Tiana's Bayou Adventure Won't See "Friends on the Other Side"

Princess and the Frog (2009) fans got more news about the upcoming attraction yesterday. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is replacing Splash Mountain at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, with work already underway at the Orlando Park. Disneyland’s version confirmed its final operating day for Splash Mountain will be May 31 before closing down to begin work on retheming.

More details were released about what Guests can expect from the new attraction, including several new audio-animatronics. Fans were given a look at the concept art of Mama Odie, who will be included in the ride as an animatronic, and informed that the ride will include brand-new music. While most fans were thrilled at the prospect of audio-animatronics rather than projection-mapped screens or characters, many have been asking why the film’s villain, Dr. Facilier, won’t be included.

Here's the thing about why friends on the other side ain't happening. It's because it's voodoo. Disney got checked back when PatF first came out because of it's interpretation with voodoo. Mama Odie is a voodoo priestess but if you notice in the press release they call it magic. https://t.co/HQhjczXD3p

— Johto Boy Jaalin (@TCJaalin) April 12, 2023

Twitter user @TCJaalin addressed the concerns about Dr. Facilier as well as why the ride wouldn’t include the film’s villain song, “Friends on the Other Side.” Disney was slammed for its presentation of the voodoo culture in the film when it was released in 2009, and for featuring Dr. Facilier as a villain for working with voodoo. Mama Odie, who technically also works with voodoo, was never officially associated with the term in the film and has been rebranded as a “Bayou Fairy Godmother” with magic, with no mention of her magic stemming from voodoo practices.

As the ride’s retheme is directed at fixing the issues Disney has faced from Splash Mountain and their controversial film, Song of the South, it makes sense that they would avoid as much backlash as possible going forward. Because of that, the attraction will steer clear of the film’s portrayal of Dr. Facilier’s dark voodoo and angle it as magic. However, one comment did point out that the attraction takes place after the events of the film and Dr. Facilier’s death.

Are you excited to see more about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure? Share your thoughts in the comments below!