BREAKING: “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” Ride Announced to Replace Splash Mountain, Disney Officially Gives Opening Timeframe

Shannen Ace

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BREAKING: “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” Ride Announced to Replace Splash Mountain, Disney Officially Gives Opening Timeframe

During the Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans today, Disney announced that the replacement of Splash Mountain inspired by “The Princess and the Frog” will be called Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

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The new ride will replace Splash Mountain at both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. The story of the ride is that Tiana, with Naveen and Louis, sets off on a journey to host a unique Mardi Gras party. Guests will be “active participants” in the ride and it will end with the “ultimate Mardi Gras party.”

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The attraction will have new music inspired by the film’s soundtrack. There will be new characters alongside the characters from the animated movie. Based on silhouettes of characters in the concept art, at least some may be redressed audio-animatronics from Splash Mountain. Read more about the inspiration behind Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Disney did not announce when Splash Mountain will close, but Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will open in late 2024. Tiana’s voice actress Anika Noni Rose accidentally leaked this timeframe a few weeks ago.

The “Tiana Reimagined” panel later today will showcase “news of ‘Princess and the Frog’, and reveal of Tiana’s new look,” so may have more information about the ride.

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34 thoughts on “BREAKING: “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” Ride Announced to Replace Splash Mountain, Disney Officially Gives Opening Timeframe”

    • So disappointed. They’re just taking a great classic ride and putting it in it hoping hoping that people will go on it because they love that ride. They know if they build this right from scratch that people will go on at once and we’ll never go on it again. I remember going on splash mountain with my dad. Don’t understand how it even fits the area in magic kingdom just total BS. I really hope this blows up in their faces somehow.

  1. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will open in late 2024.
    TRANSLATION
    Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will open in late 2026 after being closed for three years.

  2. I don’t like them taking away the mountain theme. Riding the three mountains was a right of passage and a cool idea growing up

  3. Darn. I was hoping they would retain the Splash Mountain name in some form. That said, I’m also glad they went with a relatively short and straight-forward new name for the attraction instead of the word salad that so many attraction names have become lately.

  4. Ironic how the Disney Parks Blog Article reads Disney is “conducting extensive research to ensure Tiana’s Bayou Adventure preserves the heart and soul of the city that inspired Princess Tiana’s story.” Do not see how you are going to spin a mountain out of research in New Orleans.

    Bottom line, Disney is so desperate to appear woke to virtue signal, but only while expending the least amount of money. If they truly wanted to put their money where their mouth and supposed high morals are, they would create a custom attraction from scratch, rather than reskin a 30 year plus old ride.

    • Not to mention, didn’t their research turn up a city that has been besieged by hurricanes (most notably Andrew and Katrina)? Do they seriously think a WATER RIDE is appropriate?

  5. The concept has definitely grown on me, but I wish Disney would stop using the name “Adventure” it’s a lazy solution and has been popping up more and more.

    Not only that, but the naming convention of [Main/Merchandisable Character’s name] + [unique qualifier of literal movie name] + [Adventure] = Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Indiana Jones Adventure, Disney California Adventure…sigh

  6. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. No problem with it in Disneyland. Thematically a bayou is a decent extension of New Orleans Square and the South in general. It does not fit between Frontierland and Big Thunder Mountain. Are they going to re-theme and re-brand the train station? New Orleans was not the Frontier in the period the story is set.

    • Splash Mountain is set in the deep south, as is the story it’s based on. Has never had anything to do with the rest of western-themed Frontierland. There’s even a giant steamboat at the end, which is basically a reference to Louisiana already. This isn’t a major stretch at all.

  7. If Disney wants to use Tiana name on this attraction so badly than one idea could have been Tiana’s Splash Mountain Bayou

  8. I hate this. Splash is our favorite. Not just the drops, everything about it. This is change just for the sake of woke virtue signaling. With everything else going on, we might be down to one last disney trip so we can say goodbye to Splash. Then our yearly trip/money will be spent elsewhere.

  9. Please save Splash Mountain at WDW. What is wrong with the classic, change is not always good. I grew up riding this ride as is. So did my children, as did so many others. Why change it? Change is not always good, most of the changes that have been made recently has been awful. I was even walked back stage during the fireworks one night and that in itself was a disgusting change. And just as someone else said what about conquering all the mountains. It is a right of passage. Please only change the one at Disneyland and please leave the one at Disney World alone.

  10. If they were going to reimagine Splash Mountain (which they shouldn’t), it should have been Pocahontas. She rides down a mountain in a log flume…

  11. I think it’s a travesty to get rid of such an iconic ride like Splash Mountain to try to be politically correct.We will not ride the new one much less ever go back to Disney.Just because Splash Mountain was based on a southern theme by a southern writer.I am a Southerner and I am offended .

  12. Why do grown adults take theme park issues so seriously? They could call it the Princess and the Frog ride and some of you would still get bent out of shape.

    The reason they use “Adventure” in so many ride names is because kids, yep kids, enjoy going on an adventure. You know, the main demographic. And they like the characters. Hence the use of their names.

    • Walt built disney world for a place a FAMILY will go to together and have a great time. It was never intended for just kids. Family values not what ever it has turned into. What it WAS a place familys went to and their kids grew up and want to take their family. That is what it was for me. Im a dvc member and am struggling with all the none family values taking place there. Im lucky my kids got to grow up going there when I didnt have to explain why dude on dude or women on women are in thier shows and advertising. That is a different tipe of audience. Walt Disney world is much more than a amusement park. That is what made it so magical. People who did nkt grow up disney dont understand.

  13. It’s really funny how people get so bent out of shape about this ride changing. If you look at the concept art from both Disney and the New Orleans artist that created, the artwork has cartoon animals all throughout that look quite similar to those currently on Splash Mountain. My guess is that most of the splash mountain characters other than Brer Rabbit Fox & Bear will remain, and they’ll add some Princess & the frog characters here & there. You’re giving current-day Disney too much credit to think that this will be a drastic transformation. And stop saying “woke”… It’s not cute.

  14. Glad to know when is the last time I will visit the Disney Parks, namely before late 2024. What a waste of a classic attraction.

  15. I agree with the people who said if this ride had to be revamped, it should have been done so with Pocahontas. She actually rode a canoe down a waterfall and many of the creatures in her forest are similar to the ones from Song of the South. Not to mention Pocahontas is a far more popular movie with more iconic songs. However, Native Americans never get any attention because they lack political power unlike the NAACP.

  16. Seriously ya’ll?! Get over it! Song of the South is extremely racist, and finally Disney is starting to take ownership of that. Princess and the Frog is one of my favorites (although the stereotypes in that movie can also be questions at times), and although I agree with the idea of Pocahontas, the music can’t really be made into a spectacle as with Princess and the Frog. I trust the Imagineers as Disney will do what it takes to make it all blend together with that magical touch. Can’t wait for this ride to open!

  17. To all the people who are lamenting the name change (theme change) for the water flume ride at Disney World: Please, stop.

    We all have memories from our lives, places we’ve been, things we’ve done. Your memories are fond and you revel in the happiness they bring you. But, honestly, do you think you have the right to command the park keep things the same way as when you were a kid 40, 50, 60 years ago? Don’t you feel like it is the children of this world who are due the focus of the park? You were a kid, you had your fun at the park. Now, it is time for other children to have their fun and make their memories. In 30 or 40 years, they’ll change it again. No big deal. Go or don’t go. Just enjoy your time here on Earth the best you can.

    • Yes, you nailed it with this comment. I love this ride, and never wanted it to change, but change is the only constant in our lives and as they used to say, whilst there is imagination in the world, the parks will never be finished. Life goes on .

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