Special Fireworks Shows Set for Disney World

by Beth Keating

Theme Park Life

DisneyBizJournal.com

June 28, 2024

 

If you’ll be lucky enough to be in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom for the Fourth of July, you’ll get to experience a unique fireworks show that only happens for two nights a year.

“Disney’s Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky” happens on July 3rd and July 4th, 2024, at 9:20 p.m.  The soundtrack accompanying the show overhead is, as you’d guess, a very patriotic one, and the castle will be lit up in red, white and blue finery as well.  A DJ will be on the castle forecourt during various points in the evening, and the atmosphere is high-energy.

The fireworks seem even more over the top than the normal “Happily Ever After” shows (which will not take place on those evenings), and if you find yourself staying at one of the monorail loop hotels (Contemporary, Grand Floridian, and Polynesian), you can usually catch the fireworks from your hotel as well.  If you aren’t staying there, be aware that the security at the hotels on those evenings is especially tight, and only hotel guests with reservations are generally permitted on those beaches to catch the show.

Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

Over at EPCOT, a special nighttime spectacular will also take place on July 4^th at 9 p.m.  Immediately after EPCOT’s nightly show, “Luminous,” a special holiday tribute fireworks display called “The Heartbeat of Freedom” will wow guests.  And you get two shows back-to-back!  On your way out of the park, you’ll also have a chance to view Spaceship Earth and the surrounding gardens sparkling in red, white and blue lighting.

During the day at EPCOT, drop in to the American Adventure pavilion to listen to the music of the “Voices of Liberty.”  They are phenomenal, and one of our favorite things about visiting World Showcase.  In the rotunda of the American Adventure, you can also see the newly installed portraits of servicemen and women done by President George Bush.  The paintings, “Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors,” are on loan to Disney for a limited time.

If you don’t plan on sticking around at the parks during the nighttime shows, be sure to keep an eye out during the day for Mickey and the gang, dressed in their patriotic “Spirit of ‘76” costumes!

 

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

 

Get The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution by Ray Keating. More information at

https://raykeatingbooksandmore.com/shop/ols/products/disneyplanner.  A PDF version is available here.  And please listen to the Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating podcast.  

Finally Riding Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

 by Beth Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

June 19, 2024

 

I’ll say it right up front – I’ve never been a big fan of log flume rides.  I don’t like spending the rest of my day squishing through the parks with wet shoes, or even worse, wet clothes.  But more than that, those big drops terrify me.

That all being said, I wasn’t especially heartbroken that Splash Mountain was being re-themed. The other members of the family were, however. (My husband even bought me a framed poster of the “Fifty Foot Plunge Ahead” Splash Mountain sign for Christmas one year. Pretty sure that was something he liked, as I was not a Splash “ride or die” fan.). And we’d never seen (or frankly, even been aware of) the Song of the South movie that the ride was based on. We just knew it as a critter story about a fox and bear chasing a rabbit.  Honestly, not even sure we looked that far into that storyline, because the audio on the ride was always so terrible that you just relied on the visuals to figure out what was going on.

Toward the end, no one would argue that Splash Mountain was in serious need of some TLC.  More animatronics were not working than were.  Time to upgrade.

Enter the re-theme of the mountain. We finally got to ride the new “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” at Magic Kingdom during Annual Passholder previews this week, but it was not without its trials. The ride formally opens to park guests on June 28, but there have been a  number of preview groups in the meantime. In the past, Disney has set it up so that you would go online to a specific link during a select window to choose a day and time to ride a new attraction during passholder previews. By the end of that window, you knew if you’d successfully won a seat, and what the time frame was.  You could plan ahead.

This time around, there was a new, very loose framework for riding during passholder previews. You just showed up at the park with your park reservation in hand, and tried for a virtual queue (not always a successful venture on a normal visit).  It meant that you were taking a random day off from work, showing up, and hoping for the best, without knowing whether you’d actually be riding.

  
It did not go well for us on day #1.  We didn’t snag a virtual queue in those precious few milliseconds when the “join queue” button lit up.  (If you’ve ever stressed making a virtual queue, you know what I mean!). “Day off” used up without riding the preview.  And while a day at Disney is always better than a day at work, we’d burned a vacation day that could have been better arranged.

The preview process has been a bit fraught with challenges on Disney’s end as well.  Passholder previews, media previews, and cast member days are a bit like a dress rehearsal for a new attraction, and it’s a chance to work the bugs out.  But Tiana’s previews had more bumps in the road (or water, as it were) than most openings, particularly considering that it was a re-skin of an existing ride.  There was lots of down time, late starts that threw the rest of the day’s riders out of synch, and even a few “in show exits.”

  
After several tries to grab a virtual queue, my son and I finally got to ride (not so the rest of the family).  I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that the ride was better than what I was expecting, given how poor the original POV video from Disney was.

In true Imagineering fashion, there were lots of details to take in along the queues.  I would have liked to have had more time to take a closer look at the family letters and photos on the wall, the newspaper clippings scattered throughout, and even the tchotchkes on the shelves. (There’s a set of a ceramic bear, fox and bunny on one shelf as an easter egg tribute to the former ride!).

The queue is well done, and I’m sure that each time you ride, you’ll spot more “stuff.”  Radio broadcasts set the mood for the time period, and you’ll recognize music from the Princess and the Frog animated film, as well as some original tunes. You’ll be wandering through Tiana’s office, checking out her spice cabinets and shipping boxes, peeking into her kitchen and seeing the beignets and gumbo pot, and then heading down the caverns of the old salt mine that Tiana has converted for her employee-owned company.

On the ride itself, I was most surprised by the size of the animatronics. They were so much bigger in person than I expected.  The audio track was light years better than the old one (but still a touch convoluted story-wise – it was initially hard to understand that Mama Odie was “shrinking you down” in the one segment. It didn’t take long to figure it out, but it wasn’t instantaneous.).  The spotlight figures of Tiana and Louis were very fluid, much more like the super cool newer models we’ve been seeing in Tokyo Disney and elsewhere.  There were also a number of adorable critters that were more like traditional animatronics throughout the ride.  A few of those are sure to become favorites of guests.   (Sorry I wasn’t able to get on-ride pictures of the animatronics for you.  I was afraid of getting my phone wet, so it was safely stowed in my Ziplock bag in my backpack!)

One of the most common complaints on Disney chats (not just about the Tiana ride, either) is Disney’s reliance on screen-based tech, and fans were skeptical about how the use of the screens would impact Tiana’s ride.  I did find it a bit jarring in the “shrunk down room,”  with enormous Tiana and Louis faces peering in, but I thought the screens really helped to add to the depth and the kinetic energy in the finale scene, where the party is taking place and there are lots of guests dancing and singing.  The front of the scene is comprised of three-dimensional physical sets with animatronics, including many of your favorite characters from the movie, such as Ralphie, Lottie, and Naveen, but the restaurant façade behind the characters is comprised of screen tech in the restaurant windows, filled with lots of other guests.  It’s a party!  In this case, the screen tech works, and fills out the rest of the scene.

On the downside, the logs themselves were a little bumpier than anticipated.  The underwater track is the same as the Splash Mountain one, and I expected that the ride would be smoother given the refurb, but the logs were scraping (and squealing) in a few places, and there were a few rough clunks along the way.  For those of you that enjoy the spray of swampy bayou water on your log flumes, this ride also seemed to get us much wetter than the old Splash…. Maybe that’s just my memory, but my son seemed happy with the splashier ride. Be reassured that when the Critter Co-op store launches to all park guests at the end of the month, there will be towels available for sale.  Just in case.

 

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

 

Get The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution by Ray Keating. More information at

https://raykeatingbooksandmore.com/shop/ols/products/disneyplanner.  A PDF version is available here.  And please listen to the Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating podcast. 

Changes Coming to Frontierland in Disney World This Month

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

June 18, 2024

 

There will be a few changes coming to Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World in the next month or so, and that doesn’t even include whatever will be announced for the “Beyond Thunder Mountain” project.

On June 28, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will officially open to park guests, though there has already been some activity at the old salt mine with cast member, annual passholder, DVC and media previews. Kiddos must be 40 inches tall to ride the former Splash Mountain/rethemed attraction. While Tiana and her critter band will be bringing the crowds back to that corner of the Magic Kingdom, Big Thunder Mountain is expected to close shortly for its own refurb, based on recent construction permits that have been filed, so crowd levels will surely ebb and flow in that quadrant of the park.

On July 17, 2024, the Country Bears will be back in their all new “Country Bear Musical Jamboree.” The music will be updated in a more modern “Nashville style,” and the songs will include popular Disney tunes in a “countrified” format. The audio-animatronic bears will be sporting fresh new costumes as well.  The Country Bear Jamboree was an opening day attraction at Disney World, swinging open the doors of Grizzly Hall on October 1, 1971.  It was one of the last attractions that Walt Disney personally helped develop, and was originally set to debut at a never-built Disney ski resort, but moved to Florida instead.

 
And lastly, another opening day attraction, the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade, will see its final day of operation on June 23.  It is being replaced by a Disney Vacation Club lounge.  The Arcade, located next to the Country Bear Jamboree, is an Old West-style shooting gallery, using infrared rifles to take on a hundred different targets.  The shooting gallery is themed to Boot Hill in the frontier town of Tombstone, Arizona, and is currently free to participate.

The new DVC Lounge is the first in the Magic Kingdom, and will have décor “inspired by the bygone era of exploration and adventure.” The Grand Opening date for the lounge has not been set as of yet. The DVC lounge in EPCOT at the Imagination Pavilion is currently undergoing renovations and has set up a temporary home in the Odyssey Pavilion, and there is also a DVC lounge at Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary Resort.

And if you are scoping out the changes in Frontierland, don’t forget to mosey up to the counter at the Golden Oak Outpost, where you can grab an order of the new “Tiana’s Famous Beignets,” which will be available from June 28 through September 6.

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

 

Get The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution by Ray Keating. More information at

https://raykeatingbooksandmore.com/shop/ols/products/disneyplanner.  A PDF version is available here.  And please listen to the Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating podcast. 

New Offerings on Way to Celebrate Opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

June 4, 2024

 

The Foodie Guide that just dropped in celebration of the upcoming opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is a mixed bag… 

 

There are some interesting choices, and then there are ones that, like the popcorn with pralines or Cajun seasoning, seem to be a stretch of making the food “Tiana” themed.  (Just because the pralines and Cajun flavors give it a New Orleans flair?  Hmmm.). On the other hand, we’re really looking forward to checking out the cooking spices and hot sauces being introduced from Tiana’s new company.

   
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens June 28, 2024 at Magic Kingdom, and most of the limited time food offerings will begin when the ride kicks off, and generally last throughout the summer.  

Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

Among the new sauce and spice offerings will be Mama Odie’s Hot Sauce and Dooky Chase’s Seasonings (available in Gumbo Base, Seafood Seasoning, Meat Seasoning, and Fried Chicken Seasoning flavors). These items will be available at the Emporium at Magic Kingdom starting June 28, and Critter Co-Op at the base of Tiana’s salt mine later on.

  
If you can’t wait until June 28th to try the new jars and bottles, some of the mixes are available at Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in New Orleans. If you aren’t familiar with the Princess and the Frog backstory, Dooky Chase’s is owned by founding chef Leah Chase, the “Queen of Creole Cuisine,” who inspired the fictional character of Princess Tiana. The seasonings’ arrival in the Magic Kingdom is the first time these goodies will be available outside of Dooky Chase’s restaurant.  Part of the ride story is that Tiana’s company, an employee owned food co-op, creates a selection of the spectacular hot sauces that are used in her restaurant, Tiana’s Palace.  Whew…went a long way for that tie-in!

Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

Another unique offering that is on the way is the Tiana Bayou Beignet Coffee from Joffrey’s Coffee and Tea Co.  Since we are fans of Joffrey’s anyway, this one really caught our eye. Their new blend is a medium-roasted coffee with flavor notes of honey and powdered sugar. You can find it at the Joffrey’s shop in The Landing section at Disney Springs, but if you won’t be down in Florida for the big reveal, you can also order it at the Joffrey’s website.  Seems like this one would be a great dessert coffee to serve with some beignets.

On that note, Disney will also be bringing beignets back to the Magic Kingdom.  This time, they’ll be a little different than the short-time doughy treats that were plated up a few months ago.  This iteration will be available at the Golden Oak Outpost from June 28 through September 6, and have been labelled “Tiana’s Famous Beignets.” They’re described as light, sweet, and fluffy with powdered sugar and drizzled with honey.  And here’s your reminder that Golden Oak Outpost, just a hop, skip and a jump from the base of Tiana’s Adventure, has different operating hours than the Magic Kingdom itself, so if you’re hunting for the beignets, check your My Disney Experience app for the day’s schedule.  Also, just a sidebar… Beignets are a fan favorite with Disney guests, but these are not the same beignets that are celebrated over at Port Orleans - French Quarter, where you can get incredible Mickey-shaped beignets, or the boozy beignets at Scat Cat’s Club – Café .

 

Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

Also on tap at the Golden Oak Outpost will be:

 
• Hot Honey Chicken with Sweet Potato Fries: Chicken nuggets tossed in hot sauce-honey served with New Orleans olive relish and Cajun-spiced sweet potato fries (New)  

 

• Shrimp Gumbo with Sweet Potato Fries: Shrimp and Andouille sausage gumbo topped with Cajun-spiced sweet potato fries (New)

 

At Pinocchio Village Haus (Available June 28 through September 6): 

 

• Peach Cobbler: Cinnamon panna cotta, peach cobbler, brown sugar streusel, and whipped cream with a Tiana chocolate piece 

Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

At Plaza Ice Cream Parlor (Available June 28 through September 6):  

 

• Butter Pecan Praline Sundae: Butter pecan ice cream topped with praline sauce, spiced pecans, and whipped cream  

 

At The Plaza Restaurant (Available June 28 through September 6):  

 

• Tiana’s Chantilly Cake: Vanilla chiffon cake, lemon Chantilly, and fresh strawberries topped with a fondant flower and a Tiana chocolate piece 

Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

The Friar’s Nook and Outdoor Vending Locations near Cinderella Castle (Available starting June 28, while supplies last): 

 

• Princess Tiana Sipper (New) (Limit two per person, per transaction)  

Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

Main Street Confectionery (Available starting June 28): 

 

• Tiana’s Sweet Popcorn Serenade: Caramel popcorn with praline pecans, M&M’S Caramel Chocolate Candies, pretzel pieces, and dark chocolatey drizzle (New)  

 

• Tiana’s Bayou Crunch: Cajun cheddar popcorn with M&M’S Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies, cheddar crackers, pretzel pieces, and white chocolatey drizzle (New)

 

• Green Apple Gummi Frogs (New)

 

• Spicy Butter Toffee Peanuts (New)

 

NEW! Critter Co-Op (Coming soon)  

 

• Green Apple Gummi Frogs (New)

 

• Spicy Butter Toffee Peanuts (New)

Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

Disney Springs  

 

Amorette’s Patisserie (Available June 28 through July 31):

 

• Over the Bayou Cake Bar: Vanilla cake bar (New)

 

Available at Various Locations Throughout Walt Disney World Resort (Available June 28 through September 6), including Dockside Diner at Disney’s Hollywood Studios; The Plaza Restaurant and The Friar’s Nook at Magic Kingdom; Amorette’s Patisserie at Disney Springs (Available June 28 through July 31 only);  Beaches Pool Bar and Courtyard Pool Bar at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa; and Mardi Grogs Pool Bar at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter.  

 

• Bayou Lavender Lemonade: Minute Maid Premium Lemonade with flavors of lavender inspired by New Orleans’ influence on American cuisine (New)

Available at Various Locations Throughout Walt Disney World Resort:

 

• Crisped Rice Cereal Treat Lily Pad (New)

 

Available at the following locations:  

Main Street Confectionery at Magic Kingdom Park 

Big Top Souvenirs at Magic Kingdom Park 

Goofy’s Candy Company at Disney Springs 

Disney’s Candy Cauldron at Disney Springs 

Zuri’s Sweets Shop at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park 

Screen Door General Store at Disney’s BoardWalk  

Bayview Gifts at Disney’s Contemporary Resort 

• Pecan Praline Caramel Apple (New):

 

Available at the following locations:  

Main Street Confectionery at Magic Kingdom Park 

Big Top Souvenirs at Magic Kingdom Park 

Goofy’s Candy Company at Disney Springs 

Disney’s Candy Cauldron at Disney Springs 

Zuri’s Sweets Shop at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park 

Screen Door General Store at Disney’s BoardWalk  

Bayview Gifts at Disney’s Contemporary Resort 

 

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

 

Get The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution by Ray Keating. More information at

https://raykeatingbooksandmore.com/shop/ols/products/disneyplanner. And please listen to the Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating podcast. 

Annual Passholder and DVC Member Preview Dates Announced for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Disney World; Virtual Queue to Be Used for All Guests

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 14, 2024

 

The new “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” ride in Disney World’s Frontierland will officially open to all visitors on June 28th, 2024.  But a few groups will get a sneak peek ahead of time.  Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members and Disney Annual Passholders will get to preview the attraction before it’s officially open to other park visitors. 

Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

While that’s not unusual for new rides, there are a few changes to the access process this time around.  (And, spoiler alert, the process is not going smoothly on the first day of the sign-ups.  Within mere minutes of the Passholder email hitting our inbox, Stitch was already showing up with “Somebody Ate the Page” messages for those trying to sign on to My Disney Experience to make park reservations, the first step in snagging a ride for Tiana’s new adventure. By 11:00 a.m., all the Magic Kingdom reservations were gone, and in trying to make a park reservation at another park, in order to follow Disney’s instructions of park hopping for access to the ride, we got a message that read, “Thank you for your patience. Please keep this page open and do not refresh it as you prepare to make a park reservation.… wait time more than an hour.”  Hmmm… never had THAT happen when trying to make a park reservation before! Apologies to those unlucky guests who were just trying to make park reservations for other non-preview days, as the Tiana-wanna-rides brought the system to a grinding halt.  Ah, Disney technology!)

In the past, Passholders have been able to reserve specific dates and times to jump on a new ride by signing up ahead of time at a designated link. While it sometimes meant hours of waiting for your turn in the online queue to reserve said space and use this special Passholder perk, you knew you had a guaranteed seat when you arrived at the park on your preselected day.  And if you didn’t manage to snap up one of the limited number of spaces in the registration process, you knew you’d been shut out weeks in advance of the big day.  This time, it’ll be more of a game of chance, with Annual Passholders, who still have to make park reservations on most days, using the park reservation system to gain access. Even after you have a park reservation, however, you will still be relying on the luck of the draw to get into a virtual queue that morning.

Most Passholders received an email from Disney this morning (May 14), detailing how the new process will work.  Here are the important points:

 

• First, make a park reservation for Magic Kingdom Park on a preview date to have the opportunity to join the 7 a.m. virtual queue for that day. Or, you can make a Park reservation to any Theme Park on a preview date to have the opportunity to join the 1 p.m. virtual queue.

• Next, on the day of your park reservation, it's time to request to join the virtual queue using the My Disney Experience app. There will be two opportunities to join each day of previews.

• The 7 a.m. virtual queue will be available to Passholders with a park reservation to Magic Kingdom Park for that day.

• The 1 p.m. virtual queue will be available to Passholders with a park reservation to any Theme Park for that day. As a reminder, Passholders must enter the theme park where they have a reservation prior to visiting Magic Kingdom Park. Or, on June 13, 14, 17, 18 or 20, they can enter Magic Kingdom Park without a reservation after 2 p.m.

• Passholders do not need to have entered a Theme Park when they request to join the virtual queue.

(As a sidenote, you can also hold a TRON or Guardians virtual queue at the same time as the Tiana virtual queue during this event.)

Annual Passholder previews will take place:

• June 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, and 20

DVC previews will take place on two dates:

 

• Wednesday, June 12, 2024, from 1 PM to 4 PM Eastern Time

• Wednesday, June 19, 2024, from 9 AM to 12 PM Eastern Time

 

For DVC members, (who will also get an email from Disney with the specific details of their registration process), event registration via registration link access opens on Thursday, May 16th at 10AM ET.  Pre-registration is required.  DVC members must hold a qualifying Disney hotel reservation, using your DVC Membership, and must have valid park admission and park reservations to Magic Kingdom on the day of the preview events (unless otherwise noted on your admission type.)  See your DVC email letter for the longer version of the details.

 

For all other guests:

When the ride opens to all guests on June 28, there will be two ways to ride: virtual queue, or Disney Genie+.

For the virtual queue process, guests can use the My Disney Experience (MDE) app to request to join the (free) virtual queue either at 7 a.m. or 1 p.m.  You can check out more information about how the virtual queue process works at disneyworld.com/virtualqueue.  

 

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will also be included as a Lightning Lane entrance in the paid-for-service Disney Genie+.  Prices for Genie+ are available on the MDE app on the day of your visit, and vary by date and park.  Visit disneyworld.com/lightninglane for more details on using the Genie+ service.   (The Individual Lightning Lane rides are not being used for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.) However, access is still not guaranteed with Genie+.  When the slots for the day are gone, they’re gone, even if you purchased Genie+ for the day. You’ll just have to use Genie + for other rides in the park.

Disney notes that while a standby queue will not be available during the attraction’s initial opening days, they expect to open a standby queue soon after the attraction’s opening, once the initial swell of guests slows down.

Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

So, with this somewhat convoluted data dump, we wish you more luck in getting to be among the first to head down the bayou than the success we had… We’ll be watching you from the sidelines apparently, with one of the brand new “Tiana’s Famous Beignets” that will be dished up at the Golden Oak Outpost in our hands. (Or maybe not, since those fluffy beignets will be limited time only as well.)

 

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

 

Get The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution by Ray Keating. More information at

https://raykeatingbooksandmore.com/shop/ols/products/disneyplanner. And please listen to the Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating podcast. 

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure to Open June 28 in Disney World

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

May 13, 2024

 

We’re almost there - We have an opening date for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom!

During last night’s (May 12) “Disney Night” episode of American Idol, which was heavily Tiana-themed, a special announcement was made to celebrate the opening of the ride at Walt Disney World.

If you are in the neighborhood on June 28, 2024, you can catch your first trip down the bayou as the ride debuts its Florida splash with park guests.

The episode of American Idol featured a guest performance by Jenifer Lewis, the voice of Mama Odie in the 2009 Princess and the Frog animated movie, singing “Dig a Little Deeper” from the film.   She was accompanied on the trumpet by Grammy winner and jazz musician Terrance Blanchard, also from the Princess and the Frog film, and a collaborator on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

 
The new ride replaces Splash Mountain in Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom, though it is using the same ride track, and takes place after the events of the Princess and the Frog movie. New, updated animatronics will bring the movie characters to life, many with the voices of the original actors, but there will be a number of newly created critters added to the ride tale as well.

A tiara-topped water tower graces the top of the ride, which was built on an old salt mine that now houses Tiana’s new company, “Tiana’s Foods,” an employee-owned cooperative.  The premise of the ride is that Tiana is hosting a celebration during Mardi Gras to thank all of her friends and family for their help in launching her new business, which grows the herbs and spices she uses in her recipes at her restaurant, “Tiana’s Palace.” Tiana’s Foods is also producing a line of original hot sauces.  The ride is accompanied by music from the film, along with  original New Orleans-style music and art. Louis, the alligator musician, will help out by bringing the tunes.

The former Splash Mountain souvenir shop has also been converted into “Critter Co-op,” a kind of community center for the bayou residents.  Posters in the window advertise an upcoming Mardi Gras Ball; cooking, dance and quilting classes; Firefly Family Sing-Alongs, and even lost and found notices and postings for a new drummer.

Riders must be at least 40 inches tall to take the plunge in the water flume-style ride.  Disney Parks Blog has a whole page of stories to keep you busy until you can take your turn “goin’ down the bayou.”  Disneyland’s version of the Tiana ride is also currently under construction, but has not been given a launch date yet (sometime in 2024). 

More information regarding cast member, Disney Vacation Club and Annual Passholder previews is expected to be released on May 14.

 

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

 

Get The Disney Planner: The TO DO List Solution by Ray Keating. More information at

https://raykeatingbooksandmore.com/shop/ols/products/disneyplanner. And please listen to the Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating podcast.