Tiana's Bayou Adventure: Disneyland Watch & Discussion

[chadwpalm]

Let's dissect one of the lyrics from the song "Special Spice!"

"Sometimes it's hard to believe that the very thing we were searching for was right here all along."

It takes time to write a song and then go into the studio to record it.

I truly believe this is an indication that an earlier plot line for the attraction was to look for missing ingredients. In fact, wasn't that said in an earlier Disney Blog post? My guess is that the attempts to find ingredients failed and the finalé song was meant to convey that.

PJ Morton probably got early draft notes and moved forward with the song and was too far into it (or already had it written and recorded) before the plot line changed to finding a band.

It also might indicate why all of the non-main characters are such limited movement "animatronics". They were built later in the development process and they didn't have time to make them more articulate than they are.

Would love to see a full documentary some day on this entire fiasco.

 

[HonorableMention]

It takes time to write a song and then go into the studio to record it.

I truly believe this is an indication that an earlier plot line for the attraction was to look for missing ingredients. In fact, wasn't that said in an earlier Disney Blog post? My guess is that the attempts to find ingredients failed and the finalé song was meant to convey that.

PJ Morton probably got early draft notes and moved forward with the song and was too far into it (or already had it written and recorded) before the plot line changed to finding a band.

It also might indicate why all of the non-main characters are such limited movement "animatronics". They were built later in the development process and they didn't have time to make them more articulate than they are.

Would love to see a full documentary some day on this entire fiasco.

I just can’t imagine why they wouldn’t take the extra time to write a new song. Although I’m sure it would have been bad PR if a Disney retheme took 5 years to open while Universal was opening a new park.

I remember them pushing the salt mine story a lot more before, I’d bet they were trying to turn the laughing place into that since they wouldn’t/couldn’t change the rockwork too much.

I imagine the HDYD section would still be the bayou with Louis and Tiana, with them looking for the ingredient and finding animals instead.

Laughing place would be the salt mine, that’s where the Naveen boat could fit in. Maybe you end up on an abandoned minecart track, so there is still some danger on the lift hill, and Mama Odie saves you at the top.

Finale stays the same, you didn’t find the ingredient but it turns out the party just needed us. The “Special Spice”.

I really want to know what some of the older scaled-back plans looked like.

 

[Misted Compass]

If we’re talking storyline, let’s move the discussion to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey…

Despite the bad writing its storyline is still easier to understand than TBA. It's sort of like Runaway Railway where a chain of connected but miscellaneous events happen and you can at least understand the reason for the scene transitions. But on here the drop happens for no real reason other than maybe "making a splash" (???)

 

[mickEblu]

This is probably me giving them too much credit again but with as hard as they went on Rays Berets is it possible that they already have a TBA 2.0 in mind? I mean between this and him singing a song on the ride?

 

[Homemade Imagineering]

I so badly want them to give this the Jurassic World treatment. The bones they created for TBA are good, but not good enough to stand on their own imo. In a couple years if they haven’t completely moved on and forgotten, I’d love for them to go in and simply fill in some of that dead space with side critters, some more automation and kinetic energy in general. Feels like the least I can ask for, and please add SOME amount of tension, I don’t care what it is.

I truly believe much of this is salvageable, and the finale is proof of the fact there are hints of a greater attraction that was never expanded upon. JW felt similar when it first opened before that I-Rex was added

 

[PizzaPlanet]

I so badly want them to give this the Jurassic World treatment. The bones they created for TBA are good, but not good enough to stand on their own imo. In a couple years if they haven’t completely moved on and forgotten, I’d love for them to go in and simply fill in some of that dead space with side critters, some more automation and kinetic energy in general. Feels like the least I can ask for, and please add SOME amount of tension, I don’t care what it is.

I truly believe much of this is salvageable, and the finale is proof of the fact there are hints of a greater attraction that was never expanded upon. JW felt similar when it first opened before that I-Rex was added

All you really need to add is a Facilier AA at the bottom of the lift hill with some shadow projections and new dialogue throughout to change the story. In the grand scheme of things I don’t think it would cost much to massively improve TBA.

 

[Homemade Imagineering]

All you really need to add is a Facilier AA at the bottom of the lift hill with some shadow projections and new dialogue throughout to change the story. In the grand scheme of things I don’t think it would cost much to massively improve TBA.

Pretty much

Facilier A-1000 = I-Rex

 

[Brer Oswald]

This ride needs more than a single animatronic to fix it. It needs far more interesting placemaking than "bayou" at night with spot lights.

 

[Too Many Hats]

This is probably me giving them too much credit again but with as hard as they went on Rays Berets is it possible that they already have a TBA 2.0 in mind? I mean between this and him singing a song on the ride?

You’re giving them way too much credit lol. It’s just incompetence/laziness.

 

[Too Many Hats]

This ride needs more than a single animatronic to fix it. It needs far more interesting placemaking than "bayou" at night with spot lights.

True. But I’d settle for “not embarrassing” at this point.

 

[Figments Friend]

Yes, both flumes have Tony Baxter tears that he shed during his final ride throughs running through the water.

Ooohhh…….
Did you have to say that…?

( eyes start getting moist )





-

 

[Figments Friend]

I’m dying to hear his thoughts on TBA. Particularly how he’d fix it.

We shall hear soon enough…..

-

 

[Too Many Hats]

* The second half of the DL ride is lacking a lot. The area right before the big lift hill has an entire blank wall on the right side. Maybe I'm remembering wrong, but I don't think that is the case at WDW.

Such an obvious “we ran out of money” moment. Really disappointing.

* The "we're shrunk!" area at DL is missing leaping water features present in the WDW version and overall has less to look at.

Another bummer. IMO the scene appears underdeveloped with or without the leaping fountains, but sheesh, why deprive one version of a simple, reliable, presumably-not-that-expensive kinetic effect.

* JuJu was not working at the end of the ride in the DL version.

I watched so many POVs with Juju missing, I started to wonder if somehow this was another budget cut. Finally today I confirmed he’s there; just been malfunctioning the last few days.

 

[Too Many Hats]

I so badly want them to give this the Jurassic World treatment. The bones they created for TBA are good, but not good enough to stand on their own imo. In a couple years if they haven’t completely moved on and forgotten, I’d love for them to go in and simply fill in some of that dead space with side critters, some more automation and kinetic energy in general. Feels like the least I can ask for, and please add SOME amount of tension, I don’t care what it is.

I truly believe much of this is salvageable, and the finale is proof of the fact there are hints of a greater attraction that was never expanded upon. JW felt similar when it first opened before that I-Rex was added

All you really need to add is a Facilier AA at the bottom of the lift hill with some shadow projections and new dialogue throughout to change the story. In the grand scheme of things I don’t think it would cost much to massively improve TBA.

Pretty much

Facilier A-1000 = I-Rex

Yeah seriously. The ride is pretty dumb anyway; not sure anyone would complain or even notice if some peril is shoehorned in there. But yeah — ditch the (*ahem*) single wall of fireflies projections and glitchy Mama Odie screen, and replace them with a Dr. Facilier AA / Friends on the Other Side scene and lift hill. Keep the Mama Odie at the top of the lift; she can somehow save us at the last moment.

 

[Brer Oswald]

Yeah seriously. The ride is pretty dumb anyway; not sure anyone would complain or even notice if some peril is shoehorned in there. But yeah — ditch the (*ahem*) single wall of fireflies projections and glitchy Mama Odie screen, and replace them with a Dr. Facilier AA / Friends on the Other Side scene and lift hill. Keep the Mama Odie at the top of the lift; she can somehow save us at the last moment.

Ideally, you would have Facilier at the base, and a mist projection 3/4 of the way up with one of the voodoo masks on it (think that one pirates effect but actually good this time). Then, just past the mist wall, you get the scene of Mama Odie fighting off the spirits and capturing Facilier's shadow in a bottle right before you go over the falls.

I'd also change the finale from a party at Tiana's House to a party at Mama Odie's Tree Boat house, lit against a sunset sky. Yes, the party scene as it stands is probably the scene with the least issues. With that said, I don't think Tiana's flat house against a blue sky is that interesting when it comes to placemaking and environments. It's just more of the same, but properly filled out. I'd rather see them go all out with stuff like the hanging bottles, and the spoonbill cranes in a giant room.

 

[Homemade Imagineering]

Yeah seriously. The ride is pretty dumb anyway; not sure anyone would complain or even notice if some peril is shoehorned in there. But yeah — ditch the (*ahem*) single wall of fireflies projections and glitchy Mama Odie screen, and replace them with a Dr. Facilier AA / Friends on the Other Side scene and lift hill. Keep the Mama Odie at the top of the lift; she can somehow save us at the last moment.

Yep, and you’d think they would’ve put a ton of effort into the former burrows lament section considering that is where logs often backup. The firefly screen has zero dimension to it, the bottle effect is the only thing dynamic in that scene. Not to mention the right side of the wall being completely blank. Now imagine that room filled with dozens of Facilier’s friends from the other side all banging on drums & dancing around etc…

 

[Homemade Imagineering]

spoonbill cranes

We needed these guys spread out throughout, still bums me out they never received any figures

 

[choco choco]

We can all agree on one thing.

Mondo is the best thing about this Attraction.


-View attachment 822151

I like the armadillo with the umbrella.

Why does he have an umbrella? What's his story? Who cares. It's a cool design and people can use their imaginations for the rest.

 

[SuddenStorm]

I like the armadillo with the umbrella.

Why does he have an umbrella? What's his story? Who cares. It's a cool design and people can use their imaginations for the rest.

Well, since you asked what his story is, WDI took the time to flesh out this important character-

Who is Lari the Armadillo? | Disney Parks Blog

You’ve seen him on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and he’s seen you, too. Learn more about Lari the Armadillo and his love of umbrellas and beignets.

disneyparksblog.com

 

[CaptinEO]

We shall hear soon enough…..

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I think Tony has been pretty low key and sensitive with criticism about his former employer. Maybe it is out of professionalism or since he has many friends that still work there.

I'm sure the end product speaks for itself and that Tony is seeing the public's reaction. Simply put Splash is a masterwork of showmanship and themed entertainment and this is just decent/ok.