LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Splash Mountain has long been a popular attraction at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, but travel advisor says retheming the attraction as Tiana's Bayou Adventure will modernize it to be more inclusive and appeal to a wider range of park guests.
Splash Mountain's storyline was based on Disney's 1946 film “Song of the South,” which was criticized for its portrayal of black people. In 2020, Disney unveiled a new theme for the mountain, noting the importance of promoting inclusivity.
In fact, during a media preview of the attraction, Charita Carter, executive creative producer at Walt Disney Imagineering, said that Tiana, who appears in the 2009 animated film “The Princess and the Frog,” is “everyone's princess.”
“There's so much about her life that we can relate to,” Carter said. “Everyone can find a part of Tiana's story in their own story, and so many people are inspired by her.”
The changes have been welcomed by advisors and clients alike (it should be noted that the attraction's exhilarating 50-foot drop remains intact).
The final scene of Tiana's bayou adventure. Photo by Jamie Biesiada.
“Our customers and potential guests are very excited to experience this attraction, and those who have already experienced it have raved about it,” said Greg Antonell, owner of Windermere, Fla.-based MickeyTravels. Mr. Antonell called Disney's marketing of the new attraction “brilliant” and noted that anticipation had been building for years before its June 28 opening.
Besi Mahnken, owner of MEI Travel, Mouse Fun Travel and Universal Fun Travel in Issaquah, Washington, said a “significant number of customers” are also waiting for the attraction's opening date at Disneyland.
“We're thrilled to see this attraction modernized for today's generation,” Mahnken said. “Kids will be able to relate to the characters and be excited to get up close and personal with Tiana and her friends.”
For years, Disney has operated under the customer service principles of the “Four Keys” — safety, courtesy, shows and efficiency — and in 2021 added a fifth key: inclusion.
Greg Antonell
With that in mind, Antonell said keeping the “Song of the South”-themed attraction would send a confusing message, and while it would be a “disappointment” to lose the “brilliantly” designed attraction by legendary Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter, he said “Tiana's Bayou Adventure,” with its positive storyline and focus on New Orleans' music and culinary scenes, is “absolutely” a suitable replacement.
“Frankly, it seems like the Imagineers have made the right decisions here every step of the way,” he said.
Epcot transformation complete
Disney World also completed another major project last month: the years-long renovation of Epcot, which split up the former Future World into three areas: World Nature, World Discover, and World Celebration.
“It's exhilarating to see the walls come down and finally experience the vision we've been waiting for,” Mahnken said.
Division brings opportunity.
Communicore Hall and Plaza at World Discovery serves as the hub for many of the park's festivals, and the space was designed with flexibility in mind.
“Over the last few years, Disney has repurposed many of their smaller private event venues, generating significant revenue while also drawing in guests who might not otherwise visit Disney,” she said. “And as a travel planner specializing in unique, curated group events, this is a very welcome site.”
“We're all excited about what this summer has to offer for all of our guests and to deliver the message that there's never been a better time to vacation at Walt Disney World,” Javier Moreno, senior vice president, Disney Destinations Sales Solutions, said of summer additions like Tiana, Epcot and the “Disney Dreams That Soar” drone show at Disney Springs.
Jodi Bainter, vice president of domestic leisure sales for the Walt Disney Co., agreed.
“It's a great time to be a travel advisor and a cast member,” Bainter said.
She said the company uses a variety of tactics to effectively communicate new products to advisors. First, it lets agents experience them for themselves, like the agents who attended an event last month. Disney's team of more than 30 business development managers across the U.S. also plays a key role in building relationships with advisors, she said.
Disney will provide ongoing training and fresh, shareable content this summer through its advisor-specific social media handle, “Disney Travel Professionals.”
“The key is to make the tools as easy as possible to quickly communicate updates and current events to guests,” Bainter said.
