Tiana's Bayou Adventure: Disneyland Watch & Discussion

[Californian Elitist]

You assume that’s why. That’s why I don’t assume. You got away with it.

OMG, you got me. Lemme go to my hideaway.

 

[TP2000]

Has nobody brought up this incident from just last year?

Disney under fire for 'Mulan' credits that thank Chinese groups linked to detention camps

Disney is facing backlash after the final credits for its latest film "Mulan" thanked government entities in Xinjiang, the province where Muslims have faced human rights abuses.

www.cnbc.com

Nope. Burbank and its woke defenders pretend it doesn't exist.

Speaking of the Communist Chinese Party, I thought of this thread with this news. Will any Burbank executive who pretends to defend LGBT rights speak up about this? Nope. Burbank will continue to pretend this latest Chinese reality doesn't exist while it lectures Americans that Disney is a Very Good Company that's likely even better than you are for laughing at the orangutang in The Jungle Book.

China Wants ‘Sissy Idols’ and ‘Effeminate Men’ Scrubbed From Entertainment Industry

China's Socialist micromanagement of its entertainment industry means further crimping of celebrity culture and a ban on 'effeminate men.'

variety.com

Announcing the measures, the Communist Party of China’s propaganda department explained a need to put more emphasis on “traditional Chinese culture, revolution culture and socialist culture.” It said that authorities will establish a “correct beauty standard,” and boycott vulgar internet celebrities.

China’s LGBTQ community may also feel deeply uneasy. While homosexuality is no longer classified as a mental illness in China and was decriminalized in 1997, same sex relations remain mostly taboo.

Earlier this year the dominant messaging app Weixin / WeChat erased all past content of the accounts for the campus LGBTQ groups of China’s top universities.

As a man who, after I've had two drinks, might become suspect to the Communists, it's a tad chilling and scary.

The Walt Disney Company and all of its well paid "Diversity Directors" in Burbank are entirely silent on this. Shhhh!

 

[TP2000]

I'm honestly just appreciative of the fact that the Splash change is going to finally, fully commit "Critter Country" into a more whimsical setting. For me, Critter Country has had a bit of an identity crisis since Pooh moved in back in '03. Originally it was sort of this extension of New Orleans Square that led into a "deeper south" thematic (between Splash and Country Bears) but ever since Pooh, it hasn't fully made sense to me one way or the other.

With Princess and the Frog taking over for Song of the South on Splash, Critter Country finally has a more solid identity to me. It's no longer a "deep south" extension, it's a whimsical land of Critters and all things related. -and I think that Princess and the Frog, given it's connection to New Orleans, is the perfect point of transition between something like New Orleans Square and a land with this sort of mindset. It just works for me.

Side note: to those who would say, "but there are no 'mountains' in the Bayou so the landscape just feels wrong", I respond with two observations: 1) the newly created context of "Critter Country" and all things whimsical can allow for it and 2) even if I concede your point, you must remember that you are taking these adventures from the POV of a Critter. To them, what constitutes a "mountain" would be significantly different to us. Chickapin Hill was literally a hill in film, not a mountain by any means to humans. But to Critters, it is significantly larger and more imposing and thus the locale remaining named a "mountain" is perfectly acceptable (if they keep the name at all). I see no reason to not afford the Princess and the Frog overlay the same mindset.

These are all great points!

It's a nice summary why I'm not that bothered by Tiana taking over the log ride in that corner of the park. For the past 20 years that corner has been a mess. With the factual Davy Crockett thrown in to the mix on busy weekends. It's a mess.

And again, Disneyland has the weakest version of Splash Mountain (In my humble opinion, of course. But c'mon man, my opinion is right on this one!). Disneyland's version is frenetic and bizarre and has a plotline that is almost impossible to follow. That big drop at the end sure is fun, and it's colorful and toe-tapping, but what the heck is actually going on inside that mountain? Orlando improved it and smoothed out the storytelling a great deal. Tokyo even went beyond that and has the best looking and operating version on the planet, and Tokyo will likely keep it as Splash Mountain.

I really liked the music from Princess & The Frog, it's got great potential for this log ride. And since the censors will at least let us still watch the Tiana movie (for now), a lot more people will be familiar with the Tiana setting and characters than the forbidden Song Of The South.

So I'm not that torn up to see Splash Mountain morph into Tiana's Bayou Bash N' Splash, Presented by Ziploc for the summer of 2026. Or is it 2028?

I just think it's ridiculous that they trotted it out as a thing they were actually doing to be Inclusive, when it was just one of dozens of random ideas deep in Blue Sky phase and many years away from opening when they announced it.

 

[Little Green Men]

why is this post still up?

You assume that’s why. That’s why I don’t assume. You got away with it.

The satire is clear, maybe it went over your head

 

[TP2000]

The satire is clear, maybe it went over your head

Care to comment of the evils of Communist China today, against religious minorities, against racial minorities, against sexual minorities, that is happening this very moment? Not a wacky cartoon orangutang from 1967, but real human oppression happening right now in 2021.

Or, like most Diversity Directors in Burbank who are done Tweeting for the week, are you going to remain silent on that little corner of Communist heaven and pretend you don't have two theme parks and Billions in profit on the line over there?

 

[Little Green Men]

Care to comment of the evils of Communist China today, against religious minorities, against racial minorities, against sexual minorities, that is happening this very moment? Not a wacky cartoon orangutang from 1967, but real human oppression happening right now in 2021.

Or, like most Diversity Directors in Burbank who are done Tweeting for the week, are you going to remain silent on that little corner of Communist heaven and pretend you don't have two theme parks and Billions in profit on the line over there?

Why do you police comments? I have every right to respond to what I want to. That’s not even on topic of this thread so what do you want? Are you seriously telling me you think Raven was being racist with her comment?

 

[Californian Elitist]

The satire is clear, maybe it went over your head

“Maybe?”

 

[Californian Elitist]

Why do you police comments? I have every right to respond to what I want to. That’s not even on topic of this thread so what do you want? Are you seriously telling me you think Raven was being racist with her comment?

What’s interesting is the same folks who talk about commie China and Disney still give Disney their money and probably purchase things that are made in China.

Everyone is a hypocrite at some point.

 

[TP2000]

Why do you police comments? I have every right to respond to what I want to. That’s not even on topic of this thread so what do you want? Are you seriously telling me you think Raven was being racist with her comment?

It's completely on topic. This is a thread bout Disney changing stuff up in the name of "Inclusion", with quotes from Disney execs and now (rather pandering) Instagram videos about how Disney is erasing/editing/removing decades-old entertainment like theme park log rides from 1988 or cartoon orangutangs from 1967 from its roster. And because Splash Mountain is years away from even beginning actual work on this, we have nothing to talk about but Disney's own blather about "Inclusion".

And yet, right now today, Communist China is enslaving over a million Uighurs and banning the use of obvious LGBT people by any entertainment company that wants to do business in China. Burbank pays a small batallion of executives big salaries to be "Diversity Directors", and they don't say a word about China.

So, just wondering what your opinion is of the Communist Chinese deciding they now need to police entertainment to remove "sissy idols" and "effeminate men" from movies, TV and media. (Their words, not mine.)

You constantly weigh in with little emoticons on nearly everything, but on this one you are silent?

So I think we have our answer. Here's an emoticon I have for that.

 

[TP2000]

What’s interesting is the same folks who talk about commie China and Disney still give Disney their money and probably purchase things that are made in China.

Everyone is a hypocrite at some point.

To be fair, I haven't purchased a Magic Key thing, or whatever it is. I haven't even looked at it, aside for a few threads here. I'm busy at the beach house here in San Diego County for at least another month, and I've got stuff to do and events to attend. (Although I am driving back up to OC next week to check on the house and cast my vote in the Recall Election. But I won't be going to Disneyland.)

I may look at Magic Key later, but that Spiderman version of Midway Mania and a 30 year old Christmas parade isn't helping.

Although, if they take my advice and add Charo to Viva Navidad this year, then we can talk AmEx numbers.

I don't watch current Disney movies. I don't care about the Marvel superhero kids. I don't subscribe to Hulu or Disney+. I haven't walked in to a Disney Store in years and years. So I'm not giving the folks in Burbank a dime. I'm just here, posting stuff and deep thoughts. For free.

 

[TP2000]

I think where Disney puts a target on their back in regards to China is when they have all their self praising content about how amazing they are for human rights and inclusion.

Bingo.

They will have a Chinese Super Hero and boast about it but thousands of chinese slave laborers are making 30 dollar Popcorn Buckets as we speak.

Thousands? Try hundreds of Millions making plastic toys, light sabers, pajama sets, t-shirts, kitchen towels, coffee mugs, etc., etc., etc.

Nearly everything for sale at The Emporium and World of Disney is Made In China.

They will brag in the press about having a single semi-gay line in a movie while supporting the nation of China which punishes homosexuals.

Exactly. But don't forget the Uighurs. They're literally kept in re-education camps as we type, while at least the homosexuals who are ethnic Chinese get to live normally, so long as they behave and don't act too "sissy" for Beijing.

There are currently multiple executives in Burbank earning six figures per year with the words "Diversity" or "Inclusion" in their job titles. But on Communist China in 2021, they become suddenly silent. It's obvious, and it's not forgettable.

 

[TP2000]

I feel that from pictures, videos, and stories from my parents, that this truly was the purest era for Disneyland, before corporate raiders ruled the company.

It's true. 1955 was a wash because they were still trying to figure out what a Disneyland was. And getting the park finished.

But 1956-1966 was the purest era for Disneyland. That's a lovely way to phrase it.

To be honest, Disneyland's operation as we understand it today didn't really start to gel until around 1958 or 1959, but 1956 is good enough. That decade up until 1966 when Walt was in charge was pure. And it's the decade that made Disneyland world famous.

Now, since we're talking cultural change and woke-ism, that's not to say that decade was perfect, even though Disneyland was never segregated in the 1950's and Walt kind of stuck his neck out there a bit in the early 60's showing Black folks enjoying Disneyland. That same Disneyland After Dark video I posted earlier has a segment where the Elliot Brothers at Carnation Plaza play Dixie for the kids to dance to, which makes us cringe today. And up until the late 1980's the Disneyland Security guards were kicking out any "effeminate men" (as the Chinese now so eloquently call them) who dared to dance with each other, or near each other, at Tomorrowland Terrace on a Saturday night.

But that's all water under the bridge at this point. You can't live in the past, or it just bogs you down for eternity.

But as for the simple operation of a theme park, and the gracious hosting of its guests, Disneyland's decade of 1956-1966 was "pure". That's a really great word to describe it.

 

[Professortango1]

I'm honestly just appreciative of the fact that the Splash change is going to finally, fully commit "Critter Country" into a more whimsical setting. For me, Critter Country has had a bit of an identity crisis since Pooh moved in back in '03. Originally it was sort of this extension of New Orleans Square that led into a "deeper south" thematic (between Splash and Country Bears) but ever since Pooh, it hasn't fully made sense to me one way or the other.

With Princess and the Frog taking over for Song of the South on Splash, Critter Country finally has a more solid identity to me. It's no longer a "deep south" extension, it's a whimsical land of Critters and all things related. -and I think that Princess and the Frog, given it's connection to New Orleans, is the perfect point of transition between something like New Orleans Square and a land with this sort of mindset. It just works for me.

Side note: to those who would say, "but there are no 'mountains' in the Bayou so the landscape just feels wrong", I respond with two observations: 1) the newly created context of "Critter Country" and all things whimsical can allow for it and 2) even if I concede your point, you must remember that you are taking these adventures from the POV of a Critter. To them, what constitutes a "mountain" would be significantly different to us. Chickapin Hill was literally a hill in film, not a mountain by any means to humans. But to Critters, it is significantly larger and more imposing and thus the locale remaining named a "mountain" is perfectly acceptable (if they keep the name at all). I see no reason to not afford the Princess and the Frog overlay the same mindset.

I actually feel quite the opposite. With Splash not being a part of New Orleans, but rather the backwoods of the American South, it felt like its own land. A forested place where animals talk and interact with whimsy. I know some had issues with Pooh given the British origins, but nothing about Disney's modern take on Pooh feels distinctly British, so their 100 Acre Woods being a part of Critter Country still worked. It was still a non-specific rustic area focused on cartoon critters.

Now, with PATF, its too closely tied to New Orleans Square. But Critter Country doesn't feel like New Orleans. Pooh fits in worse in a New Orleans setting than a vague rustic forest. Before we had this continuation. We had a Western Frontier with Frontierland. We had the city on the edge of the frontier with NOS, and we had the Southern Frontier with TSI and Critter Country. 3 different flavors tied together by the Rivers of America. With Splash being located now in a New Orleans setting, we lose that other aspect of the Southern Frontier and backwoods which flows directly into GE and ROA.

As for the mountain issue. Its not a perspective trick. They aren't building oversized trees and shrubs to make it appear as if we're 6 inches tall and SM is just a small mound of earth. They are taking an area famous for flat wooded marshlands devoid of hills where much of the earth is below sea level and representing it with a mountain made of boulders and clay with grass and shrubs rather than heavily wooded. The mountain doesn't evoke New Orleans feelings in the slightest. It would be like trying to turn Big Thunder into a Sleepy Hollow attraction. Even if you put up a few trees and a covered bridge, the landscape doesn't feel like Upstate NY.

As for creative liberties with Splash's design. Sure, its not a 1:1 representation of the film. But the film is also not available, so people can't really compare the properties. And the hill in the film is about the same size as our mountain, just not as steep. The facade still does feel like the landscape and setting of SOTS.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

You assume that’s why. That’s why I don’t assume. You got away with it.

You sound fun. Can we hang out sometime?

 

[PiratesMansion]

Care to comment of the evils of Communist China today, against religious minorities, against racial minorities, against sexual minorities, that is happening this very moment? Not a wacky cartoon orangutang from 1967, but real human oppression happening right now in 2021.

You're right! We TOTALLY FIXED all of these problems here in the good ol' US of A and so have carte blanche to demonize other countries without being the slightest bit hypocritical!!!1!1!!!1

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ✨ ᗩζᗩᗰ]

I'm honestly just appreciative of the fact that the Splash change is going to finally, fully commit "Critter Country" into a more whimsical setting. For me, Critter Country has had a bit of an identity crisis since Pooh moved in back in '03. Originally it was sort of this extension of New Orleans Square that led into a "deeper south" thematic (between Splash and Country Bears) but ever since Pooh, it hasn't fully made sense to me one way or the other.

With Princess and the Frog taking over for Song of the South on Splash, Critter Country finally has a more solid identity to me. It's no longer a "deep south" extension, it's a whimsical land of Critters and all things related. -and I think that Princess and the Frog, given it's connection to New Orleans, is the perfect point of transition between something like New Orleans Square and a land with this sort of mindset. It just works for me.

Side note: to those who would say, "but there are no 'mountains' in the Bayou so the landscape just feels wrong", I respond with two observations: 1) the newly created context of "Critter Country" and all things whimsical can allow for it and 2) even if I concede your point, you must remember that you are taking these adventures from the POV of a Critter. To them, what constitutes a "mountain" would be significantly different to us. Chickapin Hill was literally a hill in film, not a mountain by any means to humans. But to Critters, it is significantly larger and more imposing and thus the locale remaining named a "mountain" is perfectly acceptable (if they keep the name at all). I see no reason to not afford the Princess and the Frog overlay the same mindset.

It's fine for DL. It's stupid as hell for WDW.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I think where Disney puts a target on their back in regards to China is when they have all their self praising content about how amazing they are for human rights and inclusion.

They will have a Chinese Super Hero and boast about it but thousands of chinese slave laborers are making 30 dollar Popcorn Buckets as we speak.

They will brag in the press about having a single semi-gay line in a movie while supporting the nation of China which punishes homosexuals.

Trust me, I don’t disagree with that. Then again, there are shameful and disgusting practices within America as well, but I won’t get into that.

Are you going to stop giving Disney your money because they’re in business with China?

 

[Californian Elitist]

To be fair, I haven't purchased a Magic Key thing, or whatever it is. I haven't even looked at it, aside for a few threads here. I'm busy at the beach house here in San Diego County for at least another month, and I've got stuff to do and events to attend. (Although I am driving back up to OC next week to check on the house and cast my vote in the Recall Election. But I won't be going to Disneyland.)

I may look at Magic Key later, but that Spiderman version of Midway Mania and a 30 year old Christmas parade isn't helping.

Although, if they take my advice and add Charo to Viva Navidad this year, then we can talk AmEx numbers.

I don't watch current Disney movies. I don't care about the Marvel superhero kids. I don't subscribe to Hulu or Disney+. I haven't walked in to a Disney Store in years and years. So I'm not giving the folks in Burbank a dime. I'm just here, posting stuff and deep thoughts. For free.

Yeah, but Disney’s been doing business with China for many years. Since that time, I’m sure you’ve given Disney your money at some point.

 

[DavidDL]

It's fine for DL. It's stupid as hell for WDW.

I agree that the choice of franchise feels out of place for WDW’s park layout. Works great in my mind for DL but maybe WDW could have had a reimagined Western River Expedition of some kind be overlayed onto Splash? Would give both parks something a little different to experience even if the bones of the attraction are nearly the same. Heck, it worked for Indy/Dinosaur.

 

[DavidDL]

I actually feel quite the opposite. With Splash not being a part of New Orleans, but rather the backwoods of the American South, it felt like its own land. A forested place where animals talk and interact with whimsy. I know some had issues with Pooh given the British origins, but nothing about Disney's modern take on Pooh feels distinctly British, so their 100 Acre Woods being a part of Critter Country still worked. It was still a non-specific rustic area focused on cartoon critters.

Now, with PATF, its too closely tied to New Orleans Square. But Critter Country doesn't feel like New Orleans. Pooh fits in worse in a New Orleans setting than a vague rustic forest. Before we had this continuation. We had a Western Frontier with Frontierland. We had the city on the edge of the frontier with NOS, and we had the Southern Frontier with TSI and Critter Country. 3 different flavors tied together by the Rivers of America. With Splash being located now in a New Orleans setting, we lose that other aspect of the Southern Frontier and backwoods which flows directly into GE and ROA.

As for the mountain issue. Its not a perspective trick. They aren't building oversized trees and shrubs to make it appear as if we're 6 inches tall and SM is just a small mound of earth. They are taking an area famous for flat wooded marshlands devoid of hills where much of the earth is below sea level and representing it with a mountain made of boulders and clay with grass and shrubs rather than heavily wooded. The mountain doesn't evoke New Orleans feelings in the slightest. It would be like trying to turn Big Thunder into a Sleepy Hollow attraction. Even if you put up a few trees and a covered bridge, the landscape doesn't feel like Upstate NY.

As for creative liberties with Splash's design. Sure, its not a 1:1 representation of the film. But the film is also not available, so people can't really compare the properties. And the hill in the film is about the same size as our mountain, just not as steep. The facade still does feel like the landscape and setting of SOTS.

View attachment 584610

In fairness to the PaTF overlay; it isn’t complete yet so we do not know to what extent the facade or interior of the attraction will be altered. The concept art they released for the exterior attempts to minimize the feeling of the size of the mountain with trees to make it feel smaller and more tucked away amongst all the new foliage. -and even if I were to admit that current Splash doesn’t try to utilize any perspective tricks to make you feel like a Critter, that doesn’t mean we don’t know that the PaTF overlay won’t. I’ve always felt the tree stump atop Splash was exaggerated/overly large for what it’s actually supposed to be. In that sense it’s always made me feel small by comparison.

But, we just don’t know yet. The execution remains to be seen. I certainly hope that it comes out looking good. I think if Disney were to really fill the opening pool (where you swing around the briar patch at the beginning of the ride) with large Bayou trees (as seen in the concept art), it could make the mountain feel smaller by comparison and thus, more at home in a traditional Bayou setting. Who knows what they’ll do.