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

[Henry Mystic]

I’m reserving full judgement until I ride it.

But man, just every creative decision for this ride is just baffling and looks soulless. I was genuinely getting excited recently, so maybe my expectations were just too high, but it does give more Frozen: Ever After than Frozen Journey in its presentation. “Look at this” “Yay”

Also, I don’t feel like the Tiana AA looks like her at all, despite them all being impressive AAs. It’s all the more peculiar given the others look highly representative of their movie equivalents.

I genuinely feel if they kept true to OG Splash and followed Princess and the Frog’s plot, or at least had a wrong turn to include “Friends on the Other Side,” there’s no reason it couldn’t be better than Splash if the fantastic technology here was just put to better use.

I actually like PATF, a lot. It’s not a top Disney movie for me, but it absolutely is a good IP for an attraction like this. It is probably one of the better IPs Disney has for a log flume in general.

It just looks like they tried to reinvent the wheel for no reason.

I’d wager if Orlando’s Splash was updated, it would be a 10/10. As it was, it definitely was not but the execution of the original genuinely was. There’s no reason a retheme to a movie like PATF with amazing music couldn’t replicate the vibes of the original.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

I genuinely feel if they kept true to OG Splash and followed the film’s plot, there’s no reason it couldn’t be better than Splash if the fantastic technology was just out to better use.

They tried to reinvent the wheel for no reason.

I know this is wading into controversial territory, but...

I agree that this could have worked a lot better if they had of basically listened to Tony Baxter's description of how the plot of the original Splash worked to build up and relieve tension and then designed a PatF story with the same story beats. One of the reasons I think they did not do this is because they wanted this to be a much lighter attraction specifically to appeal to PatF's younger fans.

I know a lot of people will disagree with me, but I really feel that the big drop was more an obstacle or challenge for the designers of this ride rather than a feature because there is no way you would design a PatF-themed attraction from scratch that had such a big thrill element with the potential to scare younger children.

 

[ToTBellHop]

When I first heard the story, I didn’t actually mind the “find band members” portion since the start of Splash was also pretty light-hearted. What I don’t get is the whole, “we will shrink you down for 90 seconds and then make you big again.” It is so forced and also doesn’t make much sense following a movie where it actually wasn’t that simple to get a small thing big again. Apparently Mama Odie can just do that?

When I was told the story, I wondered aloud why they wouldn’t just have the story be:

1) help Tiana find members of her band (cute critters and fireflies)
2) boat accidentally transported into The Other Side during the double dip (keep the fun vortex effect they made)
3) replace Laughing Place with Friends from the Other Side
4) have that impressive Mama Odie AA pull guests out of The Other Side with that same vortex effect from the double dip used on the lift hill
5) end at the party you found the critters for

The “shrink for 90 seconds” portion is supposed to create some drama leading to a climax but 90 seconds isn’t enough time for that. They should have just used the demons from the film since the drama is baked in there. They don’t even need Facilier if they insist he’s dead even though they seemingly kept vocals from the very dead Ray in the ride.

 

[Surferboy567]

2) boat accidentally transported into The Other Side during the double dip (keep the fun vortex effect they made)
3) replace Laughing Place with Friends from the Other Side
4) have that impressive Mama Odie AA pull guests out of The Other Side with that same vortex effect from the double dip used on the lift hill
5) end at the party you found the critters for

They should have just used the demons from the film since the drama is baked in there. They don’t even need Facilier if they insist he’s dead even though they seemingly kept vocals from the very dead Ray in the ride.

This would of worked a lot better. It’s such an obvious choice I’m surprised they didn’t go for it. The only reasonable explanation is they didn’t want to offend anyone and we scared Voodoo would do that.

It’s a real shame we had to go for the safe story since no one could possibly be offended by the story we got.

 

[Henry Mystic]

When I first heard the story, I didn’t actually mind the “find band members” portion since the start of Splash was also pretty light-hearted. What I don’t get is the whole, “we will shrink you down for 90 seconds and then make you big again.” It is so forced and also doesn’t make much sense following a movie where it actually wasn’t that simple to get a small thing big again. Apparently Mama Odie can just do that?

When I was told the story, I wondered aloud why they wouldn’t just have the story be:

1) help Tiana find members of her band (cute critters and fireflies)
2) boat accidentally transported into The Other Side during the double dip (keep the fun vortex effect they made)
3) replace Laughing Place with Friends from the Other Side
4) have that impressive Mama Odie AA pull guests out of The Other Side with that same vortex effect from the double dip used on the lift hill
5) end at the party you found the critters for

The “shrink for 90 seconds” portion is supposed to create some drama leading to a climax but 90 seconds isn’t enough time for that. They should have just used the demons from the film since the drama is baked in there. They don’t even need Facilier if they insist he’s dead even though they seemingly kept vocals from the very dead Ray in the ride.

My thoughts exactly. It would just feel so natural. The way it is now feels so forced.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Going back though old posts. This was very prescient.

100%…

Since when has this management EVER been quiet on something they could try to pump for cheap publicity/cash?

That was the canary in this salt mine

 

[enchantedteacup2]

what is up with that ugly wall with painted foods. what a way to cheap out on some proper theming there.

they commissioned several local new orleans artists for both the art and music-i think that was a mistake because they don’t really get that magic imagineering-you can incorporate local but it has to have edits https://travelnoire.com/a-love-lett...into-local-artists-for-tianas-bayou-adventure

A sneak peek at Disney World's New Orleans-inspired Tiana ride: murals, music and magic

ORLANDO, Florida — “Almost there.”

www.nola.com

this all feels like inclusion gone wrong because i love the addition of local flavor but….it just isn’t necessarily jazz age new orleans. and the artist i feel missed the mark.

they also traveled to new orleans for the food and mamma odes hot sauce is based on the recipe of a famous local restaurant-idk

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I remember being told multiple times on here that 'No matter what, it's the same long flume so it will be good because the log flume is what matters, not the theme'

I'd think this is exhibit A on how much the theme, music, set design contribute to making the attraction good- the ride system is only one part of a bigger picture.

That was foolish all along.

It’s like saying tower was essentially the same as the demon drop at cedar point…

Splash was WDI. There are ride systems that creates a mystique for Disney far beyond the 5-10 minutes someone spent on it on a given day…the “how did they come up with this?” Places.

Splash is one of those. I’d argue the best. And it was not about the thrill parts. Quintessential Disney is splash. Haunted mansion…pirates…20K and the Matterhorn…horizons…tower…kilamanjaro…

Nobody else would ever try it because there’s no point.

They just took one out that never needed to be touched. It’s a ridiculous unforced error.

Just another in a long list of failed management ideas from a group that tells their investors they get to tell the customers what they want instead of studying what they want.

The list is getting long and distinguished.

 

[docnabox]

It has been a long time since I have posted on this site and it is is good to be back. After having watched the ride video, I wanted to log on here and see what people were saying. Good to know that I am not the only one that is underwhelmed. They had to know with all the controversy behind closing Splash, this retheme would be heavily scrutinized and would be considered a failure by many if it did not live up to or surpass what it was replacing. IMO, they not only did not live up to it, they failed miserably for the reasons shared by so many already. The comments on Youtube are brutal.

Maybe it is because I had been reading some political news before I watched the video but the entire time I was watchig it, there was one exchange in a political debate that kept running through my head.

To paraphrase Lloyd Benson responding to Dan Quayle in a Vice Presidential debate all those years ago: Sir, I knew Splash Mountain, Splash Mountain was a friend of mine. Sir, you are no Splash Mountain.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I understand the reasoning for people hating on Song of the South because of some of its writing. It also kind of saddens me that at the same time people hate on it they are literally erasing the legacy of the actor that play Remus. Movies in that era had lots of issues when it came to race but in my opinion deleting them completely from history is not the right choice. When it comes to Song of the South people either forget or do not realize that it was the first time in history that an African America actor, the brilliant James Baskett was the first African American actor to be recognised for his work and given an Honorary Oscar. by basically deleting from history Disney and those against the movie have at the same time erased his accomplishment.

This

Couldn’t agree more. A bold company doesn’t deny history…they use it as a learning tool. You don’t treat your audience like innocent fools…you make them think.

All companies have begun to mine the past for current grievances…to their economic detriment…Disney is becoming the poster child of how to really fail at this.

It’s either they can no long read their own data?…or they’re tired of caring about it?

 

[Communicora]

As DisTwitter has been saying today: AAs don’t make up for lack of story.

And all they have the Tiana AAs do is gesticulate and greet us. Why waste all of that budget and technology on that? Surely they could have figured out something for her to do other than just standing there waiting for us to ride by.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

.

To paraphrase Lloyd Benson responding to Dan Quayle in a Vice Presidential debate all those years ago: Sir, I knew Splash Mountain, Splash Mountain was a friend of mine. Sir, you are no Splash Mountain.

Still maybe the greatest debate line ever

 

[Joel]

It's funny how every story idea that's been tossed around here, going all the way back to when this was first announced, is better than what we ended up with. Reminds me of that William F. Buckley quote: "I would rather the parks be governed by the first 2,000 people in the WDWMAGIC user directory than by..." or however it goes.

 

[Surferboy567]

Daytime POV

 

[LindseyDisney]

I'm avoiding visual spoilers until my September trip. But with that said, knowing the story, I am disappointed Disney didn't do a retelling of Princess and the Frog—something similar to Frozen.

Or! Imagine the Shadow Man, a formidable villain, returning from the Shadow realm with a vengeance. He's determined to disrupt the joyous party of the Princess and the Frog crew and scare her new friends (us).

Alternatively, consider relocating the Princess and the Frog Ride from the Magic Kingdom to Epcot, adjacent to The Land Ride. This could be a fantastic opportunity to tie the Princess and the Frog ride with The Land, aligning with Disney's goal of incorporating more IP into Epcot and introducing a new attraction. This could be a dark boat ride, but keep it to the same story.

But not having the Shadow Man and Prince Naveen missing (Is this true? Naveen is missing?) Seems like a wasted, wasted opportunity for Disney.

This doesn't relate. But I was born in 1991 and have been visiting Disney since the 1990s. Only in 2015 or 2016 did I realize Splash Mountain was based on a Disney movie. I thought it was an original. I feel dumb.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It's funny how every story idea that's been tossed around here, going all the way back to when this was first announced, is better than what we ended up with. Reminds me of that William F. Buckley quote: "I would rather the parks be governed by the first 2,000 people in the WDWMAGIC user directory than by..." or however it goes.

TWDC not listening to their fans is the biggest reason for all the struggles they’re having

They don’t want to believe it…and that…is why they’re failing

 

[mf1972]

Imagineering taking a well deserved victory lap.

this made me think about how i always hoped they would give carousel of progress some tlc, but after watching this, now i hope they leave it alone.

 

[FettFan]

But not having the Shadow Man and Prince Naveen missing (Is this true? Naveen is missing?) Seems like a wasted, wasted opportunity for Disney.

I’m sure they have him in the finale scene somewhere. Even the much-ballyhooed Ralphie The Drummer animatronic is kind of blink-and-you-miss-him.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

But not having the Shadow Man and Prince Naveen missing (Is this true? Naveen is missing?) Seems like a wasted, wasted opportunity for Disney.

Naveen is only in the finale, he is otherwise entirely absent from the ride. At least WDW's version.

He was present in a piece of art for the version at Disneyland, a unique scene with him and Tiana (with her holding a lantern) in a boat. This was not built at WDW however. It remains to be seen whether Disneyland will have any significant differences in their version of the ride. A while back, it was stated by Splash Mountain Archives (who has been a very reputable source of info for this project) that this piece of art would be located in the former Laughing Place flooded cavern at Disneyland. Reason being that there was already an existing boat prop there occupied by a figure of a dog, so they wanted to reuse the boat for a new scene.

However, i'm unsure whether this is still the plan currently. WDW's version did something extremely different with this entire underground area. Choosing to have guests shrunken down to the size of small critters and have gigantic scenery, frogs and fireflies. If they replicate this same scene at Disneyland, then it would not make any sense for this scene with Tiana and Naveen to be down there anymore.

 

[Clamman73]

In Splash, you get that "uh-oh" feeling going up the lift hill, with this it seems like you get an "oh ok" feeling.