Tiana's Bayou Adventure: Disneyland Watch & Discussion

[TrainsOfDisney]

Somebody should do a little video where guests are asking for directions, and CMs ignore them (or claim ignorance) until the guest can come up with the proper attraction name.

I was once at Epcot by Canada and an EMT asked a CM where the magic eye theatre was.

Splash was not perfect, hence why it’s going bye-bye.

I consider it the perfect Disney attraction. It was Tony Baxter’s best work (Indiana Jones comes in close). It’s completely immersive, tells a story from beginning to end, offers a legit thrill, has a long ride time, and is just 100% fun.

Radiator Springs Racers is another one - could be a little bit longer but it hits the majority of points that I give to Splash.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

Speaking of Baxter- one of the greatest Imagineers- it would have been nice to see him on the New Orleans tour video.

 

[CaptinEO]

To be fair it wasn't just Princess and the frog Winnie the Pooh also underperformed which are Disney Skittish of hand drawn animation. However yes of they deemed this movie a success they would have already had a ride featuring Tiana.

It's really silly when you consider the number of 3D films that have lost money over the last 20 years from Disney and Pixar that they abandoned 2D, but insist on only making 3D animation. Just look at Good Dinosaur, Lightyear, Mars Needs Moms, Christmas Carol, Onward, Meet the Robinsons, and Chicken Little.

But because they had a string of failures in the late90s/early 2000s and they made some average movies with Princess and the Frog and Winnie the Pooh, they abandon the whole format the company was founded upon.

Why not keep Pixar on the 3D movies and have Disney make 2D films?

 

[CaptinEO]

Speaking of Baxter- one of the greatest Imagineers- it would have been nice to see him on the New Orleans tour video.

He was in the original announcement in 2020 but hasn't been shown since. T

 

[mickEblu]

Anyone else starting to hope trumpet rumors are true? At least those rumors came with some mention of Facilier and a climax. The way Disney talks about this retheme makes you think its one long log ride through Happy Town which seems probable when you consider recent attractions like BatB, Frozen Ever After and the Snow White retheme at Disneyland. For the record I think they did a good job with Snow White. Frozen I’ve only seen videos but it also looks well done (a little bare in certain parts) and I don’t feel I’m missing out on anything as the bad guy in that movie is…. Hans.

 

[Ne'er-Do-Well Cad]

You’re looking at Splash 1.0 through rose-colored nostalgia glasses. The DL ride has been majorly flawed in many ways since the day it opened. During construction, the whole log fleet had to be redesigned because the first batch couldn‘t navigate the flume properly, delaying the ride’s opening by many months. The end result was a ride that has always felt clunky, badly paced (the logs were never supposed to rush through the story scenes that quickly). No other log flume at any major park feels so clumsy and inelegant on the lift hills. Cresting the top of the big drop feels like you‘re on a freaking playground seesaw. The WDW and TD versions fixed all these problems.

And the latest log redesign that added the individual seats turned the ride’s splash factor from “nice, refreshing water spray” to Islands of Adventure-level drenching.

Though I’m looking forward to the Tiana Splash Mtn., I won’t be surprised if all those ride system issues are still very present.

Yet, despite it’s flaws, DL’s Splash Mtn. is an extremely fun ride full of great music and a track layout that brilliantly places drops at important story moments (though the story itself isn’t told very well at DL). And the exterior is a joy to behold.

But no ride is perfect.

Glad someone mentioned this. I'm really looking forward to the Tiana iteration at Disneyland; Splash 1.0 was always pretty chintzy and told the thinnest possible story in the most rudimentary and unclear way. The AAs are far from Disney's best and the sets (where they even exist) are minimal. These days, the ride feels painfully outdated (add in the maintenance issues and it's downright embarrassing). I will sorely miss the music and all the goofy AAs and the sort of handcrafted quality of it all, but Charita Carter and her team have nowhere to go but up with this redo. The flume's engineering shortcomings will remain, but everything else can be brought into the 21st-century.

IMO closing MK's Splash is a real loss. It's a masterpiece. Very few rides transport guests into another world as successfully as the dark ride portions of MK's Splash. I suspect folks on this DL forum somewhat overstate the greatness of DL's Splash, while under-appreciating the magnificence of MK's version.

 

[Mickey's Pal]

The original ride in Disneyland is lightning in a bottle. It works on so many levels that it's duplicate versions in other parks are just as successful because they have strong roots to go off of. It is not just your average log flume ride. And hollowing out it's guts like a Thanksgiving Turkey and forcing a story and characters the show building was not made for, comes off as desperate and cheap and unimaginative, which goes against the idea behind the name 'Imagineneer.'

 

[Mickey's Pal]

You’re looking at Splash 1.0 through rose-colored nostalgia glasses. The DL ride has been majorly flawed in many ways since the day it opened. During construction, the whole log fleet had to be redesigned because the first batch couldn‘t navigate the flume properly, delaying the ride’s opening by many months. The end result was a ride that has always felt clunky, badly paced (the logs were never supposed to rush through the story scenes that quickly). No other log flume at any major park feels so clumsy and inelegant on the lift hills. Cresting the top of the big drop feels like you‘re on a freaking playground seesaw. The WDW and TD versions fixed all these problems.

And the latest log redesign that added the individual seats turned the ride’s splash factor from “nice, refreshing water spray” to Islands of Adventure-level drenching.

Though I’m looking forward to the Tiana Splash Mtn., I won’t be surprised if all those ride system issues are still very present.

Yet, despite it’s flaws, DL’s Splash Mtn. is an extremely fun ride full of great music and a track layout that brilliantly places drops at important story moments (though the story itself isn’t told very well at DL). And the exterior is a joy to behold.

But no ride is perfect.

It's not rose colored glasses. I have ridden it in 3 decades: 80', 90's 2000's and loved it and would say it has delievered througout it's life. It is a perfect attraction. Like Haunted Mansion and the pre- pc changes version of Pirates of the Caribbean. My kids who have never seen Song of the South love it.

 

[Ne'er-Do-Well Cad]

Anyone else starting to hope trumpet rumors are true? At least those rumors came with some mention of Facilier and a climax. The way Disney talks about this retheme makes you think its one long log ride through Happy Town which seems probable when you consider recent attractions like BatB, Frozen Ever After and the Snow White retheme at Disneyland. For the record I think they did a good job with Snow White. Frozen I’ve only seen videos but it also looks well done (a little bare in certain parts) and I don’t feel on missing anything as the bad guy in that movie was…Hans.

We haven't heard any mention of the trumpet storyline in the official promotional materials, and let's hope it stays that way

I'm heartened by the Imagineers' emphasis on New Orleans and actual art and culture, and their intention to make this a joyous, jazzy experience (as opposed to a preschool-level story about losing a trumpet), but I agree with you that there needs to be some sort of drama and conflict, especially during the final lift hill/drop. PATF has already done their research for them in that regard, so it would be a deliberate choice to exclude any darkness from the experience. Seems like the Imagineers have all the ingredients needed for a fully-satisfying ride (like the original Splash); let's hope they remember the timeless tropes of storytelling as they executive it.

 

[Magicart87]

We haven't heard any mention of the trumpet storyline in the official promotional materials, and let's hope it stays that way

I'm heartened by the Imagineers' emphasis on New Orleans and actual art and culture, and their intention to make this a joyous, jazzy experience (as opposed to a preschool-level story about losing a trumpet), but I agree with you that there needs to be some sort of drama and conflict, especially during the final lift hill/drop. PATF has already done their research for them in that regard, so it would be a deliberate choice to exclude any darkness from the experience. Seems like the Imagineers have all the ingredients needed for a fully-satisfying ride (like the original Splash); let's hope they remember the timeless tropes of storytelling as they executive it.

If included hopefully it'll be nothing more than a similar throwaway easter egg element as seen in Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway where guests can find a crab hidden in each scene; encouraging rerides. I suppose in that context it'd be OK. If this turns out to be some preschool-level Dora Tiana the Explorer episode come to life that'd be awful. Storytelling hasn't been Imagineering's strongsuit of late.

 

[Dear Prudence]

Glad someone mentioned this. I'm really looking forward to the Tiana iteration at Disneyland; Splash 1.0 was always pretty chintzy and told the thinnest possible story in the most rudimentary and unclear way. The AAs are far from Disney's best and the sets (where they even exist) are minimal. These days, the ride feels painfully outdated (add in the maintenance issues and it's downright embarrassing). I will sorely miss the music and all the goofy AAs and the sort of handcrafted quality of it all, but Charita Carter and her team have nowhere to go but up with this redo. The flume's engineering shortcomings will remain, but everything else can be brought into the 21st-century.

IMO closing MK's Splash is a real loss. It's a masterpiece. Very few rides transport guests into another world as successfully as the dark ride portions of MK's Splash. I suspect folks on this DL forum somewhat overstate the greatness of DL's Splash, while under-appreciating the magnificence of MK's version.

And yet DL Splash is more functional snd has more lights on.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I'm heartened by the Imagineers' emphasis on New Orleans and actual art and culture,

Why? Would you enjoy haunted mansion more if X. Had done some research trips to New Orleans graveyards?

 

[Ne'er-Do-Well Cad]

And yet DL Splash is more functional snd has more lights on.

Is this true? I haven’t been to MK in several years. The idea that DL’s Splash is “more functional” than another attraction is kind of horrifying.

Even if every AA on MK’s Splash was broken, you’d still have the fully-realized sets to enjoy.

 

[Ne'er-Do-Well Cad]

Why? Would you enjoy haunted mansion more if X. Had done some research trips to New Orleans graveyards?

They did do research (a ton!) while building Haunted Mansion — including, if I’m remembering correctly, actually flying to New Orleans. Harriet Burns recounted it in interviews.

Edit: Not Harriet Burns, I meant Tania Norris.

 

[mickEblu]

We haven't heard any mention of the trumpet storyline in the official promotional materials, and let's hope it stays that way

I'm heartened by the Imagineers' emphasis on New Orleans and actual art and culture, and their intention to make this a joyous, jazzy experience (as opposed to a preschool-level story about losing a trumpet), but I agree with you that there needs to be some sort of drama and conflict, especially during the final lift hill/drop. PATF has already done their research for them in that regard, so it would be a deliberate choice to exclude any darkness from the experience. Seems like the Imagineers have all the ingredients needed for a fully-satisfying ride (like the original Splash); let's hope they remember the timeless tropes of storytelling as they executive it.

Agree with the sentiment however if you gave me the choice of trumpet + drama/ conflict vs the unknown based on Disneys statements which make the ride sound drama free I’d take the former.

I can see them making a deliberate choice like that in regards to Facilier. “Why does the shadows man have to be Black?” kind of (non sensical) thing

 

[Disney Irish]

Anyone else starting to hope trumpet rumors are true? At least those rumors came with some mention of Facilier and a climax. The way Disney talks about this retheme makes you think its one long log ride through Happy Town which seems probable when you consider recent attractions like BatB, Frozen Ever After and the Snow White retheme at Disneyland. For the record I think they did a good job with Snow White. Frozen I’ve only seen videos but it also looks well done (a little bare in certain parts) and I don’t feel I’m missing out on anything as the bad guy in that movie is…. Hans.

There was never any real rumor of Facilier being part of the plot, that was all made up by a couple posters in these threads who didn't like the Louis' Trumpet/Mardi Gras celebration story line. They thought it should be beat-for-beat a retelling of the movie.

The plot has always been a post-PatF preparation for a Mardi Gras celebration, so to have Facilier in the attraction makes no sense, and I even said so many times in this thread.

 

[mickEblu]

That still doesn't make sense, if he is in shadow form, why is that any "danger" to guests? Its established in the movie that shadows can't directly effect regular people only other shadows. This is especially shown by Facilier himself as its only his shadow that is actually touched by the shadows that get dragged to the shadow realm.

So unless you establish that danger, "Don't let the shadows grab your shadow or they'll drag your shadow to the other side", it doesn't make sense. No danger to the guest on the ride as the shadows can't directly cause them harm, hence no sense him being there.

So if you saw a ghost in the middle of the night it wouldn’t scare you because it can’t touch you?

 

[Disney Irish]

So if you saw a ghost in the middle of the night it wouldn’t scare you becasue he can’t touch you?

We're talking about the story line of an attraction set in a movie world with rules and why it would make sense or not for Facilier to be in the attraction, not me.

And no because I don't believe in ghosts, but especially if I know it can't touch me based on established rules, as it can't harm me. If it can't harm me why would I be scared of it? It would be more of an annoyance at that point.

 

[mickEblu]

We're talking about the story line of an attraction set in a movie world with rules and why it would make sense or not for Facilier to be in the attraction, not me.

And no because I don't believe in ghosts, but especially if I know it can't touch me based on established rules, as it can't harm me. If it can't harm me why would I be scared of it? It would be more of an annoyance at that point.

First off I don’t believe you. Second, most people would be scared $hitless. But let me rephrase that, if those ghouls or Faciliers spirit were haunting and taunting Tiana would that not be scary for her?

 

[Disney Irish]

First off I don’t believe you. Second, most people would be scared $hitless. But let me rephrase that, if those ghouls or Faciliers spirit were haunting and taunting Tiana would that not be scary for her?

I don't care of you believe me or not. Would it shock me to see a ghost sure, would I even be startled by it yeah, but scare me no.

As for Tiana, maybe. It would depend on if they establish that in the story they are telling.

But again how does that provide any "danger" for the guests, as that is what is being discussed. Remember "we" are now a part of this story being told in the attraction, as indicated by the Imagineers when they presented the retheme. So if there is some "danger" it has to be established as part of the adventure we're going on.