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

[ToTBellHop]

That's Lari! An important part of the attraction, this armadillo necessitated his very own blog post!

Who is Lari the Armadillo? | Disney Parks Blog

You’ve seen him on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and he’s seen you, too. Learn more about Lari the Armadillo and his love of umbrellas and beignets.

disneyparksblog.com

My goodness WDI is lost.

I feel dumber for having read an article where an Imagineer suggests they could only include an animal that they actually saw during a bayou research trip. What complete nonsense. It’s a ride with animals that can sing, speak, and play musical instruments set in one of Louisiana’s world-renowned mountains. Not a National Geographic special. I would have rather they canceled one of their Lewis and Clark-esque expeditions and installed Laris that could at least twitch their tails or wink at us. We can just trust Wikipedia if they tell us armadillos live there.

While the advanced AAs are certainly among WDIs best, other figures are less impressive than what we find on Jungle Cruise. The dichotomies on display on this attraction made for an overwhelming sense of disappointment for me. It was “fine” but it replaced one of WDIs crowning achievements. As a novel build at DHS, I’d probably like it much more.

 

[SuddenStorm]

While the advanced AAs are certainly among WDIs best

I disagree here. I don't care how advanced something is, if it doesn't reliably work for the 15 hours a day it's supposed to, it isn't good.

Advances in animatronic technology should have led to these things being more reliable and easier to maintain than the old ones. It seems that isn't the case.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I disagree here. I don't care how advanced something is, if it doesn't reliably work for the 15 hours a day it's supposed to, it isn't good.

Advances in animatronic technology should have led to these things being more reliable and easier to maintain than the old ones. It seems that isn't the case.

That’s fair. This ride’s overall reliability is unacceptable.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

While I can't speak from insider knowledge, I would guess a fair bit of ego, hubris and "megacorp" separation is also lurking within the causes of this troublesome mechanical (and artistic/storytelling) situation.

100%. Walt used to walk the park very frequently. Eisner would also walk the parks frequently. None of today’s leadership team is ever seen just casually enjoying the parks or walking around. They’re so separated from the experience they can’t be the check on quality that they need to be.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Do we know if the issue is with the audioanimatronics, the sensors, or both? My understanding of the initial leaks about the ride's problems is that the censors were not dealing well with the humidity and, as the AAs are supposed to be activated by the censors, that also resulted in dead AAs.

Does anyone know if that is close to what's happening here or whether it is more that they just can't keep the AAs in working order?

 

[Epcot81Fan]

100%. Walt used to walk the park very frequently. Eisner would also walk the parks frequently. None of today’s leadership team is ever seen just casually enjoying the parks or walking around. They’re so separated from the experience they can’t be the check on quality that they need to be.

You’re proceeding from the false assumption that quality was ever a goal here.

From the particular theme chosen, to the specific Imagineers placed on point, to the endless lecturing about “authenticity” along the way, “quality” was never the goal.

What we eventually got was a perfect (if unintentional) monument to their misguided intent.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

If you had ever sat through a corporate DEI presentation all of your questions would be answered.

You’re proceeding from the false assumption that quality was ever a goal here.

From the particular theme chosen, to the specific Imagineers placed on point, to the endless lecturing about “authenticity” along the way, “quality” was never the goal.

What we eventually got was a perfect (if unintentional) monument to their misguided intent.

Ugh, do we really need these kinds of ugly political talking points here?

 

[SuddenStorm]

You’re proceeding from the false assumption that quality was ever a goal here.

From the particular theme chosen, to the specific Imagineers placed on point, to the endless lecturing about “authenticity” along the way, “quality” was never the goal.

What we eventually got was a perfect (if unintentional) monument to their misguided intent.

What we got is what happens when these designers get some misguided idea that their work has meaning beyond entertainment. They spent so much time trying to make this important and groundbreaking that they forgot to make it fun.

I do believe themed entertainment as a form of escapism is valid art and important. And that a level of authenticity is important to make that happen. But these people went off the rails.

 

[bwr827]

Do we know if the issue is with the audioanimatronics, the censors, or both? My understanding of the initial leaks about the ride's problems is that the censors were not dealing well with the humidity and, as the AAs are supposed to be activated by the censors, that also resulted in dead AAs.

Censors is an apropos typo.

 

[EagleScout610]

Disneyland is where he will be.

Tony almost always gets to experience something new at Disneyland on it’s Opening Day, if not beforehand.
Kind of a tradition.
So I am sure he will be there to experience ‘Tiana’s Bayou Misadventure’ when it opens later this year in California.

He was there all day and into the evening on the final day of operation for his original version of ‘Splash Mountain’.
-

God I hope Tony isn't first to ride. Knowing they took his creation and butchered it would probably devastate him, and people already have him nearly crying on closing night.

 

[EagleScout610]

That's Lari! An important part of the attraction, this armadillo necessitated his very own blog post!

Who is Lari the Armadillo? | Disney Parks Blog

You’ve seen him on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and he’s seen you, too. Learn more about Lari the Armadillo and his love of umbrellas and beignets.

disneyparksblog.com

My goodness WDI is lost.

 

[Tha Realest]

That's Lari! An important part of the attraction, this armadillo necessitated his very own blog post!

Who is Lari the Armadillo? | Disney Parks Blog

You’ve seen him on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and he’s seen you, too. Learn more about Lari the Armadillo and his love of umbrellas and beignets.

disneyparksblog.com

My goodness WDI is lost.

Come on! You dont like Lari? Who doesn’t love Lari? That completely fun character that just organically developed a deep following and isn’t just a cynical transparent attempt to brute force some whimsy into the attraction

 

[Epcot81Fan]

Come on! You dont like Lari? Who doesn’t love Lari? That completely fun character that just organically developed a deep following and isn’t just a cynical transparent attempt to brute force some whimsy into the attraction

Exactly.

This entire retheme is so objectively terrible and cringeworthy it almost makes you think we are part of an epic con and are being punked.

 

[SuddenStorm]

View attachment 806844

Could you imagine if WDI had the gall to market each individual character from Splash? Here's Gary the Goose. A relaxed yet refined fellow, Gary can often be seen enjoying an authentically southern beverage. Gary likes instrumental blue grass, or jazz music and long walks on the beach.

 

[mickEblu]

Could you imagine if WDI had the gall to market each individual character from Splash? Here's Gary the Goose. A relaxed yet refined fellow, Gary can often be seen enjoying an authentically southern beverage. Gary likes instrumental blue grass, or jazz music and long walks on the beach.

View attachment 806845

Man, these characters are just so much better designed. Look at that face and the feathers on his neck. Why does Louis the the Alligator looks like he's wearing a fuzzy suit?

 

[SuddenStorm]

Exactly.

This entire retheme is so objectively terrible and cringeworthy it almost makes you think we are part of an epic con and are being punked.

For me, it's almost created this massive sense of denial. I've been to Disneyland twice since it's closed- and it doesn't feel real. Because what they're doing is so dang terrible and the new façade is so bland.

In my mind, I'll be able to go back and ride Splash. But we can't. It's gone. And they've replaced it with Lari the Armadillo and an employee owned food cooperative that operates out of a salt mine. It's hard to believe that the same company that delivered Splash, Indiana Jones Adventure, Star Tours, Big Thunder, Pirates, Mansion could defile a classic and replace it with this nonsense.

This whole thing is baffling.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Man, these characters are just so much better designed. Look at that face and the feathers on his neck. Why does Louis the the Alligator looks like he's wearing a fur suit?

Splash had the perfect blend of Gen1 DNA- this is a Davis designed character, and didn't Gibson do the animatronic sculpts?

And Gen2 DNA since the project was developed by the second generation of Imagineering.

I've made this point before but when you listen to Baxter or Gordon talk about Splash Mountain or Disneyland in general- there's this huge sense of love for the brand and what Disneyland represents. They genuinely wanted to improve the park and create something wonderful.

I don't get that sense when I listen to Charita talk about Tiana. It doesn't strike me as wanting to improve Disneyland, it strikes me as trying to further a cause. And the end result is telling.

 

[Epcot81Fan]

For me, it's almost created this massive sense of denial. I've been to Disneyland twice since it's closed- and it doesn't feel real. Because what they're doing is so dang terrible and the new façade is so bland.

In my mind, I'll be able to go back and ride Splash. But we can't. It's gone. And they've replaced it with Lari the Armadillo and an employee owned food cooperative that operates out of a salt mine. It's hard to believe that the same company that delivered Splash, Indiana Jones Adventure, Star Tours, Big Thunder, Pirates, Mansion could defile a classic and replace it with this nonsense.

This whole thing is baffling.

And at Disneyland it is even worse because we actually know what is coming so there is absolutely no (misguided) anticipation and hope like they had at WDW.

This is like your favorite movie theater closing for a year, but knowing when it opens in six more months all they are going to be showing is “G-Force”, the Disney hamster spy movie (which outgrossed PATF at the box office in 2009, BTW).

 

[mickEblu]

And at Disneyland it is even worse because we actually know what is coming so there is absolutely no (misguided) anticipation and hope like they had at WDW.

This is like your favorite movie theater closing for a year, but knowing when it opens in six more months all they are going to be showing is “G-Force”, the Disney hamster spy movie (which outgrossed PATF at the box office in 2009, BTW).

It is worse because for them not to make any improvements after seeing the response to the version at MK reeks of arrogance and denial. There are a few huge improvements they can make that would cost so little that most of us here have enough money to make the changes.

 

[SuddenStorm]

And at Disneyland it is even worse because we actually know what is coming so there is absolutely no (misguided) anticipation and hope like they had at WDW.

Yep, I don't envy Disneyland's marketing department. I wish I could hear the conversations going on in TDA over this... Or at least the conversations between Iger, D'amaro, and Potrock.

They know they have a dud. And they still have to finish it, market it, and hope it drives attendance as it was likely their 'big new thing' for Disneyland's 70th.

I also wish we could learn the merchandise sales, as that was often cited as a reason for this change.

This is like your favorite movie theater closing for a year, but knowing when it opens in six more months all they are going to be showing is “G-Force”, the Disney hamster spy movie (which outgrossed PATF at the box office in 2009, BTW).

PatF was considered a dud with limited appeal for 10 years until she became Disney's darling in 2020. Now Tiana has a healthy presence out in Anaheim- with a shop and restaurant in New Orleans. And Rey's Beret's, Salt Mountain, and the retheme of Pooh's Corner store to all be Tiana themed. Is that Disney Plus show still being developed? It's gonna have to be a smash hit to justify all of this.