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

[yensidtlaw1969]

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Yeah the two AA look a little the same I guess. Disney was not going to make a custom AA for this ride so I don't think it's unreasonable to say that they have similar appearances.

I think the most noticeable difference is the way the AA character presents in 3D, but that is going to happen anytime you have a change from the 2D version everyone is used to seeing.

I'm not sure why everyone is getting so defensive. They have similar facial features and appearance. I don't think there's anything nefarious about it.

If the issue was money, how much money could Disney have saved by copy/pasting the face of an AA? Seems kinda ridiculous.

With respect, people aren't getting defensive, they're just correcting you.

The Tiana Animatronic is custom. She was also very expensive. I don't know where this idea came from that Animatronics and their inner workings are so easily interchangable, but it's very far from the truth.

The reason she and Belle look at all similar is because the Disney Princesses characters - at least the hand-drawn ones - follow similar design principles. Their proportions, body types, and facial structures have historically been drawn with many similarities. Thankfully Disney started to break that mold in the 90's, but there's still a clear consistency throughout the hand-drawn Princesses, for better or worse:

Disney spent gobs of money on Tiana's Bayou Adventure. Thankfully, that should be evident in the finished product - attractions like Cosmic Rewind prove that the money doesn't always get spent in ways that are visible on-stage. Tiana's will not be like that.

On top of that, Disney's Animatronics are hugely expensive, especially A1000's like Tiana and Belle. This idea that Tiana is simply a reskinned Belle is silly for 2 reasons - 1) Because Disney does not produce extras of these massively complex and extravagant figures, and 2) Because the only thing more difficult than trying to capture the likeness and performance of an iconic character in a scratch-built Animatronic would be to try to do the same thing using a base that was not designed for that character. There's no world in which they could or would throw a Tiana skin on a Belle Animatronic and expect it to look partway decent. Not that there are any spare Belles to do that with in the first place.

 

[Purduevian]

but why would they do that? It is one of the longest rides in the park already...Slowing the logs down also allows stupid people to try and get out of their logs....If anything I would they would try and speed things up...Higher throughput...get people to that Beignet stand!!

If they were to make changes to the ride speed, which I doubt, it would be to speed it up to increase capacity. Not slow it down

The ride speed does not affect the hourly capacity (unless there are not enough logs to restock the load/unload)
The only 2 things that affect ride hourly capacity are:
1) Number of people per vehicle
2) Average dispatch time of vehicle

Ride time, number to vehicles on track, speed of attraction (outside of loading area), track length, ect. Do not affect the hourly capacity.

 

[Sectorkeeper71]

The ride speed does not affect the hourly capacity (unless there are not enough logs to restock the load/unload)
The only 2 things that affect ride hourly capacity are:
1) Number of people per vehicle
2) Average dispatch time of vehicle

Ride time, number to vehicles on track, speed of attraction (outside of loading area), track length, ect. Do not affect the hourly capacity.

In this hypothetical, would there not be more dispatched per hour because logs were going through faster? Or is that negligible and just cause bigger backups at the station?

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

@yensidtlaw1969

Did you hear any rumors about a more specific quantity of figures? Even just a ballpark or whatever. Not that I distrust my own source, but additional clarification/confirmation from multiple independent sources is always a good thing.

Did you even read my post? No conspiracy theories. Disney was not going to make a brand new AA design for this, they took what was already existing and customized it to work with this application. It just happens that my personal opinion is that they have similar facial features. Other people have noticed this as well. Even if it was done intentionally, what difference does it make? You're being very defensive for no reason.

Outside of cheek prominence, this Tiana figure looks very different from Belle. The eyebrows and hairline, but especially the size/shape of the nose and mouth.

And regarding the cheek thing, Tiana and Belle have nearly identical cheek shapes in their animated forms to begin with...

 

[monothingie]

Outside of cheek prominence, this Tiana figure looks very different from Belle. The eyebrows and hairline, but especially the size/shape of the nose and mouth.

I don’t think anyone disagrees the 2D to 3D transition creates the perception of a different appearance for each character.

With the AA, I think the several features on the face are similar to the Belle AA. I also think in terms of the appearance of facial features, the two AAs share more in common with each other, than with their respective 2D caricature. It's a subjective opinion so feel free to disagree.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

I really don't appreciate your anger towards me. I also certainly don't appreciate you accusing me of engaging in some conspiracy theory.

Did Disney have to do same amount engineering and design work on the level of the first A1000 to make the Tianna AA? OR did they use the A1000 design they had and modify and/or customize it to create the Tianna AA. I'm not disputing these are complicated machines that are hand built. But I don't think it's unreasonable or a conspiracy theory to say that a lot of the legwork in terms of creating and designing this AA was already done before.

What they are saying is... Disney did not build two Belle animatronics in the hope of using a second one for an attraction that hadn't even been planned yet. Furthermore, OLC paid for those Belle animatronics, they weren't going to foot the bill for a spare. The base work for AA's are similar, not discrediting that, but this is a custom built animatronic for Tiana's Bayou Adventure.

 

[monothingie]

What they are saying is... Disney did not build two Belle animatronics in the hope of using a second one for an attraction that hadn't even been planned yet. Furthermore, OLC paid for those Belle animatronics, they weren't going to foot the bill for a spare.

To which I don't believe I ever said was the case.

The base work for AA's are similar, not discrediting that, but this is a custom built animatronic for Tiana's Bayou Adventure.

Exactly. The engineering/design for the core AA is already there. It is a new custom hand-built AA, but it's not a "new" AA design being used.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Exactly. The engineering/design for the core AA is already there. It is a new custom hand-built AA, but it's not a "new" AA design being reused.

Yes... but implying that it is the "same" AA is incorrect. Do Belle & Tiana have similar facial structures? Yes, most "Disney Princesses" do. Did Disney build a brand new, custom built Belle AA1000 in the past few years? Yes. Did Disney build a brand new, custom built Tiana AA1000 in the past few years? Both of those things are true.

 

[Brer Panther]

I'm hearing in the thread for Disneyland's retheme that Tiana is going to be older in this ride and that's why she looks a bit off? Is that true? And if so, why? What does that add to the story?

Again not sure why people are being so overly defensive about this.

People on this site seem to be overly defensive about the retheme as a whole. I have a pretty good idea why.

By the way, I don't think the Tiana animatronic is a reskin of Belle either (maybe that one holding the lantern in the concept art will share be, who knows?). But the outrage people are having over that theory does seem to be a bit overblown.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

This whole thing is conspiracy theory thing is bordering on silly.

Would it be unreasonable to think that Disney bean counters are going to insist on reusing as much of the Belle A1000 as possible in order to keep development costs for the very expensive Tianna AA down? Simply pointing out the very subjective similarities in exterior features does not mean they are carbon copies, which is ridiculous in and of itself. Again, I'm not sure why everyone is getting so defensive about this.

I can't speak to other people's motivations behind their posts, but mine is simple, unless they made carbon copies, as some have suggested, there is no real motivations to produce a "similar" figure. I actually think it *may* be more expensive for them to modify an existing figures plans to make it work as a different character.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

This whole thing is conspiracy theory thing is bordering on silly.

Would it be unreasonable to think that Disney bean counters are going to insist on reusing as much of the Belle A1000 as possible in order to keep development costs for the very expensive Tianna AA down? Simply pointing out the very subjective similarities in exterior features does not mean they are carbon copies, which is ridiculous in and of itself. Again, I'm not sure why everyone is getting so defensive about this.

Yes, because that's not how these things work at all.

 

[LittleBuford]

I'm hearing in the thread for Disneyland's retheme that Tiana is going to be older in this ride and that's why she looks a bit off? Is that true? And if so, why? What does that add to the story?

It’s a theory cooked up by @TP2000 and based on nothing more than his belief that the animatronic looks at least fifteen years older than the animated character. Why treat it as a legitimate rumour?

At any rate, that the animatronic of Naveen’s brother is designed very much to look like a child should answer your question.

 

[monothingie]

You're making very clear that you know not of which you speak here, so let me state it definitively - the Tiana Animatronic was designed from scratch, as much as any other A1000 Animatronic. "A1000" is a classification, it's not a stock design. So no, "engineering/design for the core AA" is NOT "already there".

So none of the design work or components or testing results were reused in this one? Completely new engineering? Then why seemingly standardize it with an A1000 model if there is no commonality with previous itterations?

As I've stated clearly, the exterior design for Tiana was determined first, and then the design and engineering of her inner workings was designed after to serve the desired look and intended performance of the figure. As is the case with any Animatronic figure of this magnitude. What you are suggesting is incorrect and downplays the effort that went into this figure, which is silly at best and also totally misplaced.

Thank you for explaining that. I don't believe I ever downplayed the complexity of these machines. I also don't think it's unreasonable to draw on similarities from past examples of this model AA and apply them to how the new one is being developed. Simply casting someone as a conspiracy theorists because they have a different perspective (wrong or right) is certainly unbecoming.

 

[TP2000]

It’s a theory cooked up by @TP2000 and based on nothing more than his belief that the animatronic looks at least fifteen years older than the animated character. Why treat it as a legitimate rumour?

No, that's not accurate.

Like you do, I think the animatronic looks a bit older than her movie image. And she's certainly looking less glamorous in her bayou togs and mom-hairdo than she was in her Princess dress and glam updo.

What you are confusing me with is a series of posts/comments by @Disney Irish over in the Disneyland discussion that suggested the aging of Tiana wasn't news and is a purposeful move by WDI to set the ride (and also her Disneyland restaurant) years after the movie took place. From that information provided by Mr. Irish...

Tiana that has been doing the M&G at Tiana's Palace (I believe she still comes around) is also portrayed to be older similar to how she will look in the ride -

That's a weird decision to make from a merchandising and target-audience perspective.

Something tells me the "Older, Wiser, Career Woman with Mom-Hairdo Tiana" merchandise isn't going to sell as well with the target demographic of young girls as the "Young, Pretty, Glamorous, Princess Tiana" merchandise.

This isn't new information. The attraction announcement since day one has stated to be after the events of the movie, and subsequent information since has come out that its set years after the movie. Even the art work shows Tiana in new outfits and older than the movie. So not sure why this is now a surprise 3+ years later for some.

Mr. Irish said that as if the aging of Tiana was something we all knew was happening, when its apparent now that many of us didn't know that Tiana was going to be aged in the ride. Which would also seem to move the era of the ride into the Great Depression of the 1930's instead of the Roaring 20's the movie was set in.

What I'm still unclear on is if this aging of Tiana for the ride (and face character appearances at her Disneyland restaurant, and thus her future face character appearances at WDW also), is a purposeful decision? Does the ride really take place in the Great Depression now instead of the Roaring 20's of the movie?

Or is this just an unflattering debut of Tiana's new animatronic, paired with a questionable casting decision by Disneyland's Entertainment Department to make Tiana look noticeably older and less glamorous?

 

[SplashJacket]

I rode Secret Life of Pets out in Universal Hollywood with Jim Hill and Jim Shull (former WDI exec). One of the things we noticed was that the TMs really, really push down on that safety bar lock, even though the ride moves at like 1.5 miles per hour. And Shull theorized they do that so you don't jump out of the ride to take selfies with the pets. 100% believable.

A contrast of containment standards. One being too high and one likely being too low…

 

[Disney Irish]

No, that's not accurate.

Like you do, I think the animatronic looks a bit older than her movie image. And she's certainly looking less glamorous in her bayou togs and mom-hairdo than she was in her Princess dress and glam updo.

What you are confusing me with is a series of posts/comments by @Disney Irish over in the Disneyland discussion that suggested the aging of Tiana wasn't news and is a purposeful move by WDI to set the ride (and also her Disneyland restaurant) years after the movie took place. From that information provided by Mr. Irish...

Mr. Irish said that as if the aging of Tiana was something we all knew was happening, when its apparent now that many of us didn't know that Tiana was going to be aged in the ride. Which would also seem to move the era of the ride into the Great Depression of the 1930's instead of the Roaring 20's the movie was set in.

What I'm still unclear on is if this aging of Tiana for the ride (and face character appearances at her Disneyland restaurant, and thus her future face character appearances at WDW also), is a purposeful decision? Does the ride really take place in the Great Depression now instead of the Roaring 20's of the movie?

Or is this just an unflattering debut of Tiana's new animatronic, paired with a questionable casting decision by Disneyland's Entertainment Department to make Tiana look noticeably older and less glamorous?

It all comes from the backstory article that did which gives the date of 1927 for the formation of Tiana's Foods. So its set either in 1927 or shortly after -

Disney Reveals New Storyline for Tiana's Bayou Adventure

Walt Disney Imagineering shares next chapter in Tiana's story, as part of Tiana's Bayou Adventure attraction experience coming to Disneyland Park and the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort.

disneyparks.disney.go.com

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

The ride doesn't take place many many years after the movie. It's maybe a year or two after it at most. Ralphie is still a little kid. And I don't think Tiana looks substantially older.

Incidentally, one little detail I noticed is that one of the images of the AA is missing eyelashes (if something else already noticed this then I apologized), but the video posted of her has the eyelashes.

 

[TP2000]

It all comes from the backstory article that did which gives the date of 1927 for the formation of Tiana's Foods. So its set either in 1927 or shortly after -

Disney Reveals New Storyline for Tiana's Bayou Adventure

Walt Disney Imagineering shares next chapter in Tiana's story, as part of Tiana's Bayou Adventure attraction experience coming to Disneyland Park and the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort.

disneyparks.disney.go.com

The movie was set in 1926. She formed the employee-owned Tiana's Foods in 1927. So the ride is set in 1927 or 1928? A young woman doesn't change that much in two years, from the time she's 18 or 19 to the time she's 20 or 21.

But just recently in the Disneyland thread you said, with what I took to be authority, that this was a purposeful decision to set the ride and Tiana's appearances in the parks as being years later, thus why the animatronic and her face character at Disneyland's Tiana's Palace restaurant looks noticeably older.

This isn't new information. The attraction announcement since day one has stated to be after the events of the movie, and subsequent information since has come out that its set years after the movie. Even the art work shows Tiana in new outfits and older than the movie. So not sure why this is now a surprise 3+ years later for some.

How do they take two years, from 1926 to 1928, and turn it into a decade or more of aging for her Disneyland face character?

And again, I can't think of any other Disney animated character in a ride, show, or parade that was aged like this. Especially an official Disney Princess. Why are they doing this to Tiana? They're turning her into a career woman with a mom-hairdo and older vibe, instead of the gorgeous and glamorous young Princess she was introduced to us as?

That seems rather weird. And the first time I've ever seen Disney do this with a character.

 

[LittleBuford]

No, that's not accurate.

Your posts are there for anyone to read and check for themselves.

 

[monothingie]

Complex Animatronic figures have to be designed and engineered and tested anew every time. A1000 is a classification more than a standardization - Figures that are run by Electric Motors (instead of Hydraulic Actuators) and have a certain amount of points of articulation will be classified as part of the A1000 series. Each figure within that series will have had each of its moving elements custom designed, shaped, and engineered to function differently, despite operating from a similar base methodology of Electric rather than Hydraulic movement.

Great. Thanks for the really nice explanation.