Disneyland is transforming the French Market Restaurant in New Orleans Square into Tiana’s Palace, inspired by Tiana’s dream restaurant in The Princess and the Frog.
Tiana’s Palace will open later this year, followed by Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in 2024. The new attraction replaces Splash Mountain and takes riders on a musical adventure through the bayou.
The new restaurant will feature peach-coloured walls, green wrought-iron balconies, and elegant fixtures. It will serve New Orleans-style F&B.
Disney Imagineers are collaborating with Disney Animation artists from the original film to bring the concept to life. The film designers actually took inspiration from the exterior of the French Market Restaurant when designing Tiana’s Palace for The Princess and the Frog.
Opening at Disneyland and Walt Disney World in late 2024, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure picks up where the film ends. Additionally, Disneyland is now home to a themed retail outlet called Eudora’s Chic Boutique Featuring Tiana’s Gourmet Secrets.
“In many ways, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is a love letter to New Orleans,” said Charita Carter, an executive creative producer at Walt Disney Imagineering.
“Being from New Orleans, being from the city, everything is moving… everything is musical, constantly moving, [there’s] a certain rhythm to New Orleans,” said Carmen Smith, Imagineering’s senior vice president of creative development.
Disney recently released a new piece of concept art showing “the thrilling moment you first drop into the bayou and encounter some friends both new and familiar”, said Smith.
Marvel-themed drone show at Disneyland Paris
Elsewhere, Disneyland Paris is launching the first-ever daily Marvel-themed drone show in a Disney park on 28 January.
Running through 8 May at Walt Disney Studios Park, ‘Avengers: Power the Night’ includes state-of-the-art projections, pyrotechnics and up to 500 drones.
Disneyland’s French Market Restaurant and Mint Julep Bar will be closed from 17 February.
Images: Disney
