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How the new Tiana's Bayou Adventure is a "love letter" to New Orleans

Disney Imagineers are sharing the wonderful detail and touches that ensure the new Tiana's Bayou Adventure carries the soul of New Orleans!

By Michael Weyer

Disney reveals a first look at the vibrant finale scene of Tiana's Bayou Adventure. “Drop on in” with Princess Tiana this summer as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens in Magic Kingdom Park on June 28. The new attraction at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., invites guests to join beloved characters and all-new friends on a thrilling adventure, all set against the music and excitement of a New Orleans celebration. (Olga Thompson, Photographer)
Disney reveals a first look at the vibrant finale scene of Tiana's Bayou Adventure. “Drop on in” with Princess Tiana this summer as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens in Magic Kingdom Park on June 28. The new attraction at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., invites guests to join beloved characters and all-new friends on a thrilling adventure, all set against the music and excitement of a New Orleans celebration. (Olga Thompson, Photographer) /
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As Splash Mountain now officially becomes Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Disney is winning fans over to the change and that includes how the ride is intended to match the soul of New Orleans!

The transformation of Splash Mountain into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has hit some controversy. It ranges from folks upset about changing a classic ride to early complaints the first videos of the attraction looked poor. 

However, reviews from those who have actually been on the ride have praised it, from the great AA to how it captures the feel of the underrated 2009 The Princess and the Frog. The plotline takes place a year after the film as Tiana is trying to find the right ingredients for her new restaurant and runs into a band (literally) of critters.

A piece on Disney’s own site has discussed the ride’s history and how it’s meant to capture the feel and soul of New Orleans just like the movie did. It’s interesting given that at Disneyland, the ride is closer to New Orleans Square, which has always had a unique aura about it. The movie was also praised for capturing the spirit of New Orleans so no surprise the ride does the same. 

 That includes living up to the memory of Leah Chase, the Queen of Creole Cuisine. 

Mention Leah Chase in New Orleans and you still get warm stories from the locals. Her Dooky Chase restaurant (named after her jazz player husband) was not only a hotspot for meals but a central meeting place for the Civil Rights Movement in New Orleans in the 1960s. She was also acclaimed for her love of African artwork that she would display and share. From local events to rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina, Chase exemplified the spirit of New Orleans and was one of the city’s most beloved residents, with her restaurant marked as a must-visit. 

The animators of Princess and the Frog have openly acknowledged Chase was the inspiration for Tiana, both in her cooking and determination to defy the odds and open up her own place. Chase loved the movie and how it could inspire other young girls to become chefs themselves. 

Chase sadly passed away in 2019 at the age of 96 but her legacy lives on the new Tiana ride. 

How Tiana’s Bayou Adventure homages New Orleans

Chase’s family was happy to help the Imagineers craft the new ride, including daughter Stella made an honorary Imagineer. There’s also the amazing artwork by New Orleans artist Sharika Mahdi, whose murals are featured outside the ride and the loading area. The ride has won praise for the queue area that recreates Tiana’s restaurant and has art by Malaika Favorite.

The feel also extended to the music, which has Leah and Dooky’s daughter, Leah Chase-Kamata, singing “Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans,” a Louis Armstrong classic, here reimagined by Grammy-award winning New Orleans artist Terence Blanchard. Also, the original voice of Tiana, Anika Noni Rose, sings the new song “Special Spice,” which was recorded in New Orleans by producer PJ Morton, who talked of the special message.

"I didn’t want [the music] to be a caricature of New Orleans. I said, ‘Let’s just make it authentic. Let’s make a great song that can live forever. It’s a combination: It’s New Orleans, it’s me, it’s Disney. All those things came very organically and very naturally."

This is all showcased in the new ride, which covers the gamut from the Cajun swamps to a lively New Orleans finale, all with a special magic that only Disney can provide. It combines to a fresh take on a classic, all the way to that epic drop.

Carmen Smith, the creative director for the attraction summed it up that the ride is meant to be “a love letter to New Orleans” and that whether you’re a resident of the city or wanting to visit, a ride on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure carries that city’s unique spirit all the way through.

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