Tiana's Bayou Adventure (Opening June 28, 2024)

[UniversalRBLX]

It does look like outside the Tiara on top of the crown and some of the flowers at the top... they're trying to not make it stand out too much from the rest of Frontierland.

I just hope Pecos is replaced by New Orleans cuisine... that place makes Universal's QSR options look like fine dining.

 

[belloq87]

I think we're reaching on this one...

I don't think it's the worst thing ever, or anything. I just don't think they made much of an attempt to differentiate the exterior of MK's attraction from Disneyland's, despite the surrounding environments being different.

And it would not have been difficult or cost-prohibitive to do that.

 

[Nico]

I don't think it's the worst thing ever, or anything. I just don't think they made much of an attempt to differentiate the exterior of MK's attraction from Disneyland's, despite the surrounding environments being different.

And it would not have been difficult or cost-prohibitive to do that.

That would mean designing and fabricating two different exteriors. That certainly costs money. When they order things in bulk, they get a savings.

Earlier, we were talking about the back and how it looks mostly unchanged. That plus an retheme of the land around the splashdown may be Disney doing what you’re asking for. Fingers crossed.

 

[Alicia]

Splash Mountain’s Georgia clay and briar patch stuck out as weird in Frontierland when it first opened too. We all just got used to it.

It technically didn’t fit thematically either. So I don’t get the argument.

 

[belloq87]

That would mean designing and fabricating two different exteriors. That certainly costs money. When they order things in bulk, they get a savings.

Sure, but look at how nicely they customized Runaway Railway in Disneyland, for example. Granted, it was an entirely new build*, but there is virtually no overlap in design at all until you get into the pre-show theaters.

When I'm talking about tailoring the exterior for Magic Kingdom, I'm talking about stuff like omitting the flowers and leaving the new "hill" covered in wild grasses instead, or things along those lines. Not wholesale structural changes.

* As it should have been at Hollywood Studios, as well.

Splash Mountain’s Georgia clay and briar patch stuck out as weird in Frontierland when it first opened too. We all just got used to it.

It technically didn’t fit thematically either. So I don’t get the argument.

I've never felt like it didn't fit, cosmetically. It had a rustic quality that didn't feel out of place to me at all.

 

[NotPennysBoat]

Yeah, I always thought Splash fit. Plenty of brownish red, just like in the desert of the old frontier. The briar patch kinda reminded me of cactus in the desert of the old frontier as well. But everybody sees things differently, which keeps things interesting.

 

[Jake S]

I’ll note that a big ole hill covered in flowers does fit quite well in much of what we consider the American frontier. I’ll have to see this in person to get a better sense of how it fits in the actual land.

I have nothing on the water tower with the tiara, though. That’s pretty awful.

 

[Nick]

Do we have any pics of the other side? I’ve only really seen the splash down side. Curious if it’s as floral on that side. I do like how it looks generally.

Also, wasn’t there a rumor that a mini Tiana land was coming with a Peco’s Bill retheme?

Here's the old briar patch:




And here's back into the queue area:

 

[Alicia]

Here's the old briar patch:




And here's back into the queue area:

I’m sorry to those who may disagree, but green trees fits better than cartoony vines. Neither “fit” the old west style of that part of Frontierland, but from a distance this’ll just look green with a water tower, which is nondescript enough to flow with the realistic old west style of the surrounding area.

I’m old enough to remember when they plopped down a flying carpets Dumbo ride in Adventureland and before that Splash Mountain in Frontierland. If we had forums like this back then we’d be having non stop discussions on how adding cartoony elements to the “realistic” backdrops of these lands *ruins immersion*.

If anything, the Tiana ride is at least more photo realistic. But regardless, if ever there was a park they could get away with fantastical icons plopped down anywhere, it’s a Disney castle park with cartoon bears wearing hillbilly clothes wandering around the streets just outside the ride.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

I’m old enough to remember when they plopped down a flying carpets Dumbo ride in Adventureland and before that Splash Mountain in Frontierland. If we had forums like this back then we’d be having non stop discussions on how adding cartoony elements to the “realistic” backdrops of these lands *ruins immersion*.

Lol, this is what I was gonna say. If the online Disney fan community existed in the 90’s, people would have gone crazy over the fact that you can walk in a straight line from Pecos Bill (American Southwest) to Splash Mountain (Deep South) to Big Thunder Mountain (Arizona/Utah area?) in a straight line. The only reason it’s considered any sort of thematic standard is because it was already here when the fan community started.

ETA: Plus, I’d much rather have the actual ride experience be thematically true to the story it’s telling than to the external environment it’s placed in. New Orleans and the bayou are exciting settings for a theme park attraction (look no further than the OG New Orleans land at Disneyland)…it would be a shame if Disney only halfway committed to the bit for the sake of Frontierland (which, I’d argue they really don’t have to since Lousiana is geographically closer to where Frontierland is supposed to be than Georgia).

 

[biggerboat16]

Lol, this is what I was gonna say. If the online Disney fan community existed in the 90’s, people would have gone crazy over the fact that you can walk in a straight line from Pecos Bill (American Southwest) to Splash Mountain (Deep South) to Big Thunder Mountain (Arizona/Utah area?) in a straight line. The only reason it’s considered any sort of thematic standard is because it was already here when the fan community started.

ETA: Plus, I’d much rather have the actual ride experience be thematically true to the story it’s telling than to the external environment it’s placed in. New Orleans and the bayou are exciting settings for a theme park attraction (look no further than the OG New Orleans land at Disneyland)…it would be a shame if Disney only halfway committed to the bit for the sake of Frontierland (which, I’d argue they really don’t have to since Lousiana is geographically closer to where Frontierland is supposed to be than Georgia).

I think they at least made an effort for splash to blend in on the surface, which I still think was successful even though the ride technically did still take place in Georgia. In a perfect world though, they should’ve pulled a Tokyo and built splash northwest of haunted mansion in its own little critter country. That way the current plot could’ve been used for thunder mesa/western river expedition. Either way, splash at least had some care put into it so it would blend when walking from Pecos Bill to Big Thunder. Tiana looks like they’re purposely trying to disrupt Frontierland. The mountain looks more like pandora in animal kingdom than anything you’d see in Frontierland!

 

[Alicia]

I cannot express to y'all how nondescript they made this attraction from the rest of the park now. It could not blend away anymore if they tried. If you've not seen it in person, you may be judging it based on close up views that can only be seen as you approach the bridge.

They're attempting to flatten the "mountain's" appearance to feel more like a hill to better suit the New Orleans salt mine aesthetic, and they have succeeded to the point that it's essentially vanished from the skyline when viewed from Frontierland proper. It just looks like a water tower and green... until you get closer.

Honestly, I'd prefer they had gone more over the top and embraced the animated whimsy of a 2D film, but for better or worse, it feels like tremendous deliberate care was taken to make this feel real and unobtrusive.

 

[belloq87]

I cannot express to y'all how nondescript they made this attraction from the rest of the park now. It could not blend away anymore if they tried. If you've not seen it in person, you may be judging it based on close up views that can only be seen as you approach the bridge.

They're attempting to flatten the "mountain's" appearance to feel more like a hill to better suit the New Orleans salt mine aesthetic, and they have succeeded to the point that it's essentially vanished from the skyline when viewed from Frontierland proper. It just looks like a water tower and green... until you get closer.

Honestly, I'd prefer they had gone more over the top and embraced the animated whimsy of a 2D film, but for better or worse, it feels like tremendous deliberate care was taken to make this feel real and unobtrusive.

View attachment 20370

See, now this is a useful photo from a perspective I haven't seen before.

Looks good from here!

Also, Magic Carpets of Aladdin is awful and shouldn't be there...

 

[Jerroddragon]

I thought the entire point of the Mountains were to draw people into lands....not just blend in.

 

[Alicia]

I thought the entire point of the Mountains were to draw people into lands....not just blend in.

Probably why they dropped "mountain" from the name on this one. Playing up the story instead.

 

[Scott W.]

I thought the entire point of the Mountains were to draw people into lands....not just blend in.

I think a decade ago that could have been true but given that this is the only new ride coming to WDW for the next few years, this ride is going to be slammed busy.

 

[Mad Dog]

I think a decade ago that could have been true but given that this is the only new ride coming to WDW for the next few years, this ride is going to be slammed busy.

Yes. It may end up with a Virtual queue for like virtually forever.

 

[Scott W.]

Yes. It may end up with a Virtual queue for like virtually forever.

For sure and then it becomes a choice. Tron or Tiana?
Want to do both? Buy an extra day ticket or pay for LL cause you'll probably never get one at 1pm or whenever it is.
Luckily, Tiana will be a capacity machine.

 

[Jamesh22]

I really hope this doesn't open with a paid LL like Rise.

 

[Mad Dog]

I really hope this doesn't open with a paid LL like Rise.

No doubt it will. Easiest guess I'll ever make. Disney never backs off doing something that will print money.