

Please forgive the photoshopped nightmare-fuel CGI animal character designs - but think how much of a difference would be made by simply filling the empty spaces with more critter figures. Have them coming out of the woodwork to hear the bands play and dancing along. Squint if you have to:

View attachment 789088


For reference, the actual scene:

View attachment 789085

For as much as I can't stand Louis, your design for this scene is really endearing and a vast improvement.

 

[Tha Realest]

And not just CG, but cheap looking CG, reminiscent of those old point and click games from the early 2000's. It's at a direct contract to the aesthetic of the animatronics (the nice ones, at least).

it looks like the really weird CGI they insert into the NBC Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay in the stretching room ceiling.