Splash Mountain will be closed permanently at Disneyland Park beginning on May 31, 2023.
The last day to ride the attraction will be May 30, 2023. Splash Mountain will then be transformed into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which is expected to open in 2024 at both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom.
Coinciding with the announcement, Disney also released new concept art of Mama Odie and more information about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
Splash Mountain opened at Disneyland on Monday, July 17, 1989, in the newly renamed Critter Country. Actor Jim Varney (known popularly as Ernest) and twelve celebrity children join Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael Eisner, Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, and Mickey Mouse in turning on the water pump to create a big splash. It cost approximately $75 million and recycled animal audio-animatronics from America Sings.
Check out our complete history of Splash Mountain at Disney Parks around the world for more on the attraction’s development.
Splash Mountain at Magic Kingdom has been closed for a few months and construction is well underway. Splash Mountain is set to remain as-is at Tokyo Disneyland, where it opened in 1992.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure takes place after the events of “The Princess and the Frog.” Tiana’s Foods is an employee-owned community food co-op established by Tiana in 1927, following the success of her restaurant, Tiana’s Palace. The co-op is housed inside a salt mine, with growers planting crops along the old Splash Mountain waterway. Guests will ascend through a mill house built into the side of the mountain.
Tiana’s Palace will replace the French Market Restaurant in New Orleans Square. Eudora’s Chic Boutique Featuring Tiana’s Gourmet Secrets, a shop featuring “The Princess and the Frog” merchandise as well as New Orleans-related items, is already open.
According to the model pictured above, the iconic tree will be removed from atop the ride. Not only that, the boat stuck in the tree that was in the original concept art for Tiana’s attraction is also gone, because it doesn’t fit the new backstory. There are also no thorns, of course, and some extra landscaping makes it look “more” like a Louisiana bayou.
The attraction will follow Tiana venturing into the bayou to find animal friends. She’s hosting a party for the people of New Orleans, but it’s missing a special ingredient. 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).
Read more details about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure:
- Logo for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Revealed
- First Look at Tiana’s New Outfit for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Model at D23 Expo 2022 Shows Removal of Iconic Splash Mountain Tree
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Backstory and More Information Revealed at D23 Expo 2022
- More Details Revealed for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Story, Original Cast Returning
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