Disney reveals the opening date and details of Splash Mountain’s transformation into Tiana’s Bayou adventure

Splash Mountain will transform into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, an attraction that will reopen in Disneyland and Disney World in late 2024.

Carmen Smith, SVP, Creative Development – Product / Content and Inclusive Strategies for Disney, confirmed the plans in a blog post.

Disney indicated in 2020 that it would reshape the attraction in 2020, breaking news as protests against racial injustice spread across the country. Splash Mountain was based on the story of Uncle Remus Bra the Rabbit in the company’s controversial 1946 film. southern song. Because Smith’s post and accompanying YouTube video garnered a lot of attention, the Imagineers’ attention in this renewed effort is to honor New Orleans history and heritage.

A new connection will appear in the 2009 Disney animated film, The Princess and the Frog. The new incarnation of the canal ride picks up after the final kiss between Princess Tiana (played by Annika Noni Rose) and Louis as they prepare for their first Mardi Gras performance. Rose is involved in the project.

“The Walt Disney Imagineers traveled to Louisiana frequently as they conducted extensive research to ensure that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure preserved the heart and soul of the city that inspired Princess Tiana’s story,” Smith wrote. “From exploring French markets and marshes to consulting with academics, chefs, musicians and cultural institutions, the Imagineers have drawn inspiration from across the region and learned from local experts along the way.”

A new version of the attraction was revealed at the Essence Fest in New Orleans. Charita Carter, executive producer of Achievement Activations at Walt Disney Imagineering, described Tiana’s Bayou Adventure as “a love letter to New Orleans.” She added, “Like the city of music that inspired this attraction, Tiana’s second act is about a community working in harmony to achieve something extraordinary.”