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Credit: Kadyn Pierce, UnsplashAn advanced audio-animatronic character on Walt Disney World Resort’s Tiana’s Bayou Adventure attraction is showing terrifying signs of damage. One Magic Kingdom Park guest shared a video of the deteriorating animatronic figure on social media, sparking concern among Disney Parks fans.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opened at Magic Kingdom Park in June 2024, with Disneyland Resort’s version following in November. Walt Disney Imagineers removed the controversial Song of the South (1946) theme from Splash Mountain, replacing it with a whimsical, musical adventure inspired by The Princess and the Frog (2009).
Disney Park guests help Princess Tiana (Anika Noni Rose), Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos), Louis (Michael-Leon Wooley), and Mama Odie (Jenifer Lewis) gather musicians for a New Orleans-style celebration.
Things didn’t run smoothly when Walt Disney World Resort debuted its version of the Splash Mountain retheme. Multiple Disney cast member and Annual Passholder previews ended hours early after technical issues forced the ride’s closure. In the months since, countless Magic Kingdom Park guests have reported lengthy closures and animatronic malfunctions on the attraction.
Now, some Disney Park guests say Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’s advanced character animatronics are visibly deteriorating. Last week, TikTok user @brandon.paints.the.parks shared a video of a Louis animatronic whose fabric ripped away, giving it the appearance of a slit throat.
@brandon.paints.the.parks Still rode it twice 🤙🏽🤙🏽🐊
“Tiana’s is coming apart at the seams, literally,” the TikToker said. “At least, this first giant Louis animatronic is literally ripping. Its throat is slit, highly visible, and like I said, it’s kind of the first thing you see once you go inside of the mountain.”
The Disney Park guest also experienced other issues on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. A loud emergency alarm blared throughout their time inside the show building, and the final Mama Odie animatronic’s mouth wasn’t moving.
“I understand a lot of these animatronics have been struggling with their timing and with working at all,” the guest said. “I do not hate Tiana’s; I actually love it. But not a great look for the haters.”
The video amassed hundreds of comments, many of which slammed Walt Disney Imagineers for “rushing” the Splash Mountain retheme.
“It’s time to admit they rushed this roll out and didn’t think things through….,” said @bdaycyberstar.
“Splash Mountain was known for this cause it was old, this is bad that a very new ride is doing this,” @phoebe9554 wrote.
Some cited the issues in the video as reasons for Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort to bring back Splash Mountain.
“Splash mountains animatronics worked so much better,” @jay_mk_marvel commented.
“Disney should have left it alone,” @fenderforever111 replied.
Still, others argued that Splash Mountain fans are looking back at the attraction with rose-tinted glasses.
“Y’all do realize that Splash Mountain animatronics hardly all worked right,” @twilightsparkle307 wrote.
“It [was] a great ride but I can admit it had problems,” @pinkpineapple46 agreed. “Lighting, animatronics, etc.”
What’s the wildest malfunction you’ve seen on a Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort attraction? Inside the Magic would love to hear from you in the comments!