Disneyland to close Splash Mountain in May, releases concept art for ‘Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’
Disney Parks announced that Splash Mountain at Disneyland in Anaheim, California will be closing beginning May 31 and released conceptual artwork of what its replacement, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, will look like.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will be coming to both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, according to a blog post from Disney. The new attraction will be themed around Disney movie “The Princess and the Frog.”
The company made the decision to re-theme Splash Mountain in June 2022 after wide criticism that it promoted “racial stereotypes.”
The ride’s theme was based on Br’er Rabbit’s adventures in the 1946 “Song of the South” film, which has been criticized for how it portrayed plantation life.
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“I’ve felt, as long as I’ve been CEO, that ‘Song of the South’ was – even with a disclaimer – was just not appropriate in today’s world,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said during a March 2020 shareholders meeting.
Disney Parks on Wednesday released its first concept of what the attraction may look like.
“The magic of the bayou is calling, so listen closely because we’re ‘digging a little deeper’ into the experience guests can expect from the future attraction coming to Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure! The enchantment of the bayou will illuminate with a celebration during Mardi Gras season hosted by Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen. And today, I’m thrilled to announce that Mama Odie will reprise her role as the catalyst to that magic,” Senior Vice President, Creative Development – Product/Content & Inclusive Strategies Carmen Smith said.
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The new attraction will include new Audio-Animatronics figures, music from “The Princess and the Frog,” new cast original Disney characters, and more.
The blog post says that New Orleans artist Sharika Mahdi “inspired our work on the attraction with a local’s perspective.”
According to Disney Parks, the new attraction will open in 2024.
Fox News’ Sarah Rumpf contibuted to this report.
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