By Tonya Austin (Free Press Staff Photojournalist) – Riding high from my colleague’s picturesque Disney Magic cruise, it was time for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure kick-off opening held inside Magic Kingdom! Tiana’s Bayou Adventure picks up after the events of the Walt Disney movie “The Princess and the Frog.” It’s a firsthand look into where Tiana’s life has taken her following the success of Tiana’s place, a restaurant she dreamed up and worked hard to make into a reality. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has some of the most advanced Audio-Animatronic figures ever seen on an attraction, with new and familiar faces like Princess Tiana, Mama Odie, Louis, Naveen, and three whole bands of musical critters.
Top talent from different fields came together to bring the attraction to life! Many voice actors from the film reprise their roles including Anika Noni Rose as Princess Tiana , Michael-Leon Wooley as Louis and Jenifer Lewis as Mama Odie, Terence Blanchard, an original musical contributor to “The Princess and the Frog” soundtrack, returned to create new music. Award-winning PJ Morton wrote, produced and performed in the finale song “Special Spices,” along with vocalist Anika Noni Rose.
Known as the “Queen of Creole Cuisine,” the late Leah Chase was the real-life inspiration for Princess Tiana.
[foogallery id=”81120″]She is best known as the legendary chef behind Dooky Chase’s Restaurant, a New Orleans staple. Egar “Dook” Chase IV Grandson and the entire family of the late Leah Chase joined with Walt Disney World will begin selling the spices created by Dooky Chase’s Restaurant. We left with words to live by “Pray, Work hard. Do for others!”-Leah Chase
The ride officially opens on June 28, 2024. When you go down the thrilling 50 foot drop… you might get wet!
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/attractions/disneyland/tianas-bayou-adventure/
