Tiana’s Bayou Adventure expected to open at Disney Parks in late 2024

I’m still really wary of this one, Splash especially in Florida, is a masterpiece that a lot of people (myself included) think is the best ride at WDW. I’m not going to bring up the political stuff but the amount of animatronics inside and the music build the plot so well onto what is imo the best log flume in the country.

I really don’t like the idea of this being a post movie plot that appears to have no stakes (let’s assemble everyone for a party!) and not only that, having this post movie means the two best characters in the movie (Dr Faciler and Ray) are dead and gone and can’t be used. It also robs the ride of the best song in the movie (Friends on the Other Side.). I’m really concerned they are going to screw this one up, this is not like done of the other redos they’ve done recently, this ride is still extremely popular, and if they mess it up the public is not going to be pleased.

Weird, I think the opposite. The ride has little to no cultural relevance to me, and relies on IP that kids today find completely unknown. Even if it wasn't associated with Disney's most racist episode, it's still just a really long flume with barely a story.

There's a lot of culture, music and history to honor as it relates to NOLA, and this seems like a great opportunity.

Although, new theme and old, it begs the question... where are the mountains in the swampy parts of the American South? It's all pretty flat.

It’s not going to be a mountain anymore, it’s going to be a giant tree.

Jeff:

Weird, I think the opposite. The ride has little to no cultural relevance to me, and relies on IP that kids today find completely unknown. Even if it wasn't associated with Disney's most racist episode, it's still just a really long flume with barely a story.

I had to explain to my kids who Brer Rabbit was and why they have never seen him, other than on Splash Mountain. Their response was "Oh. That's problematic." Meanwhile, my son spent most of our time in line talking about how unreliable the animatronics were. He watches a lot of YouTube. I welcome the change to something fresh. Just don't touch Haunted Mansion. :)

^You mean the ride that promotes suicide multiple times? Yeah I’m sure Disney is never going to touch that ride…

My biggest worry is that the show scenes will lose their animatronics and scenery and be replaced with screens.

I still don’t really understand what the laughing place is.

It's where you go after you get a bag from your weed dealer.

The bayou has nothing to do with Frontierland. In CA they could probably merge it into Orleans Square. At least Splash Mt felt a little frontier-sy.

The IP mindset of Disney these days is not much better than Paramount at the Taft parks. Plop IP down anywhere at the cost of the park themed area coherence.

The number of people who care about IP placement and are going to be upset about this change is beyond small. It's the same group that comes up any time we discuss indignation with Disney: those who are never happy.

If we're going to be literal Splash Mountain doesn't really fit into Frontierland as it is.

Mulfinator:

Just don't touch Haunted Mansion. :)

I'd be okay with a room depicting Walt Disney rolling over in his grave.

To reiterate, I have no problem with the IP, I am however worried it’s not going to be implemented well (no tension post movie story, no appearance of Dr Facilier) and worried they are going to turn an amazing ride into a version that isn’t as good. MK splash’s sets in the mountain are decidedly temperate Midwest (to fit Frontierland) and not at all like DLs that’s in a Bayou setting. I am concerned that the CA Imagineers forgot about that. WDW is going to be a harder build because of it and the sets are concrete, so not exactly east to swap out.

Tommytheduck:

I'd be okay with a room depicting Walt Disney rolling over in his grave.

Only if they make it an upcharge.

I know that the typical Disney customer is not going to be upset about IP placement. That IS the current target market. Those that love IP more than total immersion. After all, those people will waste hours of their life just to see a regular person in an IP costume. The I in IP really shouldn’t stand intellectual LOL. it’s quite the opposite.

Touchdown:

I am however worried it’s not going to be implemented well...

That's a strange concern. I don't think they've missed with anything that has opened in recent years.

The timeline is what concerns me. If it is to open in 2024 and they only close it in a few months, it will leave them two years to modify the ride, which given Disney usual glacial pace of construction, won't leave them much time to do large modifications.

Outside of Rise and the Cantina I really feel Star Wars Land is a miss, the Falcon ride needs more missions, and it’s only really fun as a pilot. They suffer massively setting the whole land in the sequels, especially since the D+ shows are now all occurring in Early Empire or right after Jedi. We should have had Mando and Grogu meet and greets years ago on both coasts.

Enchantment was a big miss, it’s not as good as HEA and not at all what people expected in a 50th anniversary show

The 50th in general has been disappointing and below expectations set by past anniversaries on either coast. Also they are dragging their feet on the Epcot spine and Tron. Tron Shanghai (along with the rest of that park) was built in less time then Tron WDW.

Runaway Railroad, Guardians, Rise all amazing though.

I think it's safe to say that Tron, the Epcot Future World makeover, and probably Guardians lagged because of the pandemic. Tron would have likely opened by now and the Future World makeover would be a lot closer if not already open.

I really want to love Smuggler's Run. I like it, but it probably would have been just as great if piloting wasn't left to the rider. Half of the awe of the ride is walking through the cabin and sitting in the cockpit. I can't argue on the idea of needing more characters in GE. The ambiance of the area is there. It just needs a little added nuance in the way of characters.