Tiana's Bayou Adventure to open June 28 at Disney World
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Tiana's Bayou Adventure replaces the briar patch from Splash Mountain with a cypress swamp. Photo: The Walt Disney Co.
Disney World is opening its love letter to New Orleans on June 28, officials announced Sunday.
Why it matters: Tiana's Bayou Adventure replaces Splash Mountain at Disney's parks in Florida and California.
The big picture: New Orleans chef Leah Chase was the inspiration for Princess Tiana, Disney's first and only Black princess.
- Chase died in 2019 at the age of 96.
Driving the news: New Orleans native PJ Morton joined St. Aug's Marching 100 as members played "Dig a Little Deeper" in Disney's announcement video.
- Stella Chase Reese, Leah Chase's daughter, and her family also made a cameo.
- Morton wrote the soundtrack for the attraction, and many New Orleanians have been actively involved with the research and creation of the ride.
Zoom in: Tiana's Bayou Adventure is still a log flume ride, and Imagineers have been testing it the past few weeks.
- Disney is flying the Chase family to Florida to be among the first to preview it in early June.
The story: In "Princess and the Frog," Tiana is a server in New Orleans and helps a frog prince turn back into a human. The movie ends with her opening a restaurant.
- Tiana's Bayou Adventure is set up like a next chapter, Disney officials say.
- Tiana has been successful and wants to throw a Mardi Gras party, but she's missing an ingredient. Visitors will take a journey through the bayou during the search.
- Many familiar faces will be back, including Tiana, Louis the Gator and Mama Odie.
