Tiana's Bayou Adventure: Disneyland Watch & Discussion

[mickEblu]

To be optimistic for a second...some of the background art with the different anthropomorphic animals wearing clothes and hats in the bayou/swamp does give me a little hope they'll keep the spirit of Splash Mountain. It tells me that they re not as concerned with sticking strictly to the IP as there are no anthropomorphic animals in PatF except for Louis but not even he wears clothes. The fact that they have some badgers in berets or (whatever they are) in the concept art is a good sign. If they keep the majority of the attraction set in the country/ bayou/ swamp and Keep or redress the existing AA's the attraction will end up much better off than I feared because it insinuates that they're keeping the strong bones of Splash Mountain.

 

[Californian Elitist]

If this new ride is going to be similar to Rise (lack of substance), I’m for sure going to be disappointed.

 

[mickEblu]

If this new ride is going to be similar to Rise (lack of substance), I’m for sure going to be disappointed.

That’s actually a really good way to describe ROTRs flaw. (Lack of Substance). Ive described it as kind of being a jack of all trades/ master of none. Ambitious but off in execution. Sterile.

 

[Californian Elitist]

That’s actually a really good way to describe ROTRs flaw. (Lack of Substance). Ive described it as kind of being a jack of all trades/ master of none. Ambitious but off in execution. Sterile.

The jack of all trades/master of none analyzation is perfectly put. It’s got nearly all the factors that would put it in the category of a great ride. The scale is insane, the queue is very entertaining and impressive, it’s technologically advanced, and it’s got well-known IP characters (the current standard for rides nowadays). And yet it falls flat and in the end, has pretty much nothing going for it overall as an experience.

This is honestly how I feel about most of the new rides that we’ve been getting, hence why I’m not excited about this project (except the food, and even that’s concerning, given the mediocre food options in Avengers Campus).

 

[SplashGhost]

I have only done Rise twice because of Boarding Groups, and Disney has consistently lowered their standards over the years, so I was amazed at getting another attraction on the scale of the classics. Indiana Jones Adventure is the last attraction I would consider a classic, so finally getting something at that scale again is great.

Rise does have its faults though, some places on the ride definitely need more going on. Plus, since I have only been on the attraction twice, I can't say how it will hold up after 50 rides. I found Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey very impressive at first, but over time, it loses its magic, and I think that is because there isn't much there beneath the impressive tech. I can see my opinion of Rise going that way over the years, but rather it does or not, I still think Rise is a tremendous improvement over what I have come to expect from WDI. I know that isn't saying much, but I do mean it as a compliment.

 

[1HAPPYGHOSTHOST]

What a circle jerk that was. Talking about how important this is and then the "Imagineering Executive" gushing over merchandise sales and Disney Plus.

I'm all for diversity and inclusion, but TWDC does such a poor job of this that they literally only had only one choice for an African American starring animated film, and one that was a financial failure at that.

The film's only talking point is its diversity. The film was the definition of generic and "going through the motions", which is a shame since I love 2D Disney Animation (the entirety of the 2000s was bad though, not just Princess and the Frog).

I am happy everyone wants to make a positive change and impact. Regardless of my love of the Splash Mountain ride, I just hope this turns out great. I don't trust TWDC at all, I don't trust Imagineering at all. Chapek and D'Amararo are toxic.

If Spiderman who has billions of dollars of income got a horrible ride, how am I supposed to be hopeful that the box office bomb "Princess and the Frog" will get a ride on par with Splash Mountain?

God this is so going to suck

 

[J4546]

i dont think webslingers is horrible, i think its a great mid tier darkride for kids, in a park that desperately needs mid tier dark rides.

I think PatF will be a great reimagining for DL and fits in the space well. I do hope they do something different for MK but I doubt they will.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

To be optimistic for a second...some of the background art with the different anthropomorphic animals wearing clothes and hats in the bayou/swamp does give me a little hope they'll keep the spirit of Splash Mountain. It tells me that they re not as concerned with sticking strictly to the IP as there are no anthropomorphic animals in PatF except for Louis but not even he wears clothes. The fact that they have some badgers in berets or (whatever they are) in the concept art is a good sign. If they keep the majority of the attraction set in the country/ bayou/ swamp and Keep or redress the existing AA's the attraction will end up much better off than I feared because it insinuates that they're keeping the strong bones of Splash Mountain.

Yeah that part of the art is interesting. It seems like an acknowledgment that Splash AAs are going to be re-used.

 

[Too Many Hats]

If they actually build scenes resembling what we see in that concept art, I think we're looking at a best case scenario. Splash is my all-time favorite Disney attraction, but it's undeniable that PatF fits beautifully (well, at Disneyland, at least).

Is the scene as funny or charming as Br'er Bear caught in Br'er Fox's trap? No. Does it manage to communicate a story point, character traits, and a joke, all visually? No. But is it coherent and aesthetically pleasant (qualities frequently ignored by modern Imagineering)? Yeah. It could be a lot worse.

 

[D.Silentu]

It's refreshing to have something concrete to talk about in terms of the renovation. I take the concept art as a positive sign, especially regarding the animals. I'm pleasantly surprised to see that Disney was bold enough to dress Tiana in a costume she hasn't worn before.

I'm not keen on the movie edging its way into New Orleans Square proper. I'm nervous that it may be in peril of morphing into a Princess and the Frog land by degrees. There are already whole areas of the parks devoted to single film series and characters; we aren't in need of another.

And isn't the plot of the ride supposed to be about Louis trying to find his trumpet?

I've seen this storyline mentioned a few times here, but to anyone's knowledge, has this been repeated by anyone other than Jim Hill?

 

[Too Many Hats]

Am I the only one who kind of likes French Market Restaurant? Have never had a bad meal there. The roast chicken and mashed potatoes are consistently solid. Even the shrimp po' boy is pretty decent. You know, for theme park food. And the vibe in that space is typically relatively calm and charming. The food could of course be way better, but I disagree with the "French Market sucks! Bring on Tiana's Place!!" narrative.

 

[WEDfan9798]

I mean, they're talking like Disneyland hasn't had a famous land based entirely around New Orleans for over 50 years. Didn't Walt take a few trips out and go to antique shops and stuff while planning New Orleans Square?

Yes, they did a TON of research, even more than WDI is doing right now. I don't know if any of them are aware of the work that was done to recreate the French Quarter as a part of Disneyland. I have conflicting thoughts on this because while I welcome the change to the actual ride, I don't have that much confidence in WDI on this, especially if it means tampering with New Orleans Square because the last time they did that, they made tons of mistakes with adding out-of-place architectural elements that hurt the environment instead of enhance it.

 

[WEDfan9798]

Am I the only one who kind of likes French Market Restaurant? Have never had a bad meal there. The roast chicken and mashed potatoes are consistently solid. Even the shrimp po' boy is pretty decent. You know, for theme park food. And the vibe in that space is typically relatively calm and charming. The food could of course be way better, but I disagree with the "French Market sucks! Bring on Tiana's Place!!" narrative.

No, you're not. They can always have her restaurant at the Hungry Bear place or at Creole Cafe, just as long as they keep it looking pretty much the same.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Am I the only one who kind of likes French Market Restaurant? Have never had a bad meal there. The roast chicken and mashed potatoes are consistently solid. Even the shrimp po' boy is pretty decent. You know, for theme park food. And the vibe in that space is typically relatively calm and charming. The food could of course be way better, but I disagree with the "French Market sucks! Bring on Tiana's Place!!" narrative.

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.

 

[Sailor310]

Yep, I like the French Market. Great when there would be a jazz quartet playing.

 

[Brer Panther]

Films that flopped upon initial release that have since become beloved classics and/or have had theme park attractions based upon them:
-Pinocchio
-Fantasia
-Bambi
-Alice in Wonderland
-The Black Cauldron (see: Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour)

Interesting how all of those films that flopped but got attractions got those attractions before Iger and Chapek came on board, isn't it?

I think it’s obvious some are using PatF’s box office numbers as a means to attack the logical decision to use it to re-theme Splash. But as you stated, it doesn’t hold any weight at all.

That wasn't my intention. It just strikes me as hypocritical that Disney would brush the movie off as such a flop that its not being more successful is "proof" that hand-drawn animated films are dangerous, but then suddenly retheme one of the park's most popular rides to it.

 

[truecoat]

I rode Splash for the first time in years and I couldn't tell you anything about the ride. 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. I had to go back to my hotel and change after.

 

[SuddenStorm]

I was thinking about Princess and the Frog's cultural impact- especially the argument on whether or not Disney considers the film to be a hit or not. I'm largely of the opinion that Disney considered the film to not be a success and that it's long term appeal has been Tiana being the first African American princess- and that the current changes are not motivated by the film's popularity but instead external social factors.

Looking back, Princess and the Frog has gotten barely any representation in Disneyland entertainment. If it really was this sleeper hit that failed in theaters but connected with audiences after, wouldn't Disney have given it more use in World of Color, any of the Fireworks shows, the parades, etc?

Even the new conversation from yesterday focused on Tiana as an inspiring character, New Orleans hospitality/food, and merchandise sales- not the film itself. The new Disney Plus series had better be a hit.

I mean it's certainly a bigger hit then Home on the Range, but it isn't The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, or Aladdin.

I also noticed that the conversation from yesterday avoided referring to the attraction as a retheme and avoided talk of Splash Mountain.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Tiana/PatF have been represented various times at Disneyland. Park representation isn’t always linked to popularity. The Lion King is easily one of Disney’s most popular films and it’s nearly nowhere to be found in the parks.

 

[PiratesMansion]

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.