More scaffolding has been removed from Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom, revealing new fake foliage and moss on the façade.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Mountain
We previously shared a look at two new frog characters on a log behind construction walls. They’re still there, and the rest of the briar patch has been transformed into a swamp, as seen in the above photo provided by a friend of WDWNT. A wall next to the ride flume has been painted with a mural of ingredients being added to gumbo.
There is no more scaffolding on the top of the former Splash Mountain. The façade has been transformed into a plant-covered “salt mine,” the home of Tiana’s Foods. Scaffolding has also been removed from the millhouse.
The edges of the millhouse are now covered in moss and plants. These are fresh additions in the past few weeks.
The Louis photo op on the construction wall was added earlier this month after Disney announced the ride will open this summer.
Though barely visible in photos, we now have an unobstructed view of the weathervane on the front of the millhouse. The weathervane was designed by Louisiana master blacksmith Darryl Reeves.
Guests spotted Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro filming in this area on Thursday.
We saw one crew member working on the top left side of the mountain. The crew member was about where the scaffolding now ends.
We couldn’t quite see what they were doing but they may have been shaping more foliage or rockwork.
Work is much further along on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom than at Disneyland. Construction began a few months later in California and the mountain remains mostly bare. The Disneyland version of the ride will open “later in 2024” than the Magic Kingdom version.
There is no more scaffolding around the ride’s drop or opening. We can see straight into the mountain — although there’s not much to see except darkness.
Disney recently shared a look at one of the Tiana audio-animatronics that will appear in the ride.
Several of Mama Odie’s bottle lanterns are visible around the opening. The first lanterns were installed in January. They suggest that the ride’s climax will be set at Mama Odie’s home, likely accompanied by “Dig A Little Deeper.”
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Flume & Logs
We didn’t catch any ride testing Friday morning, but logs were sitting in this loop of the flume. The logs are recycled from Splash Mountain but have been refurbished. The rubber pieces were replaced and Br’er Rabbit figures were removed.
As we noted when we last saw logs in the flume, these vehicles have red tags reading “REJECTED” attached to the small poles on their backs. It’s not clear what this designation means.
Crews have also tested water in the flume. We saw water in the flume but no logs later in the day.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Queue & Railroad Station
Work is also ongoing behind construction walls at the Frontierland railroad station. The station’s exit was closed for several weeks to be demolished and reconstructed. In January, the new stairs opened and the other staircase closed to get the same treatment.
The basic framework of the new staircase is now in place. It runs against a wall and turns up to the barn-like train station above.
During construction, guests are entering and exiting from the same stairs.
Inside the station, a construction wall blocks the opening to these non-existent stairs. The framework leading from the blocked doorway has notches for future steps.
Two crew members were working on the base of the new staircase on the ground.
You may remember the old Laughin’ Place play area beneath the train station. Well, the playground has been completely demolished.
Crews moved construction walls near the playground back — closer to the station. But there are still rolling planters where the walls used to be, blocking a significant break in the concrete.
The play area space has been paved with new flagstones. A sign about the play area remains on a nearby column. There’s also a painted sign pointing to the restrooms behind the station.
The ceiling under the train station has bright orb lights attached to ceiling fans and lanterns along the walls.
The new flagstone path matches the completed sections of the Tiana’s Bayou Adventure queue that opened in the past few months.
A paved section of sidewalk curves under another part of the train station. This sidewalk has wrought iron railings around it. Some yellow pool noodles cover poles sticking out of the edges of the railings.
A silver railing is sitting on the ground next to the sidewalk. It looks like it would go on stairs.
Materials for more flagstones are to the side of the sidewalk.
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