Will the same level of enthusiasm from Walt Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog” extend to its Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Walt Disney World?

The 2009 movie pays tribute to New Orleans culture and spirit by taking inspiration from Leah Chase, the “Queen of Creole Cuisine.” Chase was a working mother of four who ran Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in New Orleans. Her culinary aspirations, namely her desire to serve delicious home-style Creole cuisine, led Disney filmmakers to create Princess Tiana Rogers.

Chase’s influence came into play once again for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, a replacement for Disney’s classic attraction Splash Mountain. The rethemed water ride opened on June 28, 2024 at Walt Disney World alongside a new song for the ride.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure takes place about a year after the events of “The Princess and the Frog,” revealing that Tiana successfully opened her dream restaurant as well as a co-op farm and a salt mine. The story transports riders through the New Orleans bayou in search of musicians and a “special spice” for her big Mardi Gras celebration.

It is abundantly clear throughout the queue and ride that Disney’s Imagineers worked hard to keep the New Orleans spirit alive. Art featured throughout the ride was commissioned from Louisiana artists Malaika Favorite and Sharika Mahdi. The display features a colorful and vibrant art style that any native New Orleanian would recognize.

Many animal sidekicks are featured in the ride as part of Tiana’s search for musicians. Louis the Alligator is prominently featured, but all of the animals included are found in Louisiana, such as armadillos, bobcats and Louisiana black bears.

The music is also a prominent part of the ride’s Crescent City charm. The Imagineers perfectly encapsulated the birthplace of jazz’s soul using songs from “The Princess and the Frog,” as well as a new song for the ride titled “Special Spice.” Jazz tracks also play throughout the ride’s queue in a faux New Orleans radio station.

The water ride does have its downsides, however. Much of the ride itself is dark and vacant, especially compared to the fullness of the former theme. Screens are placed in several areas where it seems the Imagineers did not know what to do with the space. This emptiness is unfortunately conspicuous as you travel through the ride.

While the animatronics on the ride are incredibly advanced, their movements and voice lines are activated by the log flumes passing. This leads to issues when the flumes pile up, which is a frequent issue on the ride. The ride also breaks down noticeably often throughout the day.

One of the most discussed critiques of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is in the final climactic drop. The five-story plummet is what draws most people into the ride. In Splash Mountain, this thrill was heightened by its darker narrative, complete with ominous music and threatening vultures during the uphill climb. In Tiana’s ride, this tension is completely removed in favor of a more family-friendly atmosphere, causing the thrill of the drop to fall flat.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure overall serves its purpose and embodies the culture of New Orleans beautifully, but does not entirely work in the space it was given. It struggles to compete with the ride’s iconic former inhabitant, Splash Mountain.