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

[flynnibus]

I'm confused. What was your point? Yes. The ride was popular. It is ~10 minute flume attraction in a theme park that averages feels like temperatures of 95+ in the summer. Of course it was popular.

The merchandise wasn't pushing taglines like "best way to cool down" etc... And flume rides are a dime a dozen in any amusement park. Splash was a lot more than just dumb people looking to get wet.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

The merchandise wasn't pushing taglines like "best way to cool down" etc... And flume rides are a dime a dozen in any amusement park. Splash was a lot more than just dumb people looking to get wet.

As a Disney fan(?) you may believe that, but most guests rode Splash to cool down. While I appreciated the scenery and effort into the story, at it's core it was a water ride. Also outside of the story issues, I think visually (inside & out) the attraction is an upgrade to Splash.

 

[flynnibus]

I don't love the way the story turned out, but obviously it was put in front of a WDI exec, and probably at least Josh D'Amaro, and clearly they said yes, since at least 150M has been spent and the attraction opens in 25 days.

You're intentionally skipping the point. You were talking about wanting to use Tiana for a replacement before controversy. Don't you think such a desire would include how to make that work?

Do you think they had a great idea and somehow threw it out for this? Or is this the best they had?

 

[MagicHappens1971]

You're intentionally skipping the point. You were talking about wanting to use Tiana for a replacement before controversy. Don't you think such a desire would include how to make that work?

I'm not intentionally skipping the point.

Do you think they had a great idea and somehow threw it out for this? Or is this the best they had?

No. It was always going to be an IP based retheme, and outside of maybe Moana, this was the best bet. Do I think the story could've been better executed? Yes.

 

[basas]

The merchandise wasn't pushing taglines like "best way to cool down" etc... And flume rides are a dime a dozen in any amusement park. Splash was a lot more than just dumb people looking to get wet.

One might also opine that’s it’s pretty hard for Splash merchandise to “fly off the shelves” when they wouldn’t stock Splash merchandise…

Oh…and on my last visit to Disney I saw plenty of Tiana merchandise and this was before the ride was open…there are a lot of shops at Disney!

 

[flynnibus]

As a Disney fan(?) you may believe that, but most guests rode Splash to cool down.

No, I believe that after watching GENERATIONS of kids fall in love with it.. and actually communicating with them why. None of them ever said they went on it for heat relief. The splashes and drop fun? Of course... was a splash down unique that drew them in? Absolutely not. Never did they say "man, I wish they would just cut out all that other stuff and just have those fun drops!"

No one ever walked around repeating the screams of the drop... but they seemed to learn a song from a movie they never got to see or understood and would repeat those chorus lines...

 

[flynnibus]

I'm not intentionally skipping the point.

No. It was always going to be an IP based retheme, and outside of maybe Moana, this was the best bet. Do I think the story could've been better executed? Yes.

So you believe they just didn't care at all, and just went with it based on liking the character selection and that's it?

Or do you believe they actually thought the concept was good?

 

[basas]

No, I believe that after watching GENERATIONS of kids fall in love with it.. and actually communicating with them why. None of them ever said they went on it for heat relief. The splashes and drop fun? Of course... was a splash down unique that drew them in? Absolutely not. Never did they say "man, I wish they would just cut out all that other stuff and just have those fun drops!"

No one ever walked around repeating the screams of the drop... but they seemed to learn a song from a movie they never got to see or understood and would repeat those chorus lines...

I never got very wet on Splash…cooling off is certainly not the reason I would choose to ride.

Now Dudley Do Right or Popeyes? Completely different argument…

 

[MrPromey]

So I’m still working on this general public idea.

What about this ride is appealing to the general public that the hard core fans are missing?

Why not build everything to the quality level of Nemo, if the only thing about a ride that matters is that it’s located in a Disney park.

The ride has no story.

The ride has no buildup to the drop.

Most people won’t even understand they have been shrunk and just confused as to what the heck is going on.

The music is not memorable like its predecessor.

Yea they will all scream on the drop and laugh when they get wet. But if that all that’s needed to make this ride a success why not just rip out all the theming to save on the maintenance costs.

I think the general public, especially those who never rode or don't really remember the original, is less likely to pass judgement by way of comparisons to what it replaced. Most will just look at it as a "new" ride and therefore, the general sentiment will be more positive.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Do you really think this story board was put in front of someone and they said... Wow yes, sign me up!!

I mean, on the most literal level they did sign off on it, so.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

So you believe they just didn't care at all, and just went with it based on liking the character selection and that's it?

Or do you believe they actually thought the concept was good?

I feel like you're not getting what I'm saying. Do I think that Disney thought this story was good? Clearly. It's what they approved and spent 150M+ on. Do I agree that the story is good? No.

Do I think the (inevitable) Splash retheme was always going to be Tiana? Most likely. As I said, the only other contender would've been Moana and I think Disney was iffy about Moana at the time.

 

[TalkToEthan]

, but most guests rode Splash to cool down.

They did??
maybe those over 50% ers should have walked under the tikis in Adventureland instead of waiting in line at Splash …..pretty dumb use of their time, no?

 

[Casper Gutman]

Everyone's complaining about the lack of Facilier, and that's fine since he's probably the best Disney baddy since Ursula and would have added much needed tension. But Ray was the beating heart of the film, one of the most unique Disney animated characters ever, and his absence here is glaring.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

They did??
maybe those over 50% ers should have walked under the tikis in Adventureland instead of waiting in line at Splash …..pretty dumb use of their time, no?

Definitely not the same thing. My point was that I'm sure they enjoyed the thrills and the benefit of being cooled down. I planned a trip specifically to see Splash one last time before it closed, I did enjoy the attraction. But at it's core, I didn't really connect with the characters or the story. Yes the music was fun, but that was about it, outside of the thrill and cool down.

 

[basas]

Definitely not the same thing. My point was that I'm sure they enjoyed the thrills and the benefit of being cooled down. I planned a trip specifically to see Splash one last time before it closed, I did enjoy the attraction. But at it's core, I didn't really connect with the characters or the story. Yes the music was fun, but that was about it, outside of the thrill and cool down.

Nothing wrong with that, but appreciate that others did.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Everyone's complaining about the lack of Facilier, and that's fine since he's probably the best Disney baddy since Ursula and would have added much needed tension. But Ray was the beating heart of the film, one of the most unique Disney animated characters ever, and his absence here is glaring.

If they had included Facilier in the manner that I suggested a while back (as a spirit who we meet after stumbling upon his grave and falling into the Other Side), it would doubled as a convenient way to include Ray as well, since he would also be a spirit. Ray helping to save and guide us up the final lift out of danger. Big missed opportunity not to include an impressive fiber optic curtain effect for him there too. Could have hit two birds with one stone, but instead they missed both birds.

Ray is still more a part of this retheme than Facilier though, his voice is used in some of the music. Makes no sense that his voice is present though within the context of the story they went with, I have to wonder if whoever edited that track didn't recognize it (or perhaps wasn't familiar with the movie's events) and left it there by accident...

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Yes, captain O... but that's not the question.

Kinda seemed like it was:

Do you really think this story board was put in front of someone and they said... Wow yes, sign me up!!

 

[basas]

I feel like you're not getting what I'm saying. Do I think that Disney thought this story was good? Clearly. It's what they approved and spent 150M+ on. Do I agree that the story is good? No.

Do I think the (inevitable) Splash retheme was always going to be Tiana? Most likely. As I said, the only other contender would've been Moana and I think Disney was iffy about Moana at the time.

So why can’t you understand why I’m not happy as a stockholder? You just said management screwed up. You seem to be admitting that what they did was a poor use of money.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Kinda seemed like it was:

At the time this retheme was first announced, I do not believe that THIS version of the story was what people agreed to. I believe that there was an approval for a generalized PATF retheme with maybe a couple of different story pitch ideas. But this current version of the ride was not what everyone signed up for when they greenlit it. The old concept art of Mama Odie's boat and tree atop the mountain is good evidence that this was not the plan back then. Also the fact that Tony Baxter was willing to consult on the project early on and endorse it, but departed after they settled on something that he didn't like.

 

[Casper Gutman]

If they had included Facilier in the manner that I suggested a while back (as a spirit who we bump into after stumbling upon his grave and being accidentally transported to the Other Side), it would also have also come with a convenient way to include Ray as well if they wanted. As he is also now a spirit, Ray could have helped guide us up the final lift and out of danger. Big missed opportunity not to include an impressive fiber optic curtain effect for him there too. Could have hit two birds with one stone, but instead they missed both birds.

Ray is still more a part of this retheme than Facilier though, his voice is used in some of the music. Makes no sense that his voice is present though within the context of the story they went with, I have to wonder if whoever edited that track didn't recognize it (or perhaps wasn't familiar with the movie's events) and left it there by accident...

I suspect whoever edited the music just didn't care.

The rest of your ideas are great, of course