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You gotta dig a little deeper — or, in Disney’s case, a lot deeper — if you want to open a Princess and the Frog (2009) attraction.
It’s been nearly four years since Disney shocked fans by announcing the closure of its iconic Splash Mountain attraction at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts. The ride had been getting a lot of criticism since it was based on the racially problematic 1946 film Song of the South. Splash Mountain would be no more, and its place would be Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
Credit: Disney
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is set to open at Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom on June 28, but Disneyland’s version of the attraction does not yet have an opening date. And while the attraction is nearly complete at Disney World, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland Park is still deep in the construction phase.
However, it is not just Splash Mountain that is being torn up to make way for the new ride. New videos shared on X (formerly Twitter) show that the entire Critter Country area is a demolition zone.
Credit: Disney
Related: Disney Adds Touching Walt Disney Tribute to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
X user Matt DH (@DisneyScoopGuy) shared videos of Critter Country, and it looks nothing like the area guests are used to.
Disneyland Critter Country update! I got videos from the front and the back of the train so you can see what’s happening on both ends. Progress is definitely being made!
Disneyland Critter Country update! I got videos from the front and the back of the train so you can see what’s happening on both ends. Progress is definitely being made! pic.twitter.com/WygspoS0gV
— Matt DH (@DisneyScoopGuy) May 14, 2024
Matt also shared a video of an excavator digging into the area directly in front of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. We do not know why they are digging or what they plan to put in the trench, but we can’t wait to find out!
They’ve dug a LOT deeper into the side of the former Splash Mountain. It looks like they’re reshaping the base of the mountain and you can see a sheer wall that is about 10’ high that used to be mountain. We’re getting closer and closer everyday to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure! I got my Critter Country at Disneyland updates on one trip on the Disneyland Railroad today which is why the video of the backside is stationary but there’s major progress tearing up the walkway and there’s even scaffolding around Winnie the Pooh.
They’ve also dug a LOT deeper into the area around the front of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland. You can see how deep at the end of the video. There’s also a lot more construction workers out and about than there normally is here. I always love getting the construction views from the Mark Twain Riverboat!
They’ve also dug a LOT deeper into the area around the front of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland. You can see how deep at the end of the video. There’s also a lot more construction workers out and about than there normally is here. I always love getting the construction… https://t.co/x3vnGAykl7 pic.twitter.com/DLolOzyNqm
— Matt DH (@DisneyScoopGuy) May 20, 2024
The Story of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
If you’ve watched The Princess and the Frog, then you know that, at the end of the film, Tiana marries Prince Naveen and is able to open the restaurant she and her father always dreamed of. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will take place right after the events of the film, around the year 1927.
According to Disney, Tiana’s business has exploded, and she was able to purchase an old salt mine and open Tiana’s Foods, an employee-owned cooperative. To celebrate her success, Tiana has decided to throw a Mardi Gras party for all of her employees, family, and friends. However, as she is preparing for the party, she realizes that she is missing one key ingredient.
Credit: Disney
Guests will journey down the bayou as Tiana searches for the one ingredient she needs. On their trip, they will meet some old and new friends, including Louis and Mama Odie!
Disney Dining will update readers as construction continues on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland Resort.
What’s Happening to Critter Country?
With the closing of Splash Mountain and the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, one has to wonder if Critter Country’s time is coming to an end. Critter Country is located right next to New Orleans Square, which has already been partially transformed into a Princess and the Frog area with the opening of Eudora’s Chic Boutique in September 2022 and Tiana’s Palace in September 2023.
Credit: Disney
Related: Two New ‘Princess and the Frog’ Locations to Open at Walt Disney World
Should Disney close up Critter Country and fully embrace The Princess and the Frog? Maybe create an area dedicated to Dr. Facilier and his friends on the other side? Possibly transform The Many Adventures of Winnie and the Pooh into a slow PATF attraction for younger guests? The possibilities are truly endless.
Are you excited to ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure? Let us know in the comments!
Move Winnie The Pooh to Somewhere in Fantasyland or as part of a new third park.
First, there has not been nor was there, a lot of criticism of Splash Mountain for being “racially problematic”. The exaggerated reaction and response of Disney to the teeny, tiny minority of people offended by stereotypes in half a century old movies and cartoons is ludicrous. To put warnings on Peter Pan, Mary Poppins and the like as well as ripping down Splash Mountain is ridiculous. Especially in an age where these same “offended” people hit the dance floor to vulgar Cardi B singing about her privates, sexualized music, and graphic profane rap. A world where pornhub is one of the top visited websites. In reality, virtually nobody is offended by anything these days. But this said, Disney’s DEI initiative is in hyper-overdrive putting Tiana, one of the least popular princesses (per a recent Statista poll), into a disportionate amount of places and rides: Splash, critter country, 1900 Park Fare, Port Orleans Royal Rooms, the fall Marathon, she even was the emcee of the Washington D.C cherry blossom parade. When DVC Reflections starts up she will have her own themed restaurant there.
First, there has not been a lot of criticism of Splash Mountain for being “racially problematic”. The exaggerated reaction and response by Disney to the teeny, tiny minority of people offended by stereotypes in half a century old movies and cartoons is ludicrous. To put warnings on Peter Pan, Mary Poppins and the like as well as ripping down Splash Mountain is ridiculous. Especially in an age where these same “offended” people hit the dance floor to vulgar Cardi B singing about her privates, or other sexualized and profane music/rap. In reality, virtually nobody is offended by anything these days unless, of course, it’s an older Disney movie or religious holiday like Christmas. But this said, Disney’s DEI initiative is in hyper-overdrive putting Tiana, one of the least popular princesses (per a recent Statista poll), into a disportionate amount of places and rides: Splash Mountain, critter country, 1900 Park Fare, Port Orleans Royal Rooms, the fall Marathon, she even was the emcee of the Washington D.C cherry blossom parade. When DVC Reflections starts up she will have her own themed restaurant there. I think there’s enough Princess and the Frog stuff and no more is needed.