News Tiana's Bayou Adventure - latest details and construction progress

[Brer Oswald]

I'm aware of this person's personal work. But he was also a real imagineer up until February, he worked as a dresser for Disney's animatronics. And he has already confirmed outright that at least one figure (the stork from Disneyland) is being reused for Tiana. Heavily indicating that the others he posted will be as well. If he was just replicating the Swamp Boys for personal use, he would use the classic hat design and not a Mardi Gras one.

I was also told well before any of these posts were made that they would in fact be reusing the America Sings figures. Something that makes sense given the artwork. I already trusted my source, and am now quite confident that this is the case. The only questions are how many of them will be reused (I was told all of the America Sings ones, but we'll see if that rings true). And how they will approach WDW's given that version never got copies of all the Disneyland's characters.

Take it from a fellow cynic, there is such a thing as being too skeptical of things. Whatever concerns I may still have about this attraction, the animatronics (whether quality, quantity etc) are no longer one of them.

I’m not trying to be cynical, but I think people are reading too far into his posts.

The costuming on the replica Gator could in fact be one he designed for the real thing, but that is most certainly not one of the official swamp boy figures used at WDW. The most we can do is speculate.

As we know from his previous posts, it is implied that he was tasked with redressing these figures during a refurb. That explains the close up pictures. As for his odd caption on the stork post, I think he was just trying to be funny. As soon as he saw people in the comments interpreting it as confirmation of it being reused, he changed the description.

I am hopeful that some of these figures reused, but all we can do right now is speculate. There’s been no confirmation of it in any of the press releases or concept art of the current direction of the project. The fact that they keep stating “new animatronics” would imply they aren’t, but we won’t know for sure until they announce something or when the ride opens.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

I am hopeful that some of these figures reused, but all we can do right now is speculate. There’s been no confirmation of it in any of the press releases or concept art of the current direction of the project. The fact that they keep stating “new animatronics” would imply they aren’t, but we won’t know for sure until they announce something or when the ride opens.

Nothing about there being new animatronics implies a lack of returning ones. Of course there will be new ones (I was also previously told there would be over 15 new characters for the ride, which turned out true), and that they would focus on that in the marketing. And to be fair, very little of the actual ride has been revealed at all. Like at least 90% of the marketing has been focused on establishing the ride's setting and backstory, the details of what will happen in the actual ride has been very vague. Even that first piece of artwork showcasing the interior was extremely vague and had a lot of the background detail somewhat obscured (you could only make out silhouettes of animal figures).

In recent interviews with the team leaders, they were very careful to evade questions about whether elements/references from Splash will remain when asked. They said they wanted to keep things a "surprise". That to me implies more that there WILL be elements, otherwise they could just put an end to speculation and say the ride wouldn't have any references.

Even disregarding what this Royce imagineer has posted, I was still told last year that the America Sings figures were being kept. So believe what you like. So far the info provided to me has been very spot on.

 

[Kamikaze]

Now that you put the two pictures side by side, I think you might be right. You can kind of tell by the posture of both gators. This just worries me for WDW because we have three AS animatronics being worked on for DL that were never present in WDW and I doubt that they’d duplicate them at this point

Or this particular former CM wasn't working on the WDW AAs.

 

[DisneyHead123]

That type of lighting can be exceptionally beautiful in the hands of talented artists, so I wouldn't be opposed to it. There were a couple of corners of Splash that were lit like that too (like the Laughing Place). Though it should also be noted that it can be problematic in environments susceptible to mold. The show building for WDW's Buzz Lightyear was leaking really bad a number of years ago, and they've still yet to repaint the attraction to this day. Mold glows under black lights. And with such a wet ride like this…

Looking back at Sharika Mahdi’s art (which is great, although translating art to ride can be tricky.) I’m definitely thinking black light scenes. I have mixed feelings as it’s not my favorite look (I just associate it too much with college parties, and I’m old now, lol) but I agree that it can be done well by the right artist. I also think it appeals to kids, which I like as a parent. I’ve been showing my son YouTube videos of the rides to try and get him interested (his heart belongs to vehicles so I haven’t been able to get him into Disney characters.) Some clearly bore him (sorry Figment and Jungle Cruise) but he likes Peter Pan and Pooh despite not particularly knowing those characters. I think the really sharp, “pop” factor of the visuals draws kids in.

 

[Brer Panther]

I figured this photo was of him working on one of the animatronics while Splash Mountain was under construction.

 

[FettFan]

Listen, I get all that - but I'm telling you, that particular Swamp Boy in that photo is neither from nor going into the ride.

Compare - the legs on his figure:

View attachment 722474

And the legs on the Swamp Boys in Splash Mountain. Sculpturally they are completely dissimilar:

View attachment 722476





It's a well made replica, but it's a replica. With come creative liberties.

Yeah, that leg looks like something featured on CakeWrecks.

 

[DCBaker]

Photos from today.

 

[JoeCamel]

Photos from today.

View attachment 722605View attachment 722607View attachment 722608View attachment 722609View attachment 722610View attachment 722614

Purple = move?
Blue = remove?

 

[DCBaker]

Aerial photos of Tiana's Bayou Adventure construction via Bioreconstruct.

 

[Kara24601]

hmmm what do you think this is?

 

[Stupido]

hmmm what do you think this is?

Not at all creepy

The account that posted it is under the impression that it's a test mold for Tiana.

 

[Ayla]

Not at all creepy

The account that posted it is under the impression that it's a test mold for Tiana.

View attachment 723612

That isn't a woman's face, let alone Tiana's.

 

[EagleScout610]

That isn't a woman's face, let alone Tiana's.

The exterior of mold generally aren't 1:1 with what's being cast, as all the detail is on the inside.

 

[BagOfGroceries]

From what I’ve been seeing, all I can say is hooray for recycling!
(Also, the fact they’re being reused has to mean Baxter had at least some say on the project. Those things are expensive as hell to maintain.)

 

[matt9112]

Wonder why the outdoor queue needs work.

 

[ppete1975]

hmmm what do you think this is?

ITS BUZZY!!!

 

[EagleScout610]

 

[danlb_2000]

New permit today...

4955 CARIBBEAN WY(SPLASH MOUNTAIN) - Installation of Show Sets

 

[FettFan]

hmmm what do you think this is?

Buzzy?

 

[EagleScout610]

PHOTOS: Stairs and Scaffolding Up Around Splash Mountain as Tiana's Bayou Adventure Transformation Begins in Earnest at Disneyland - WDW News Today

Stairs and scaffolding are up around the former Splash Mountain at Disneyland as the Tiana's Bayou Adventure transformation begins in earnest.

dlnewstoday.com