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

[LittleBuford]

Yeah, they even posted a poll where 70% said they had no problem tracking what was going on in the ride. This thread, incidentally, opened the day WDW Splash closed and details were starting to trickle out about TBA

Intelligibility of Splash Mountain's plot

I created this poll in response to a discussion taking place now over in the Splash Mountain thread. How much of the plot did you personally understand from the ride alone? The options I've provided seem to cover the full spectrum, but please let me know if you think I should add any. For those...

forums.wdwmagic.com

“They” is me; there’s no need to be evasive.

Contrary to the weird spin you’re trying to put on it, the poll was not intended to diminish Splash Mountain in order to make Tiana’s Bayou Adventure look better. I loved Splash Mountain and am by no means taking for granted that its replacement will be anywhere near as good. I’ve said as much dozens of times now, but some of you are intent on ignoring anything that doesn’t fit your either/or framing.

 

[dig311dug]

Tron's attraction page went live 205 days (6 months and 24 days) before it officially opened to the public.
So by that math, this unfortunate re-do of splash mountain will open ...

Thursday, August 15, 2024​

 

[Dranth]

Yeah, they even posted a poll where 70% said they had no problem tracking what was going on in the ride. This thread, incidentally, opened the day WDW Splash closed and details were starting to trickle out about TBA

Intelligibility of Splash Mountain's plot

I created this poll in response to a discussion taking place now over in the Splash Mountain thread. How much of the plot did you personally understand from the ride alone? The options I've provided seem to cover the full spectrum, but please let me know if you think I should add any. For those...

forums.wdwmagic.com

Wait, are you using a user generated poll posted on a self-selecting fan site as proof that the splash story was easy to follow? One that says under 50% of people who are big enough fans to go through all the effort to find this site, sign up, read the specific thread, and then bother to vote completely understood the ride?

Sure, I think most people who have been on it a few times could put together a very rough outline, but I doubt a majority got the full picture.

 

[tanc]

Tron's attraction page went live 205 days (6 months and 24 days) before it officially opened to the public.
So by that math, this unfortunate re-do of splash mountain will open ...

Thursday, August 15, 2024​

Summer does sound the most probable to be honest, just in time for a water ride. I'd say August or September is what my estimate would be.

 

[Andrew M]

According to concept art you are plunging into water with lilly pads and flowers, right? I feel like the concept of plunging into thorns and then water below made so much more sense. Sigh….

Unless you are somehow turned into a frog mid-ride? That would also explain away why there's a mountain in the middle of Louisiana..

 

[Casper Gutman]

You’re making some very strange assumptions here. What do you make of a poster like @Incomudro, who is one of those who found Splash Mountain narratively unclear yet did not want it rethemed?

Almost no one is particularly familiar with Disney’s Song of the South. I’ve seen it ONCE decades ago in an academic context.

Nevertheless, the “briar patch” story is very deeply engrained in American folklore and idioms. It’s something people pick up even without any experience of the film itself.

But… even for those guests unfamiliar with the story, the ride expertly deployed dialogue, music, and various techniques borrowed from cinema to tell its story. Context clues and basic narrative literacy should allow guests to understand the “briar patch” plot elements. Saying that the sound system was broken so the story was inexplicable reads as a dodge, because the important dialogue was generally loud and clear (key lines are engrained in my memory) and the visuals and music reinforced the narrative even if guests only rode once and missed a key line.

Honestly, this isn’t HM or Pirates, masterpieces with only a vague narrative. It’s not Little Mermaid, assuming guests know the story and presenting only disconnected highlights. Splash told a tight, brief story through the tools of the dark ride without relying on guests previous knowledge.

The source material may have meant Splash legitimately needed to go, but we can acknowledge and discuss why the attraction was historically problematic without pretending that, artistically and narratively, it was anything short of a masterpiece.

 

[Bocabear]

So Bre'r Rabbit was leaving his home for more excitement and was "Movin' along"...but not being in the briar patch exposed him to the danger of Bre'r Bear and Bre'r Fox... Bre'r Rabbit convinces them to throw him into the Briar Patch to "take care of him", not realizing that the Briar Patch was actually his home... Bre'r Rabbit gets away returning to the Briar Patch with a newfound appreciation for his home...
The story was pretty clear.... The Disneyland version seemed to convey it the best..... but they both told the same story

 

[Incomudro]

"Join Tiana and Louis on their journey, as they discover..."
Disney's words.
So, it seems that the ride we are going along on centers around Tiana and Louis.
I'm interested in seeing how this plays out.
I'm quite happy to see that Louis plays a big part of it.

 

[Brer Panther]

I thought Naveen was supposed to play a "humorous role" in the story.

 

[LittleBuford]

The source material may have meant Splash legitimately needed to go, but we can acknowledge and discuss why the attraction was historically problematic without pretending that, artistically and narratively, it was anything short of a masterpiece.

I think you know my posting style well enough by now to realise that this isn't my style at all. Multiple people (including those against the retheme) have indicated that they did not find the narrative clear in all its particulars. I see no reason to doubt them or accuse them of pretending anything.

(For my part, I'm unable to say how much of the story I would have understood from the ride alone, since I watched the film frequently as a child.)

 

[TP2000]

(For my part, I'm unable to say how much of the story I would have understood from the ride alone, since I watched the film frequently as a child.)

I've said this before, but... I was middle aged when Splash Mt. debuted at Disneyland in '89. I rode it several times at Disneyland during the Bush 1 administration, and I'd seen the movie as a youngster and was vaguely aware of the source material. But...

Until I rode the WDW version of Splash Mountain for the first time five years later, I had no idea that Splash Mountain had any sort of a plot. I really just thought it was a collage of songs and fun characters with a big drop and a riverboat musical finale'. The Disneyland version was a mess storywise, although it had more animatronics and an admittedly more thrilling ride experience sitting down inside an actual log vehicle instead of the bigger, taller boats they used at WDW that put you up higher above the waterline.

That said.... 40 inch height requirement for the Princess Tiana ride. Oof! According to Google, the average American girl doesn't reach 40 inches until after her 5th birthday. I assume there's a bunch of 4 year old girls who are going to ask to speak to the manager about this?

 

[Incomudro]

I thought Naveen was supposed to play a "humorous role" in the story.

I like that it's implied he's not much of the story at all.
Maybe we just meet him at the end?

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

I like that it's implied he's not much of the story at all.
Maybe we just meet him at the end?

We definitely meet his brother, playing an authentic drum!

 

[Casper Gutman]

I think you know my posting style well enough by now to realise that this isn't my style at all. Multiple people (including those against the retheme) have indicated that they did not find the narrative clear in all its particulars. I see no reason to doubt them or accuse them of pretending anything.

(For my part, I'm unable to say how much of the story I would have understood from the ride alone, since I watched the film frequently as a child.)

I did not mean to cast aspersions on your intentions. I apologize.

I think there is a natural impulse to try and convince ourselves that what has been lost wasn’t that good in the first place (just as there is a competing impulse to forget the flaws of what has been lost). I would argue that, viewed objectively, Splash did dark ride storytelling as well as it has ever been done. That doesn’t mean every rider would grasp the story. Some viewers will be confused by the narrative of Casablanca, and while those views aren’t illegitimate, it’s fair to question whether that’s a failing of the film itself.

I’m genuinely surprised you saw the film frequently when you were young. I was an avid consumer of Disney content as a child and Song was simply not readily available. If you don’t mind me asking, did you view it in Britain? Was it more available there?

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

I like that it's implied he's not much of the story at all.
Maybe we just meet him at the end?

He's been seen in the render of the finale as well as that other piece of art of him in the small boat with Tiana. So odds are high he'll appear at least twice.

 

[LittleBuford]

I did not mean to cast aspersions on your intentions. I apologize.

Thanks, and no worries!

I think there is a natural impulse to try and convince ourselves that what has been lost wasn’t that good in the first place (just as there is a competing impulse to forget the flaws of what has been lost). I would argue that, viewed objectively, Splash did dark ride storytelling as well as it has ever been done.

As far as I can tell, those who have indicated that they found Splash Mountain narratively unclear cut across both “sides” of the debate; it’s not an idea being pushed by pro-rethemers. Nor do I think that those who feel this way would necessarily disagree with your contention that Splash Mountain was a masterpiece of dark-ride storytelling. One could still follow and enjoy the basic plot without understanding every aspect of it.

I’m genuinely surprised you saw the film frequently when you were young. I was an avid consumer of Disney content as a child and Song was simply not readily available. If you don’t mind me asking, did you view it in Britain? Was it more available there?

It was widely available on VHS in the UK during my childhood. I owned a copy and watched it quite a lot, mainly for the animated sequences. I had no idea at the time that the film was essentially banned in the US.

 

[Incomudro]

He's been seen in the render of the finale as well as that other piece of art of him in the small boat with Tiana. So odds are high he'll appear at least twice.

Yes, I've seen that and expect it.
Just like the idea that he's not along for the journey.
No offense against the guy, but I'd rather the ride be Tiana and Louis, than Tiana and him.

 

[pigglewiggle]

Unsure how some seem so offended that I didn't really follow the Brer Rabbit story but what can I say, it's what it was. I've probably been on the ride 4 times total and didn't think about it after.
I more than likely wouldn't understand the Tiana story either if Disney wasn't talking about it now.

Also I have no feelings one way or the other about the redo, so it's certainly not playing some nefarious role in my ability (or inability) to understand the Splash story. (and yes, the audio sounded garbled to me, perhaps my hearing)

 

[Brer Panther]

No offense against the guy, but I'd rather the ride be Tiana and Louis, than Tiana and him.

I'm glad Louis will have a big role. I like Louis.

Hopefully the storyline doesn't rob him of his dignity like the original "dur hurr he can't find his trumpet, isn't he stupid" plot.

 

[Incomudro]

I'm glad Louis will have a big role. I like Louis.

Hopefully the storyline doesn't rob him of his dignity like the original "dur hurr he can't find his trumpet, isn't he stupid" plot.

A large presence of Louis should allow the Imaginears a better opportunity to make the ride fun, and to incorporate music.