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Credit: DisneyDisneyland has begun testing its newest ride once again.
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A guest visiting Disneyland recently discovered that the resort has started a new batch of tests for its newest ride, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The water ride officially opened in November 2024, but new tests indicate Disney is still working out the kinks.
Disneyland fan DisneyScoopGuy shared a video of the test in action, revealing that select logs are now running with dummies in the actual ride vehicles.
They’re running water dummies on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland tonight. This is the first time I’ve seen them use the dummies since before previews started.
They’re running water dummies on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland tonight. This is the first time I’ve seen them use the dummies since before previews started. pic.twitter.com/mYeDxk146R
— Matt Desmond (@DisneyScoopGuy) January 16, 2025
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It’s unclear why Disneyland has begun testing Tiana’s Bayou Adventure once again, though it’s likely the resort is trying to figure out a better water level for the attraction. This has been one of the biggest complaints about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, with most riders coming off the new attraction completely soaked.
Splash Mountain, the ride’s predecessor, always left guests a little wet, but fans claim the water levels have been significantly changed since Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opened, at least the Disneyland version.
It’s also possible Disneyland is simply conducting standard testing, as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is still quite new to the Anaheim theme park resort.
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Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is perhaps one of Disney’s most controversial theme park attractions in recent memory, though the backlash stems from what the ride replaced rather than from what the attraction itself offers. While delivering a brand-new adventure for guests to enjoy, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is actually built using the same structure as Disney’s now-defunct log flume attraction, Splash Mountain.
This once-legendary water ride first opened at the original Disneyland Resort in 1989, slowly becoming one of the quintessential Disney attractions. Everything about Splash Mountain grew to be iconic, from its cast of characters to its catchy music.
However, controversy always clouded Splash Mountain, as the ride was inspired by Disney’s ill-fated 1946 film, Song of the South. This animated/live-action hybrid film has been a thorn in Disney’s side since its release, with many criticizing it for its portrayal of African Americans.
As a result, Song of the South is one of the very, very few films fans cannot buy, with physical editions only available for purchase on third-party websites. Disney+ subscribers won’t find the film streaming on the platform either, as Disney has essentially wiped it from its catalog. However, Splash Mountain remained, making Disney’s decision to hide Song of the South from fans rather confusing.
This all came to a head in 2020 when The Walt Disney Company officially announced a new ride would be taking over the spot of Splash Mountain. Named Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, this new water-based attraction would not only allow Princess Tiana to have her own ride but would also finally put an end to Disney’s Song of the South controversy, at least when it comes to Splash Mountain.
Princess Tiana replaced both West Coast and East Coast versions of the ride, with the Tokyo Disney Resort in Japan holding the final version of Splash Mountain.
What do you think about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure?