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

[TomboyJanet]

My main objection to the initial retheme announcement was that Splash was about as good as it gets, so the best case scenario would that Disney sinks all this time and money into a ride that is just as good as its predecessor, instead of investing in a real upgrade elsewhere.

As more and more info came out about TBA over the years, I was increasingly optimistic that we would at least be getting something approaching that best case scenario.

The POV shatters all of that optimism. TBA is clearly a substantial downgrade from Splash. It still seems like a very good ride (which was almost guaranteed to be true), but it’s not the 10/10 that we had before. Maybe a 7.5

Basically this is a C or D ticket Splash is an E
Needed an E got a C not a good exchange

 

[FettFan]

Did we settle on what the missing ingredient is?

Adventure.

 

[Tha Realest]

Adventure.

And here I was hoping for, at the very least, coherence!

 

[Vclguy90]

I really wish Peltz would've won. I've been tracking Bob's decisions ever since being CEO. Some ok decisions but the majority bad and think they would've been ok and potentially better with literally ANYONE else. He's not an idea's man or a futurist and those were the people that made this company better. He's too tv/film driven with no real innovative ideas nor fosters a team capable of what Disney's history and potential were. I would welcome to be proven wrong.

Remember the leap that was Alien Encounter? Yea, that mess was terrifying but that was a GOOD ride and risk that we are all very privileged to have experienced. Bob would NEVER hear that idea out. That's the problem here. He's an "IP, kids like her, kids like this, kids like that," type of guy. Missing the target audience that are their parents that have to want to be enthusiastic about buying them these experiences. TBA is not something I'm interested in having my daughter's first flume ride. I rather take her to Tokyo to ride the best one on earth, as of now.

 

[Vclguy90]

Did we settle on what the missing ingredient is?

Nobody went to the store, we ain't eatin tonight.

 

[McMickeyWorld]

What’s the average American?

Most modern companies realize representation is very important as this country grows more diverse.

As time goes on things there were acceptable to certain generations will not be the next.

I have never really understood the term "American."I suppose it gets lost due to cultural differences.

 

[James Alucobond]

I really wish Peltz would've won. I've been tracking Bob's decisions ever since being CEO. Some ok decisions but the majority bad and think they would've been ok and potentially better with literally ANYONE else. He's not an idea's man or a futurist and those were the people that made this company better. He's too tv/film driven with no real innovative ideas nor fosters a team capable of what Disney's history and potential were. I would welcome to be proven wrong.

 

[Midwest Elitist]

I have never really understood the term "American."I suppose it gets lost due to cultural differences.

I think what it means to be American is that I can have a group with friends of different backgrounds which would be shamed in other cultures, but here it works because our differences allow us to recognize what we share in common, and we take the time to learn about those differences. It makes for a more interesting society.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Did we settle on what the missing ingredient is? Is it the critter band?

It was us all along. Not joking either, the new song is about friends and loved ones being the "special spice".

 

[FettFan]

It was us all along. Not joking either, the new song is about friends and loved ones being the "special spice".

 

[TheCoasterNerd]

- Harmonious

Iger/Chapek/McCarthy

- Galactic Starcruiser

Chapek/McCarthy

- WDW’s 50th Anniversary

Chapek/Covid

- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Iger/McCarthy

How much longer will D’Amaro be around? He’s more than a little overdue for the “Find Out” part of FAFO.

None of those were really D'Amaro. He doesn't make budget decisions, the CEO and CFO do. You and I both know what the Imagineers can do with money. If McCarthy and the CEOs had given them the money, it'd be a totally different story. You've seen Tokyo. You've seen Fantasy Springs. You've seen what they can do with the IP mandate when they get a usable budget. The only reason there are so many screens, the only reason there's so much emptiness, the only reason that there's no tree on top of the ride, the only reason the Starcruiser was so expensive, the only reason the 50th failed, the only reason Disney fans complain about so much is because $$$. Christine McCarthy and Iger don't give them the proper budget. From everything we've seen, Josh truly cares about the parks and is one of their biggest fans. He'd give them a higher budget if he could. The higher-ups say "Have this much, and make sure to focus on this underrepresented group so we don't upset any minorities" and Imagineers have to run with it. The real question is how long Iger will be around. Luckily, based on my quick Google, Christine McCarthy (the CFO at the time of these decisions) is gone and there's an interim CFO who will be replaced soon. Hopefully whoever comes next is better.

 

[Incomudro]

I wonder how long before they turn comments off.

It’s not going the way Disney wants.

Just sad.

I actually feel bad for the Imagineers involved in this project. I think it was doomed from the start.

I’m sure the blame will be passed around and
no one will be held responsible, ensuring more failures like this in the future.

Can't say I feel bad for the imaginears involved.
They had one job as the saying goes.
The source material was there in the film.
Watching PatF, so much of it lends itself perfectly to this ride layout.
But no...
The people who made this ride "knew better than that.
They abandoned virtually everything that made that film work, and came up with their own employee Owned, food conglomerate, assemble the band, but you're the secret spice mumbo jumbo, but just kept a couple of the characters from the film.

 

[IanDLBZF]

None of those were really D'Amaro. He doesn't make budget decisions, the CEO and CFO do. You and I both know what the Imagineers can do with money. If McCarthy and the CEOs had given them the money, it'd be a totally different story. You've seen Tokyo. You've seen Fantasy Springs. You've seen what they can do with the IP mandate when they get a usable budget. The only reason there are so many screens, the only reason there's so much emptiness, the only reason that there's no tree on top of the ride, the only reason the Starcruiser was so expensive, the only reason the 50th failed, the only reason Disney fans complain about so much is because $$$. Christine McCarthy and Iger don't give them the proper budget. From everything we've seen, Josh truly cares about the parks and is one of their biggest fans. He'd give them a higher budget if he could. The higher-ups say "Have this much, and make sure to focus on this underrepresented group so we don't upset any minorities" and Imagineers have to run with it. The real question is how long Iger will be around. Luckily, based on my quick Google, Christine McCarthy (the CFO at the time of these decisions) is gone and there's an interim CFO who will be replaced soon. Hopefully whoever comes next is better.

This.
Josh D'Amaro should have held Iger and/or whomever is CFO responsible for actions occurring within parks and resorts. And if anything, I'd expect improvements to TBA on the West Coast, and maybe some upgrades on the East Coast if (and when) there's enough negative feedback regarding it. It's not a matter of "will they do any improvements" but rather seems probable.

 

[TheCoasterNerd]

Random thought - is there a chance they didn't have Facilier because Beyond Big Thunder is coming and the villains land is gonna have Facilier's presence?

 

[IanDLBZF]

Random thought - is there a chance they didn't have Facilier because Beyond Big Thunder is coming and the villains land is gonna have Facilier's presence?

Not out of the question at this stage.

 

[TheCoasterNerd]

Villains is dead.

You know this... how? I've heard several very reliable people saying it's still alive

 

[Incomudro]

Yep. I was very thrown off by this. Especially with all the dead space in the ride.

Not a single sight gag with the exception of Louis's butt saying "how low can I go?" and JuJu "stealing food".

Right?
Barely any humor at all.

 

[dreamfinding]

Right?
Barely any humor at all.

Makes me scared for Country Bears.

 

[Incomudro]

So apparently I am the only person in the known universe who actually likes the looks of this ride.

I will say I’m not sure how well the big drop (which seems to say “thrill ride”) fits with the aesthetics. Ideally, this probably should have been a Fantasyland dark ride.

It’s a very, very pretty ride. It takes me back to pinning beautiful things on my wedding inspiration board years ago (right down to the pink, purple and blue uplighting). Or to favoriting beautiful things on Etsy. This seems like an ode to sparkly, beautiful, princessy prettiness.

Based on the reactions, presumably this is not where people wanted the ride equivalent of crystal tree centerpieces. Parents with small children probably wanted that more in a traditional dark ride, that princess obsessed little girls can ride without the scary drop that is for older kids. Adult park goers wanted a more gripping story with more grit, drama, and adventure.

It’s a shame, because this really is just a gorgeous ride. Looks like they put all that sparkle in the wrong venue based on reactions though.

It's attractive looking.
I knew it would be.
But it's attractive without substance.
Without humor, feeling, creativity...

 

[dreamfinding]

It's attractive looking.
I knew it would be.
But it's attractive without substance.
Without humor, feeling, creativity...

As DisTwitter has been saying today: AAs don’t make up for lack of story.