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Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Canceled: Disney Releases Urgent Notice

in Disney Parks, Walt Disney World

Posted on by Alessia Dunn 75 Comments
A rollercoaster ride in a theme park is depicted, featuring a winding track through rocky terrain with lush greenery. An inset image shows colorful animatronic dinosaurs in a lively, decorated setting. The scene appears vibrant and engaging, perfect for fans of Tiana's Bayou Adventure.

Credit: @splasharchive (large photo)

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is officially done running for the day, and all previews for the attraction have been canceled.

A whimsical nighttime scene in Magic Kingdom's newest attraction features riders in a log flume approaching a lively animal band playing on a wooden dock. A woman in explorer attire stands smiling by a tree, and two green frogs sit on a lily pad in the water dotted with pink flowers.
Credit: Disney Parks Blog

This summer, on June 28, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is set to debut at Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom. Currently, the ride is undergoing cast member previews, with Annual Passholder previews beginning June 13.

When fans of Splash Mountain first learned that Br’er Rabbit would no longer be part of the attraction, many were heartbroken due to the ride’s nostalgic value since its inception in 1989. However, with Princess and the Frog replacing the racially insensitive Song of the South IP, fans eagerly anticipate significant upgrades, including advanced animatronics, new music, and an enhanced experience.

In the new Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, guests will explore the next chapter of Tiana’s story, which follows her success with Tiana’s Palace restaurant. Walt Disney Imagineering presents a captivating narrative of Tiana’s continued entrepreneurial journey, highlighting her latest venture, Tiana’s Foods.

This employee-owned cooperative combines Tiana’s culinary skills with the talents of her community, set within an old salt mine. With assistance from her mother, Eudora, along with Naveen, Louis, and other cooperative members, the previously dormant mine now flourishes as a garden providing fresh ingredients for Tiana’s recipes.

The image shows what Tiana's Bayou Adventure will look like at Magic Kingdom after the Splash Mountain retheme is complete.
Credit: Disney Parks

The site also features a working kitchen where Tiana and her team develop new products, including a variety of original hot sauces (hopefully leading to new food options in the area!).

During the Mardi Gras season, guests are invited to join the festive preparations. However, a mishap during the party setup leads to an interactive adventure as guests help Tiana find the missing ingredient for her celebration.

The ride will introduce new music and characters, continuing the story beyond the original Princess and the Frog movie.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is the first major addition to Magic Kingdom, preceding the Beyond Big Thunder plans and the $60 billion expansion announced by Bob Iger. At the 2022 D23 event, during the Parks and Experiences panel, it was mentioned that Disney World would see new additions, including a “Blue Sky” concept for a “Dark Kingdom” at Magic Kingdom, dedicated to Disney villains.

A photo of Imagineers working behind the scenes on Tiana's Bayou Adventure
Credit: Disney/ABC

Following the Country Bear Jamboree press release and hints from Disney Imagineering about a life Beyond Big Thunder, fans are speculating that significant changes are on the horizon. Iger aims to increase park capacity, and a Magic Kingdom expansion would greatly help alleviate crowding in the park.

Disney has already unleashed a full POV video of the attraction, showcasing Tiana, Naveen, Louis the alligator, Mama Odie, Charlotte, Prince Ralphie, Big Daddy, The King and Queen of Maldonia and while it does have some positive reviews, as Inside the Magic has shared, there are a lot more negative reviews as well.

For example, reviews we shared include, “This ride showcases all the issues of modern Imagineering. Expensive animatronics take the place of well populated scenes, lots of dead space with nothing to look at.

Overly sanitized story with no conflict drama or tension,” and “This is the best way to describe it, I couldn’t figure out what it was bothering me but it’s that there’s a lot of dead space where as Splash felt rich throughout the whole thing.

There’s this whole build-up of looking out for Brer Fox, there’s songs throughout it saying beware, and then at the end you realize you guys got away. Idk I feel underwhelmed with this ride.”

An official poster announcing Tiana's Bayou Adventure, opening late 2024.
Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Sharp-eyed fans of The Princess and the Frog have also noticed one key character absent from Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: Dr. Facilier, the film’s villainous Shadowman. While nearly all the other main characters make an appearance in some form, Dr. Facilier seems to be conspicuously missing from the final ride experience, which does make sense due to the fact that the storyline takes place after his death.

However, with voodoo and magic, bringing back Facilier would always be a possibility, Disney does own the Marvel Cinematic Universe and has proven that coming back from the dead is always on the table.

Fan account Splash Mountain Archives shared a video that showed there are currently fire alarms going off on the attraction. It is not clear as to what went wrong and if there is a real fire on the attraction at this time, however, the ride has shut down and was evacuated. The ride has been evacuated quite a bit during previews, according to posts online.

“Fire alarm currently going off at Bayou Adventure. Previews halted”

Splash Mountain Archives then stated that the previews had been officially canceled for the night.

“Bayou Adventure is now down for the rest of night. All previews have been cancelled.”

It has not been stated if the rides shut down will carry through to tomorrow’s previews.

Below, Jonas J. Campbell, shared an example of one of many “in-show exits” from today: “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has done several “in show exits” today. The ride keeps breaking down and guests must be escorted off by cast members (with work lights on). Credit to a channel called Farmeritaville for this footage that confirms what I was hearing”.

While these issues may seem alarming, the ride is not officially opened yet, so kinks are surely expected. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is scheduled to open in Magic Kingdom park at Walt Disney World Resort on June 28, 2024.

If you want to watch the full POV from Disney Parks, you can below!

Are you excited to ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure? 

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