Ready to go down the bayou?
As we get closer to the new year, it’s time to get excited about the opening of the new Disney World and Disneyland attraction Tiana’s Bayou Adventure! The new log flume ride is based on Disney’s 2009 animated film The Princess and the Frog and was announced in June 2020, so anticipation from Disney fans has been steadily growing. Still, after over three years, there are some unknowns surrounding the attraction that are testing our patience.
Announced as a complete retheming of the popular Splash Mountain ride, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has gotten several detailed updates over the years and we know a lot about what to expect when the ride finally does open in 2024. From a queue mural and queue smells to ride animatronics and story details, Disney has revealed quite a bit about its new prized attraction. Still, here are three things Disney hasn’t told us about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
OPENING DATE
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is scheduled to open in summer 2024 in Disney World and sometime in 2024 at Disneyland — that much we know. But that’s kind of vague, is it not? If being there for opening day is at the top of your list of 2024 Disney World and Disneyland priorities, booking a trip could be difficult. The ride could open at any point in the fall or winter and the scheduled opening timeframe doesn’t confirm that both the Disneyland and Magic Kingdom attractions will open on the same day.
Obviously, as we get closer to the actual opening days next year, Disney will keep us in the loop with concrete days. With that said, if you’re planning on booking your next Disney trip in early 2024, keep in mind you’re unlikely to have any information regarding the official opening dates of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at either park.
CERTAIN STORY DETAILS
We know a little about the new ride’s story. Per Disney, on “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, we’ll join Tiana and Louis on a trip to the bayou, where they meet all sorts of unexpected new friends who have a special role to play at the [Mardi Gras] party.” We also know that we’ll join Tiana at Tiana’s Foods to prepare for the Mardi Gras party and find a missing ingredient, but that’s all we know about the conflict of the story.
With a 50+ foot drop and several other drops in between — keeping the ride layout of the previous Splash Mountains — this is still technically a thrill attraction. Typically, thrill rides present story elements of real conflict. So far, we don’t really know much about the driving force of the thrill elements. Is there a villain such as Dr. Facilier? Does the thrill stem from the twists and turns of the salt dome? The more thrilling and scary elements of the ride, aside from the big drop, are still unknown.
NEW LAND DETAILS
This tidbit is not so much about the ride but everything else around it. We have a general understanding of what the ride is about and what it will look like, but how will it interact with the rest of Critter Country/New Orleans Square at Disneyland and Frontierland at Magic Kingdom?
Disney has not elaborated on changes to nearby gift shops, potential shops being opened, or design changes in the nearby areas close to the attractions. Essentially, what should we expect the new land aesthetics to look like? For Disneyland, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure serves as a natural bridge between New Orleans Square and Critter Country, featuring strong elements of both lands. With news of a new Haunted Mansion store being built between the Haunted Mansion and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, we don’t expect much more expansion in the area in the short term.
As for Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland, it remains to be seen how Tiana’s Bayou Adventure blends in with the land’s current aesthetic. Does the land adopt more of a New Orleans vibe? Will the new ride blend in more with the frontier theming than we initially anticipated? Will more buildings and theming be built to create a seamless transition between the ride and the land? Disney has not divulged all of that yet but we’ll be sure to let you know when any updates happen.
While these are questions we have now, we still expect answers in due time and we’ll be sure to answer YOUR questions when we have the answers. Stay tuned here at AllEars for all the latest Tiana’s Bayou Adventure updates as well as all the latest Disney Parks news!
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What questions do you have surrounding Tiana’s Bayou Adventure? Let us know!
could it debut in september 2024