Updated Disney attraction makes a splash with travel advisors

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — While Splash Mountain was a fan favorite at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom for years, travel advisors say its retheming to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is a more inclusive modernization that will appeal to a wide swath of park guests.

Splash Mountain’s story was based on Disney’s 1946 film “Song of the South,” which had been criticized for its portrayals of Black people. In 2020, Disney announced the mountain’s new theme, noting its importance to promote inclusivity. 

Indeed, during a media preview of the attraction, Walt Disney Imagineering executive creative producer Charita Carter said that Tiana — from the 2009 animated film “The Princess and the Frog” — is “everybody’s princess.”

“There’s so much about her life that’s relatable,” said Carter. “Everyone can find an aspect of Tiana’s story in their own story, and so many people are inspired by her.”

The change has been a welcome one for advisors as well as their clients. (It should be noted that the attraction’s exhilarating 50-foot plunge remains.)

“Our clients and potential clients have been very excited to experience it, and the ones that have already have raved about it,” said Greg Antonelle, owner of Windermere, Fla.-based MickeyTravels. Antonelle called Disney’s marketing of the new attraction “masterful,” noting that anticipation had been building for years before its June 28 opening.

Beci Mahnken, owner of MEI-Travel, Mouse Fan Travel and Universal Fan Travel in Issaquah, Wash., said “quite a few clients” are awaiting the attraction’s opening date in Disneyland, as well.

“I am very happy to see this attraction being modernized for the current generation,” Mahnken said. “Kids can identify with the characters and get excited about being up close and personal with Tiana and her friends.”

Disney had long operated with the tradition of “The Four Keys,” or the customer service principles of safety, courtesy, show and efficiency. In 2021, a fifth was added: inclusion.

Keeping a Song of the South-themed attraction with that in mind would have led to mixed messaging, Antonelle said. While he also called losing an attraction with a “brilliant” design by legendary Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter “regrettable,” he said Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is “absolutely” a fitting replacement with its positive storyline and focus on New Orleans’ music and culinary scene.

“Frankly,” he said, “Imagineers seem to have made the right decisions every step of the way here.”

Disney World last month also wrapped another large-scale project: the years-long renovation of Epcot, which split the former Future World into three neighborhoods: World Nature, World Discover and World Celebration.

“It’s refreshing to see the walls come down and finally experience the vision we have been anticipating,” Mahnken said.

The split offers opportunities. 

CommuniCore Hall and Plaza, located in World Discovery, will be the hub for the park’s many festivals. The space is designed to be flexible.

“In the past few years Disney has repurposed a lot of its smaller private-event venues that can generate a lot of revenue while bringing in guests that may not visit Disney otherwise,” she said. “And as a travel planner who specializes in unique and curated group events, it’s a very welcomed site.”

Between Tiana’s, Epcot and other summer additions like the “Disney Dreams that Soar” drone show in Disney Springs, “We’re all excited about what this summer has to bring to all the guests and bring the message there’s never been a better time to vacation at Walt Disney World,” said Javier Moreno, senior vice president of Disney Destinations Sales Solutions.

Jodi Bainter, vice president of domestic leisure sales at the Walt Disney Co., agreed.

“It’s such a great time to be a travel advisor or a cast member,” Bainter said. 

To best communicate with advisors about what’s new, she said, the company uses a variety of tactics. First is inviting agents to experience the new offerings themselves, such as those in attendance at the event last month. Disney’s team of more than 30 business development managers around the country are also an important part of advisor relations, she said.

Disney is offering ongoing training this summer and fresh, sharable content via its advisor-focused social media handles, Disney Travel Professionals.

“The point is to make the tools as easy as possible for them to quickly be able to communicate what’s new and what’s now to their guests,” Bainter said.