The New Tiana's Bayou Adventure Ride Takes Clients on a Joyful Journey

The Walt Disney Company celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023 — a remarkable milestone that few companies achieve. As venerated as Disney's history is, the company is also evolving.

For example, some changes have been made in order to create a more inclusive theme park experience. The latest notable change is Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, a flume ride themed to the film "The Princess and the Frog," which debuted last June at Walt Disney World and then on Nov. 15 at Disneyland. Disney Imagineers rethemed the Splash Mountain attraction, replacing the central and problematic “Song of the South” tune with an all-new story featuring Disney’s first African American princess. It was an endeavor they did not take lightly.

“Tiana resonates with people all over the world,” said Charita Carter, a senior creative producer with Disney Imagineering. “And to have her presence in the form of an attraction is going to introduce her to a whole new generation of guests.”

What to Expect on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Although it shares the same footprint as Splash Mountain (and the same ride track), the similarities end there.

The attraction features an all-new “next chapter” storyline that picks up where “The Princess and the Frog” leaves off, but the journey down the bayou is motivated by a problem. Tiana (still a princess, but now also a successful business owner) is hosting a Mardi Gras party for her community, but she still needs a key ingredient: music.

Accompanied by everyone’s favorite jazz-loving alligator, Louis, riders embark on a joyful journey in search of a solution, and of course there’s also a bit of bayou magic courtesy of Mama Odie. From a six-piece Zydeco band and a group of Rara musicians to a quartet of Afro-Cuban music-playing frogs, the critters in the bayou literally bring the sounds of New Orleans to the party.

After the ride’s final splashy plunge, riders get to celebrate Mardi Gras with an all-new toe-tapping finale song called "Special Spice," written especially for the attraction by Grammy winner (and New Orleans native) PJ Morton and performed by Tony winner Anika Noni Rose, who voiced Tiana in the movie and for the ride. Other original “Princess and the Frog” actors reprising their roles include Michael-Leon Wooley as Louis and Jenifer Lewis as Mama Odie.

Disneyland Welcomes Guests to Bayou Country

Anaheim’s newest attraction completes a “Princess and the Frog” presence in Disneyland Park, which stretches from Tiana’s Palace restaurant and Eudora’s Chic Boutique in New Orleans Square to the park's Bayou Country area (formally Critter Country).

“New Orleans Square was the first land added to Disneyland [after its opening] — and the land Walt Disney specifically wanted to bring here because of his love of the art, the community, the music and the food,” said Juan Aldava, a Disneyland Resort spokesperson. “So, expanding it all these years later into Bayou Country, with new characters and new stories that tie to the vibrant tradition of New Orleans, is something you can only find here at Disneyland.”

The renamed land features two reimagined shops (both exclusive to Disneyland): Ray's Berets, named for Tiana’s firefly friend in film, and Louis’ Critter Club (which shares the building with Pooh Corner). The new shops offer a collection of attraction-themed apparel and gifts, plus exclusive spice blends from Dooky Chase restaurant in New Orleans.

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Also new for Bayou Country — located next door to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (which is staying put) — Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree opened Oct. 25 this year. The quick-service restaurant pays tribute to the iconic Country Bears attraction with a revamped menu featuring regional barbecue favorites and a soundtrack of the bear band’s tunes. While the beloved Country Bears attraction recently got a modernizing makeover in Orlando, there’s no sign of the show returning to California.

And like the Hundred Acre Wood gang, Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes also remains unchanged in Bayou Country.

How Disney Keeps Moving Forward

Walt Disney once said, "We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things." Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is the latest in a series of attraction makeovers on both coasts designed to “keep moving forward,” with diversity and inclusivity in mind.

In 2021, Imagineers updated Jungle Cruise at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom to remove racially insensitive elements and to tell a new story about a multicultural group of explorers. Outdated scenes from the 1953 animated classic “Peter Pan” were recently removed from Peter Pan’s Flight at Walt Disney World and replaced with a more accurate portrayal of Native American culture. Similar changes are expected for Disneyland’s version of the attraction.

During D23: The Ultimate Fan Event in August, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro announced two all-new attractions aimed at increasing inclusion: A new 11-acre Tropical Americas land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida will include the first-ever “Encanto”-themed ride-through attraction featuring the magical Madrigal family, and the first-ever “Coco” ride, which will take clients on a boat trip to the land of the dead with Miguel at California Adventure.

With 100 years under its belt (and an eye toward the next 100), Disney is focused on making its theme parks places where everyone feels represented and welcome, and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is certainly a celebration of that.

“We felt there was another [Princess Tiana] story to tell,” said Carmen Smith, senior vice president and executive creative development product/content and inclusive strategies for Disney parks, experiences and products. “But there’s also a message to every generation, a story of promise: Never think that you can't. We know that you can.”

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is currently offered via complimentary Virtual Queue and paid Lightning Lane Multi Pass or Lightning Lane Premier Pass. No standby queue is available.