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Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Is Open. Here’s My Honest Opinion.

Chris Hassan's image
Chris Hassan
Chris Hassan's image

Chris Hassan

Social Media & Brand Manager

246 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 27U.S. States Visited: 26

Chris holds a B.S. in Hospitality and Tourism Management and managed social media for all Marriott properties in South America, making him a perfect fit for UP and its social media channels. He has a ...
Edited by: Jessica Merritt
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Jessica Merritt

Senior Editor & Content Contributor

114 Published Articles 569 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 4U.S. States Visited: 23

A long-time points and miles student, Jessica is the former Personal Finance Managing Editor at U.S. News and World Report and is passionate about helping consumers fund their travels for as little ca...
& Ryan Smith
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Ryan Smith

News Managing Editor

278 Published Articles 304 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 197U.S. States Visited: 50

Ryan completed his goal of visiting every country in the world in December of 2023 and now plans to let his wife choose their destinations. Over the years, he’s written about award travel for publicat...

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Many people already have an opinion about Walt Disney World’s updated ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure — whether they have been on the ride or not!

Although the name is new, the ride — previously known as Splash Mountain — has been at Walt Disney World since the early ’90s.

While Splash Mountain was immensely popular, Disney decided that a re-theme was in order. After 18 months of renovation, the famous log flume ride reopened at Magic Kingdom as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure to much fanfare … and criticism.

I rode it with my family shortly after it reopened; here is my honest opinion of “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.”

What Is Tiana’s Bayou Adventure?

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is a classic log flume ride at Walt Disney World in Frontierland within the Magic Kingdom. The ride is based on the film “The Princess and the Frog.”

The ride culminates with a 50-foot drop with views of Cinderella’s Castle and a massive splash.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom Walt Disney World Florida
Get ready to get wet!

This has been an extremely popular ride since it opened in 1992 as Splash Mountain.

The original theme was based on several Uncle Remus stories and the film “Song of the South.” The film had long received criticism for its racist portrayals of African Americans and plantation life, and it was rumored that Disney had been considering a re-theme for many years.

In 2020, Disney announced that Splash Mountain would close for a re-theme in 2023 to finally give “The Princess and the Frog” a well-deserved ride of its own.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom Walt Disney World kitchen
Warning: You may smell Tiana’s famous beignets while in line!

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opened in June 2024, full of party music, friendly critters, Princess Tiana, and my personal favorite: a frog playing bongos!

How To Book A Ride on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

As you might expect, fans have eagerly awaited the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, adding demand to an already busy Magic Kingdom.

Like Disney’s other high-demand attractions, you’ll need to join a Virtual Queue if you want to drop in on Tiana. That means there is no physical standby line; you must score a Boarding Group in advance.

Screenshot of a Virtual Queue for Tiana's Bayou Adventure
There is no standby line for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Image Credit: Disney

Guests have 2 chances to score a free Virtual Queue Boarding Group. The first is at 7 a.m. on the day of your park visit, and the second is at 1 p.m. that same day. You must be in the park for the 1 p.m. attempt, but you can be anywhere for the 7 a.m. chance.

If you aren’t lucky or fast enough to snag a Boarding Group, you can pay for a Lightning Lane Multi Pass, which we recommend doing anyway.

Hot Tip:

To give yourself the best chance at securing a free ride, read our guide on How To Get a Virtual Queue Boarding Group at Walt Disney World.

My Honest Opinion of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

I was a big fan of Splash Mountain, and it was one of the first real rides I took my daughter on when she was 4 years old. She doesn’t remember the theming, but the big drop at the end with a view of Cinderella’s Castle is a core memory.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom Walt Disney World POV
That drop never gets old!

Now, with my 5-year-old son in the log with us, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is my family of 4’s favorite new ride.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom Walt Disney World ride boarding
The excitement of boarding!

The theming is fun (we love “The Princess and the Frog”), the music is great, it’s dark but not too scary inside, and it has an epic finale that leaves everyone screaming and then laughing — a great sign for any ride.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom Walt Disney World river
Smiles all around!

Plus, it’s over 9 minutes long, and you can sit while enjoying some air conditioning. That’s an underrated perk of many rides in Florida!

Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom Walt Disney World party finale
We made it to Tiana’s southern soirée!

That said, the ride is not perfect. The story can be hard to follow or even understand if you aren’t paying attention. For many first-timers, it’s probably best to just sit back and enjoy the music and check out the Audio-Animatronics.

Bottom Line:

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is fun for the whole family, has great music, and an iconic drop at the end. Bonus: It’s relaxing and has air conditioning!

Final Thoughts

People were (and still are) upset about the retheming of Splash Mountain to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and that’s ok. But Tiana is here to stay and is a great addition to Magic Kingdom.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom Walt Disney World sign
My family’s favorite new ride!

An entire generation never knew Splash Mountain and is only experiencing this epic flume ride for the first time with the “Princess and the Frog” theme.

Personally, I think the ride is excellent, and my wife and kids agree. The music is exceptional, the characters are fun, and the final drop leaves you giggling like, well, a kid at Disney!

This is a top-tier ride that should keep visitors coming back for years. I know I will be.

Chris Hassan's image

About Chris Hassan

Chris holds a B.S. in Hospitality and Tourism Management and managed social media for all Marriott properties in South America, making him a perfect fit for UP and its social media channels. He has a passion for making content catered toward family travelers.

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