Walt Disney Imagineering has made steady progress on the application of a vibrant mural to the side of the barn in the queue area of the future Tiana’s Bayou Adventure attraction at Magic Kingdom since starting the process in late August. The group recently shared a look at the new mural on their official Instagram account, also providing a bit of insight into the story and lore of the new attraction.
Walt Disney Imagineering Shares Look at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Mural
Two of the photos show an Imagineer painting the outline of one of the mural’s sections. The particular section this Imagineer is working on contains flora, a swirling rainbow design, musical notes, and a yellow bird, as seen on the printed image they’re holding in the second photo of the post.
We first noticed a large depiction of this section of the mural taped to the side of the barn on October 9. The large print served as a temporary placeholder for the painting that will ultimately adorn this section of the barn.
Walt Disney Imagineering also shared some insight into the barn’s story in their post caption, writing that it will serve as the “main office of [Tiana’s] newest business.”
As progress continues on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom, you’ll notice a beautiful mural taking shape along the exterior of Tiana’s repurposed barn, home to the main office of her newest business.
Walt Disney Imagineering Instagram Post
Keep an eye on the Disney Parks Blog this week as we reveal more about the artwork and its connection to New Orleans!
The business referenced is “Tiana’s Foods,” described by Walt Disney Imagineering as “an employee-owned cooperative” on the Disney Parks Blog. The business is “complete with a boutique farm and both a working and teaching kitchen” and “is where Tiana and her colleagues create all sorts of new products that they are bringing to the world, including a line of original hot sauces.” A Tiana’s Foods water tower was installed near the attraction in late June.
The barn in the attraction’s queue area was painted yellow in late July, and we first noticed vibrant New Orleans-inspired paintings being applied to its side in August. Application has since occurred to several sections of the barn’s exterior. The paintings were initially disconnected, suggesting that several individual art pieces would adorn the barn’s side. However, the recent addition of more paintings (and Walt Disney Imagineering’s usage of the word “mural” as opposed to “murals” or “paintings” on their Instagram post) may indicate that this will ultimately be one cohesive art piece.
The mural sections are multicolored and vivid, evoking the vibrance of the culture of New Orleans. We recently noticed a direct reference to “The Princess and the Frog” film on the mural, as Louis is currently outlined on the side of the barn.
Check out the post from Walt Disney Imagineering here:
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Disney Parks announced intentions to retheme Splash Mountain at both Magic Kingdom and Disneyland 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 Magic Kingdom and Disneyland in late 2024.
What do you think of the new mural being painted on the barn in the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure queue at Magic Kingdom? Let us know in the comments.
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