Tiana's Bayou Adventure: Disneyland Watch & Discussion

[Rich T]

…if I'm being honest, I'm personally unlikely to ride it more than Splash unless they did something during the changeover to adjust the wetness of the DL version to a level I find more reasonable.

THIS. This soooo much. On my first ride on DL Splash after the switch to the last set of logs, I got so drenched it pretty much ended my desire to stay in the park any longer that evening… and I stopped riding the DL version. I was done.

 

[mickEblu]

Here’s another take on the PR/advertising situation:

IMO, the last thing Disney needs is more people flooding into the parks right now (at least in Florida… haven’t been to DL in a few years to witness the crowd levels) without greatly increasing capacity. TBA is/was a sideways cultural-updating move that does not increase capacity.

When it opens, the flume will once again be one of the most popular rides in the park. Most of the GP will simply enjoy it. Some might say, “Oh yeah, this used to be the rabbit ride.” Then they’ll disembark, buy a Louis-playing-his-trumpet bubble wand and wander off to the next ride.

I don’t think they need to advertise it much at all. In fact, I think it might be better for park crowd levels and overall guest experience if they don’t… and simply let the throngs of park goers be happy the flume is up and running again.

Or… I’m completely wrong and both coasts will be slammed with TBA commercials, billboards and morning show promo spots in the respective week before each flume opening.

So what you’re saying is they are TRYING to make it sound crappy so people don’t show up in droves. Lol.

To be clear I’ve never made any commentary on whether or not marketing the ride is necessary. Only that what they are doing is terrible. Unless the goal is to lower our expectations as much as possible. In that case, they are doing a great job.

 

[mickEblu]

Looks like the “main offices” might be coming to life. It’s just mind boggling that a company in Disneys financial state chose an IP that fit as good as any in Splash’s rustic setting but decided to spend money on converting caves and barns to offices.

 

[Rich T]

So what you’re saying is they are TRYING to make it sound crappy so people don’t show up in droves. Lol.

To be clear I’ve never made any commentary on whether or not marketing the ride is necessary. Only that what they are doing is terrible. Unless the goal is to lower our expectations as much as possible. In that case, they are doing a great job.

No, I’m suggesting that they don’t need to promote this at all.

Look, I don’t think the info’s been spectacular. But… It doesn’t matter in the long run.

How diehard fans feel about Disney PR’s… um… *unique* choices in which info to release to the public will have almost no effect one way or the other on the retheme’s nearly-inevitable successful launch.

I can’t explain their choices. I’m floating the idea that fans comb over this stuff with a microscope and the GP couldn’t care less and Disney is aware of this and is devoting a proportional amount of attention to the matter of fan dislike of food co-op mentions and non-princessy outfits on an AA. I’m guessing their concern amounts to half a shrug. I think a year from now, fan gripes about Disney’s attempt to make food co-ops sound interesting will be a distant memory and the log flume will be attracting huge crowds all on its own.

 

[mickEblu]

No, I’m suggesting that they don’t need to promote this at all.

Look, I don’t think the info’s been spectacular. But… It doesn’t matter in the long run.

How diehard fans feel about Disney PR’s… um… *unique* choices in which info to release to the public will have almost no effect one way or the other on the retheme’s nearly-inevitable successful launch.

I can’t explain their choices. I’m floating the idea that fans comb over this stuff with a microscope and the GP couldn’t care less and Disney is aware of this and is devoting a proportional amount of attention to the matter of fan dislike of food co-op mentions and non-princessy outfits on an AA. I’m guessing their concern amounts to half a shrug. I think a year from now, fan gripes about Disney’s attempt to make food co-ops sound interesting will be a distant memory and the log flume will be attracting huge crowds all on its own.

So what exactly is your point? Stop complaining or Stop caring? Let’s assume everything you said is true (its not, many people in the GP care even if they can quite articulate why) how does that effect how I (not a member of the GP in this case and a guy whose obsessed over Disneyland since he was 7 and has read imagineering books since he was 10) should feel about what we've heard and seen in regards to this project?

 

[Rich T]

So what exactly is your point? Is this a long winded way to say stop complaining or stop caring? Let’s assume everything you said is true (its not, many people in the GP care even if they can quite articulate why) how does that effect how I (not a member of the GP in this case and a guy whose obsessed over Disneyland since he was 7 and has read imagineering books since he was 10) should feel about what we've heard and seen in regards to this project?

I’ve been fascinated by Disney and theme park design since about 1965, so we have much common ground here. I’m not saying stop caring. I would never say that. I guess, in my long-winded way, I’m just saying that perspective is a thing.

I personally think the PR for TBA so far has been odd to say the least. But, seriously, the GP does not care about ride backstory details released a year or more before the ride’s opening. This is for the fans to dissect and discuss. The GP will pay attention to the commercials and promo articles that could roll out much closer to opening day, and I’m certain we’ll see a completely different approach at that time.

But I still believe that Disney could very well—if they wanted to—open TBA with very little press and simply let the log flume settle back into its crowd-pleasing water-ride role as if nothing had happened.

It’s going to be interesting to watch Disney handle this.

 

[mickEblu]

I’ve been fascinated by Disney and theme park design since about 1965, so we have much common ground here. I’m not saying stop caring. I would never say that. I guess, in my long-winded way, I’m just saying that perspective is a thing.

I personally think the PR for TBA so far has been odd to say the least. But, seriously, the GP does not care about ride backstory details released a year or more before the ride’s opening. This is for the fans to dissect and discuss. The GP will pay attention to the commercials and promo articles that could roll out much closer to opening day, and I’m certain we’ll see a completely different approach at that time.

But I still believe that Disney could very well—if they wanted to—open TBA with very little press and simply let the log flume settle back into its crowd-pleasing water-ride role as if nothing had happened.

It’s going to be interesting to watch Disney handle this.

I edited my post to remove" long winded" before you replied as I thought it sounded snarky and didn't intend to. I don't think the GP cares about back stories but I do think they care about the end result. People can feel when something is right even if they cant articulate it. With that said, it's a log ride at the best theme park on earth and it cant really "fail." But what's our definition of fail? Less merch sales? Not happening. Splash had no merch. Shorter lines? Not happening. It's a "new" log/thrill at Disneyland. Where it fails is when you compare it to what was there. It won't be Splash Mountain. Not in the current climate with the people in charge and with the priorities they have. It wouldn't be Splash Mountain under the best conditions. I don't like a lot of what we've seen or heard so far but I'll be there when it opens hoping for the best. Because of Splash's ride system, drops, ride path and length I don't expect it to be less than mediocre. For me, lot will hinge on what they decided to do with the Laughing Place through final lift hill scenes. Hoping they didn't ruin the rustic feel of the queue and beginning of the ride too much. Also hoping the finale can be even half as good as Splash's Zip scene which is a tall task. Hoping the ride still feels full of life even with most likely have less than half the amount of AA's. Lot of hoping. lol

It's Disneyland. They don't "need" the press. But if they have certain #'s they re trying to hit or hotel rooms they want booked then they probably need to do some marketing.

 

[Gusey]

But also, at this point what can Disney actually announce about the attraction without spoiling it? An opening date? A song preview maybe? They can't release a ride through of the attraction since it isn't complete and what's the point of spoiling the whole storyline of a ride you want people to visit the parks to ride?

 

[chadwpalm]

This was the run off area of slippin’ falls before you entered the show building the first time. They are enclosing some (all??) of it, into what looks like I assume a new “building” facade.

View attachment 772211

From an alternate point of view, it's this area above the exit:

 

[chadwpalm]

Looks like the “main offices” might be coming to life. It’s just mind boggling that a company in Disneys financial state chose an IP that fit as good as any in Splash’s rustic setting but decided to spend money on converting caves and barns to offices.

I wonder if from the outside it will be meant to look like an office building, but on the inside it will be a cave.

I don't think most people will associate that being the same area on and off the attraction. In fact, most people don't realize the show building is 200 feet behind the mountain and think they are inside the mountain for the indoor scenes.

I thought that for a long time....until I looked at it on Google maps. The slippin' falls goes by so fast and you are so worried about getting wet that you don't realize you've travelled to a show building in backstage area.

 

[Disney Analyst]

I wonder if from the outside it will be meant to look like an office building, but on the inside it will be a cave.

I don't think most people will associate that being the same area on and off the attraction. In fact, most people don't realize the show building is 200 feet behind the mountain and think they are inside the mountain for the indoor scenes.

I thought that for a long time....until I looked at it on Google maps. The slippin' falls goes by so fast and you are so worried about getting wet that you don't realize you've travelled to a show building in backstage area.

From the outside it’ll likely resemble the buildings we already see around the area. Wood, barn like.

 

[EagleScout610]

It's weird. I think the top of Disneyland's looks better than Walt Disney World's. It keeps the sort of peak they had at the base of the tree stump, whereas WDW's just looks flat.

 

[EagleScout610]

 

[EagleScout610]

Briar patch sign has been removed. It was the last public remnant of Br'er Rabbit at DL

 

[Mikomike12]

Foliage has begun being added at the top of Tiana's.

 

[mickEblu]

What’s ironic is that Splash had real foliage and yet all I hear about when it comes to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is the (artificial) foliage. I mean I get why. Just funny.

 

[PiratesMansion]

What’s ironic is that Splash had real foliage and yet all I hear about when it comes to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is the (artificial) foliage. I mean I get why. Just funny.

It would look pretty hypocritical if they could take care of real plants on TBA but not grass.

 

[mickEblu]

It would look pretty hypocritical if they could take care of real plants on TBA but not grass.

I dunno. There is still real grass to be found in part of hub, part of Town Square and IASW. Which makes it even more mind boggling why they found it necessary to replace the old HM lawn with that awful Astro turf. I get why (and am happy) they didn’t touch the real grass on the inside of the Storybookland Canal boats. Cutting around all those little Miniatures would have been a pain in the @$$

 

[PiratesMansion]

I dunno. There is still real grass to be found in part of hub, part of Town Square and IASW. Which makes it even more mind boggling why they found it necessary to replace the old HM lawn with that awful Astro turf.

Isn't the HM lawn currently torn up? Perhaps they'll replace what was there with new, real grass.

 

[mickEblu]

Isn't the HM lawn currently torn up? Perhaps they'll replace what was there with new, real grass.

Yes it’s gone. The one silver lining in this whole thing. I hope so or just any real living plants.