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

[LittleBuford]

Inherently difficult when Disney rethemes the ride.

Yes, it is difficult, but I don’t see what I stand to gain by measuring the new ride against the old. I’m choosing to move on rather than mourn what can’t be retrieved.

 

[celluloid]

Yes, it is difficult, but I don’t see what I stand to gain by measuring the new ride against the old. I’m choosing to move on rather than mourn what can’t be retrieved.

You can have an opinion without mourning.

To not compare is different than not mourning.

 

[LittleBuford]

You can have an opinion without mourning.

To not compare is different than not mourning.

I’m talking about what works for me, personally.

 

[DisneyHead123]

The only experience I had with that was during the recession way back in ‘08. I had been with the same architectural firm for 20+ years when I was laid off. Only profession I had ever been in.
Had to pay the bills, mortgage, etc., so I started working as many as 3 retail jobs at a time. First place I interviewed was at our local mall Disney Store (now defunct). Several months after I was hired, and had proved my work ethic, the SM confided in me a conversation she had with the DM right after she hired me.
The DM asked her “Why did you hire this old guy…?!” (I was mid 40’s at the time). She replied “Because he exhibited the 5 ‘Magical Qualities’ perfectly…!!!”…!!!!!
I ended up working there for 4+ years, with 1+ year in a Lead Manager position, along with the other one or two retail jobs I had.
I’ve now been back with the architectural firm for over 10 years, and no “Magical Qualities” were ever asked about, as my work speaks for itself…!!!

Maybe it’s better in STEM fields?

Honestly I’m terrible at it. I always feel like my coworkers think I’m a dud, because I just don’t have a knack for “sparkly language” when describing myself or what I’ve been working on.

 

[Brer Oswald]

I know, but I'm trying to think of this as a new ride rather than continually compare it to what was there before. The number of animatronics we currently know of is, in itself, quite generous.

It’s really really hard to treat this as a new attraction when it is reusing the same track, the same rooms, and allegedly even some of the same sets (since they’re all made of concrete).

I would never say it’s the “same ride” because it won’t be. But if you’ve been on the original a number of times like I have, I can’t imagine not immediately calling to mind the original scenes.

 

[EagleScout610]

Looks like the rumor Tiana was gonna be absorbed into Adventureland was false, at least for now.

 

[DCBaker]

A few photos from today - scaffolding has recently been added on top of the Mill House.

 

[Incomudro]

Yes, it is difficult, but I don’t see what I stand to gain by measuring the new ride against the old. I’m choosing to move on rather than mourn what can’t be retrieved.

How can you not measure a new ride against the old one?

 

[Incomudro]

The question is can you do that when you are actually riding? If you go from the old Splash finale ZADD scene with 30 AAs singing one of the great Disney songs of all time staged perfectly in a beautiful and whimsical setting to something like we saw on those renderings last week how can you not feel

Even if Tiana's turns out better than Splash, how can one not make the comparisons?

 

[LittleBuford]

How can you not measure a new ride against the old one?

Of course it's impossible not to, but one can at least try to assess the new ride primarily on its own merits, without always comparing it to what came before. I suppose I don't see what the alternative gains us.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

With an attraction replacing an existing one (doubly so when it still reuses a lot of elements from the original like this one), it's impossible to separate it and take it on its own merits. It will reasonably be compared to what came before it. Disney has no choice but to make something that no one can reasonably say is worse than what came before it. Otherwise they and the attraction they're building will have have failed. They must be held to their own prior high standards. Anything less is surrendering to lower quality standards.

 

[LittleBuford]

With an attraction replacing an existing one (doubly so when it still reuses a lot of elements from the original like this one), it's impossible to separate it and take it on its own merits. It will reasonably be compared to what came before it. Disney has no choice but to make something that no one can reasonably say is worse than what came before it. Otherwise they and the attraction they're building will have have failed. They must be held to their own prior high standards. Anything less is surrendering to lower quality standards.

I'm not saying it's unreasonable to compare it to what was there before. I'm saying that I, personally, am trying to the extent that I can not to think of it as a replacement, because this seems the healthiest, most productive way forward for me. Despite my best efforts, I will never be able to separate Tiana from Splash Mountain entirely in my assessment, but I am nonetheless going to do my level best to approach the ride as something new. Others should do whatever works best for them.

 

[mickEblu]

Even if Tiana's turns out better than Splash, how can one not make the comparisons?

It won’t but agree with the sentiment.

 

[Incomudro]

It won’t but agree with the sentiment.

I just used that position for arguments sake.

 

[lcielia]

Personally I don’t actually think it’s a big deal if it doesn’t turn out to be a better ride. Splash was lightning-in-a-bottle magic…if Tiana is anywhere near as good, then it will be a fantastic ride in its own right. And really…that is what matters.

 

[JoeCamel]

Personally I don’t actually think it’s a big deal if it doesn’t turn out to be a better ride. Splash was lightning-in-a-bottle magic…if Tiana is anywhere near as good, then it will be a fantastic ride in its own right. And really…that is what matters.

They (we) could of had both......

 

[Dear Prudence]

The big red flag for me is the sparse information on the actual ride itself. The interior show scenes have always been the real meat and potatoes of the experience that separates it from the vast majority of other log flumes. And we know so absurdly little about this. I don't know if it's because they want to keep it a surprise, or if there are quality concerns causing them to withhold information. Either way, the marketing has been bizarre and terrible, actually turning off a lot more people than had they just kept quiet until opening.

They need to start showing off actual ride content that people actually want to hear about. Stop the endless travel vlogs of the team visiting New Orleans and self aggrandizing over how incredible and talented they are. Or the never ending flood of backstory details that probably (hopefully) won't even be a factor for like 99% of the ride.

It's incredible for the things they actually seem to have money for.....

 

[Captain Neo]

It's just amazing to me how non-Disney parks somehow maintain all of their attractions immaculately with a micro fraction of both resources and brand recognition.

Disney is just embarrassingly lazy.

OLC also has no problem maintaining the attractions at Tokyo Disneyland but somehow the largest media company on earth can’t afford upkeep that they used to do up to the 1990s

 

[MagicHappens1971]

OLC also has no problem maintaining the attractions at Tokyo Disneyland but somehow the largest media company on earth can’t afford upkeep that they used to do up to the 1990s

Someone can correct me if I’m wrong, but OLC has no choice. I’m not saying they don’t want to, granted their never ending expansions & new offerings. However I believe per their licensing agreement with Disney, they have to maintain the parks to a certain standard, and from what I recall being said on here, it is the standard that Disney has for their parks at the time Tokyo Disney was built.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Someone can correct me if I’m wrong, but OLC has no choice. I’m not saying they don’t want to, granted their never ending expansions & new offerings. However I believe per their licensing agreement with Disney, they have to maintain the parks to a certain standard, and from what I recall being said on here, it is the standard that Disney has for their parks at the time Tokyo Disney was built.

Unless you have a reputable source, I don't buy it. I've never heard of such a thing. It wouldn't be easily enforceable either.

TDR opened 40 years ago. Few to no high level TWDC execs still there today were around back then. And they certainly don't care about park standards. The ones who did know and care are long gone or dead. No one is going to try to impose standards on Tokyo that they themselves long since abandoned and likely wouldn't even be able to properly quantify and make threats over. Just for one example, I doubt there are any board members (and probably an exceedingly tiny number of park managers, if any) who are aware of the proactive "replace lightbulbs that have reached 80% life expectancy" policy that was still in effect around that time. Something that was a written standard once adhered to, but hasn't been for a very very long time.

One aspect that likely aids in Tokyo's park maintenance to some degree is that they still have ample corporate sponsorships compared to the US parks. Though that isn't the full story as there are still a few sponsored rides left in America that are in just as bad of a shape as the sponsored stuff. There's also a variability of maintenance standards between different TWDC-owned parks as well. Cali's standards have dipped in recent years, but it's still far better than WDW. In recent years, Paris' standards also improved drastically during the 20th anniversary cleanup and have reportedly yet to decline much if at all since. Friends have said it's currently maintained better than either of the US parks.

While this isn't the case for every single Japanese company in existence, there are also significant cultural factors at play. There's on average a much greater drive for perfectionism in Japanese society than there is in America. Self improvement, dedication etc.