The transformation continues at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, as work begins on the mill roof to the left of the mountain and a new concrete structure appears in the back queue of the attraction.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Construction
Crews were actively at work on the mountain during our visit to the Magic Kingdom.
The mountain looks as though its turning a darker shade of green, thanks to the multiple shades of foliage all over the mountain.
The dark shade is especially present in the deep green moss toward the top of the mountain.
Work also continues on the right side of the mountain.
The dark green moss and grassy covering is also present on the rockwork and faux roots here.
Since our last update, the scaffolding around the Tiana’s Foods water tower has come down.
Some of the concrete forms in this middle section on the right of the mountain have still not been painted and blended in with the surrounding rockwork.
Previously, some rockwork was being striped away in this area to be redone.
Here is the grid of steel mesh covering the top of the mountain, which, as we wrote in our September 2 update, will eventually be covered and rounded out to blend in with the brown rockwork around it.
Crews were working on the mountain’s top on and off during our visit.
We also spotted what looks like the construction crew having a meeting on the mountain.
Work has also begun on the mill house roof to the left of the mountain. Scaffolding has been added along the roof’s triangular point, as well as along the top of the left portion of the roof.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Flume
The green tubing is still present along the section of ride flume that loops around next to the Frontierland bridge.
No noticeable changes have been made to the peninsula, though trees were removed and new sod was placed back in July.
The tarp that was added to the section of the mountain near the Frontierland Railroad Station appears to have been removed.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Queue
From the Frontierland Train Station, we can see the current progress on the reimagined attraction’s queue. Though workers were not present in this area to the side at the time, we heard a lot of construction noise coming from underneath the train station during our visit.
Blue mesh barriers section off various portions of this area. A new rectangular ditch has been dug out toward the middle and bottom right in this image.
Work continues on dismantling the railroad station’s exit ramp and stairs.
At this point, the stairs are completely gone, and just a short section of ramp and the stairs’ original base remains.
From the train station, you can also see the new dark green moss creeping up the “trees” along the mountain.
The Br’er Rabbit weathervane atop the yellow barn is still standing.
Crews have worked on the roof of the barn, but still haven’t removed the weathervane. Some Cast Members have speculated that Br’er Rabbit will stay as a reference to the former attraction, but this hasn’t been confirmed.
Scaffolding is still present at the barn, as painting continues on the murals on its side. The barn was painted yellow back in July.
Both murals appear to be visually unchanged since our last update.
While riding aboard one of the Walt Disney World Railroad trains, we were able to take another look at construction progress on the back queue for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Here, we can see that the tarp and wood planks over this doorway are still present from our September 2 update.
Not a lot of movement was happening in the queue during our visit, but we did see crews walking through the barn on the left.
Looking to the bottom right from our train view, we spotted a new concrete structure taking shape.
Above it, it appears as though they’re building another structure of similar shape, as wooden supports are in place to pour the concrete.
Over to the left by the barn, a pile of gravel has been staged.
Through the trees, we also spotted what looks like tin roofing along the former exit gift shop and restrooms, though it’s unclear if this was added for protection or if it’s a permanent addition.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Disney Parks announced intentions to retheme Splash Mountain at both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom with a “Princess and the Frog”-inspired overhaul in 2020. The new attraction’s name was revealed as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in mid-2022, and additional concept art and ride details were unveiled later that year.
On Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, guests will join Tiana, Naveen, Louis the music-loving alligator, and other characters both familiar and brand new as they embark on an adventure to prepare for a Mardi Gras party. “Dozens” of audio-animatronics will be constructed for the attraction, with ride and queue music set to be composed by award-winning artists PJ Morton and Terence Blanchard. Complementing the New Orleans jazz-inspired soundtrack will be the sweet and appetizing aroma of beignets, which Disney previously announced would be pumped into the queue.
Guests will hear a few familiar voices on the ride, as a number of voice actors, including Anika Noni Rose (Tiana), Bruno Campos (Naveen), and Michael Leon Wooley (Louis), will reprise their roles from the 2009 animated feature. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards (Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song) and remains Disney’s most recent foray into theatrically-released traditional animation.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is currently scheduled to open at both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom in late 2024. Tiana already has a footprint in Disneyland, as the Tiana’s Palace quick service restaurant opened in New Orleans Square earlier this week. You can read our review of every item on the menu here.
Are you excited to watch the ongoing transformation of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
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