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Walt Disney Imagineering shared a full point-of-view-ride-through of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure ahead of its grand opening at Walt Disney World this summer and Disneyland later this year, but not everyone was happy with what they saw.
The new ride expands on the story in the 2009 animated film “Princess and the Frog.” Riders will follow Tiana and Louis as they search for a missing ingredient ahead of a one-of-a-kind Mardi Gras celebration she will be hosting. As the ride concludes, guests will discover they are the missing ingredient, or “special spice,” Tiana was looking for.
“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)
Releasing a full POV ride-through of a new attraction is unusual for Walt Disney Imagineers, a division of the Disney company known for its secrecy. So when Disney dropped the video showcasing its latest project, many flocked to YouTube to see the finished product.
However, not everyone was pleased with what they saw, or rather what they didn’t see.
At the time of writing, the ride-through video had nearly 500,000 views, with 9,200 likes and 24,000 dislikes. The comment section was also deluged with negative feedback.
Many comments focused on how “boring and visually uninteresting” the ride looked, the lack of camera movement in the video, which failed to showcase the various audio-animatronic figures, why other notable characters from the animated feature like Dr. Facilier or Firefly Ray weren’t included in the ride, among others.
Other commentators wished Disney would re-theme the ride back to Splash Mountain.
Splash Mountain was re-themed to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disney World and Disneyland after fans called for Disney to re-theme the beloved attraction amid a racial reckoning across the country.
General views of Splash Mountain at Disneyland, slated for closure in 2023 and re-theming as ‘Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’ on Jan. 28, 2023 in Anaheim, California. (AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens June 28 at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida! The ride will take guests on a musical adventure picking up after the events of the Walt Disney Animation Studios film, “The Princess and the Frog.” Guests will encounter fan-favorite characters including Prince Naveen, Mama Odie and more, plus all-new music. (Bennett Stoops, Photographer)
The attraction drew criticism in its last years of operation since it featured characters and music from the 1946 animated feature “Song of the South,” a movie criticized for its stereotypes of Black men and its romanticized view of the post-Civil War South.
Despite its problematic history, the attraction was still a favorite among Disney fans on both coasts due to its catchy tunes, breathtaking theme park views and its unique structure.
Still, even with the recent wave of negativity, other social media users expressed that they are still excited about the attraction opening at Disney World later this month and later in the year at Disneyland.