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New Details on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Three Artist concepts of Tianas Bayou Adventure
Credit: Disney Concept Art

With Disneyland Park officially closing Splash Mountain this week, Disney has begun to release more details on the ride that will replace it.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure Concept Art (1)

Credit: ITM Thomas H.

New Music

I speak about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which is set to open in 2024 at Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom Park and Anaheim’s Disneyland Park. It has just been announced that the new attraction will feature original music from award-winning artists PJ Morton and Terence Blanchard.

RELATED: Where to See ‘Homeless’ Tiana at Disney World

Morton will be writing, arranging, and producing original music for the ride and alternative renditions of songs from The Princess and The Frog (2009). Meanwhile, Blanchard, involved during the film’s original production playing Louis the Alligator’s trumpet in various scenes, is working on music for the queue line.

New Audio-Animatronics

Disney has also announced that the ride will feature new audio-animatronics developed by Walt Disney Imagineering, including Prince Naveen’s brother playing drums and 17 original Disney characters not in the 2009 movie. It will also include audio-animatronics of Princess Tiana, Mama Odie, and Prince Naveen.

In addition to the rethemed Splash Mountain ride, the Disneyland Resort will also be introducing a new themed restaurant called Tiana’s Palace.

Tiana's bayou adventure announcement

Credit: Disney

RELATED: Splash Mountain/Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Update

More details about the new ride are expected over the next year as Disney Park fans eagerly await the new attraction. Although Splash Mountain holds a special place for many Disney Guests, it has been controversial for years. Even without the controversy, basing a ride on a movie that not many people saw (and the studio then tried to pretend never existed) was an odd choice. Perhaps Splash Mountain would still be standing today, had Imagineers created the attraction with all new characters (like Disney used to do with attractions like the Haunted Mansion and The Enchanted Tiki Room).

splash-mountain-disney

Credit: Disney

RELATED: Another Classic Disney Ride Closes Forever

And just like Frozen (2013) taking over Maelstrom, The Princess and the Frog (2009) deserves to have an original brand-new attraction built instead of retheming of an existing classic. But it’s better to have something tied to the movie than nothing at all…right?

About Steven Wilk

Steven has a complicated relationship with Disney. As a child, he visited Walt Disney World every few years with his family. But he never understood why kids his age (and older) were so scared of Snow White or Alien Encounter. He is a former participant of the Disney College Program (left early…long story), and he also previously worked in Children’s publishing, where he adapted multiple Disney movies and TV shows. He has many controversial opinions about Disney…like having a positive view of Michael Eisner, believing Return of the Jedi is superior to The Empire Strikes Back, and that Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge should have never been built (at least not at Hollywood Studios). Every year for the past two decades, Steven has visited either Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Aulani or went on a Disney Cruise. He’s happy to share any and all knowledge of the Disney destinations (and he likes using parenthesis a lot…as well as ellipses…)