Predictions for Tiana's Bayou Adventure

We are getting closer and closer every day to the opening of Tiana's Bayou Adventure! What will this new iteration of a beloved attraction bring?

Opening date?

Disney has stated that Tiana's Bayou Adventure will open in "summer 2024". This may seem promising, but Disney is always very deliberate about their word choices. Technically, summer does not end until September 22nd. Disney could potentially really stretch out that timeline to make sure everything is up and running smoothly. 

September 22nd is already halfway through the fall/Halloween season at Walt Disney World. Around this time of the year, there will be Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween parties at the Magic Kingdom most nights throughout the month. Disney could potentially combine promo for Tiana with promo for the Halloween season and draw in an even larger crowd than normal. 

A summer opening date makes sense for this ride as it can be excruciatingly hot in Florida during the summer months. If you're worried the September is not an optimal time due to the weather, don't be. September in Florida is still very humid, and Splash opening anytime before November will be just fine. 

Previously, Disney Darling predicted that Tiana's Bayou Adventure would open on October 1st, which is Magic Kingdom's anniversary date. This no longer aligns with the information Disney has given.

Ideally, I'd love for the opening date to be July 17th, as that is when Splash Mountain first opened. This, of course, was for Disneyland's version of the attraction. This time, World will be opening their Splash Mountain (Tiana's Version) first. It would be a cool full-circle moment for it to open on July 17th again. However, this might be too soon. 

As for Disneyland's version of the ride, an official opening date has not yet been announced. Disney simply said it would open "later". What this means is anybody's guess, but maybe we can narrow it down. Disneyland's Splash Mountain closed about 4 months after Walt Disney World's. It makes sense to predict that there will be a 4 month delay. If Magic Kingdom’s opens in August, then Disneyland's might open in December. 

Let's entertain this hypothesis for a minute. The weather may not be a big factor for California as it is more mild year round that Florida's, so December isn't necessarily a weird time to open a water ride. And if Disneyland wanted to open Tiana's Bayou Adventure in December, there is a perfect date for it. The Princess and the Frog movie premiered on December 11th. The ride opening on the same day would be very cool. 

Some people are also speculating Memorial Day weekend as Walt Disney World has historically opened many attractions Memorial Day weekend. Other predictions are Juneteenth and 4th of July weekend.

A tell-tale sign that a ride is about to open are Cast Member previews. Cast Members will be invited to ride about a month before official opening. So whenever we start seeing non-imagineer Cast Members go down the log ride, then we will know we are getting close. 

Rumors have been swirling that the Cast Member previews start Memorial Day weekend, which would put the opening date in late June. 

Officially, my bets are on late June/early July at the earliest and September at the latest. August falls in-between, so that's probably more likely. 

EDIT: It has been announced that Tiana's Bayou Adventure is opening June 28th!

Music?

Disney has said that Tiana's Bayou Adventure will take place after the events of The Princess and Frog movie, with all new story and all new songs. However, the movie has such a great soundtrack that I can't imagine the ride completely leaving it out. I predict that at least a few songs from the original movie will be played in the queue. The song "Goin' Down the Bayou" feels like it will fit especially well. 

There is also the issue of Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah. This iconic song was removed from Magic Kingdom's background music playlist one year ago. I predict that a song from Tiana's Bayou Adventure will soon take its place. 

Story?

The story the attraction tells is the most important part of any Disney ride. We know a vague outline of the story of the attraction. Tiana wants to prepare a Mardi Gras party for the employees of her restaurant, and needs to find a missing ingredient (which is music). She goes to a salt mine in the Bayou to find it. 

Concept art has revealed that Mama Odie will be in the ride, and her hanging bottles can be found at the top of drop. So we know that Mama Odie will be the one leading us down the hill.

My theory is that Tiana begins to lead us into the bayou, but along the way we get lost. Mama Odie helps us get back on track and we find our way to the party as the finale scene. 

Reusing old elements?

Everybody's favorite part of Splash Mountain was the finale scene after the drop, when all the animals gathered together on a steamboat to sing "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah". 

Steamboats appear several times in The Princess and the Frog, including one prominent scene taking place on a steamboat. I would not be surprised if the old Zip-A-Dee Lady made a return with a fresh coat of paint.  And I bet the finale scene will remain a celebration of sorts. 

It also appears that several animatronics or previous designs have been re-used for the various critters in the ride. There will probably be even more up-cycled materials from Splash making an appearance. 

New meet and greet?

Currently, Tiana meets Magic Kingdom guests at Princess Fairytale Hall in Fantasyland. This is nowhere near where her ride will be. Tiana's Bayou Adventure is in the back of the park, and Tiana herself is towards the center. There's half a park in-between them. This does not make sense, theming wise. 

Tiana previously met guests at the Liberty Square gazebo, which is much closer to Frontierland. In 2023, Merida was moved to the Liberty Square gazebo. Recent reports from park visitors say that Merida is not there anymore. Perhaps Disney is starting to make the shift to place Tiana there again? 

Tiana could potentially meet guests in Frontierland. The land is pretty narrow and there are not traditional, themed meet and greet areas in the land. There really aren't any meet and greets in the land anymore. Woody and Jessie used to meet guests in Frontierland, so it is a possibility. Sometimes the Country Bears will walk around, but there is not a huge demand for them so lines and crowds do not block pathways. Sometimes you can spot characters on the second story porches of the Frontierland town facades, waving to the guests below. 

At Disneyland, Tiana has a meet and greet spot near her attraction. She also has a cute new outfit. 

Perhaps Tiana will debut this new outfit at the Magic Kingdom in Frontierland for the opening of Bayou Adventure?

Tiana's Palace?

Over at Disneyland, Tiana took over a previous restaurant and made it her own from the movie. Perhaps Walt Disney World will do the same?

Rumors about Pecos Bill's Tall Tale Inn and Cafe being re-themed into a Tiana's Palace restaurant have been circulating for years. The demand for a Tiana's Palace restaurant at Walt Disney World has existed for even longer. However, most guests envisioned it being built at the Port Orleans resort hotel, rather than inside a theme park. There is still demand for it, and the restaurant seems to be doing well at Disneyland. A placement at the Magic Kingdom is the next logical step. 

Magic Kingdom even quietly sold Tiana's signature beignet for a short time frame earlier this year. They were available at a food stand in Frontierland that is located right next to the attraction. Walt Disney World could be further testing if there is a positive response to New Orleans inspired dishes at the Magic Kingdom before committing to a whole restaurant. 

I would not be surprised if Pecos Bill's becomes transformation central soon.  

Virtual Queue? 

In recent years, Disney has resorted to using a virtual queue when a new ride opens. This has happened with Rise of the Resistance, Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, Cosmic Rewind, and Tron. I expect the same process for Tiana's Bayou Adventure.

This may halt the virtual queue system for Tron, as Disney typically does one virtual queue per park. It will be interesting to see what the "true" wait times for Tron are now that it is no longer the newest attraction. 

Virtual queue reservations are made through the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit to the Magic Kingdom. You will receive a time frame to enter the queue of the ride. This can be a pretty smooth system. However, it is disappointing if you are unable to snag a reservation. 

Virtual queues cut down on crowds and perceived wait times. Without it, the line will be as long as the Mississippi River. This would be a problem for crowds in the narrow Frontierland. Also, you can go about the park, ride other rides, or grab a bite to eat while waiting for your reservation time. If you plan to make a splash on Tiana's Bayou Adventure any time within the year 2024, be prepared to make a virtual queue reservation.  

Nicknames will emerge?

Splash Mountain is such an iconic ride to pop culture, and it has a great name. People are not so thrilled about the name "Tiana's Bayou Adventure". That name is very long. Most Disney rides have some sort of nickname or abbreviation among fans. 

So many people are still referring to it as "Splash Mountain". Some online are humorously using the name "The Princess and the Log". As a Swiftie, I myself prefer "Splash Mountain (Tiana's Version)". Some other nicknames are bound to emerge during opening. 

And if you don't believe me, some people still refer to Disney's Hollywood Studios as "MGM" and that name change happened 16 years ago. So, I predict that this new name will also take a few years to stick. 

Your Opinions

What are your predictions for Tiana's Bayou Adventure? Do you have a nickname for the ride? Leave a comment below!