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

[Dear Prudence]

I think some come across as "unpleasable malcontents" when they express strong negative opinions about things with little reason.

• "TBA has a poor story nobody cares about." We don't yet know the story of the ride. They've hinted about a Mardi Gras party and a missing ingredient. But they've also hinted about Luis' trumpet going missing, and Mama Odie making an appearance.
• "All the promotion is about salt mines and co-ops." They've certainly talked about these things, but they've hardly been the center/main focus. There's valid criticism that this initially feels shoehorned in. But as we see how it plays out, it may very well be background setting info.
• "The backstory stuff is unnecessary!" Of course it is for the Imagineers--just like actors in a play are given (or develop) backstories so they can find their characters' motivations for what they do/say, so too do elements in a themed attraction. It's fine if fans don't like/care about backstory details, but those things are part of the process.
• "With TBA, Disney has an agenda!" Disney has almost always had some message/agenda with their rides and films.
• "They're doing a poor job of marketing this ride!" There is a difference between showing behind the scenes/background work and actually marketing the finished product. We haven't seen the latter because they're still building it. There should also be some acknowledgement that WDI is in a difficult position here given the history of the attraction and social climate.
• "That art looks like it was done by a 3-year old!" It's okay not to like the art! But it's rude and mean and ignorant to belittle the artist.

Seriously, it's totally fine if people don't like how TBA is shaping up. But I'd hope in our discussion that we might all be open to new information as it come available and discussing in good faith based on what Disney is actually doing (rather than what some are afraid they might be doing).

Well, good thing for both of us is that the mute option on this platform exists, which is why I've missed most of these.

Although, I'm inclined to agree that the marketing on this hasn't been the best. It's been clumsy at best.

 

[Dranth]

I'm not OP, but I can give you some.

1. Flight of Passage - Conservation
2. Living with the Land - Conservation
3. Spaceship Earth - Teach people the history of communication and it's importance to our world
4. Remy's Ratatoullie Adventure - Spark interest in French cuisine
5. Three Caballeros - Spark interest in Latino culture
6. Soarin' Across the World - Importance of exploration/Leaving your bubble
7. It's a Small World - Unity amongst people groups
8. Test Track - Spark interest in technology/stem fields
9. The Seas with Nemo and Friends - Conservation
10. Killimanjaro Safaris - Conservation and Wildlife Protection

I'm sure I could list more. A lot of rides aren't simply made for fun, even if they are fun. There's nothing wrong with having an agenda or message tied to a ride, most just get frustrated when said agenda goes against their personal views, to which I'd say then just don't ride the ride. There are plenty of views Disney corporate holds that I don't. If they made a ride promoting those views, I'd just not go on it.

What a terrible list! You didn't even include these obvious ones...

1. Space Mountain - Spark interest in Chiropractic pursuits.
2. Hall of Presidents - Importance of heat break naps.
3. Journey of the Little Mermaid – To introduce children to the concept of disappointment.
4. Tomorrowland Speedway - Further the study of chemical fumes on the human body.

Do better!

 

[Dear Prudence]

Um, what? Almost always?

There are plenty of Disney rides out there, so if they almost always have an agenda, please name ten of them and state their message/agenda.

Spoiler

I liked it best when their message/agenda was one simple word: "Fun"

Their agenda/ objective is making money. That's it. That's their big secret scheme. There are not ulterior movies, there is no mystery. It's all fueled by making money.

 

[Dranth]

Their agenda/ objective is making money. That's it. That's their big secret scheme. There are not ulterior movies, there is no mystery. It's all fueled by making money.

The reason they are built is fueled by money but that doesn't stop the artist and Imagineers from building in messages and agendas. Those aren't mutually exclusive and we know this because we have interviews where they tell us exactly what the message of a ride was or what they were trying to accomplish.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Their agenda/ objective is making money. That's it.

I wish this was true for their movie business.

 

[Dear Prudence]

The reason they are built is fueled by money but that doesn't stop the artist and Imagineers from building in messages and agendas. Those aren't mutually exclusive and we know this because we have interviews where they tell us exactly what the message of a ride was or what they were trying to accomplish.

Oh, don't get me wrong! I think the technical staff and the artists are in it for the sake of art, for making people happy, for stretching the limits of the human imagination. But as far as the company itself goes? Not so much.

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

I appreciate this. I really do. I’d add that there are things that - thus far - appear to be missing from this experience that are head scratchers. First and foremost, Dr. Facilier. “Friends on the Other Side.” Yes, we’re getting a Tiana, but it feels like it’s Tiana 2.0 (or maybe 3.0) as compared to the character we came to know from the film.

And, while comparisons are unfair, they’re using the same track and layout of Splash. Splash was a master class at building the foreboding nature of the drop. It had a growing sense of thrill and anticipation as you moved through it. What we know of the story thus far appears to have none of that conflict or sense of danger.

Dr Facilier is such a great villain. A travesty if he has no part in the ride.

 

[mickEblu]

Dr Facilier is such a great villain. A travesty if he has no part in the ride.

I mean, he was in the new Once Upon a Studio short. WDI- Just put him in the damn ride and stop overthinking everything.

 

[Disstevefan1]

1. House of Tomorrow (1957): "With this project, Monsanto wanted to demonstrate plastic's versatility as a high-quality, engineered material."

I wish I could have hauled that house away! it was so strongly built they had a lot of trouble taking it down!

 

[Cliff]

Dr Facilier is such a great villain. A travesty if he has no part in the ride.

Well?...I have to suspect that the Doctor appears on the flume lift tunnel. I mean,...this is the "dangerous" part of the atteaction. This guy HAS to be the cause of it with some "Voodoo" he puts on your log.

Im wondering if projection mapping will be used to replace Audio Anamatronics. They are certainly cheaper to build and maintain.

The last river boat attraction that Disney built was the one in Pandora. That one is pretty emersive and spectacular so if that is any indication of what Disney us able to do today?? If Tiana's Bayou Adcenture is only half as good as that one, this should be a huge hit.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

Wait, what is the missing ingredient again?

Disney magic.

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

Well?...I have to suspect that the Doctor appears on the flume lift tunnel. I mean,...this is the "dangerous" part of the atteaction. This guy HAS to be the cause of it with some "Voodoo" he puts on your log.

Im wondering if projection mapping will be used to replace Audio Anamatronics. They are certainly cheaper to build and maintain.

The last river boat attraction that Disney built was the one in Pandora. That one is pretty emersive and spectacular so if that is any indication of what Disney us able to do today?? If Tiana's Bayou Adcenture is only half as good as that one, this should be a huge hit.

I hope you are right.

 

[Fox&Hound]

That is my issue exactly... I liked the film and characters... I don't need a whole new story into a character that (could have) evolved after story we love... Just like other classic Disney film characters...I don't need a sequel to know what happened afterwards...The idea of being in the bayou and having Dr Facilier send you over the water to the "Other Side" or escaping the "Other Side" over a waterfall sounds like an amazing attraction to me... Ending at Tiana's Palace is great too...but all this gobbledygook they have created does not make sense to me...

I really do agree with you 100%, but I heard they wanted to avoid having their first African American princess be a frog the whole ride. But if the ride starts with her at the diner and her with Lottie then they could have remedied the middle by having scenes from the movie and include animatronic Tiana’s throughout narrating. And then at the end she is human again.

But I will never understand not including Facilier, especially when they use him in Halloween shows and other media.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Dr Facilier is such a great villain. A travesty if he has no part in the ride.

I desperately hope they are just keeping him a secret. He’s dead so he shouldn’t appear much but a few sinister shadows at moments and then his ghost appearing in the old Laughin’ Place would be awesome.

But, I don’t think it’s happening.

 

[Tha Realest]

I desperately hope they are just keeping him a secret. He’s dead so he shouldn’t appear much but a few sinister shadows at moments and then his ghost appearing in the old Laughin’ Place would be awesome.

But, I don’t think it’s happening.

No. It doesn’t seem to align with the story beats thus far.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I would think a movie with no message would be boring.

Messaging is important. I was speaking of the making money aspect of their movie business.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

American Adventure is the ONLY World Showcase exhibit that actually addresses any sort of negative impact that the country has had on society. There are several lengthy scenes dedicated to doing so. It doesn't focus heavily on the most extreme levels of violence and suffering involved for obvious reasons (the most morbid you'll get are aftermath photos in the Civil War section), but anyone who would expect or want to see realistic murder and torture of human beings in such an attraction are out of their minds.

IRL, i'm 100% on board with addressing and condemning atrocities our nation commits. But this is a Disney attraction. It's a show with a hopeful message about society that addresses some cautionary topics. If I want a more brutal and gritty depiction of history, i'd try a Ken Burns documentary or read up on some unbiased history. As it stands though, again American Adventure is already infinitely more introspective about the nation's flaws than you'd get from any other country at EPCOT.

Sure. History telling is always a challenge, ESPECIALLY for a family theme park environment. But the China pavilion isn't going to going to go hard on communism the way the American Adventure does on capitalism (for what I think are obvious reasons).

The biggest thing is (and I'd invite non-Americans to weigh in here) the patriotism of most American stuff in the parks vs. the culture-oriented representations of other cultures.

I wouldn't even say AA goes particularly hard on a one sided pro capitalist message. There are aspects of pro capitalism, but it almost always presents the opposing viewpoints afterwards and even errs on captalism able to become a very destructive force when not kept in check. Like how industry harms the environment and indigenous groups, or the effects of the Great Depression on poor people, including derisive mockery towards Wall Street and the (former) ultra wealthy individuals who became wealthy at their expense. There's also significant screentime given to MLK Jr in the finale, who was no lover of capitalism to say the least.

 

[mattpeto]

I desperately hope they are just keeping him a secret. He’s dead so he shouldn’t appear much but a few sinister shadows at moments and then his ghost appearing in the old Laughin’ Place would be awesome.

But, I don’t think it’s happening.

Maybe they will hint he’s on the other side of Big Thunder Mountain.

 

[Brer Panther]

At the end of the ride Brer Rabbit will pop up and tell us to have a zip a dee doo dah day only to be rushed away by Louis like Nigel Channing did to figment in Imagination 2.0

And then they can do another retheme, "Tiana's Bayou Adventure With Brer Rabbit", where Brer Rabbit torments Louis in retaliation for Tiana's Bayou Adventure! Though maybe he should be going after Iger instead...

Well?...I have to suspect that the Doctor appears on the flume lift tunnel. I mean,...this is the "dangerous" part of the atteaction. This guy HAS to be the cause of it with some "Voodoo" he puts on your log.

Nope. They're turning the lift hill into Mama Odie's house.

I expect @Buried20KLeague's guess as to what the plot of the ride will be to be accurate. The scene where we see Brer Fox pushing Brer Bear's butt into the hole in the tree will be replaced by some character (maybe Louis) suggesting they go ask Mama Odie if she's seen the secret ingredient around. Then you head into the Laughin' Place, which is now a salt mine or whatever (some character will probably say "I know a shortcut to Mama Odie's house! It's through the salt mine!") and then the cave where Brer Fox has trapped Brer Rabbit is replaced by a character going "Mama Odie is just up that hill!" and we head inside her house and encounter Mama Odie at the top where Brer Fox's lair is. Mama Odie has the secret ingredient because [REASONS], and she says, "You'd better get this to Tiana! Down you go!", KER-SPLASH.

Oh, and apparently Naveen will be playing a "humorous role" in the story. Make of that what you will.

I heard they wanted to avoid having their first African American princess be a frog the whole ride.

That's most certainly the entire reason why they're having the ride take place after the movie. And that reason is likely the only reason Dr. Facilier isn't in the ride.

I suppose they could just have the voodoo spirits show up without Dr. Facilier to mess with the riders for no reason, but if they're not doing that for the lift hill, I doubt they'll be in the ride at all. Maybe they're afraid of making the ride "too scary" for little girls.

Maybe they'll invent a new, less menacing villain for the ride? Or maybe the villains will be those three idiot frog hunters from the movie? Boy, wouldn't THAT be a downgrade from Brer Fox...

 

[Cliff]

And then they can do another retheme, "Tiana's Bayou Adventure With Brer Rabbit", where Brer Rabbit torments Louis in retaliation for Tiana's Bayou Adventure! Though maybe he should be going after Iger instead...

Nope. They're turning the lift hill into Mama Odie's house.

I expect @Buried20KLeague's guess as to what the plot of the ride will be to be accurate. The scene where we see Brer Fox pushing Brer Bear's butt into the hole in the tree will be replaced by some character (maybe Louis) suggesting they go ask Mama Odie if she's seen the secret ingredient around. Then you head into the Laughin' Place, which is now a salt mine or whatever (some character will probably say "I know a shortcut to Mama Odie's house! It's through the salt mine!") and then the cave where Brer Fox has trapped Brer Rabbit is replaced by a character going "Mama Odie is just up that hill!" and we head inside her house and encounter Mama Odie at the top where Brer Fox's lair is. Mama Odie has the secret ingredient because [REASONS], and she says, "You'd better get this to Tiana! Down you go!", KER-SPLASH.

Oh, and apparently Naveen will be playing a "humorous role" in the story. Make of that what you will.

That's most certainly the entire reason why they're having the ride take place after the movie. And that reason is likely the only reason Dr. Facilier isn't in the ride.

I suppose they could just have the voodoo spirits show up without Dr. Facilier to mess with the riders for no reason, but if they're not doing that for the lift hill, I doubt they'll be in the ride at all. Maybe they're afraid of making the ride "too scary" for little girls.

Maybe they'll invent a new, less menacing villain for the ride? Or maybe the villains will be those three idiot frog hunters from the movie? Boy, wouldn't THAT be a downgrade from Brer Fox...

No Dr. Facilier???

What the heck? He was the coolest part of the movie. Dang! Oh well....[sigh]..maybe the design team thought his appearance in the ride would scare or "trigger" a small number of people????

Maybe Dr. Facilier is considered a negative stereotype and needed to be canceled in 2023??? I dunno....

I can only guees and wonder what concepts go through the mind of a Tiana's Bayou Adventure attraction Imagineer today....

I guess we will find out in a year or two. (Maybe 3 or 4)