Fans Speak Out on Visual Alteration Made to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: “WDW Is a Joke”

This week, Walt Disney Imagineering shared that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Walt Disney World Resort had received an update that some believed to be vital to its quality. Now, fans are speaking out about the change, and the reception is interesting.

In January 2023, Disney shuttered its three-decade-old Splash Mountain attraction at Walt Disney World Resort. The water-based ride themed to the animated sections of Disney’s hugely controversial 1946 movie Song of the South was revealed to be getting a retheme in 2020, where it was shared that characters from The Princess and the Frog (2009) would be arriving in Frontierland.

The closure of Splash Mountain sparked fiery discourse, igniting accusations that Disney had an extreme “woke agenda,” favoring diversity and inclusion over everything else. In June 2024, Splash Mountain reopened as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, complete with Princess Tiana, saxophone-playing alligator Louie, and Mama Odie, voiced by Anika Noni Rose, Michael-Leon Wooley, and Jenifer Lewis, respectively.

The attraction features the original song, “Special Spice,” and includes the iconic 52-foot drop before the indoor finale. While the story takes place after the events of The Princess and the Frog (no Dr. Facilier “Friends on the Other Side” here), many hoped to see familiar faces. A few were absent, but thanks to Walt Disney Imagineering, two new characters can now be seen by guests.

Sharing to Instagram, Disney officials have now added Ray and Evangeline to the attraction.

Look how they light up the sky! Imagineers added extra magic to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at @WaltDisneyWorld with this addition of Ray and Evangeline!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Walt Disney Imagineering (@waltdisneyimagineering)

In the 2009 movie, Ray, voiced by Jim Cummings, is the firefly that aids Tiana (Anika Noni Rose) and Naveen’s (Bruno Campos) journey to Mama Odie (Jenifer Lewis). The aging firefly has an unrequited love for Evangeline–the Evening Star that Ray believes is a fellow firefly. Upon his death in the final moments of the animated movie, Ray appears as a star in the sky next to Evangeline.

The addition of the fireflies has gone down well with Disney World fans, who took to the Instagram post to congratulate Walt Disney Imagineering on the update to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

One fan said, “How awesome! Imagineers are the best and most talented people!!!” while another wrote, “Legendary imagineering as usual!” A third comment suggested how another Ray and Evangeline addition could be made to the attraction.

“Can we PLEASE, PLEASE get them to light up on the crown on top of the water tower too??” the user wrote. “Such a huge, missed opportunity for those two to twinkle above [Magic Kingdom] every night! (But this is awesome, too, so thanks for this!)”

Reception was not as positive on X, with individuals responding to the news in a more negative way. Responding to the announcement, @jasonlanori wrote, “LOL at the things they “announce” now. WDW is a joke of its former self,” while @maxs_drafts said, “Universal is building an entire new park btw.” The latter, of course, referring to Universal Epic Universe coming to Orlando next year.

“Small pluses are always appreciated, but geez,” @wesomeTweets commented. “Let’s get some real projects to sink our teeth into at Disney World. Dirt moving. Development and growth.”

The above comment inadvertently recalls the language Disney Experiences chief Josh D’Amaro used when introducing all the upcoming developments planned for the Disney theme parks worldwide at D23 Expo 2024.

“At Disney Experiences, Imagineers dream, create, design and build these stories into real places,” D’Amaro told crowds in Anaheim, California (via Disney Parks Blog). “And we have Imagineers in place right now all around the world because everything we’re going to share with you is in active development. Plans are drawn. Dirt is moving. I just want to be clear about this: We are doing everything you’re going to hear tonight.”

Among those developments was the now-controversial Frontierland overhaul. Eventually, the automobiles of the Cars franchise will be taking up residence next to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The latter is scheduled to close on January 6, 2025, to make way for “new magic” and is set to reopen sometime in 2026.

The Cars update comes with a cost. Disney will permanently close Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America in order to bring Radiator Springs to Magic Kingdom Park, much to the distress of dedicated Disney World fans. Boasting multiple new attractions for all the family, the Cars area will be one of two major expansions for Disney World’s most-visited park. The second will be a brand-new Villain-themed land.

This expansion may take time, though, as the Ron DeSantis-installed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (CFTOD)—which replaced the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) in 2023—is requiring a 60-day extension to approve plans.

How do you feel about the update made to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure? Should it have been announced? Let us know in the comments down below!