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

[_caleb]

Rather than not liking the backstory details, I think it's more that the backstory details seem strangely pedestrian for a Disney thrill ride so far.

For example, look at what they have on the construction fence to pique interest: the logo of an employee-owned food brand and stamps to make the walls look like shipping crates used by a company that sells salt. It doesn't exactly conjure up romance, mystery, or excitement.

Surely if they're going to drop nuggets about the backstory, they should lead with things designed to get people excited about the experience.

[NOTE: I'm not arguing, here, just discussing!]

Aren't most backstories just a series of pedestrian details? I'm not sure the logo on the construction fence is supposed to "pique interest in a thrill ride" or conjure much of anything on their own so much as "begin setting the scene for the storyline of the attraction." These are small elements that all add up to placemaking and theming. Sort of like the Jungle Cruise and Skipper Canteen are "owned and operated" by the Jungle Navigation Co., or Big Thunder Mining Co.

 

[_caleb]

Sums up much of present day entertainement.
They're so concerned with stories - even those dating hundreds of years back (PatF ride, Snow White live action) meeting present day standards of female empowerment, messaging, etc., that they've abandoned what made these stories timeless classics.

What you consider "timeless" needs to be translated for different cultures.

 

[Incomudro]

What you consider "timeless" needs to be translated for different cultures.

No it doesn't.

 

[LittleBuford]

37 out of 150 respondents is hardly “many”.

Map that percentage onto your average guest population and then tell me it’s an insignificant number.

The point is that Splash could be enjoyed whether you could follow the story or not.

 

[networkpro]

Its not deep, and most of what goes as social objectivism today will be considered passe or discounted in the future as tired, misguided, or outdated.

There are some things that stand the test of passing time, things such as the fables in “Kinder- und Hausmärchen” collected and published by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm in 1812 and subsequently translated into 160 different languages. Walt and his company borrowed and heavily modified some of these to make Disney animations.

 

[LittleBuford]

Sums up much of present day entertainement.
They're so concerned with stories - even those dating hundreds of years back (PatF ride, Snow White live action) meeting present day standards of female empowerment, messaging, etc., that they've abandoned what made these stories timeless classics.

Nothing is “timeless”. The Princess and the Frog would have been a very different film had it been made in the mid-twentieth century, just as I’m sure the film will look very old-fashioned fifty years from now.

 

[LittleBuford]

There are some things that stand the test of passing time, things such as the fables in “Kinder- und Hausmärchen” collected and published by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm in 1812 and subsequently translated into 160 different languages. Walt and his company borrowed and heavily modified some of these to make Disney animations.

That the stories were heavily modified by Disney shows that they didn’t exactly stand the rest of time unscathed.

 

[networkpro]

That the stories were heavily modified by Disney shows that they didn’t exactly stand the rest of time unscathed.

Au contraire, the 1812 collected tales are still being published 212 years later in its original and translated versions just like many other works from many other cultures. Your frame of reference is quite limited.

 

[LittleBuford]

Au contraire, the 1812 collected tales are still being published 212 years later in its original and translated versions just like many other works from many other cultures. Your frame of reference is quite limited.

Many historical works, some of them truly ancient, are still being published and read today. I think you missed the point I was making.

 

[Brer Panther]

Looking at her other work, I get the strong impression there's an issue of her style just not really fitting with what they're asking her to paint. There's a weird mishmash of styles in that mural of Louis for instance. The background and even Louis' lower body are relatively consistent at least. But what throws it all off is Louis' head. It's drawn more cartoonish, with smaller sharper outlines compared to the surroundings (even against most of the body) and the classic animated wide white eyes and black dots. It doesn't really fit the rest of the painting and you can tell by looking at the artist's other work that it's not how she normally draws eyes.

I also noticed this clash of styles within the pieces they commissioned from Sharika Mahdi. Her original art, the pieces that don't contain PATF characters, are generally of higher quality and maintain a far greater consistency than what they asked her to paint for the ride. The most awkward looking pieces she created for the ride IMO were the ones showing the characters from the movie. Whereas the best piece (again IMO) was the band of musical frogs. That one seemed like it played to her strengths and unique style much more than the others.

I feel like this is less on the artist's part and more Disney wanting the art to be stylized but not too stylized. They probably wanted Louis to remain recognizable to parkgoers (i.e kids) and it just doesn't work with this artist's particular style.

Honestly, I'm okay with everything in the mural EXCEPT Louis. He doesn't look stylized or in another artist's style, he just looks tremendously off-model.

They don’t seem to be emphasizing the thrill aspect so much as its empowerment.

That's it. All this talk about the co-op, multiple nationalities living in New Orleans, etc. is Disney trying to show off how "inclusive" the attraction is going to be. It just feels so manipulative and shallow, like they're trying to compensate for how "problematic" the attraction they're replacing is and get good publicity.

 

[networkpro]

Many historical works, some of them truly ancient, are still being published and read today. I think you missed the point I was making.

No I'm suggesting a different interpretation of "timeless" that negates the commoditization of "fables as IP" to be copyrighted, interpreted, and justified by current pop culture. Historical fables served a cultural purpose, just not the same one as IP (entertainment and resulting revenue if enough suspend belief enough to enjoy it). Typically fables are unifying, not devisive.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

[NOTE: I'm not arguing, here, just discussing!]

No worries at all, please take my responses in the same spirit of discussion rather than arguing!

Aren't most backstories just a series of pedestrian details? I'm not sure the logo on the construction fence is supposed to "pique interest in a thrill ride" or conjure much of anything on their own so much as "begin setting the scene for the storyline of the attraction." These are small elements that all add up to placemaking and theming. Sort of like the Jungle Cruise and Skipper Canteen are "owned and operated" by the Jungle Navigation Co., or Big Thunder Mining Co.

I guess the difference is that if you stick up an advertisement for excursions into the deepest reaches of the jungle by Jungle Navigation Co., that immediately conjures up a sense of mystery and excitement. Similarly, if you put up a notice of a gold rush era mining company, that immediately conjures up exciting imagery that transports you to another time and place. What they have chosen as teasers for Tiana is strange as both the Tiana's Foods and Southern Dome Salt Company logos just look and sound like brands you might find at your local store. They don't particularly conjure up the romance of New Orleans, the film, or really anything other than food brands. I suspect (and hope) this is just them mishandling the publicity for the ride, however.

Out of interest, I thought I would look at what they displayed when Big Thunder and Splash were under construction at MK:

A more recent example of a thrill ride with quite a detailed backstory is Expedition Everest, but even there the initial pitch was easy to get and conjured up excitement without getting fixated on the smaller details:

 

[Incomudro]

No worries at all, please take my responses in the same spirit of discussion rather than arguing!

I guess the difference is that if you stick up an advertisement for excursions into the deepest reaches of the jungle by Jungle Navigation Co., that immediately conjures up a sense of mystery and excitement. Similarly, if you put up a notice of a gold rush era mining company, that immediately conjures up exciting imagery that transports you to another time and place. What they have chosen as teasers for Tiana is strange as both the Tiana's Foods and Southern Dome Salt Company logos just look and sound like brands you might find at your local store. They don't particularly conjure up the romance of New Orleans, the film, or really anything other than food brands. I suspect (and hope) this is just them mishandling the publicity for the ride, however.

Out of interest, I thought I would look at what they displayed when Big Thunder and Splash were under construction at MK:

View attachment 748805

View attachment 748806

They - the Tiana marketing - conjure up images of a successful, empowered 21st century woman.
This is what a huge swath of current entertainment purveyors believes the public wants, or more correctly need consume.
I'm surprised Tiana doesn't do some butt kicking somewhere in the ride.
That would complete the trope.

 

[Tha Realest]

37 out of 150 respondents is hardly “many”.

It was a push poll to counter the convoluted, overstuffed, and nonsensical backstory that was being conjured up and revealed for Tiana at the time.

 

[Dear Prudence]

I don't agree with some of the more unkind comments towards this artist's work, but I do feel that they did her a disservice; it is a bit unfair to ask a gallery artist to design a mural, because they are such different disciplines. There is a whole NOLA mural committee they could have pulled from. I am not sure... what they were going for--I am sure most of what people do not like about is Disney trying to direct someone who has a very specific style be their style. The artist is very famous and well-known in NOLA/ Louisiana. I think maybe they should have had her to some design collaboration merchandise designs or have her designing set pieces for the interior. She does some stunning fabric art. I just don't understand why they wouldn't use her strengths?

edit:

Like, this is so cool! Why not utilize her strengths she is known for?

 

[Bocabear]

perhaps her strengths didn't suit the ride and story.... a 21st century artist's work is not going to necessarily blend with a story and setting from the early 20th century.... I don't know that I understand the need to drag this character, setting, and story into this oddly anachronistic setting... It seems it is all over the place...

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Photo from the other site:
View attachment 748705

Salt Mine appears to have been topped off. But I thought they usually put an American flag on top when they finish...maybe that's still coming, or maybe that tradition has ended...

Have you considered that maybe it's not actually topped off?

 

[Dear Prudence]

You may not be familiar with the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a New Deal governmental agency tasked with public works projects to create jobs for Americans during the Depression.

A big part of this was public art installations, such as murals, typically focusing on public works projects and stylized depictions of human dignity through labor. Louisiana had several such murals painted in the 30's and 40's, and they were sort of a combination of inspiration, education, and propaganda. Today, they're important cultural artifacts. Here's an interesting article about them.

Murals done in the style of Louisiana native Shakira Mahdi's concept art for the attraction could be fantastical versions of these.

View attachment 748336

View attachment 748337

This was actually closer to the style of the murals I thought they would go for.

 

[JustInTime]

They don't really transport you to the world of the film, though. But I'll wait to see the end result before forming a full opinion.

This ride isn’t set within the events of the film, though.

 

[Chi84]

They - the Tiana marketing - conjure up images of a successful, empowered 21st century woman.
This is what a huge swath of current entertainment purveyors believes the public wants, or more correctly need consume.
I'm surprised Tiana doesn't do some butt kicking somewhere in the ride.
That would complete the trope.

The public doesn’t want this? It’s a trope?