This year, Disney unveiled the name and release date of the successor for Splash Mountain at an ESSENCE Fest panel in New Orleans, Louisiana. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, a new attraction opening in late 2024, will feature scenes from Disney’s The Princess and the Frog. Attractions for the new ride will be built in Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California. Disney’s upcoming Bayou Adventure, which was first revealed in 2020, would replace Splash Mountain’s Song of the South theme. Guests are given a unique perspective on Princess Tiana’s kingdom in the new ride, which is both enchanting and engaging.
The theme of this ride is based on New Orleans’ history, art, and culture. A musical adventure that follows the events of the film will have fresh music based on the movie’s songs. Princess Tiana, Naveen, and Louis prepare to organise a magnificent Mardi Gras party at Tiana and Naveen’s palace. Visitors to the bayou may expect to encounter old faces and meet new ones as they make their way around the area. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure was created by Walt Disney Imagineers after significant research into the culture and natural surroundings of Louisiana.
Various excursions, museums, and other sights are included in the movie about the research trip. In order to provide tourists with the most realistic New Orleans experience, they were allowed to have a closer look at various exhibits and speak with academics. It was also disclosed during the panel that Disney has devised Tiana’s new appearance for the attraction. Ida Muldrow, the show’s costume designer, drew inspiration from flapper fashions of the 1920s for Tiana’s look.
It was important to the design team to emphasise “the adaptability of Black women’s hair and its relevance to [their] identity across regions and generations” when they created Tiana’s haircut. Charita Carter, Walt Disney Imagineering’s executive producer of relevance activations, had this to say about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure:
Love letters to New Orleans may be found throughout Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.” Tiana’s second act is about a community coming together to accomplish something exceptional, just like the musical city that served as inspiration for this attraction. She reminds us of a universal truth: ‘If you give your best each and every day, wonderful things are certain to happen.’ It’s a tune that everyone can sing along to!” The ride’s opening date has not yet been announced by Disney. In the interim, Disney+ subscribers may watch The Princess and the Frog.