Credit: Inside the MagicThe grand opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom Park is just days away, but controversy over the Splash Mountain retheme continues. During last week’s Annual Passholder preview period, a disappointed Disney Park guest claimed she was refused entry to the ride.
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Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, also opening at Disneyland Park later this year, takes guests on a journey post-The Princess and the Frog (2009). Princess Tiana (Anika Noni Rose), Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos), Louis (Michael Leon-Wooley), and Mama Odie (Jenifer Lewis) are preparing for a big party on the Bayou, and they need your help!
Throughout early access events for Disney cast members, invited media, and Annual Passholders, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure experienced numerous technical issues. Guests repeatedly evacuated the ride, which shut its doors hours before Magic Kingdom Park closed on multiple occasions.
For the first time, Annual Passholders didn’t have to sign up for timeslots to preview Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Instead, any Passholder with a Disney Park Pass reservation on a preview day could register for a morning or afternoon Virtual Queue slot. Successful guests would receive a Boarding Group number and estimated return time.
Sarah Harlow (@kissmeormissme on TikTok) visited Walt Disney World Resort twice during Annual Passholder previews, hoping to snag a timeslot for the Disney Princess ride. She shared her disappointing Disney experience in a video:
@kissmeormissme thought I was gonna be able to make a cute vlog about riding Tiana’s new ride, but nope 🙃 #tianasbayouadventure #magickingdom #disneyworld #wdw #waltdisneyworld #splashmountain #passholderpreview #annualpassholder #orlando #orlandofl #disney #tiana #princesstiana #virtualqueue
“If you got a Magic Kingdom reservation, you could try both at 7:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to get in the queue,” Harlow explained. “But unfortunately, when I went to make a reservation, Magic Kingdom was already snatched up, so I had to get EPCOT with the hopes of Park Hopping.”
Harlow made EPCOT Park Pass reservations for June 17 and 18, doubling her chances of getting a timeslot for the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Virtual Queue.
“When 1:00 p.m. hit on the 17th, I used both my and my mom’s phone, and literally within 20 seconds of it hitting 1:00 p.m., the queue was full,” she explained. “You can see on the phone; it’s still 1:00 p.m., and it’s already full. So much for that.”
The next day, Harlow was hopeful for a second chance at riding the Splash Mountain retheme. Unfortunately, technical issues ruined her chances.
“But the joke was on me because about ten minutes after we got in the car, I got a text from my friend saying that there was going to be no 1:00 p.m. Virtual Queue because the ride had been down most of the day, and they weren’t going to be able to catch up,” she recalled. “So, no Tiana’s Bayou Adventure for me.”
Magic Kingdom Park’s version of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens on June 28, 2024. The Walt Disney Imagineering attraction will only be available through a standby Virtual Queue or a Disney Genie+ Lightning Lane reservation for a limited time.
Follow Inside the Magic for updates on the Walt Disney World Resort ride and its Disneyland Resort counterpart, which doesn’t have an official opening date.
Have you experienced Tiana’s Bayou Adventure online or in person? In the comments, share your thoughts on your trip to New Orleans with Inside the Magic.