On Thursday, a man reportedly jumped out of a log on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, taking his young son with him. A witness recounted the incident on social media, alleging that the guest refused to return to the ride for over 40 minutes, effectively holding other riders hostage.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opened in Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort in June 2024; the Disneyland Resort version followed in November. The Splash Mountain retheme invites guests into a story after the events of The Princess and the Frog (2009). Princess Tiana (Anika Noni Rose), Mama Odie (Jenifer Lewis), and Louis the alligator (Michael-Leon Wooley) need help gathering musicians for an unforgettable New Orleans celebration!
Walt Disney World Resort‘s version of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure struggled immensely during its first months in operation. Multiple Disney cast member and Annual Passholder previews were canceled hours before Magic Kingdom Park closed due to complicated technical issues. Operations have run more smoothly in recent months, though the ride still isn’t immune to breakdowns (like most Disney Park attractions).
But a recent issue on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure had nothing to do with the vintage Splash Mountain infrastructure or the advanced audio-animatronics. According to an anonymous post in the public “Walt Dinsey World Trips and Tricks” Facebook group, the ride ceased operations for 40 minutes on Tuesday after a man and his young son jumped out of their log.
The anonymous guest verified their claim with a photo showing a man walking around an inside portion of the ride, in front of the second indoor drop before the final 50-foot hill. The attraction had reportedly stopped about ten minutes earlier, and Disney cast members instructed guests to remain seated.
“Shout out to this guy, who held up everyone on Tiana’s for 30-40 minutes because he and his son jumped out of their log,” the anonymous Facebook user wrote. “The ride had been paused for maybe 10 minutes with very clear announcements to remain seated. He chose to jump out of the log with his kid and try to exit.”
Unless you’re in a bathroom, you should assume you’re being filmed at the Disney parks. Although Disney cast members weren’t nearby, they undoubtedly spotted the rogue guest on their cameras.
“The cast members came over the speaker 3 times – yes, 3 times – asking him to get back into the log, and he refused,” the social media user continued. “He began shining his phone flashlight around looking for an exit, as well as waving the bright light in our faces as we sat there dumbfounded on why he was doing this.”
After the man refused to return to the log, the exasperated Disney cast members begged him to stand still until help arrived.
“Eventually, another cast member came over the speaker telling him to stay where he was and that someone would be there to escort them out shortly,” the witness recalled.
The anonymous Facebook user asked others to consider their impact on other guests before disobeying Disney cast members.
“We went from a 10 minute ride pause to a 30-40 minute ride pause because of this guy,” they concluded. “Just sharing this as a reminder to please follow the rules and stay in your ride vehicle!!! There was absolutely no need for this to happen. This guy is teaching his son that the rules don’t matter and you can do whatever you want, even if it inconveniences everyone else.”
Walking around unauthorized areas of a Disney Park attraction can be dangerous, especially with a young child. Although a ride pause can be frustrating, guests must not tamper with safety restraints and remain seated until Disney cast members arrive or restart the attraction. Trust that Disney cast members are working as efficiently as possible to remove guests from broken-down rides safely.
Has another guest disrupted your experience at Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? Share your story with Disney Dining in the comments.
