Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will soon be taking guests on a musical adventure with Princess Tiana and friends. The attraction is set to open this summer at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort and then at Disneyland later this year at the Disneyland Resort. Today, Ted Robledo, Executive Creative Director, Walt Disney Imagineering, took to the Disney Parks Blog to share more details about this new attraction. Ted’s focus in a post is on the Audio-Animatronics characters that make up a band in this attraction.
There are also some new details shared about the bigger story for the attraction. While it has been known that Princess Tiana has been getting ready to throw a big party and there are missing ingredients for this party. Now it is known that the missing ingredients is the music that comes from a band. Ted shared that “Even with the richest roux for your gumbo and the most delicious beignets, a true Mardi Gras celebration isn’t complete without music. We’ll follow Tiana and Louis into the bayou in a last-minute search for this essential missing ingredient for her party — musical critters!”
Who Are the Critters?
The question then is asked, “who are the critters?” Apparently there will be quite a few of them that will be encountered along the way. The first group of critter musicians will be playing Gonna Take You There from The Princess and the Frog. This group will be playing in the Zydeco style with a fiddle, accordion, washboard, and some other instrumental voices singing along as guests float down the river under some dancing fireflies. This song will be played on instruments that were built with natural materials along with a few human-made found objects.
Who’s in the Band?
There are quite a few furry friends who are in the band that will be entertaining guests as they float through the attraction. Here is a look at some of who they are.
Byhalia the Beaver – Byhalia doesn’t just build dams; she helps build musical instruments using natural materials from the bayou. As a strong-willed percussionist, it’s safe to say Byhalia is the heartbeat of the band, as well as a natural designer and engineer.
Gritty the Rabbit – Always willing to dig a little deeper to help others, Gritty plays the washboard (a found automobile license plate) with a high-energy flair. It’s the perfect instrument for someone who’s often overzealous and digs to relieve her nerves.
Beau the Opossum – Seeing limitless possibilities, no one finds more wonder in the bayou and the sounds of zydeco music than Beau. All she knows is beauty, especially her own. You can find her plucking out the low notes with her upright gourd bass, which of course, involves some musical dexterity with her tail.
Apollo the Raccoon – Apollo loves transforming abandoned objects into works of musical art – like his squeezebox. He’s full of energy and storytelling, especially about the objects he finds in the bayou. He’s particularly close with Rufus and appreciates Rufus’ calm demeanor.
Rufus the Turtle – Rufus may be a turtle, but he’s quick to jump into rhythm with his harmonica. He’s also the first to join in on new adventures! He’s genuine and sincere but may come across as a little sarcastic at times with his habitual sighing. Rufus loves going on adventures with Apollo.
Timoléon the Otter – He’s the eldest of the band, but Timoléon’s fiddle-playing is inspired by all the ‘kids’ he spends his time around while in the bayou. When he’s not sawing out a jig, he’s famous for telling stories of days long ago about his explorations of every corner of the bayou.
Ted Robledo, Executive Creative Director, Walt Disney Imagineering
Along with these new talented friends, there might be others that will be discovered in the bayou. Disney promises that more will be shared about that soon. Daps Magic will be watching for that and share details as they are released. There will also be the chance to bring some of these critter friends home as well. Beau, Apollo, and Rufus will be available in plushy form for guests to bring home after going on the attraction.
These special critters came to life thanks to the hard work of imagineers and other partners. One of the people who did this is Laura West, a lead concept designer at Walt Disney Imagineering. She also happens to be the creator of these new adorable critters.
Laura worked in collaboration with Walt Disney Animation Studios and carefully created brand-new characters that will be seen in the attraction. Disney shared a video about her creative process. Check it out here:
There are more details coming in the near future about more critters found in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Be sure to subscribe to the Daps Magic newsletter to not miss any of these details. What do you think of these critters that were introduced today? Do you already have a favorite? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
