Surprising Development for Disney’s Tiana Ride Amid Major Lessons at Magic Kingdom

We have an update on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure 2.0.

It’s been well over a year since Splash Mountain permanently closed at Magic Kingdom Park and Disneyland Park, but some guests still have trouble letting go of the controversial log flume.

A colorful and detailed rock formation resembling a mountain, with rugged terrain, patches of greenery, and a distinct peak. The sky is overcast, adding contrast to the vibrant hues of the rocks. At its base, a wooden structure with a peaked roof hints at the Magic Kingdom's newest attraction launching next month. — Credit: Disney

The water ride drew inspiration from the animated segments of Disney’s Song of the South (1946), which has long been criticized for its racially insensitive portrayals. Disney CEO Bob Iger acknowledged this in 2020, stating that Song of the South was simply “not appropriate in today’s world.”

To distance itself from this controversy, Disney announced that it would totally retheme the attraction on both coasts. Instead of a Song of the South theme, the ride would instead be inspired by The Princess and the Frog (2009), which featured Disney’s first Black princess, Tiana.

The image shows the entrance sign for "Tiana's Bayou Adventure" with a water tower in the background that also reads "Tiana's Foods." The scene is adorned with lush greenery, vibrant flowers, and a rustic fence, giving a whimsical, adventurous feel. — Credit: Disney

Transforming the ride from Splash Mountain to this Princess and the Frog-inspired experience was no small feat. The animation is based in 1920s New Orleans, which meant totally transforming the exterior and ripping out its decades-old Audio-Animatronics to introduce fan-favorite characters such as Mama Odie, Louie, Prince Naveen, and, of course, Tiana herself.

The final product debuted at Walt Disney World Resort in June. However, to say that it’s been divisive would be an understatement. Critics have attacked the ride’s narrative (in which Tiana prepares to host a celebration for the people of New Orleans but happens to find herself without a band), claiming that it’s confusing and lacks the same catchy soundtrack.

A jungle scene with animatronic characters. A young boy in explorer attire stands next to a large friendly-looking crocodile and a dog wearing goggles, reminiscent of Tiana's Bayou Adventure. They are surrounded by lush greenery and appear to be part of an enchanting theme park attraction. — Credit: Disney

On a much more practical note, the ride’s operations have also been slammed. Since launching for Passholder and cast member previews, the ride has been plagued by technical difficulties. The ride spent huge chunks of its preview period closed to guests, with some parkgoers even evacuated off the ride after breaking down.

While we still don’t have an opening date for Disneyland’s version of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, it seems like the ride is currently in the testing phase, as per a video shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) by @DisneyScoopGuy.

They are currently doing daytime log testing on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland!

They are currently doing daytime log testing on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland! pic.twitter.com/5fdtRrIFDv

— Matt DH 🔜 D23 Expo (@DisneyScoopGuy) August 2, 2024

Whether or not Disney has learned from the mistakes of Magic Kingdom’s version remains to be seen. However, the good news is that because Disneyland doesn’t have an opening timeframe, it doesn’t face the same time crunch that plagued Disney World.

It seemed like Disney was willing to get Tiana’s Bayou Adventure over the finish line, whether it was ready or not, in time for the summer. With that in mind, Disneyland’s version of the attraction could be the one we deserved all along.

What are your thoughts on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure?