New concept art and details unveiled for Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Walt Disney World

Apr 12, 2023 in "Tiana's Bayou Adventure"

Forum Forums Tweet Share Tweet Share

Gallery / 1 Photo
Tiana's Bayou Adventure concept art - April 2023

Posted: Wednesday April 12, 2023 1:13pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has today announced more details on the upcoming Tiana's Bayou Adventure attraction coming to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in late 2024, including news on animatronics and the appearance of Mama Odie.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure concept art - April 2023

As depicted in this newly released rendering above, Mama Odie jokes with guests along their journey after a special display of her magic. The two-hundred-year-old Bayou Fairy Godmother, with her eccentric belongings and “seeing eye snake,” Juju, is comically eccentric, yet wise and all-knowing, throughout the adventure. Actress Jenifer Lewis, who starred as the voice of Mama Odie in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “The Princess and the Frog,” is once again returning to her role for the attraction.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure - Concept art of first drop into the bayou

Other new details announced for today for Tiana's Bayou Adventure include:

Brand-new cast of original Disney characters with distinct names and personalities
Dozens of entirely new Audio-Animatronics figures
Adorable critters with incredible talent, bringing the diverse flavors of musical gumbo found in New Orleans!
New, original music alongside favorite tunes from the film
Alluring scent of beignets being prepared for the party will be part of the attraction queue!
Additional talent voices from the film reprising their roles, including Bruno Campos as Prince Naveen, Michael Leon Wooley as Louis, and the one and only Anika Noni Rose as Princess Tiana
Familiar faces from the film such as Princess Tiana, Prince Naveen, Mama Odie, Louis, Eudora, Charlotte, “Big Daddy,” the King and Queen of Maldonia and Prince Ralphie

Disney also announced today that Splash Mountain at Disneyland park will be closed starting May 31, 2023.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure concept model - D23 Expo exhibit

Discuss on the Forums

Get Walt Disney World News Delivered to Your Inbox

HauntedPirate5 hours ago

I'd opine that they chose to leave the significant gaps, but that's just me.

networkpro5 hours ago

The scenery and props were designed for the Disneyland space so they had to leave significant gaps for Disneyworlds longer flume.

Incomudro9 hours ago

Yes, there is little implied motion in any of these figures, or steps of figure. It's bad storyboarding.

EagleScout61020 hours ago

The other issue I have with the animatronics on Bayou is that everyone is just standing/sitting firmly on the ground. There's no dynamic or interesting poses that allow for interesting animation. Splash had Br'er Rabbit jumping along the fence, Br'er Bear in the tree and thrashing around on his back, Br’er Fox springing up from the background, the Possum babies above the river hanging by their tails, turtles being lifted by geysers, the entire riverboat rocking back and forth... Everything on Bayou just looks so static in comparison. Edit - Forgot about Rufus the Turtle who bobs back and forth slightly. But it's still a very simple animation loop.

networkpro20 hours ago

Curious enough I met Troy Landry at the Poly in 2020 while it was open just for DVC and diners. Nice fellow.

Animaniac93-9821 hours ago

They also don't interact much with each other and are very self contained vignettes that don't build to anything. Think of the geese who's fishing line has nabbed another's hat, or the fish that jumps through the empty net. Think of the vultures looking at each other and finishing the other's sentence. Think of the rabbits commenting on the Brers chasing each other while a projection effect plays in the background. All of that is gone...and the heavier reliance of screens makes the new scenes look physically flat. The ride's soundtrack is doing the heavy lifting of giving life to the scenes, not their staging or animation.

JoeCamel22 hours ago

Shelby would run them over with his boat so we escape over the falls!

Brer Panther23 hours ago

Yes, this. Both of this. I dunno if they really qualified as "evil", but yes, the film dig have frog hunters. It still would've been a major downgrade from Brer Fox, though... I don't think you could make those frog hunters threatening at all. I suppose they could've made up a brand new villain, but they probably couldn't be bothered (or they knew people would still be complaining that we got this new character instead of Facilier).

networkpro1 day ago

Louis wasn't made of wood. Bruce is one to be wary of.

JoeCamel1 day ago

They could of had this guy going after Louis...

PizzaPlanet1 day ago

Didn’t the movie have evil frog hunters or something like that? They could’ve introduced conflict with those guys going after the critters if they didn’t want to go the voodoo route. Could’ve been similar to Brer Fox or the witch from Snow White.

Bocabear1 day ago

no, I guess I didn't...there was nothing memorable about them to me... I was really focused on trying to figure out what sort of entrepreneurial enterprise Tiana would get into after she got her prince and her dream of opening the restaurant...you know, the focus of the entire movie...lol