Disney has shared an in-depth first take a look at the superior Audio Animatronics in Tiana’s Bayou Journey at Walt Disney World and Disneyland forward of the reimagined experience’s Summer season 2024 opening at Magic Kingdom. We’ve got full particulars, plus photographs & video of the characters in motion, and my ideas after seeing these AAs in individual this week at Walt Disney Imagineering.
The final a number of weeks have been large for Tiana’s Bayou Journey, the reimagined alternative experience for Splash Mountain. The brand new-look attraction will use the very same experience system and stay a log flume with an outside part, inside present scenes that includes Audio Animatronics critters, and several other smaller drops culminating in a single large drop. Identical thought, completely different story and substance.
In mid-February, the corporate introduced that, in a uncommon change of tempo, development is forward of schedule and the Walt Disney World model of Tiana’s Bayou Journey will open in Summer season 2024 as an alternative of the previously-announced Late 2024. (It’s been crickets about an official date…however our guess is late June.) Together with that, Imagineering shared a short however wow-inducing sneak peek at one of many Princess Tiana Audio Animatronics that’ll be within the attraction. At this time, we’re again with extra of that–sharing a number of extra characters!
I had an opportunity to go to Walt Disney Imagineering and see these Audio Animatronics in motion. I’m not usually puzzled, however all I can say is wow. That makes this text particularly difficult, as photographs weren’t allowed inside the realm the place the Audio Animatronics for Tiana’s Bayou Journey had been staged. (Pictures right here had been offered by Disney, not shot by me.)
Okay, clearly wow isn’t all I’ve to say. In between selecting my jaw up off the ground, there have been a number of issues that I seen. The primary is that the entire Audio Animatronics being labored on had been labeled “DL,” which meant they’re destined for Disneyland. Because it seems, the entire Audio Animatronics certain for Walt Disney World are already put in. That was anticipated, however nonetheless good to have it confirmed by Imagineers because it bodes properly for a gap date.
Along with being labeled, the entire dozen or so Audio Animatronics I noticed had been numbered. Disney beforehand shared that there will likely be 17 authentic character Audio Animatronics from The Princess and the Frog bodily created for the attraction, and that matches what I noticed at Imagineering. Most notably, there will likely be a number of appearances by Princess Tiana, who will make wardrobe adjustments all through the experience, plus different main and recognizable characters from the film, together with Louis the Alligator and Mama Odie.
The characters I noticed included multiples of Princess Tiana and Louis the Alligator (the latter at varied levels of the construct course of–seeing the skinned vs. uncovered electronics was a neat juxtaposition), two situations of Mama Odie, plus Eudora, Charlotte, Ralphie, and Prince Naveen. Oh, and one (1) beaver from the first critter crew. (Nothing from the second critter crew.)
Between what I noticed and what’s been introduced for the lovely animal bands, the minimal Audio Animatronics depend for Tiana’s Bayou Journey is as much as 29 (17 characters, 12 critters–Louis counts as a personality, not a critter). Once more, that is the minimal, and earlier than we’ve even seen the ultimate spherical of the critter crew (I assume that’s 6 extra, placing the entire depend round 35). My guess is that the ultimate band will characteristic frogs, alligators, and perhaps extra turtles–these are the remaining animals left from Splash Mountain that may make sense to have their roles reprised.
I feel it’s price mentioning that there will likely be 29+ Audio Animatronics, as there have been plenty of naysayers saying Tiana’s Bayou Journey could be nearly solely screen-based or significantly scale back the variety of AAs. I feel that was a good concern on the very starting, as Disney does have a historical past of decreasing and eradicating maintenance-intensive AAs from sights. However Disney mentioned some time in the past that Tiana’s Bayou Journey would characteristic “dozens” of Audio Animatronics…and but, many followers nonetheless doubted this.
Disney had already teased that there could be superior Audio Animatronics figures (plural) in Tiana’s Bayou Journey, however I suppose I form of figured the standard would high out on the Princess Tiana featured within the first tease. And that perhaps there’d be a few characters like that, however others with extra restricted movement.
That’s why even earlier this week, I hedged my character Audio Animatronics depend with a word about the opportunity of static figures. (In equity, Disney tried to depend the entire Stormtroopers in Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance as Audio Animatronics, despite the fact that most of them are usually not.)
Whereas there are some characters who do have a barely extra restricted vary of movement, like Eudora and Charlotte, even these are completely superior Audio Animatronics. They’d be spectacular additions on nearly some other attraction; simply not a lot on Tiana’s Bayou Journey.
To that time, the Audio Animatronics that the majority commanded my consideration had been the assorted Louis the Alligators. His vary of movement and fluidity as he primarily dances are not like something I’ve seen of Audio Animatronics. He’s subsequent degree, simply having extra rhythm than me, an precise human (not that that’s actually an accomplishment).
A part of this, admittedly, is that I’m biased in the direction of such a comedic-relief critter characters. I like Huge Al in Nation Bear Jamboree and beloved Brer Bear in Splash Mountain. And from what I noticed, there’s no less than one scene with Louis that’s very harking back to Tiana’s Bayou Journey’s predecessor. (It looks like there will likely be a good quantity of homage to Splash Mountain through gags and oblique character callbacks.)
At first, I used to be shocked that Louis the Alligator is technically a fur character (extra like felt than shag–nearly akin to the meet & greet character). Within the photographs and video, you possibly can form of see this. I’m positive some will criticize this resolution, however even up shut it offers him a pleasant little bit of texture and helps him mix higher with the opposite animals (just like the aforementioned beaver). I’d hazard a guess that floating by from a distance, you gained’t even have the ability to see the fur.
There’s additionally an occasion of Mama Odie with Juju that I actually appreciated. It’s one other cute gag, mixed with a powerful Audio Animatronics. I hope that is the recipe for Tiana’s Bayou Journey–superior AAs, catchy music, cute critters, and humorous gags. That’s at all times been successful formulation for Disney darkish rides.
I can’t stress sufficient how completely satisfied I used to be to not see the projected faces a la Frozen Ever After and Seven Dwarfs Mine Prepare. There was a time when these had been innovative expertise, however they only haven’t aged properly. I don’t suppose they appear as horrible in individual as some followers do, however they’re nothing like this. That at all times felt just like the tail of expertise wagging the canine, and Imagineering getting a bit forward of itself earlier than the expertise blended in seamlessly. I suppose now that seamlessness won’t ever arrive.
These Audio Animatronics simply look so unbelievable and…properly, “lifelike” most likely isn’t the proper phrase, proper? They’re mainly animated characters leaping out of the display and into the dimensional units of the attraction. They’re completely gorgeous, completely melding outdated and new expertise to create one thing with wow-factor that, no less than for my part, will most likely stand the check of time. Similar to the Audio Animatronics from basic darkish rides nonetheless look nice at the moment.
One factor that struck me all through the tour of those Audio Animatronics (and different expertise showcased) was what number of occasions an Imagineer referenced this being the primary time one thing that had debuted at one of many worldwide parks could be making its option to Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
On this case, Imagineering is utilizing Audio Animatronics within the model of the spectacular new Elsa from World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland, Zootopia at Shanghai Disneyland, in addition to at Tokyo Disneyland as a part of Enchanted Story of Magnificence and the Beast. It’s protected to say the model additionally seems in Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea.
Home parks followers are used to seeing the worldwide parks get the entire cool new issues (I don’t suppose that’s truly true, however it’s a frequent criticism–and we’re usually late to the occasion, simply take a look at trackless darkish rides.) It’s nice in and of itself to see this newest era of animated character Audio Animatronics make their option to Walt Disney World and Disneyland so rapidly.
I’d truly take {that a} step additional–a few of these Audio Animatronics for Tiana’s Bayou Journey are extra spectacular than what’s in Enchanted Story of Magnificence and the Beast. (As a lot as I like that experience, a few the Belles are a bit too restricted in movement for the dynamism and length of the scenes.)
Perhaps it’s simply because I had the chance to face in a single spot inside a couple of ft of the Audio Animatronics, moderately than floating on by comparatively briskly, however I used to be completely entranced by a few of these. The fluidity, vary of movement, and little particulars that give them character and produce them to life are actually one thing particular.
I nonetheless wouldn’t put them above the Shaman of Songs on Na’vi River Journey (there’s one thing about that character that connects on an emotional and nearly human, or I suppose alien, degree). However then once more, there’s just one Audio Animatronics determine on the very finish of Na’vi River Journey, and there are going to be a couple of dozen prime quality ones on Tiana’s Bayou Journey. Except there’s a shock I nonetheless haven’t seen, Louis the Alligator is claiming the #2 spot on my listing of the Prime 10 Audio Animatronics at Walt Disney World.
You don’t simply must take my phrase for it. The brand new “We Name It Imagineering” YouTube sequence first episode is all about Audio Animatronics, and parts are filmed in the identical space and of the identical figures as those I noticed. Watch right here:
I’d extremely advocate watching this glorious ~14 minute video, as about half of it revolves across the Tiana’s Bayou Journey Audio Animatronics, with Imagineers from varied disciplines coming collectively to debate the “collaborative dance” (or generally battle!) that they do to make the AAs come to life.
Their phrases do all of this higher justice than mine, and there’s nothing like seeing the footage for your self. There are additionally plenty of different Audio Animatronics featured, together with walks down the hallways of WDI. You’ll most likely need to put aside greater than 14 minutes to look at, as you’ll absolutely need to pause and pore over the backgrounds for Easter Eggs…or hints of future initiatives within the pipeline.
Right here’s one other, extra succinct video of the TBA AAs from the DisneyParks Instagram:
In the end, this has me much more excited for Tiana’s Bayou Journey. I actually didn’t suppose that was potential after the primary two rounds of cute critter band members and the sneak peek on the Princess Tiana Audio Animatronics determine from final month. I additionally actually by no means would’ve guessed that my hype degree could be this excessive a couple of months in the past, when the entire teases had been substance-less and I used to be starting to fret that was as a result of there wasn’t a lot of substance to showcase.
Now I’m on the different finish of the spectrum, mentally placing the items collectively and attempting to stop myself from getting too excited, as there’s additionally the likelihood that someway the entire doesn’t add as much as the sum of its very spectacular components. It’s at all times potential present scenes, staging, or storytelling leaves one thing to be desired. However at this level, the experience system/structure and Audio Animatronics are each identified portions, and are undeniably glorious. The supporting forged of critters seems lovely and memorable. The music from the film is basically good, and it’s protected to imagine the identical will likely be true for the experience except they “pull a Disney Enchantment” (as the children say). Suffice to say, Tiana’s Bayou Journey is shaping up properly.
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Your Ideas
Stunned by the standard and amount of Audio Animatronics in Tiana’s Bayou Journey? Excited for the new-look experience? How a lot ‘inspiration’ from the previous Splash Mountain are you anticipating to look within the reimagined model? Agree or disagree with our evaluation of the attraction? Listening to your suggestions—even whenever you disagree with us—is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
