The new attraction stars Disney's first black princess, a fitting replacement for the old attraction based on a film with racist overtones.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Tiana's Bayou Adventure, the redesign of the ride formerly known as Splash Mountainis officially open at Walt Disney World in Orlando.
At the attraction's grand opening on Friday, June 28, park guests experienced dozens of new animatronic characters and a rousing New Orleans soundtrack as they were immersed in the world of “The Princess and the Frog.”
And don't worry: the familiar, thrilling experience of the log flume and the 15-metre drop are still intact.
Guests aboard Magic Kingdom's latest attraction will join fan favorites from the film like Princess Tiana, Louis, Mama Odie and several musically inclined animals in an all-new adventure.
The attraction picks up where the film leaves off as Princess Tiana throws a party during the 1927 Mardi Gras season. The riders are quickly recruited to help the princess once she realizes that Prince Naveen and Louis have failed to book a band.
Disney describes Tiana's Bayou Adventure as “a celebration where everyone is welcome,” reminding guests that “everyone has the potential to make their dreams come true.”
The new Magic Kingdom attraction features Disney's first black princess, a fitting replacement for an attraction based on a film that contained racist tropes. The attraction was previously themed after “Song of the South,” a 1946 Disney film filled with offensive tropes about African Americans and plantation life.
Disney's announcement that it would transform its long-running Splash Mountain attraction into Tiana's Bayou Adventure came in June 2020 following social justice protests sparked by the killing. of George Floyd in Minneapolis custody. At the time, Disney said the change was already underway. But it came as companies across the United States were reconsidering or renaming brands that are decades old amid global protests.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.