Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has been a highly controversial attraction since it was first announced in 2019. It’s opening date has officially been confirmed to be sometime this summer instead of the original fall 2024 date, but there are still some people who refuse to accept that the iconic Splash Mountain attraction is gone forever.
Splash Mountain was closed for good in January 2023 at Walt Disney World and May at Disneyland in California. The ride has also been controversial for several decades due to being based on the 1941 Disney film Song of the South, which has been entirely hidden by Disney for its racist themes and characters. Despite its origins, Splash Mountain was one of the most popular attractions at both Disney parks, and fans were outraged when its closure was announced.

Petitions were shared online to Save Splash Mountain and several people have been very outspoken about not supporting the change to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which will be the first attraction in the parks to feature The Princess and the Frog (2009). One such person is former Walt Disney Imagineer Jim Shull, who continues to work within the theme park industry via consulting work and interacting with fans on X (formerly Twitter).
He’s been outspoken with his opinions regarding Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and has previously shared some controversial opinions about Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Recently, he drew some ire from X users after criticizing the foliage surrounding the top of the attraction, stating that if the details weren’t secured properly, they “would be blown all the way to downtown Orlando during a storm.” The comment became the source of comments, questions, and jokes on theme park social media, with many puzzled at the comment from a former Imagineer.

He doubled down on those opinions earlier this week with another post on X. “Fantasy Springs coming to Tokyo Disney Seas is remarkable in the amount of artificial foliage used. Used also in New Fantasyland and Tatiana’s Bayou Adventure, Fantasy Springs will have to deal with the sun fade & rot that will occur. #TokyoDisneysea.” It’s likely that the Disney parks have decided to use artificial foliage because it will require less day-to-day upkeep and is overall cheaper to install than hundreds of feet of real greenery. While it may fade with sun and time, it’ll be easier to replace every few years than daily watering.
Fantasy Springs coming to Tokyo Disney Seas is remarkable in the amount of artificial foliage used. Used also in New Fantasyland and Tatiana’s Bayou Adventure, Fantasy Springs will have to deal with the sun fade & rot that will occur. #TokyoDisneysea pic.twitter.com/8DvvtiBLd1
— Jim Shull (@JimShull) February 28, 2024
Not only did he double down on complaints about more artificial foliage, but he also misspelled Tiana’s name when referring to the new attraction. This was quickly pointed out by several comments, with one even telling him to “put some respect on Tiana’s name.” Unfortunately even this wasn’t a one-off issue, as he consistently got her name wrong on a recent appearance on the Disney Dish Podcast. When discussing what the possible opening timeframe could be on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and whether or not the park would take the time to give the ride system an overall refurbishment, Shull seemed to be confused about what the correct name was, despite the host correctly using her name.

Despite the host consistently mentioning “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure,” Shull referred to it as “Tatiana,” later calling it “Ty-ana’s Bayou Adventure,” sounding uncertain of the pronunciation. Considering Shull spent 33 years as a Walt Disney Imagineer and still often posts about Disney history, park changes, and even hosts his own podcast, it’s not hard to think that he’s deliberately using the wrong name for Tiana. While it’s entirely possible that he just misheard and mistook her name, his disdain for the retheming of Splash Mountain is clear throughout his social media posts and other comments.
Hopefully, once Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens, the support and excitement from Princess and the Frog fans will be enough to finally put the Splash Mountain enthusiasts to rest, but after more than a year of loud protest, it seems unlikely. Shull either seems to enjoy creating discourse on his social media platform or is entirely unaware of the backlash his comments have received, but he clearly has some very strong opinions about the current state of the Disney parks despite no longer working for the Walt Disney Company.
What do you think of Jim Shull’s comments? Is he trying to stir the pot or is he just sharing his opinions online? Are you excited for the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!