A recent ride breakdown at Walt Disney World Resort unexpectedly gave guests a rare peek behind the curtain on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the rethemed Splash Mountain.
Dozens of guests riding Tiana’s Bayou Adventure were forced to evacuate after an unknown issue caused a multi-boat pile-up on the attraction. The incident occurred inside a covered section of the rethemed Splash Mountain ride, where several log vehicles appeared to have slammed into one another and come to a complete stop. One Disney Park guest captured the moment on video and shared it online, including footage of the rarely seen backstage areas riders walked through during their evacuation.
@chasingpixiedust_ Tiana Bayou got stuck and we had to get escorted off the ride 😳 But the backstage tour? Totally worth it 😂💚🎢✨ #disneyworld #disneyparks #tianasbayouadventure #tiana #disneyrides #disneybehindthescene #pov #viral #fyp #disneytok #disneyadult #disneypassholder #disneymagic #magickingdompark
In the video, shared by TikTok user @chasingpixiedust_ on Friday, Disney cast members can be seen using grabber tools to move the boats closer to the evacuation platform and assist riders as they exit. Once the logs were emptied, guests were guided through a behind-the-scenes section of the attraction that most never get to see. The footage includes views of still audio-animatronics, water control systems, and several unthemed maintenance spaces inside Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
The guest later wrote, “Tiana Bayou got stuck and we had to get escorted off the ride. But the backstage tour? Totally worth it.”
Walt Disney World Resort has not released an official statement about last week’s evacuation, and the cause of the ride stoppage remains unconfirmed. However, the attraction had reopened by the time of this article’s publication.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure debuted in Frontierland in June 2024 and has been a major draw at Magic Kingdom Park. The ride, which replaced Splash Mountain, brings the world of The Princess and the Frog (2009) to life through music, animatronics, and a new storyline set after the events of the film. While it has improved since its rocky start during Disney cast member and Annual Passholder previews, the attraction still experiences periodic malfunctions, especially related to its highly advanced audio-animatronics.
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