The attraction dedicated to Disney’s first African American and first American princess is finally here. I was reminded just how monumental this moment of opening Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is after my dad sent a photo of Disney movies in VHS form from my childhood. It was a time before Disney+, streaming apps, and DVDs. A time when my siblings and I would watch these classics underneath makeshift forts from homemade crochet blankets my grandmother made as we imagined being inside Cinderella’s castle. What we didn’t imagine at the time was the day we would see a Black princess, let alone an attraction celebrating Black culture. Yet, here we are.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is an incredible adventure that will imprint on your heart even after you leave the park. It’s that same heartfelt feeling when you leave the very place where Princess Tiana is from. Describing what makes New Orleans one of the world’s greatest cities to people who’ve never visited is a challenge. It’s a destination and culture you must taste, hear, and feel firsthand. Luckily, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure helps to fill in that gap. The only downside is that you will leave Tiana’s Bayou Adventure craving more, but that’s exactly what Disney Imagineers wanted to accomplish with this attraction.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Immerses Visitors In An Authentic New Orleans
It should be no surprise that Disney Imagineers created every piece of this design with intention. After all, Princess Tiana’s character is inspired by a real person, Chef Leah Chase of Dooky Chase Restaurant, and a real place, New Orleans. Every piece of the attraction is reminiscent of New Orleans, from the purple, green, and gold Mardi Gras colors to ironwork created by one of the few Black master blacksmiths in the world, Darryl Reeves. Reeves is a New Orleans native and one of few people in the world who can create and restore the beautiful balconies you find in The French Quarter.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is the next chapter of the princess’s story. The attraction takes place about a year after the events in the film, “The Princess and the Frog.” After Princess Tiana’s successful restaurant opening, Tiana’s Palace, she’s on to her next entrepreneurial endeavor: the opening of Tiana’s Food.
In proper New Orleans form, Princess Tiana includes the people who helped get her to this point: the New Orleans community. Community is an important aspect of New Orleanian culture, so the princess is making sure to bring them along on the adventure.
As guests move through the queue line, a radio broadcast from 1927 is playing overhead. The radio broadcast is key to the attraction. For starters, people will hear performances from New Orleans musical acts. At one point, the radio broadcaster announces Princess Tiana is hosting a celebration tonight during New Orleans’ iconic Mardi Gras season. Everyone is invited, but Princess Tiana needs riders to help find a band for the night’s celebration at her and Prince Naveen’s home. All of the big bands are booked for the night.
Riders Will Be Introduced To New Friends and Music
So it begins. Riders are heading on a journey with Princess Tiana and the Jazz-loving alligator Louis to find musicians on a boat ride along the bayou.
Along the way, riders are introduced to 19 new critters found along the Bayou, which introduce people to the incredible sounds of New Orleans, the home of Jazz music. Award-winning artists PJ Morton and Terence Blanchard, who plays the trumpet for Louis in the film, provided original music for the attraction. Both men are New Orleans natives.
“One of the things about New Orleans music is that it’s infectious. It’s all about bringing people together and having a good time,” says Blanchard. “When you go to Mardi Gras parades, you see people of all different communities coming together and having a good time. That’s what you’re going to feel in this attraction.”
“Music is like the air in New Orleans,” Morton adds. “[Disney looked at every detail] and the detail of even having Blanchard and me a part of this is so authentically New Orleans. Disney understood that music was just as important. It’s synonymous with the city.”
Easter Egg Alert: listen closely to the broadcast. The late Chef Leah Chase-Kamata sings Louis Armstrong’s “Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans.” Also, be sure to pay attention to the smells toward the end near Mama Odie. You can smell the beignets.
Representation Matters: What Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Means To Black Riders
Blanchard says Disney is a place where dreams and good memories are made. He’s excited for the next generation to experience something he never could.
“I can’t wait for him to experience this ride,” he says. “He’s going to see possibilities that I never could as a kid, and that’s the most important thing about all of this. This attraction is pushing our culture forward at a time when we really need it because there are so many devices trying to divide us.”
Jenifer Lewis, the actress behind Mama Odie and the grandmother on the hit series “Black-ish,” shares his sentiments.
“This [attraction] will be here forever,” she says. “It’s special in so many ways […] I’m extremely grateful to be a part of this.”
For Layla Hildreth, the young woman who went viral for designing and sewing her own prom dress inspired by Princess Tiana, the attraction is a reminder to believe in yourself and your dreams.
“Princess Tiana’s work ethic has always inspired me,” Hildreth tells Travel Noire. “She’s an entrepreneur who never gave up. She kept going even when people didn’t believe in her.”
Extending Princess Tiana’s Story Through New Products and New Show on Disney+
To keep Princess Tiana’s story going beyond the new attraction, Disney has introduced new products for park-goers. There are new huggable plushes of the new critters from the bayou, new costumes for young children, cookbooks, and more. People can also take a taste of New Orleans’ iconic restaurant, Dooky Chase, home with them. Visitors can purchase spices from Dookey Chase’s for the first time at the attraction inside Tiana’s General Store.
The newest show on Disney+, Tiana, will debut in 2024. The series is a sequel to the 2009 film. The attraction officially opens to the public on June 28, 2024, at Walt Disney World in Florida. It’s expected to debut at Disneyland in the fall.
