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

[bcoachable]

I can only offer a theory I suggested in the other thread for this (not based on information given). But it seems highly plausible. It boils down to this ride being about a black female character (among other non-white characters who will feature in the ride), and the project heads are also black women. Tony Baxter is an "old white man" and also the person who created Splash Mountain in the first place (a ride they're scrambling to purge). I could see Disney being concerned about giving him too much exposure on a project like this, and taking the spotlight away from Carter and her team.

Another imagineer I was told was heavily involved in the initial phases was Bob Weis (prior to his departure). Another old white man, and you can dig up some things about him that would be considered problematic by today's standards. Namely, the scrapped Disney's America project, which Weis once described as- "We want to make you a Civil War soldier. We want to make you feel what it was like to be a slave or what it was like to escape through the underground railroad". That project caught some heat even back in the early 90s.


Splash Mountain was viewed as a "problematic" (racist) attraction by the company and they thought it would become a PR issue eventually. By Bob Iger especially. As I understand it, Disney were already considering replacement concepts before 2020 (along with alterations to other attractions deemed a PR liability). Though plans were early and wouldn't have been approved until much later in time (perhaps not at all) had said 2020 event not occurred.

They figured PATF would fix the Splash "problem" and provide good PR. It would also connect to a movie they're actually letting audiences purchase and watch. They believed it would push more merch than Splash too. The project was designed specifically for Disneyland originally, their Splash connects directly to New Orleans Square, so they just move the border to include Splash.

When the project was initially announced, they also wanted a lower budget (by Disney standards) replacement that was easier and cheaper to maintain. Hence the early "Lost Trumpet" version, which was an empty video projection heavy ride with a mass removal of AA's and physical scenery. This seemingly changed after the backlash over the project. The project morphed into something more ambitious and high budget. There's a realization that if they mess this up, there will be hell to pay. Despite what it looks like from the damage being inflicted on the exterior and the stupid backstory they've come up with.

I figured most of this was generally agreed upon. What conflicting info has there been?

Sure do appreciate you swinging back in to the board since it would seem Disney ”has some esplanin’ to do” on this ride! Good to see you!

 

[Heppenheimer]

Despite what it looks like from the damage being inflicted on the exterior and the stupid backstory they've come up with.

I must have missed this, what's the backstory? I would think because the movie takes place in a city whose historical identity is based on being a river port and the bayous that surround the city, they wouldn't need to explain anything. It's a boat ride based on a movie that primarily takes place in and close to water.

Just give me the music and based the animatronics on scenes and characters from what is already a pretty strong film.

 

[DCBaker]

I must have missed this, what's the backstory? I would think because the movie takes place in a city whose historical identity is based on being a river port and the bayous that surround the city, they wouldn't need to explain anything. It's a boat ride based on a movie that primarily takes place in and close to water.

Just give me the music and based the animatronics on scenes and characters from what is already a pretty strong film.

Details on the backstory -

Disney reveals new storyline details for Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Walt Disney World

Disney reveals new storyline details for Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Walt Disney World

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[aladdin2007]

I must have missed this, what's the backstory? I would think because the movie takes place in a city whose historical identity is based on being a river port and the bayous that surround the city, they wouldn't need to explain anything. It's a boat ride based on a movie that primarily takes place in and close to water.

Just give me the music and based the animatronics on scenes and characters from what is already a pretty strong film.

except they aren't basing it primarily off the movie and its music, but a disney plus cartoon and a bleep bleep back story they contrived.

 

[UNCgolf]

I would say it remains very popular based on the wait times and the number of children who flock to go on it. I'm not sure how that's a controversial statement.

It's certainly popular, but the wait times have always felt misleading to me because it's such a low capacity attraction. A 60 minute wait for FEA is the equivalent of a roughly 20-25 minute wait for Spaceship Earth. For example, the current wait time is 65 for FEA and 35 for Spaceship Earth, so if those are accurate (which is admittedly a big if), there are actually more people waiting to ride SSE than FEA right now.

That said, there are other variables involved in wait times -- it could be that FEA doesn't generally get much longer waits because so many small children ride, and parents aren't willing to wait more than an hour in line. Thus it would be artificially capped by reasons other than general popularity.

 

[Bocabear]

People waited crazy amounts of hours for FEA when it opened... It is popular. I did not agree with adding it to World Showcase, but it is cute and could use a little more going on in it's second level empty warehouse section lol but it is cute and very popular.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

People waited crazy amounts of hours for FEA when it opened... It is popular. I did not agree with adding it to World Showcase, but it is cute and could use a little more going on in it's second level empty warehouse section lol but it is cute and very popular.

Anything "new" is going to have crazy wait times when it first opens, regardless of the IP (or lack thereof) and quality of the experience. During the first week of its operation, Frozen had wait times as high as 300 minutes. As always, this didn't last for all that long and it went down to the 200s fairly quickly. Then 100s, and now it's averaging well below that outside of the busiest times of the year. Even in the years leading up to its closure and in a severely dilapidated state, Maelstrom's wait times could still get fairly close to Frozen's current waits.

UNCgolf made an interesting point. While I'm also not saying Frozen is unpopular, comparing its wait times to Spaceship Earth is an interesting perspective. Spaceship Earth has a theoretical hourly capacity of about 2400, whereas Frozen is only 1000. So Frozen would need to have a wait time 2.4x higher than whatever SSE is JUST to match it.

 

[Skibum1970]

Anything "new" is going to have crazy wait times when it first opens, regardless of the IP (or lack thereof) and quality of the experience. During the first week of its operation, Frozen had wait times as high as 300 minutes. As always, this didn't last for all that long and it went down to the 200s fairly quickly. Then 100s, and now it's averaging well below that outside of the busiest times of the year. Even in the years leading up to its closure and in a severely dilapidated state, Maelstrom's wait times could still get fairly close to Frozen's current waits.

UNCgolf made an interesting point. While I'm also not saying Frozen is unpopular, comparing its wait times to Spaceship Earth is an interesting perspective. Spaceship Earth has a theoretical hourly capacity of about 2400, whereas Frozen is only 1000. So Frozen would need to have a wait time 2.4x higher than whatever SSE is JUST to match it.

Precisely what I was thinking. I remember someone saying that Frozen only gets to about 800 pph but 1,000 is right there. It exemplifies the problem with opening any ride at Disney that doesn't have throughput of 1,500+, unless it is truly a complementary "B" ticket. I'm not sure what Splash's/Tiana's capacity was but I have to think that it was higher.

 

[SplashJacket]

Is it bad that I'm excited for this?

 

[Disstevefan1]

Is it bad that I'm excited for this?

Absolutely not! No one should feel bad or labeled bad for exercising their freedom of thought.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Precisely what I was thinking. I remember someone saying that Frozen only gets to about 800 pph but 1,000 is right there. It exemplifies the problem with opening any ride at Disney that doesn't have throughput of 1,500+, unless it is truly a complementary "B" ticket. I'm not sure what Splash's/Tiana's capacity was but I have to think that it was higher.

Google search says Magic Kingdom's Splash is 1500 per hour. This may not be accurate though. I found an old thread on this forum with multiple people claiming to be operators for the ride, and they said the official number they target is 1800. On particularly good days (when it's busy and they have a lot of cast working and plenty of boats), this number could apparently be even higher. Like 1900 to almost 2100.

Ride Capacities (Everest and Splash Mountain)

I was looking around for Ride Capacities of Disney rides and I thought I'd do some of the calculations myself because I couldn't find them. Splash Mountain runs between 50 and 54 boats, the ride is approximately 10:30. Seeing as load and unloading times are factored into this and there are...

forums.wdwmagic.com

By their nature, rides that stop to load/unload are also prone to more variable capacities than a ride like SSE that is in constant motion.

Incidentally, I wonder if the lap bars they added to Splash back in 2011 reduced the hourly capacity at all. It's an extra thing they have to check during dispatch, so I could imagine those seconds adding up over the course of an hour.

 

[EagleScout610]

Google search says Magic Kingdom's Splash is 1500 per hour. This may not be accurate though. I found an old thread on this forum with multiple people claiming to be operators for the ride, and they said the official number they target is 1800. On particularly good days (when it's busy and they have a lot of cast working and plenty of boats), this number could apparently be even higher. Like 1900 to almost 2100.

Ride Capacities (Everest and Splash Mountain)

I was looking around for Ride Capacities of Disney rides and I thought I'd do some of the calculations myself because I couldn't find them. Splash Mountain runs between 50 and 54 boats, the ride is approximately 10:30. Seeing as load and unloading times are factored into this and there are...

forums.wdwmagic.com

By their nature, rides that stop to load/unload are also prone to more variable capacities than a ride like SSE that is in constant motion.

Incidentally, I wonder if the lap bars they added to Splash back in 2011 reduced the hourly capacity at all. It's an extra thing they have to check during dispatch, so I could imagine those seconds adding up over the course of an hour.

With Splash I wonder that number is changed with how much it would break down and/or be delayed for boarding a wheelchair guest.

 

[wdwmagic]

Photos from today

https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/tianas-bayou-adventure/gallery/10apr2023-tiana's-bayou-adventure-construction---april-10-2023.htm

 

[Kirby86]

With Splash I wonder that number is changed with how much it would break down and/or be delayed for boarding a wheelchair guest.

The 1500 is a theoretical number where the ride runs perfectly and operations load and unload the ride vehicle without delay. So that number won't change. If operations hits that number is a different story.

 

[celluloid]

Precisely what I was thinking. I remember someone saying that Frozen only gets to about 800 pph but 1,000 is right there. It exemplifies the problem with opening any ride at Disney that doesn't have throughput of 1,500+, unless it is truly a complementary "B" ticket. I'm not sure what Splash's/Tiana's capacity was but I have to think that it was higher.

Higher and has a height requirement which restricts some ridership. Still more popular than Frozen Forever After for the thrill, the iconography of theme and park it is in.

 

[Henry Mystic]

Is it bad that I'm excited for this?

I wasn’t onboard—in fact, I relentlessly opposed it—until I realized how much sense it makes in Anaheim after going there recently. Alongside the ride itself being weaker and having large room for improvement, and of course Merlin seeming to think they’re actual trying that I’ve changed my tune on this.

It should be easy to improve DL’s, and in my opinion, it will make the sight lines make far more sense with New Orleans Square, despite the weaker look of the mountain overall.

I’m frustrated that we’re losing Orlando’s, though. While Splash wasn’t ever the best fit for Frontierland, I feel Tiana’s is even worse, though they now seem to be making a mini-land with the Peco’s Bill retheme. An update rather than a replacement would’ve been far more appropriate for Orlando, though I understand that would go against their goal of ridding the parks of SOTS references.

My main frustration is losing the soundtrack (which is world class) and the name should’ve been “Bayou Falls” instead.

Once again, Disney World gets the short end of the stick and Disneyland Park could actually stand to improve in a big way from this project.

 

[BagOfGroceries]

I wasn’t onboard—in fact, I relentlessly opposed it—until I realized how much sense it makes in Anaheim after going there recently. Alongside the ride itself being weaker and having large room for improvement, and of course Merlin seeming to think they’re actual trying that I’ve changed my tune on this.

It should be easy to improve DL’s, and in my opinion, it will make the sight lines make far more sense with New Orleans Square, despite the weaker look of the mountain overall.

I’m frustrated that we’re losing Orlando’s, though. While Splash wasn’t ever the best fit for Frontierland, I feel Tiana’s is even worse, though they now seem to be making a mini-land with the Peco’s Bill retheme. An update rather than a replacement would’ve been far more appropriate for Orlando, though I understand that would go against their goal of ridding the parks of SOTS references.

My main frustration is losing the soundtrack (which is world class) and the name should’ve been “Bayou Falls” instead.

Once again, Disney World gets the short end of the stick and Disneyland Park could actually stand to improve in a big way from this project.

If I were Disney World, I would have revisited the Western River Exepedition project. See what you can make from Marc Davis’ concepts that works today. And since it’s a Marc Davis ride, that provides a good through line to reuse animatronics to keep costs down.

 

[RSoxNo1]

People waited crazy amounts of hours for FEA when it opened... It is popular. I did not agree with adding it to World Showcase, but it is cute and could use a little more going on in it's second level empty warehouse section lol but it is cute and very popular.

It's a decent ride about Frozen with a low capacity. It doesn't belong in the park that it's in. Frozen deserved better representation in WDW and EPCOT deserved to not have the thematic integrity of World Showcase compromised.

As for Tiana's thematic fit in WDW, my suggestion has been renaming Frontierland and possibly Liberty Square to "Riverfront Square". The name stems from a planned Disney park in St. Louis but it could call attention to the evolution of the United States along various bodies of water, most notably the Mississippi River.

 

[BrianLo]

Is it bad that I'm excited for this?

Not at all. It's still going to be an excellently robust flume with a perfect ride time for the thrill level, laden with animatronics and fun music. All with the hopefully reasonable execution including some 20th century impressive modern animatronics and most importantly much better sound and speaker systems.

If the nostalgia goggles are removed it will still likely be one of the very best attractions in the resort. It might even be better than the original ride, not that many will admit it.

 

[Henry Mystic]

If I were Disney World, I would have revisited the Western River Exepedition project. See what you can make from Marc Davis’ concepts that works today. And since it’s a Marc Davis ride, that provides a good through line to reuse animatronics to keep costs down.

I remember Jack at DSNY suggested that a while back. It actually would have been perfect, but alas here we are.