Tiana's Bayou Adventure: Disneyland Watch & Discussion

[Midwest Elitist]

You mean like what is EXACTLY happening now with it?

Yes, the ride is closing, even Tony Baxter knows it. Fun fact: his favorite version of the ride is Tokyo's. He's also not involved with TBA.

That is all

 

[SuddenStorm]

I see what you’re saying but I feel like the changes they’ve made the last few years kind of show us they don’t care what us fans think. Granted, none of them have been on the level of Splash.

I'm mixed on this. On one hand, they're actively doing things that diminish Disneyland and what the place represents. Most of the new additions range from unnecessary to completely ridiculous and poorly done.. Especially with operations. The complete removal of the Disney Look, Genie+, the decreased maintenance, The Jungle Cruise changes, Galaxy's Edge. No more ladies and gentleman. And I know there's more I'm blanking on right now.

But then we get stuff like the new Lincoln preshow. Getting rid of the french fry rocks and bringing back the '60s planters at the Tomorrowland entrance (the ones by Star Tours and Buzz). The rumored return of the PM. Bring back the Swiss Family Treehouse in some form. A Toontown overhaul that was done mostly well. Snow White's redo that was done decently well.

It almost feels like there's two camps at Disneyland- one that cares about the place's history and wants to bring us closer to the Disneyland of old, and the camp that wants to use the place to further social agendas and promote whatever IP Disney+ is developing right now.

If they weren't changing Splash Mountain I'd be more positive about the future outlook for the park, as I believe the staff issues can be fixed in time- but right now it definitely feels like one step forwards and about 10 steps back.

 

[mickEblu]

It is hard to believe that the same company removing Zip from the music loops could make a turn on this but then again it’s been open for three years since the announcement featuring songs and characters from the movie in the same park. As much as I’d like to believe it’s sticking around I believe it will close but my ears will start to perk up if it’s still running in May. It’ll get really interesting if Splash is still open in June.

 

[SuddenStorm]

It is hard to believe that the same company removing Zip from the music loops could make a turn on this but then again it’s been open for three years since the announcement featuring songs and characters from the movie in the same park. As much as I’d like to believe it’s sticking around I believe it will close but my ears will start to perk up if it’s still running in May. It’ll get really interesting if Splash is still open in June.

So far every rumor has been wrong about Splash's closing date. I mean we're almost to April and the thing is still open, and they're somehow gonna do a complete retheme by 2024?

Let me add- and we're supposed to believe they can do a retheme in that short timeline that's actually good?

 

[mickEblu]

So far every rumor has been wrong about Splash's closing date. I mean we're almost to April and the thing is still open, and they're somehow gonna do a complete retheme by 2024?

Right. Of course, they could just move the Fall 2024 date. They’ve done it before.

 

[Midwest Elitist]

Right. Of course, they could just move the Fall 2024 date. They’ve done it before.

That was an obvious stunt to generate hype. Since the response was still mixed at best, they don't care what the actual timeline is. The fans of the ride will be mad for the same amount of time.

 

[Mickey's Pal]

Ellen's Energy Adventure had the carept in the preshow area replaced less than a month before it closed, and that ride had a much much shorter announce - close span than Splash Mountain, and was much less beloved. Effects being fixed dont mean a ride is safe.

Replacing a carpet is nothing like fixing a broken effect that has not worked in close to 10 years for a ride you plan on closing down forever. Not even in the same ballpark. Not even the same sport.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Replacing a carpet is nothing like fixing a broken effect that has not worked in close to 10 years for a ride you plan on closing down forever. Not even in the same ballpark. Not even the same sport.

While I'm not going say I agree it's not closing- again, it's hard to argue with the point that they are doing an unusual amount of maintenance on the ride.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Replacing a carpet is nothing like fixing a broken effect that has not worked in close to 10 years for a ride you plan on closing down forever. Not even in the same ballpark. Not even the same sport.

I disagree, they likely replaced the carpet because it was on hand and they knew they wouldn’t need it once the ride closed, may as well use it rather than just tossing it in the trash. They’re likely fixing the effects because they suddenly have parts on hand from the FL ride… it’s the same thing, it’s on hand so they may as well use it rather than chucking it in the trash.

Hopefully I’m wrong because poaching parts is a pretty big indicator they’re not planning on reusing the animatronics in the new ride.

 

[Mickey's Pal]

I disagree, they likely replaced the carpet because it was on hand and they knew they wouldn’t need it once the ride closed, may as well use it rather than just tossing it in the trash. They’re likely fixing the effects because they suddenly have parts on hand from the FL ride… it’s the same thing, it’s on hand so they may as well use it rather than chucking it in the trash.

Hopefully I’m wrong because poaching parts is a pretty big indicator they’re not planning on reusing the animatronics in the new ride.

A carpet is not on the same level as fixing a broken animatronic. Nope. That would be like fixing the yeti in Expedition Everest before closing the ride foever because the part finally came in. You don't go through the effort of fixing something you plan to never use again because it requires time and money.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

A carpet is not on the same level as fixing a broken animatronic. Nope. That would be like fixing the yeti in Expedition Everest before closing the ride foever because the part finally came in. You don't go through the effort of fixing something you plan to never use again because it requires time and money.

I disagree again, it takes a whole lot longer, and a whole lot more effort, to rip out and lay new carpet than it does to bolt in a new part.

Obviously that depends on the extent of issue, if an animatronic isn’t working because the foundation is broken (the yeti) they aren’t going to fix it before closing but if it isn’t working because the part isn’t readily available (or is simply expensive) and it’s suddenly available for free it’s pretty easy to throw it in a box, pay FedEx $10 to ship it, and have a maintenance guy spend 2 minutes swapping it out.

 

[Midwest Elitist]

I disagree, they likely replaced the carpet because it was on hand and they knew they wouldn’t need it once the ride closed, may as well use it rather than just tossing it in the trash. They’re likely fixing the effects because they suddenly have parts on hand from the FL ride… it’s the same thing, it’s on hand so they may as well use it rather than chucking it in the trash.

Hopefully I’m wrong because poaching parts is a pretty big indicator they’re not planning on reusing the animatronics in the new ride.

I don't really believe the FL -> DL parts theory. The animatronics are more different and complex in the Florida one.

 

[Consumer]

I don't really believe the FL -> DL parts theory. The animatronics are more different and complex in the Florida one.

A well thought criticism. The animatronics on Disneyland's Splash were built in 1974. The animatronics on Magic Kingdom's Splash were built in 1990. That's 16 years of animatronic technology separating the two. Could the two share identical mechanisms? Hypothetically, but I suspect not.

 

[Mickey's Pal]

it’s pretty easy to throw it in a box, pay FedEx $10 to ship it, and have a maintenance guy spend 2 minutes swapping it out.

that is not how it works. Like..at all.

 

[chadwpalm]

So far every rumor has been wrong about Splash's closing date. I mean we're almost to April and the thing is still open, and they're somehow gonna do a complete retheme by 2024?

Let me add- and we're supposed to believe they can do a retheme in that short timeline that's actually good?

I've thought about this too. That the longer it is open, the less time they have to meet the 2024 deadline and not rush it and make it look crappy.

You do have to consider though that they aren't building an attraction from the ground up and I'm sure most of the new animatronics and set pieces are already completed and they just need to pull out the old stuff and install the new. Also, they will have done it once already at WDW by that time to learn from.

 

[Midwest Elitist]

I'm mixed on this. On one hand, they're actively doing things that diminish Disneyland and what the place represents. Most of the new additions range from unnecessary to completely ridiculous and poorly done.. Especially with operations. The complete removal of the Disney Look, Genie+, the decreased maintenance, The Jungle Cruise changes, Galaxy's Edge. No more ladies and gentleman. And I know there's more I'm blanking on right now.

But then we get stuff like the new Lincoln preshow. Getting rid of the french fry rocks and bringing back the '60s planters at the Tomorrowland entrance (the ones by Star Tours and Buzz). The rumored return of the PM. Bring back the Swiss Family Treehouse in some form. A Toontown overhaul that was done mostly well. Snow White's redo that was done decently well.

It almost feels like there's two camps at Disneyland- one that cares about the place's history and wants to bring us closer to the Disneyland of old, and the camp that wants to use the place to further social agendas and promote whatever IP Disney+ is developing right now.

If they weren't changing Splash Mountain I'd be more positive about the future outlook for the park, as I believe the staff issues can be fixed in time- but right now it definitely feels like one step forwards and about 10 steps back.

Splash was just peak of Imagineering that went through the 90's. You can tell they really cared about their craft (one of the artists of the WDW one posts pictures of what he made in Twitter, behind the scenes of the ride). I don't feel The same for them now.

 

[TP2000]

At this point, just close the thing.

I'm tired of talking about it and hearing about it and explaining it and the subject of the ride's closure invading into 1/3 of the other threads and people pontificating about how it's the bestest ride in the history of ever and, my new favorite, having to listen to delusional people launch their crackpot theories about how the ride will magically be saved at the last minute. The bulk of which has been happening for well over two years.

It's exhausting, and all of the above has sapped away any of the positive feelings I once had for the ride. I'm over it all.

I'm right there with you.

But then, I'm also of the generation that whenever I went on Splash Mountain at Disneyland all I saw was old America Sings stuff. Plus, the Splash Mountain at Disneyland was paced and set so badly that I honestly had no idea there was a plotline or story on that ride for the first few years until I went on the WDW version for the first time around 1994. Oh, this ride has a plot? Who knew?!?

This was all pre-Internet, so saying that now seems ridiculous and idiotic. But at the time, it was completely normal. The average rider on Splash Mountain circa 1990 had absolutely no idea what the heck was going on. But hang on for the big drop! Zip-a-dee-doo-dah!

I'm also non-plussed because I really like the music and vibe of Princess & The Frog! Even if the backstory of a worker-owned employee cooperative that takes women owned businesses and then turns them over to employee ownership stops my toe tapping to the music.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Disney isn't making the change to appease people, they are making the change to introduce a "NEW" attraction for a fraction of the cost as well as the merch that can be sold/Disney + subs. The feel-good spin is just icing on the cake. This is just the same as TOT becoming Mission BO, Maelstrom becoming Frozen Ever After, Alien Encounter becoming Stitch Encounter, Screamin' becoming Incredicoaster. This is a new MO for Disney imagineers; find how we can update attractions to push newer IP's without spending too much.

I'd rather have Iger get replaced now, so the next CEO (still betting on Dana Walden and Alan Bergman as co-CEOs) of Disney can stop "IP-ifying" classic Disney rides, like Splash Mountain.

 

[Kirby86]

I'd rather have Iger get replaced now, so the next CEO (still betting on Dana Walden and Alan Bergman as co-CEOs) of Disney can stop "IP-ifying" classic Disney rides, like Splash Mountain.

Not going to happen IP is the way of the future.

 

[EagleScout610]

So far every rumor has been wrong about Splash's closing date. I mean we're almost to April and the thing is still open, and they're somehow gonna do a complete retheme by 2024?

Let me add- and we're supposed to believe they can do a retheme in that short timeline that's actually good?

I personally feel they're just saying "Late" 2024 to give themselves an excuse to move to 2025 if need be and not too many eyes would bat.