This Highly-Anticipated Disney World Ride Finally Has a Reopening Date: 'Like the Animation Came to Life' Tiana's Bayou Adventure is replacing Splash Mountain at Disney World and Disneyland.
By Emily Rella
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Good news for Walt Disney World parkgoers and fans of the former water ride, Splash Mountain.
The long-anticipated "The Princess and the Frog"-themed replacement, Tiana's Bayou Adventure, is officially set to open in Disney's Magic Kingdom in Orlando on June 28.
The musical ride will feature a New Orleans celebration with dozens of animatronic characters including Princess Tiana, Mama Odie, and Louis, and new animal characters including an otter, rabbit, raccoon, beaver, and turtle.
Related: Disneyland Will Permanently Close Splash Mountain May 31
"As guests float through the cypress trees and Spanish moss of a beautiful Louisiana bayou, they may see some familiar faces as part of the dozens of entirely new Audio-Animatronics figures," WDW said in a release. "Along with Princess Tiana, Louis and Mama Odie, keep an eye out for Eudora, Charlotte, Prince Ralphie, Prince Naveen and others. Between Disney's iconic storytelling, technologically advanced Audio-Animatronics figures, and a thrilling 50-foot drop, Tiana's Bayou Adventure has enough fun for everyone!"
The new ride will also feature artwork from local New Orleans-based artists throughout the experience.
Some Disney-focused content creators were able to preview the animatronics ahead of the official opening.
@themagicalmillennial_ IT'S CONFIRMED! Booking my flight NOW ??? #disney #disneyparks #wdw #magickingdom #tianasbayouadventure #princessandthefrog #openingdate #june #update #foryou #disneyfyp @Disney Parks @Disney ♬ Transformation central _ princess and the frog - Raven
@patrickadougall Walt Disney Imagineering gave us a FIRST LOOK at all NEW animatronics for Tiana's Bayou Adventure opening at WDW this summer and Disneyland later in the year... what do you think?! #disneyparks #wdw #tianasbayouadventure #princessandthefrog ♬ Almost there - ?
"They straight up look like the animation came to life, I love it," one fan wrote.
"I cant wait," another said excitedly. "Tiana is one of my favorite!!!"
In December 2020, Disney World announced that it would shut down Splash Mountain amid backlash to the ride's ties to the 1946 Disney movie "Song of the South," which is accused of promoting racist stereotypes.
"With this longstanding history of updating attractions and adding new magic, the retheming of Splash Mountain is of particular importance today," Disney said in a release, at the time. "The new concept is inclusive – one that all of our guests can connect with and be inspired by, and it speaks to the diversity of the millions of people who visit our parks each year."
Related: Disney World Shutting Star Wars Resort For Good
Splash Mountain opened in 1992 at Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California in 1998. Disney World's version was shuttered for good in January 2023 followed by Disneyland's version in May 2023.
The Disneyland version of the ride in California is set to open later this year though no official release date has been given.
