How Disneyland’s latest journey proves that ‘progress is inconceivable with out change’

Walt Disney has numerous inspirational quotes that I may have used within the headline for this story, however George Bernard Shaw’s phrases felt extra acceptable.

Many Disneyland visitors, myself amongst them, go to partially for the acquainted sense of historical past and nostalgia that the park provides. It was, in spite of everything, the one Disney park that Walt himself hung out in. If you stroll down Fundamental Avenue, U.S.A., you might be fairly actually strolling in Walt’s footsteps.

Though Disneyland archetypes like Sleeping Magnificence Fort and Dumbo the Flying Elephant look a lot the identical as they did when the park opened in 1955, a lot of the present Disneyland could be unrecognizable to Walt.

The resort now has two theme parks with a number of lands and points of interest themed to characters and movie franchises that hadn’t even been dreamt up when Walt handed in 1966. Nonetheless, the one method to create the identical emotions of nostalgia for the following technology after they develop up is thru change.

I assume we aren’t going to flee this story with out a quote from Walt himself. “We hold shifting ahead, opening new doorways, and doing new issues as a result of we’re curious, and curiosity retains main us down new paths,” he stated.

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On Nov. 15, that “new path” led to the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Journey at Disneyland, a journey based mostly on the 2009 Disney animated movie “The Princess and the Frog.” This journey wasn’t constructed from the bottom up. It’s a reimagining of Splash Mountain, an attraction that opened at Disneyland in 1989; nevertheless, the Splash Mountain storyline was wrought with insensitive stereotypes and caricatures that don’t have any place in at the moment’s world.

Although there’s at all times a grumble or two when Disney makes modifications to a beloved attraction, this new journey is already proving its price in additional methods than one.

Not solely is it a fun-loving, toe-tapping jaunt via the bayou with Princess Tiana and her forged of musical critters, it exemplifies Walt’s imaginative and prescient for Disneyland: that it might be “a supply of pleasure and inspiration to all of the world.”

Tiana’s Bayou Journey is Disney’s subsequent timeless traditional

I used to be fortunate sufficient to squeeze in a number of rides on Tiana’s Bayou Journey throughout the attraction’s grand opening occasions at Walt Disney World and Disneyland.

For me, experiencing the ultimate product was the fruits of 4 years following its progress. I heard the preliminary announcement in 2020 and noticed the audio-animatronics up shut at Walt Disney Imagineering headquarters earlier this yr.

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I returned from Disneyland practically every week in the past, and I’m nonetheless fortunately singing the songs from Tiana’s Bayou Journey — each these from the movie and the unique music created for the attraction.

Pretty much as good because the music could also be, it’s miles from the one proof of this journey’s inevitable endurance.

Tiana’s Bayou Journey combines Disney’s skilled storytelling capabilities with the most recent trade applied sciences to create a journey that attracts you into Tiana’s world. Moderately than mirroring the occasions of “The Princess and the Frog,” Tiana’s Bayou Journey picks up Tiana’s story the place the film left off.

Tiana is now a profitable enterprise proprietor, working each Tiana’s Palace restaurant and Tiana’s Meals co-op. She is making ready to host a giant Mardi Gras get together with Prince Naveen, however due to a minor mix-up, no person booked a band. You’ll be able to’t have a Mardi Gras get together with out music, so Tiana and Louis the alligator set out into the bayou looking for a band of musical critters.

As you float via the journey in your log, the animatronics appear to be talking (or singing) on to you, which is, after all, by design. Walt Disney Imagineering constructed these lifelike animatronics to attach with riders and make them a part of the story.

When Tiana instructed me that we wanted to “be part of Louis up forward and discover some musicians for our get together,” I knew she was speaking to me, and I used to be very happy to assist.

The attraction additionally feels genuine to the folks and locations that impressed its creation. The WDI staff that labored on the attraction made a number of analysis journeys to New Orleans and labored with native artists and musicians to convey the attraction to life. Even the household of the lady who impressed Tiana’s character within the movie, Leah Chase, has been closely concerned within the journey’s creation from the beginning.

The journey format stays unchanged from the unique iteration, however that does not imply it is too scary for younger youngsters. Whereas Splash Mountain instilled a way of dread whereas climbing towards the 50-foot splashdown, Tiana’s Bayou Journey is joyful and upbeat from begin to end.

The shortage of rigidity makes the journey to the drop extra thrilling and fewer scary. Youngsters will come off this journey feeling like they’re simply as sturdy and brave as Tiana.

Extra vital than any little bit of expertise or storytelling is the character of Tiana herself. The debut of “The Princess and the Frog” made Tiana the primary Black Disney princess; with the opening to Tiana’s Bayou Journey, she is now the primary Black Disney princess to headline her personal attraction.

In a theme park that prioritizes “pleasure and inspiration” for all, it is vital that every one visitors really feel represented after they go to Disneyland. Seeing somebody who seems to be such as you — a Disney princess, no much less — issues.

“We at all times need to ensure that what we put on the market conjures up others, and I feel we did that with Tiana’s Bayou Journey,” Walt Disney Imagineering government producer Charita Carter stated throughout the opening occasion at Disneyland. Carter described Tiana as a princess who works laborious and by no means stops chasing her goals. “Tiana believes within the common fact that what lies inside us has the potential to make our goals come true,” she stated.

When mixed, the weather of Tiana’s Bayou Journey cement the journey’s standing as a traditional Disneyland attraction that may present that sense of nostalgia for the following technology of visitors.

How Disney parks keep the identical by continually evolving

If theme parks are nearly enjoyable and thrills (and generally getting drenched), then why make modifications to the parks in any respect? Why shut Splash Mountain and provides it a brand new theme and storyline?

There’s virtually at all times an uproar from some faction of Disney followers when a journey closes to make means for one thing new, so why not hold the parks frozen in time fairly than rocking the boat (or log, because it have been)?

Deep down, the primary motive folks get upset over these modifications is as a result of they really feel linked to a sure journey or to the way in which the park felt throughout the time that the previous attraction existed. When a journey closes, it feels just like the recollections and feelings tied to it are additionally closing in a means.

However for the following technology of parkgoers to create those self same connections and sense of nostalgia after they go to Disneyland, the parks should continually evolve. This extends not solely to the brand new applied sciences and characters Disney has developed since its early days but in addition to creating the parks extra related and inclusive.

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For folks to really feel like they’re at dwelling when visiting Disneyland, they should see themselves represented within the parks in an genuine and uplifting means. They should see the characters and tales they join with, those that matter to them. They should really feel immersed in these worlds — one thing Disney has at all times strived to do however is now capable of accomplish on ranges Walt solely dreamed about.

Tiana’s Bayou Journey is not the one boat getting rocked at Disneyland within the coming years. Disneyland has a number of tasks within the works that may proceed to propel it into the long run whereas staying true to its roots.

What else does Disneyland’s future maintain?

On the biannual D23: The Final Disney Fan Occasion in Anaheim, California, earlier this yr, Disney Experiences chairman Josh D’Amaro revealed a slew of latest rides, points of interest and leisure coming to Disney parks worldwide.

Simply as visitors can go to Pandora — The World of Avatar at Disney World’s Animal Kingdom in Florida, they may quickly be capable to journey via an “Avatar”-themed attraction at Disney California Journey. Particulars on the place and when it’ll open are scarce, however the idea artwork exhibits it as a slow-moving boat journey via the plush alien planet.

Additionally, visitors will be capable to journey the first-ever “Coco”-themed attraction at Disney California Journey. This boat journey will characteristic characters and music from the hit movie, together with a visit via the Land of the Lifeless. Building is ready to start in 2026, so it’s going to be a number of years earlier than you may go “un poco loco” with Miguel and Hector.

On the D23 occasion in 2022, Disney revealed {that a} third attraction would be part of the prevailing two rides in Avengers Campus at Disney California Journey, however they stunned us this yr by asserting that the land will get two new rides.

Avengers Infinity Protection will discover visitors leaping via time and house as they face off towards King Thanos, whereas Stark Flight Lab will put riders in two-person pods as they take off on a take a look at flight in Iron Man’s take a look at facility. Building on each rides will start in 2025.

I saved this attraction for final as a result of it pays tribute to the person whose ideas, goals and concepts made the entire issues I’ve mentioned right here doable: Walt Disney. Subsequent yr, Disneyland will open the first-ever attraction to characteristic an audio-animatronic determine of Walt Disney.

The attraction, known as “Walt Disney — A Magical Life,” will play in Disneyland’s Fundamental Avenue Opera Home. After the present’s preliminary run, it’ll play in rotation with “Nice Moments with Mr. Lincoln,” a present that Walt himself debuted on the 1964 New York World’s Truthful earlier than bringing it to Disneyland.

Walt Disney Imagineering’s creation of the unique Abraham Lincoln robotic determine pioneered the audio-animatronics trade that made the lifelike characters on rides like Tiana’s Bayou Journey doable.

Backside line

I, for one, suppose that Walt could be dissatisfied if he visited Disneyland at the moment and it regarded the identical because it did when it opened practically 70 years in the past. By no means one to relaxation on his laurels, Walt was at all times dreaming, innovating and inspiring these round him to do the identical.

In fact, some issues will at all times be quintessential to the Disneyland expertise. As an example, there’s the sensation that you just’re actually hovering over London on Peter Pan’s Flight, the thrill of strolling via Sleeping Magnificence Fort or that first chew of a Mickey ice cream bar. However, to remain rooted in being a spot of pleasure and inspiration for the tens of millions of visitors who go to yearly, the parks can’t stay stagnant. Disneyland should change to remain the identical.

For as a lot as Disneyland has advanced, Walt’s opening day remarks stay related at the moment. “To all that come to this comfortable place, welcome,” he stated. “Disneyland is your land.”

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