4. Disneyland’s version is better than Magic Kingdom’s… but only for super-fans
Alright, alright, everyone knows that Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean is a masterpiece and Magic Kingdom’s version is the “Spark Notes.” On the flip side, we know that Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion has some extra scenes and flourishes compared to Disneyland’s. So of course, even though “Disneyland vs. Disney World” is a tired topic, a major question fans have been holding out months for is to know who got the better Tiana’s Bayou Adventure?
Now that both version of the reimagined flume are open, the consensus is that Disneyland’s version of the ride is the better one – but only if you’re a ride obsessive like we are. That makes sense considering recent confirmation that the ride was developed based on Disneyland’s Splash Mountain, then ported back to Magic Kingdom. (That’s very typical at Imagineering given that most Imagineers are headquartered in California, and because Disneyland is practically a holy place whereas most Imagineers don’t have the same reverence and respect for Magic Kingdom.)
As you can see in this side-by-side video, in California, you’re seeing the ride the way Imagineers planned it; in Florida, you’re seeing how they adapted what they planned to fit a ride that’s physically longer, but has fewer show scenes. (Compare the two Splash Mountains’ layouts here.) It’s also well known that Disneyland’s Splash Mountain always moved at a much more brisk pace than Disney World’s, and that added speed helps keep the story rolling along in California, distracting from the number one complaint that emerged from the Florida ride: that it’s got a lot of quiet, dark space where nothing happens – an especially bad look given how dense and filled with animatronics Splash Mountain was.
Again, though, we can certainly say now that the differences between these two rides are difficult to quantify. You’re more or less getting the same experience on either coast – Disneyland’s version is just tightened up and physically moves faster through show scenes. So if you’re a Disney World loyalist, yes you should make a point to visit Disneyland – but no, Tiana’s shouldn’t be the reason to make it happen.
5. “Bayou Country” helps
One of the big “wins” for Disneyland’s Splash Mountain was always that it was part of its own land at the park – Critter Country – instead of being set down awkwardly in the middle of an 1860s mining town as it was in Magic Kingdom. Distinct from Frontierland and New Orleans Square (which also border the Rivers of America), Critter Country gave Imagineers a little corner of the park that could play a lot of roles – a Pacific Northwest for the Country Bears, a forest of fables for Splash Mountain, a Hundred Acre Wood for Winnie the Pooh…
As part of the debut of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, all of Critter Country has been renamed “Bayou Country,” which is a fairly big deal when you think of how infrequently entire lands change name or theme at Disney’s castle parks. (Frankly, the name change probably wasn’t needed since Tiana’s animal friends would’ve fit in a land named “Critter Country” more gracefully than the Country Bears and Winnie the Pooh fit in a land named “Bayou Country,” but oh well.)
But the new Bayou Country is supported by a great new smattering of shops and general upgrades that make it an appealing swap. It also makes great logical sense as a progression of New Orleans Square, with guests passing from the French Quarter out to the swampy bayous beyond the Haunted Mansion. All of it supports Tiana’s in a very nice way, and is clearly something that Magic Kingdom’s placement is lacking – as well as further evidence that the ride was designed for Disneyland.
6. Altogether, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure works well!
Before the ride opened, think-pieces across the internet (including here!) wondered aloud if Disney should’ve just turned Splash Mountain into a “book report” of 2009’s The Princess and the Frog. Instead of “overthinking” and twisting themselves into knots to create a sequel, maybe we just should’ve floated through a condensed version of the story. That would’ve given guests the obvious and expected experience of having Dr. Facilier try to drag us to “The Other Side” while his voodoo masks chant on the ride’s “big lift,” then have Mama Odie save the day and welcome us back to New Orleans to the tune of “Dreams Do Come True In New Orleans (Finale)”.
Instead, Tiana’s again does what both Frozen Ever After and Mission: BREAKOUT! did: to repurpose a known ride system, but change the context around it to elicit a different emotion from riders. On Tiana’s, there is no danger; no anxiety; no “something goes horribly wrong.” The “big lift” is a magic spell returning us to human size so we can splash back into the bayou and get to Tiana’s party on time to see the band we’ve assembled perform a new original song, “Special Spice.”
That song is important, because its lyrics tell us “It’s a joyful celebration; you don’t need an invitation. It’s joyful! Now everyone can see: your very special spice makes us complete.” The “message” as it were is that the party wouldn’t be same without us, same as the band we’ve built needs each of its members to make beautiful music together. It’s a sort of perfect reversal of Splash Mountain, whose source material was exclusionary and whose moral lesson was (simplistically and reductively) “Life’s better at home; appreciate what you have and let it be enough.”
Look, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure isn’t a perfect ride. When compared to Splash Mountain (an inevitable reality), there are aspects of it that are a step forward, and aspects of it that are a step back. But as a ride that’s likely to remain at Disneyland for three decades or more, it’s a great addition that’s colorful, musical, lively, inclusive, and unique. We’ll almost certainly see it tweaked and adjusted, or maybe even substantially overhauled (which happened to the Little Mermaid rides a few years after opening).
For a moment, forget about Splash Mountain. What do you think of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure? How does Disneyland’s version compare to Magic Kingdom’s? What tweaks do you think we’ll see as this ride continues to age and evolve? Let us know in the comments below!
