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

[_caleb]

Hyperreal (or simulacrum) is the academic term. It’s been quite widely discussed in post-modern theory.

Yep! Hyperreality is "what is generally regarded as real and what is understood as fiction are seamlessly blended together in experiences so that there is no longer any clear distinction between where one ends and the other begins."

 

[MisterPenguin]

Agreed. “The Hollywood that never was and always will be”

I still think a tiara on a water tower, in a swamp, in front of a salt mound is a strange design choice.

I wouldn't argue with anyone calling the Tiara strange.

But we've seen people try to claim the water tower itself doesn't fit. <roll eyes>

I get people are angry over reasons. But there's no need to create made-up stuff to justify the anger. Just own the anger for what it is. People can feel what they feel. Criticisms or applause for the elements we can see can happen in a calm, measured way. Anachronistically stylized posters don't require setting everything on fire.

The Tiara is a portent of what's to come: Singing animal friends of a princess who spent some time as a frog. I would expect some spill over from the fantasy inside the ride into the hyperreality outside.

There is an actual above-ground salt dome along the Louisiana Gulf Coast that's about twice as tall as this ride-building. Sure, it's not adjacent to NOLA, but this is hyperreality in which such distances are waved away because it's not actual reality that's being attempted to be re-created.

Of course, attempting hyperreality can strain credulity at times if one tries to present it as actual reality (which it isn't) or go too far into the fantastical that it looses any connection with the reality.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

But we've seen people try to claim the water tower itself doesn't fit. <roll eyes>

That was me, I don’t think it fits in a swamp in front of a salt dome, it could potentially fit, along with the modern murals at the co-op.

I’ve googled and googled and tried to find photos of an actual salt mound in Louisiana - I see references to them but yet to see photos. One day! Haha.

“Tiana’s Salt Mound Splash” should be the new title haha

 

[Casper Gutman]

I wouldn't argue with anyone calling the Tiara strange.

But we've seen people try to claim the water tower itself doesn't fit. <roll eyes>

I get people are angry over reasons. But there's no need to create made-up stuff to justify the anger. Just own the anger for what it is. People can feel what they feel. Criticisms or applause for the elements we can see can happen in a calm, measured way. Anachronistically stylized posters don't require setting everything on fire.

The Tiara is a portent of what's to come: Singing animal friends of a princess who spent some time as a frog. I would expect some spill over from the fantasy inside the ride into the hyperreality outside.

There is an actual above-ground salt dome along the Louisiana Gulf Coast that's about twice as tall as this ride-building. Sure, it's not adjacent to NOLA, but this is hyperreality in which such distances are waved away because it's not actual reality that's being attempted to be re-created.

Of course, attempting hyperreality can strain credulity at times if one tries to present it as actual reality (which it isn't) or go too far into the fantastical that it looses any connection with the reality.

You’re missing the point of hyperreality. Yes, there’s a salt dome in Louisiana, but no one’s idea of Louisiana involves mountains or even hills. It’s bayous, New Orleans, etc. If your response to someone saying, “This mountain doesn’t feel like New Orleans,” is “Well, TECHNICALLY…” you’ve already lost. The point is to evoke a time and place, not pick outlying elements and try to legitimize them through pedantry.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I’ve googled and googled and tried to find photos of an actual salt mound in Louisiana - I see references to them but yet to see photos. One day! Haha.

Gothya covered here:

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

No, they want the mountain to look smaller because it's being rethemed from a mountain to a salt dome, and salt domes aren't as tall as mountains. There's probably nothing as tall as Splash Mountain in Louisiana anyway... The idea that they're trying to appeal to a younger audience than before...

forums.wdwmagic.com

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I still think a tiara on a water tower, in a swamp, in front of a salt mound is a strange design choice.

Agreed. No matter how good the ride itself is, its biggest flaw will be how they decided to redress the exterior with various bits of ornamentation and props. Less would have been more in this case.

 

[TheCoasterNerd]

Still mad they didn't make the full tree on top like originally planned. I don't mind the water tower but the tree would've been so pretty

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Gothya covered here:

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

No, they want the mountain to look smaller because it's being rethemed from a mountain to a salt dome, and salt domes aren't as tall as mountains. There's probably nothing as tall as Splash Mountain in Louisiana anyway... The idea that they're trying to appeal to a younger audience than before...

forums.wdwmagic.com

That’s a diagram of an underground salt dome that formed an island and lake. The photos of the salt mine in operation show a traditional mine shaft, which led the salt miners to the underground mine.

 

[networkpro]

Wouldn’t romanticized be better way to describe somewhere like Main Street? I’d reserve “hyper real” for places like Galaxies Edge.

I'd reserve Galaxy's Edge description to those who dream of concrete splashes

 

[MisterPenguin]

That’s a diagram of an underground salt dome that formed an island and lake. The photos of the salt mine in operation show a traditional mine shaft, which led the salt miners to the underground mine.

Yes.

Is there an issue of mine shafts?

 

[𝕴𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖗97]

Yes.

Is there an issue of mine shafts?

I think his question is "Where's the height?"

 

[Casper Gutman]

Agreed. No matter how good the ride itself is, its biggest flaw will be how they decided to redress the exterior with various bits of ornamentation and props. Less would have been more in this case.

There can be bigger flaws.

 

[MisterPenguin]

You’re missing the point of hyperreality. Yes, there’s a salt dome in Louisiana, but no one’s idea of Louisiana involves mountains or even hills. It’s bayous, New Orleans, etc. If your response to someone saying, “This mountain doesn’t feel like New Orleans,” is “Well, TECHNICALLY…” you’ve already lost. The point is to evoke a time and place, not pick outlying elements and try to legitimize them through pedantry.

So, you're saying, "Well, TECHNICALLY, there's no 50 foot mounds anywhere near New Orleans."

Because the general public has toured the greater bayou area around NOLA and have concluded there couldn't possibly be a salt dome nearby?

I've visited central LA. Drove to NOLA. Did the touristy things. And if someone told me there were several 50-100 foot salt domes out there in the greater bayou, I would've said, "OK."

NOLA itself doesn't have to be known as the flattest place on earth for a hundred miles in order to make such a mound unbelievable.

Especially in the world where magic exists. Not our universe.

Maybe those thoroughly familiar with the extended bayous of NOLA would scoff at the idea of such a mound existing. As someone who grew up on the Jersey Shore, I certainly scoff that the boardwalk at BWI is an Atlantic boardwalk.

 

[LittleBuford]

You’re missing the point of hyperreality. Yes, there’s a salt dome in Louisiana, but no one’s idea of Louisiana involves mountains or even hills. It’s bayous, New Orleans, etc. If your response to someone saying, “This mountain doesn’t feel like New Orleans,” is “Well, TECHNICALLY…” you’ve already lost. The point is to evoke a time and place, not pick outlying elements and try to legitimize them through pedantry.

I personally didn’t need the mountain to have a real-world referent. Who cares if Louisiana doesn’t have hills?

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

As someone who grew up on the Jersey Shore, I certainly scoff that the boardwalk at BWI is an Atlantic boardwalk.

But not because the boardwalk or elements of it don’t exist.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I think his question is "Where's the height?"

Read the article. It's twice as tall as Splash ""Mountain.""

Jefferson Island has a bigger and sharper drop now that the lake is gone.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Not me, the way it ruined the skyline and theming of DCA is really bad and I don’t care for the attraction at all. It doesn’t make sense, and feels like a universal ride.

They did do a pretty good job with the que and pre show though.

While I regret the loss of maelstrom, at least it didn’t effect the overall pavilion, although for the money they spent on that meet and greet they could have built a new frozen attraction there and just refreshed maelstrom to have a little frozen nod.

Tower of Terror also stuck out like a sore thumb post Cars Land addition.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Read the article. It's twice as tall as Splash ""Mountain.""

Jefferson Island has a bigger and sharper drop now that the lake is gone.

Are there photos of this?

Tower of Terror also stuck out like a sore thumb post Cars Land addition.

I disagree, it fit the theme of the park and all areas quite well except maybe bugs land, can’t remember if it was visible there or not, I don’t remember it, but wouldn’t go through there a lot.

 

[Casper Gutman]

So, you're saying, "Well, TECHNICALLY, there's no 50 foot mounds anywhere near New Orleans."

Because the general public has toured the greater bayou area around NOLA and have concluded there couldn't possibly be a salt dome nearby?

I've visited central LA. Drove to NOLA. Did the touristy things. And if someone told me there were several 50-100 foot salt domes out there in the greater bayou, I would've said, "OK."

NOLA itself doesn't have to be known as the flattest place on earth for a hundred miles in order to make such a mound unbelievable.

Especially in the world where magic exists. Not our universe.

Maybe those thoroughly familiar with the extended bayous of NOLA would scoff at the idea of such a mound existing. As someone who grew up on the Jersey Shore, I certainly scoff that the boardwalk at BWI is an Atlantic boardwalk.

Reality isn’t the issue! The shared imaginary is the issue!

When you ask someone to think of Iowa, most are going to think of a certain range of images (corn will be involved). If you ask them to think of France, they’re likely to think of something that looks like the World Showcase pavilion. If you ask them to think of a typical American Main Street…

“The Hollywood that never was and always will be.”

Now, Buford’s right - in isolation the Hill isn’t a big deal. Where it becomes a problem is when every single design choice associated with the attraction fails to evoke what it’s meant to evoke. It also becomes an issue when you justify it with reality and make it fundamental to your rides story, making guests THINK about it instead of just suspending disbelief.

 

[LittleBuford]

Now, Buford’s right - in isolation the Hill isn’t a big deal. Where it becomes a problem is when every single design choice associated with the attraction fails to evoke what it’s meant to evoke. It also becomes an issue when you justify it with reality and make it fundamental to your rides story, making guests THINK about it instead of just suspending disbelief.

This is kind of where I stand. It’s the Imagineers themselves who (regrettably, in my opinion) invited us to view the retheme through the lens of “authenticity”.