Disney Hints at New Direction for Tiana After Splash Mountain Conversion

The Walt Disney Company is nearing completion of transforming the classic Splash Mountain attractions at Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida. Once finished, the ride will be called Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at both parks and entirely themed around the iconic Disney Princess. While fans wait for this transformation, Disney is also hinting at additional new directions for Tiana in future projects.

Tiana on Disney+

Disney has been working hard on a new streaming show for Disney+ to continue the story of Princess Tiana. Artwork from the announcement features the fabulous New Orleans character seemingly out for adventure, which aligns with the direction of the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure attraction.

The upcoming Disney+ animated series, titled Tiana, is based on the 2009 film The Princess and the Frog. It follows Princess Tiana as she balances her royal duties in Maldonia with her dream of operating a restaurant. Tiana’s husband, Naveen, friends Louis and Charlotte, and new characters will join her on her journey. The series, directed by Stella Meghie, was initially slated for a 2023 release when announced in 2020 but has been delayed to 2024, with no official date confirmed. Anika Noni Rose has been confirmed as reprising her voice role for Tiana.

A New Direction for Princess Tiana

However, Disney Chief Creative Officer Jennifer Lee has been more than happy to dish out new details surrounding Tiana’s next adventure. According to CBR, the executive expressed her excitement to expand upon The Princess and the Frog during a recent interview with eCartelera. Lee apparently wants to take Tiana in a new direction, different from her experiences in the feature film.

“I love that Disney+ allows us to introduce experimentation and freshness while also exploring our legacy,” Lee remarked. “Combining celebration and narrative innovation. In that sense, we can play more with the Disney+ series. We’re doing the Moana series, and it’s been a lot of fun. I love it. Tiana is a new world for her, a new direction, and a new voice. I think it’s a very good platform to start playing with things that have meant a lot to many of us.”

Lee stated that Disney wants to balance sequels and original content. Furthermore, the Disney+ streaming platform is a way for filmmakers to expand on narratives and allow stories to grow. She also hinted at similar directions for future streaming projects surrounding other Disney animation films, such as Moana, Zootopia, and Frozen.

Tiana’s Future with Disney

A Disney+ series is not the only project in the pipeline involving Princess Tiana. Rumor has it that a live-action The Princess and the Frog remake is also in development. While Disney has yet to confirm anything, its exceedingly prominent desire to reboot films in live-action would drive merit to the claims.

The Walt Disney Company has also received backlash for reimagining Splash Mountain into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. While many look forward to experiencing the new attraction, purists are angry that the classic ride will no longer be available. Petitions have surfaced to stop it, but this hasn’t deterred Disney from pushing ahead for a release next year.