We’re about a year out from the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom and Disneyland. The ride will open on both coasts in “late 2024.” Until then, construction is visible on the exterior of the attraction as what was once Splash Mountain is turned into a Louisiana bayou. Splash Mountain closed permanently at Magic Kingdom in January 2023, a few months before the Disneyland version closed, so construction work is ahead in Florida.

Mountain Construction

We saw several crew members on site this week, mainly working all over the mountain facade.

Crews have also been working on the fake trees that were installed on the ground in front of the mountain a month ago, adding leaves and wiring.

The fake trees surround the Tiana’s Foods water tower. Tiana established the co-op Tiana’s Foods after the events of “The Princess and the Frog.”

The top of the mountain was rounded off after the Splash Mountain tree was removed. In the story of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the mountain is an old salt mine.

During this visit, we saw crew members blowing construction dust off the mountaintop.

The front of the millhouse also received new paneling last month and some wooden beams have since been painted green — a similar green to that used in the Tiana’s Foods signage on construction walls.

Most of the attraction’s façade is currently covered in scaffolding.

It’s hard to know how much construction has been done inside the mountain, but the ride track will remain the same and some animatronic animals will remain.

New Tiana’s Foods posters were added to the construction walls earlier this month.

A variety of foliage has been added to the mountain over the past few months, making it greener.

This tree that crew members were working on looks more like a real tree now with branches and leaves.

More scaffolding wraps around the side of the mountain, towards the Walt Disney World Railroad station.

Fresh moss is visible on the rockwork and tree roots.

From the queue area, we could see a crew member working on new fencing along the ride track on the side of the mountain.

The new picket fence is dark brown. The crew member was working on the section to the right, where more wood slats had been installed.

The fence ends at the large (fake) tree growing on the side of the mountain.

Ride Flume

The most visible part of the actual ride is this loop of the flume on the ground.

More real plants have been planted on the land within the loop.

Tarps cover some of the track during work in the tunnel under the bridge.

The flume is covered with scaffolding and pieces of wood so crew members can more safely walk the area.

We could also see construction materials in the other tunnel.

Queue Construction

Meanwhile, work continues on the queue, which received new cobblestone paving last week.

A colorful mural takes up two sides of the yellow barn. One half of the mural is only visible through trees while the other half is clearly visible from the train station.

Construction is ongoing in front of, under, and behind the train station.

Rows of rocks outline new sidewalks and planters.

The usual exit ramp for the train station is closed and guests are exiting through the entrance.

Crews are re-constructing the exit.

More wood paneling has been installed on the framework of the new exit stairs.

In front of the train station, crew members were gathered around stacks of cobblestones waiting to be installed.

This brick-bordered semi-circle is directly under the station’s platform.

Cobblestones have been installed on the pathways behind the train station.

There is still plenty of queue to be completed, however.

The dirt sections will presumably be full of plants or other themed elements.

Paving is done directly in front of the barn, and there are more stacks of cobblestones in this area.

It looks like a new steel framework for the barn window has been installed, and we can also see a purple wall inside.

Some work is underway further back in the queue.

The queue is essentially being demolished and re-done one section at a time.

More Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Info

The “Princess and the Frog” inspired retheme of Splash Mountain was first announced in 2020, and the name Tiana’s Bayou Adventure was revealed in 2022.

During Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Tiana and alligator Louis venture into the bayou to find animal friends. They’re preparing a special Mardi Gras celebration for the people of New Orleans.

This ride will feature 17 new characters, including Prince Naveen’s younger brother, Ralphie. The Splash Mountain track will remain, but the attraction will get new set dressing and a vast range of new audio-animatronics. At Destination D23, Disney shared a look at a Louis animatronic.

There will be multiple Tiana audio-animatronics, and she will sport a new adventuring outfit. In June, Disney shared video of a live performer wearing the outfit, suggesting Tiana will appear in her adventuring gear off the attraction, too.

Some of the original cast will be providing their voices to the attraction, including Anika Noni Rose (Tiana), Bruno Campos (Naveen), Michael Leon Wooley (Louis), and Jennifer Lewis (Mama Odie).

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