economie

I was one of the first to ride the Splash Mountain replacement at Disney World. After years of controversy, it’s a whole new ride.

June 14, 20240
The outdoor queue isn’t really shaded, so it can get hot.

Megan duBois

Before loading into the log-style ride vehicles, a large outdoor queue area snakes around a concrete plaza.

This largely unshaded outdoor area can get very hot, so I’d bring a handheld fan or an umbrella during the summer months to help keep cool.

Just before heading inside, I spotted Tiana’s delivery truck decorated in Mardi Gras colors.

The indoor queue was cute and full of Easter eggs.
The little animal figurines pay homage to Brer Fox, Brer Bear, and Brer Rabbit.

Megan duBois

Just past the table, on the shelf above the desk, there’s a little Easter egg paying tribute to Splash Mountain: fox, bear, and bunny tchotchkes placed together as a nod to Brer Fox, Brer Bear, and Brer Rabbit.

My favorite part of the queue was seeing the gumbo recipe on the wall.
I could smell the beignets in Tiana’s kitchen.

Megan duBois

Just past the gumbo recipe, I peeked into Tiana’s kitchen, where a plate of beignets was covered in powdered sugar on the table.

It even smelled like powdered sugar inside the kitchen.

After a few more minutes of waiting, it was finally time to ride.
Tiana was the first character we saw.

Olga Thompson/Walt Disney World

After the first lift hill, I got my first look at the impressive new animatronics that Disney created for the attraction, which is set a year after “The Princess and the Frog” ends.

Princess Tiana welcomed us to the bayou and let us know what to bring to the party.

Other characters from the movie made an appearance as well.
The briar patch is now just another section of the bayou.

Megan duBois

The most famous part of Splash Mountain was probably the big drop into the briar patch, and that track remained the same for the reimagined water ride.

Luckily, in the back of the log, I didn’t get very wet throughout the ride, including the big drop.

There were so many cute details throughout the ride.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will have a virtual queue when it opens in Magic Kingdom.

Megan duBois

I only ended up riding Tiana’s Bayou Adventure once during the preview event. Although it’s not my favorite ride at Disney World (that spot belongs to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind), it’s great to have something new.

I also loved everything the Disney creatives did to make the attraction feel like it was plucked right out of New Orleans.

When Tiana’s Bayou Adventure officially opens at the end of the month, Magic Kingdom will only offer a virtual queue, as has been the case for other recent rides. But you can also purchase Genie+ or an Individual Lighting Lane to ride.

The minimum height requirement is 40 inches. The ride doesn’t have scary story elements, but some parts are dark, and the big drop could be too much for younger kids.