On a recent visit to Magic Kingdom, we noticed that crews have begun the process of closing in the peak of the salt dome that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will run through.
As a reminder, there used to be a tree stump atop the structure formerly known as Splash Mountain. Disney decided that the Splash Mountain attraction no longer had a place in its domestic theme parks likely due to the source material of the attraction being the controversial Song of the South movie.
In Summer 2020, Disney announced that it would be retheming Splash Mountain to a Princess and the Frog-themed attraction and released the following concept art that showcased a familiar ride path with an all-new crown to the ride in the form of Mama Odie’s tree. The tree featured a boat lodged in what appeared to be a more fully built-out version of the tree stump that Splash Mountain had.
However, at the September 2022 D23 Expo, Disney revealed a new look for the structure with Mama Odie’s tree completely removed and an all-new backstory for the attraction.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Backstory
Princess Tiana is the proud daughter of Eudora and James. Eudora influenced Tiana’s entrepreneurial spirit, while James instilled a deep passion for cooking. With its mouthwatering menu, exceptional entertainment, and warmhearted hospitality, Tiana’s Palace quickly became a treasured meeting place in New Orleans. Princess Tiana used her newfound success to support surrounding neighborhoods, which led to her role as a community leader.
From the success of her restaurant, Tiana expanded her business into an empire thanks to the entrepreneurial drive she got from her mother. Tiana opened Tiana’s Foods – an employee-owned cooperative. The endeavor began when Tiana purchased the salt mine and the area surrounding the large salt dome it operated from. With the help of her mother Eudora, Naveen, Louis and fellow owners of the cooperative, Tiana revived the old salt mine and the surrounding land, growing a wide array of vegetables, herbs and spices for her recipes.
This multi-faceted enterprise has turned the aging salt mine into a space that has come alive. Complete with a boutique farm and both a working and teaching kitchen, Tiana’s Foods 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.
With Tiana’s Foods established, the story of the attraction will take place after the final kiss as Naveen and Louis join Tiana on her latest adventure, hosting a one-of-a-kind Mardi Gras celebration where everyone is welcome.
Tiana wants to give a big thanks to her family and friends and the entire community for all the support they’ve given her by throwing an amazing party during Mardi Gras season. When it turns out there’s been a bit of a mix-up with the party preparations, Tiana invites us to meet her at Tiana’s Foods to help with the missing ingredient for the party.
When we arrive, we may see that Tiana spruced up the company’s facilities with vibrant art from local artists. Food for the party is being prepared and beignets are being loaded into crates for the celebration. All kinds of preparations are underway for the journey into the bayou with Tiana, along with new and familiar friends from the animated film.
The salt dome look was born and Disney World began removing the Splash Mountain tree stump in April 2023. The stump was completely removed in less than two weeks and the top of the structure had a hole for a few months as crews continued to work on the exterior of the attraction including the installation of the new crown for the ride – the Tiana’s Food’s water tower.
Now, crews have begun the process of rounding off the top of the salt dome that riders will visit by adding shaped rebar to build the required faux rockwork and foliage on top of. Here’s a look!
We’ll start with a look from Adventureland and the top of the Swiss Family Treehouse attraction (anything for you, dear reader).
Here’s a look at the salt dome from the splashdown Frontierland bridge area.
Finally, here are a few photos from in front of the attraction, including some zoomed-in photos that appear to show that this wireframe is being built by hand.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!