ORLANDO — The audio-animatronic figures of today that depict realistic people (or humanoid aliens, as can be the case) are a far cry from the early days of the technology when Disney created a depiction of President Abraham Lincoln for “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” at the 1964 World’s Fair.
To be fair, Mr. Lincoln was impressive at the time. Audience members frequently thought the audio-animatronic was an actor.
But the technology has come a long way, and Disney’s latest offering — Princess Tiana, the focus of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure — doesn’t disappoint.
I experienced the attraction several times this week during a media preview at the Magic Kingdom. Housed in the former Splash Mountain, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has effectively taken over the space (the ride’s track remains the same).
The mountain has become more lush with flowers and other foliage dotting so much of its surfaces. It’s more colorful and has greater visual appeal.
While the exterior of any attraction is important, it’s what’s inside that counts. Tiana doesn’t disappoint.
The music is zippy (zippity, in homage to its predecessor?), the storyline is fun and the visuals are compelling, including Tiana herself.
The Na’vi shaman audio-animatronic figure featured on the attraction Na’vi River Journey in Pandora — The World of Avatar. Photo Credit: Kent Phillips, Disney
The audio-animatronics of the princess/restaurateur are an impressive addition to Disney’s recent roster.
Take into consideration the Na’vi shaman that’s the highlight of Na’vi River Journey in Pandora — The World of Avatar in Disney’s Animal Kingdom: the fluid, alien species moves in an incredibly convincingly way.
Hondo Ohnaka, the space pirate who greets riders on the queue of Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, is the shaman’s equal. Just down the path in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge lies another in Lieutenant Bek on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
Tiana takes a well-earned place among them.
Another thing Tiana’s Bayou Adventure gets right: its use of screens.
Designers thoughtfully used screens in a way to help forward the story, but they certainly take a back seat and are additive, not distracting. The mix of live action animatronics and set pieces are the stars.
One screen in particular had me chuckling. On the attraction, the character Mama Odie “shrinks” riders down to the size of a toad for awhile. While tiny, a larger-than-life Tiana peers at riders, with Louis the alligator by her side.
With a mix of classic attraction elements and modern technology, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is a welcome addition to the Magic Kingdom’s mountains.
The attraction opens to the public on June 28 at the Walt Disney World Resort. It will open in Disneyland later this year.
