
Months after its highly anticipated debut, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the reimagined replacement for Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, continues to be bogged down by significant technical issues. What was expected to be a seamless tribute to Disney’s The Princess and the Frog has instead left many guests disappointed and questioning whether the attraction was rushed to completion.
Since its opening in mid-2024, the ride has been plagued by persistent malfunctions. Guest reports highlight a range of problems, including frequent breakdowns, animatronics that fail to operate correctly, and soundtracks that intermittently cut out, breaking the immersive experience. Ride closures have become so common that guests are growing increasingly frustrated, with many taking to social media to vent their dissatisfaction.
“Some effects just don’t work,” one visitor said. “You can tell they had grand ambitions, but it’s like they didn’t have enough time to make it all come together.” Social media has been abuzz with complaints, with hashtags like #FixTianasBayou circulating among Disney enthusiasts. Videos showing broken animatronics or malfunctioning scenes have further fueled the backlash.
Adding to the criticism is the fact that these issues are not isolated. Inside the Magic reported that guests frequently encounter long downtimes, often waiting hours for the ride to reopen, only to find many of its key features still not functioning properly. The technical problems have dampened the guest experience and created bottlenecks in park traffic, as frustrated visitors spill over into other attractions.
Critics point to the ride’s development timeline as a possible culprit. Announced in 2020 during a tumultuous period for Disney, the transformation from Splash Mountain to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure was fast-tracked to meet the growing demand for culturally sensitive updates. However, the accelerated timeline appears to have come at the expense of quality.
Disney has acknowledged the problems but has offered little in terms of concrete timelines for fixes. A spokesperson assured guests, “We’re actively addressing these challenges to ensure Tiana’s Bayou Adventure meets Disney’s high standards of excellence.”
Despite the ongoing issues, the ride remains popular due to its association with The Princess and the Frog. However, for many, the technical failings overshadow the charm of the new theme. Fans are now left hoping Disney can address these persistent problems and transform Tiana’s Bayou Adventure into the magical experience it was meant to be.
It should have never been changed in the first place.
Went yesterday and was so excited to ride… was group 74 and was closed for more than half the day never re-opening. The one ride I was not able to ride and was excited as splash mountain was my favourite Disney ride of all time.
Maybe its the ghost of Walt and Roy Disney saying that Iger should have never change the ride in the first place.