Photo:Image Group LA/ABC via Getty
Image Group LA/ABC via Getty
Disney’s new rideTiana’s Bayou Adventureis bringing music and thrills.
The upcoming theme park attraction, based on the 2009 Disney animated filmThe Princess and the Frog, is slated to open next year and it already looks magical.
Plans for the ride were first announced in 2020as it was revealed that the ride would be replacing Splash Mountain, which officially closed earlier this year.
Not only will the ride feature many of the characters and other elements from the movie, it will also pay tribute to Tiana’s hometown of New Orleans, with fantastical bayou scenes and toe-tapping new tunes.
“In many ways, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is a love letter to New Orleans,” Executive Producer of Relevancy Activations Charita Carter previously said of the ride. “Like the musical city that inspired this attraction, Tiana’s second act is about a community working in harmony to achieve something extraordinary. She reminds us of an immutable truth we can all relate to: ‘If you do your best each and every day, good things are sure to come your way.’ And that’s a melody we can all sing along to!”
In February 2024, Disney announcedwhen the anticipated ride would officially openin its parks to celebrate the Mardi Gras season.
Here’s everything to know about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure ahead of its anticipated release.
Which Disney theme park will include Tiana’s Bayou Adventure?
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will replace Splash Mountain at both Disneyland in California and at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in Florida.
What is the story of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure?
Disney
According to a previous press release shared with PEOPLE, the ride’s storyline will pick up “after the final kiss, and join Princess Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure – featuring some of the powerful music from the film – as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance.”
In a special segment from the 40th Annual Disney Parks Christmas Parade, Disney Imagineers noted that one thing they paid particular attention to was making sure the ride was authentic to Tiana’s hometown of New Orleans.
According to a previous press release, “Walt Disney Imagineers have been frequent travelers to Louisiana while conducting extensive research to ensure Tiana’s Bayou Adventure preserves the heart and soul of the city that inspired Princess Tiana’s story.”
“From exploring the French Market and the bayou, to consulting with academics, chefs, musicians and cultural institutions, Imagineers have received inspiration from all over the region and learned from local experts along the way,” Carmen Smith, Walt Disney’s Senior Vice President of Creative Development, said in a press release.
She added, “To be able to join New Orleans in the celebration of Black joy as we bring Tiana’s story to its roots is a full-circle moment I’m so proud to realize.”
Which characters will be featured in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure?
Which songs will be featured in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure?
Paying tribute to the culture of New Orleans, music will be an integral part of the ride. Not only will guests hear period music of New Orleans from the late ‘20s, but there will also be a handful of new songs created especially for the ride.
Trumpeter and pianist Terence Blanchard and musician and songwriter PJ Morton, who both hail from New Orleans, have been tapped to create music for the ride.
Blanchard has a long history withThe Princess and the Frog, having previously played all of the alligator Louis' trumpet parts and lent his voice to the role of Earl the bandleader in the riverboat band. Meanwhile, Morton is well-known for being the keyboardist for Maroon 5. He also released a studio album titledGumboin 2017, which earned him two Grammy Award nominations.
Why did Splash Mountain close?
Jeff Gritchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty
In June 2020,several petitions began garnering attention on the site Change.orgurging Disney to reimagine the theme of the log-flume ride. The ride was originally based on the 1946 Disney filmSong of the South, which has long been criticized for its problematic portrayal of the post-Civil War South and for depicting racist stereotypes.
How will Tiana’s Bayou Adventure be similar to Splash Mountain?
PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty
Though the ride will feature all new songs and characters, it will still include many familiar elements of Splash Mountain. In addition to remaining a log flume ride, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will also feature that classic water drop at the end.
When will Tiana’s Bayou Adventure open?
In February 2024, Disney announced that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will make its debut atWalt Disney WorldResort in Florida insummer 2024, before launching at Disneyland Park in California “later in 2024.”
source: people.com
