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

Tha Realest

Well-Known Member
Tony Baxter always said he made his attractions for the 20th plus ride, not just the first. Unfortunately, TBA gives off a "one and done."

Which, again, is a shame.
That’s unfair.

There’s always the chance the next time you ride something that wasn’t working will be fixed*, and something else entirely will no longer be working.

*lol jk
 

EagleScout610

These cats can PLAAAAAYYYYY
Premium Member
Something I just thought of for TBA - The choice to not make the finale set at Tiana's Palace makes no sense to me. They talk about it in the queue and everything's "Party at Tiana's place!" Instead we're not at Tianas like said 8 million times, but Tianas restaurant is shoved into the background where Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear were with Br’er Gator.
Screenshot_20240822_191850_YouTube.jpg

Screenshot_20240822_191842_YouTube.jpg
 

Jedi14

Well-Known Member
Something I just thought of for TBA - The choice to not make the finale set at Tiana's Palace makes no sense to me. They talk about it in the queue and everything's "Party at Tiana's place!" Instead we're not at Tianas like said 8 million times, but Tianas restaurant is shoved into the background where Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear were with Br’er Gator.
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The finale is set at Fleur de Bayou, which they say is Tiana and Naveen’s house. That’s what it meant on the chalkboard in the queue and on the radio when it says the party is at her place. Tiana’s Palace is the restaurant.
 

seabreezept813

Well-Known Member
Another thought I had is that with Splash I felt real joy (probably the ending and iconic song). And my kids still won’t ride this (6 and 3 because of the big drop) but I didn’t get the vibe that when they do I’ll feel that joy with them. And we feel it on plenty of MK rides—small world, Peter Pan, etc but Tiana’s didn’t give that vibe to me. We’ll see how lasting the ride feels over time but you don’t get that initial oh this is a slam dunk feeling like we’ve had with other new rides like Flight of Pasaage or Mickey’s Runaway Railroad.
 

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
I wonder if they more or less pushed Tony Baxter out the door or if he saw the writing on the wall and bailed? He could have really helped. I’ve heard a lot of his stories and I just have to imagine that he would have helped guide a few things in the right direction that would have made a big difference. He made a lot of big practical decisions on old projects that the newer imagineers seem to be dropping the ball on. A couple things I think he would have done:

1. Fight for more of the old AAs to stick around and/or spread the budget out better for the new AA’s figures. Maybe instead of 10 state of the art AAs and a bunch of figures that rock back n forth, only 4-5 really advanced ones with more of the budget to go towards actual supplementary AAs (not figures) that help fill out the show scenes. In addition, the placement of those lower quality figures or supplementary AAs staging would have been 10x better.

2. From everything I’ve heard Tony say about the development of Splash there is no way he would have “allowed” the attraction to not have any drama on the final lifthill. Even with no Facilier he would have found or suggested a clever way to incorporate that element into the attraction.

There’s so much more I’m sure but there are two big things I think he would I have seen through. I can’t blame Tony if he walked away from this project but I think he really could have helped. With that said we don’t really know if he walked away or was “pushed out.” Maybe a little of both.
 
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Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
I wonder if they more or less pushed Tony Baxter out the door or if he saw the writing on the wall and bailed? He could have really helped. I’ve heard a lot of his stories and I just have to imagine that he would have helped guide a few things in the right direction that would have made a big difference. He made a lot of big practical decisions on old projects that the newer imagineers seem to be dropping the ball on. A couple things I think he would have done:

1. Fight for more of the old AAs to stick around and/or spread the budget out better for the new AA’s figures. Maybe instead of 10 state of the art AAs and a bunch of figures that rock back n forth, only 4-5 really advanced ones with more of the budget to go towards actual supplementary AAs (not figures) that help fill out the show scenes. In addition, the placement of those lower quality figures or supplementary AAs staging would have been 10x better.

2. From everything I’ve heard Tony say about the development of Splash there is no way he would have “allowed” the attraction to not have any drama on the final lifthill. Even with no Facilier he would have found or suggested a clever way to incorporate that element into the attraction.

There’s so much more I’m sure but there are two big things I think he would I have seen through. I can’t blame Tony if he walked away from this project but I think he really could have helped. With that said we don’t really know if he walked away or was “pushed out.” Maybe a little of both.

He has been in an advisory role since he ‘retired’ from WDI back in 2013.
Although he is still active and contributes to WDI, being in an advisory role means he can offer suggestions and insights to those working on a project if asked.

Wether or not those working on said projects choose to listen to his advice is another matter.

One can give the most wonderful insights and advice you could imagine, but if people choose not to listen …well….it is their loss.
And ours, as well, in the end.

-
 

seabreezept813

Well-Known Member
He has been in an advisory role since he ‘retired’ from WDI back in 2013.
Although he is still active and contributes to WDI, being in an advisory role means he can offer suggestions and insights to those working on a project if asked.

Wether or not those working on said projects choose to listen to his advice is another matter.

One can give the most wonderful insights and advice you could imagine, but if people choose not to listen …well….it is their loss.
And ours, as well, in the end.

-
I think the biggest thing they didn’t take from Tony is the depth in scenes. Riding Small World (not a Tony ride per say, but a classic) I pointed out to my family how much there was to look at compared to Tiana’s. I think the newest imagineers are good at complex AAs but haven’t produced anything with enough to look at (Mickeys Railway maybe being an exception).
 

Casper Gutman

Well-Known Member
I think the biggest thing they didn’t take from Tony is the depth in scenes. Riding Small World (not a Tony ride per say, but a classic) I pointed out to my family how much there was to look at compared to Tiana’s. I think the newest imagineers are good at complex AAs but haven’t produced anything with enough to look at (Mickeys Railway maybe being an exception).
Yup. Modern Imagineering cannot construct scenes. It's a huge, very obvious failing.

I am so sick of preview videos showing off the latest flailing AA that will stand in an empty room and gesture at guests.
 

Tha Realest

Well-Known Member
The lack of tension on the lift hill is the biggest flaw of the ride. It makes what should be the most exciting part the most boring.
The entire attraction - the approach, the early peeks at the drop as you circle it, the mini drops that foreshadow the big one - is a masterclass in pacing and building anticipation towards that moment.

There are many problems with this new attraction, but one of the largest is its fundamental lack of appreciation for what the whole ride is built around, and towards.
 

TheMaxRebo

Well-Known Member
Finally got to see it in person, rode it twice last week

Overall we really enjoyed it. It is fun, and yes a simplistic story and I would have changed it up a bit (even just better explaining a reason why you, the rider was going into the Bayou - maybe the originally scheduled band had to cancel past minute and you need to tell Tiana and Louise they need to find a replacement and fast!)

Other than one Tiana and one Madam Odie figure not not having their mouths move, everything was working. Have to say, when the timing is on it is a great effect to have the characters turn to you and start talking to you, etc.

I do think there are spots that would benefit from having some more figure - even just simple movement ones - just to give something else to look at/for rather then feeling of waiting for the next scene to come.

My 10 yo daughter said she prefers this version, my 12 yo son said he prefers Splash but does recognize these animatrons are much better

Will be interesting to see how it all looks and feels when the update to Frontierland is complete
 

easyrowrdw

Well-Known Member
I think the biggest thing they didn’t take from Tony is the depth in scenes. Riding Small World (not a Tony ride per say, but a classic) I pointed out to my family how much there was to look at compared to Tiana’s. I think the newest imagineers are good at complex AAs but haven’t produced anything with enough to look at (Mickeys Railway maybe being an exception).
I think that’s a really good point. Although I feel like Runaway Railway is a lot to look at but not for much reason. It’s just random scenes of chaos and, for even less reason, dancing.
 

DisneyGentlemanV2.0

Well-Known Member
Yup. Modern Imagineering cannot construct scenes. It's a huge, very obvious failing.

I am so sick of preview videos showing off the "latest flailing AA" that will stand in an empty room and gesture at guest
Perfect description. They flail to show-off the technology, by not to advance the story. One could only imagine them in some of the classic rides...

Beware of hitch-flailing ghosts!
 

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