New Disney Landmark Appears Overnight on Former Splash Mountain as it Undergoes Transformation

Tiana's Bayou Adventure is beginning to take shape at Disney World!

On Monday night, the Orlando theme park erected the centerpiece of its upcoming ride, which will be a reimagining of the now-permanently closed Splash Mountain.

"The blue skies and sunshine of Frontierland at @WaltDisneyWorld are looking a bit more regal this morning! Overnight, @WaltDisneyImagineering installed the tiara-topped water tower that will be the centerpiece for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure," Disney Parks announced in an Instagram post Tuesday.

"We can’t wait to journey down to the bayou and celebrate Mardi Gras together when the attraction opens in 2024."

Unlike the famous tree stump that topped Splash Mountain, Tiana's water tower is closer to the base of the towering ride. Early renderings of the new ride showed the stump transformed into a lush, complete tree, but recent photos of the construction site show the stump being disassembled and removed.

When the highly anticipated ride is complete, park visitors will be transported into the down-the-bayou world of the 2009 animated film The Princess and the Frog, featuring Tiana, the company's first Black princess.

Disney announced back in June 2020 that its fan-favorite Splash Mountain log-flume ride at both Disneyland in California and the Magic Kingdom in Florida would be reimagined with a more inclusive theme.

According to a press release, the new ride’s storyline will pick up “after the final kiss, and join Princess Tiana and [her alligator pal] Louis on a musical adventure — featuring some of the powerful music from the film — as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance.”

“The re-theming of Splash Mountain is of particular importance today,” the release continued. “The new concept is inclusive — one that all of our guests can connect with and be inspired by, and it speaks to the diversity of the millions of people who visit our parks each year.”

The announcement came weeks after several petitions began garnering attention on the site Change.org urging Disney to reimagine the theme of Splash Mountain, which was based on the controversial 1946 Disney film Song of the South, which has long been criticized for its problematic portrayal of the post-Civil War South and for utilizing racist stereotypes.

Splash Mountain's last day of operation at Disney World was Jan. 23. The Disneyland version shut down permanently May 31.

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During a Q&A with press and influencers in New Orleans in May, Disney execs admitted to feeling the "pressure" of replacing such an iconic attraction and getting Tiana's Bayou Adventure just right.

“I grew up with [Splash Mountain] too,” Disney Executive Creative Director Ted Robledo told attendees. “We know there’s a lot of love there. The team asked ourselves, ‘What do people really love about it?’ We think they love the thrill, the adventure, so we said ‘Okay, that is sacred. We cannot take that away.’”

According to Disney, the decision to revamp the ride had been under consideration long before the Change.org petition.

Robledo explained that tinkering with Disney Parks' attractions is standard practice. “As Walt has said, Disneyland is never finished. I’m paraphrasing, but it’s never done. It’s always changing and we’re trying new things.”

The new ride, which will remain a log flume, will thrill guests with a fully immersive, sensory experience. At the beginning of the boat ride, fireflies will light up the night "almost as if they're waving you forward," inviting guests deeper into the bayou, according a Disney press release.

In keeping with the 1920s New Orleans theme, the attraction will also feature new music provided by Grammy-winning NOLA native PJ Morton. Additionally, the tantalizing smell of Tiana’s signature beignets will permeate the ride’s queue.

“We wanted to be able to tell the story of what makes Tiana who she is,” Robledo said during the Q&A.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure is slated to open at Disney Parks in late 2024.