Tiana-Themed Playground Coming to EPCOT

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Epcot

Next week, beginning Monday, August 23, Disney is kicking off the first-ever “World Princess Week” which means we’re going to be hearing about new Disney Princess products, digital content, unique offerings at parks and resorts, and more. One of the most exciting announcements for all those little Princesses in your life is that a new Princess Tiana-themed playground is coming to EPCOT.

As shared by Disney: “Starting Aug. 23, there will be a new Tiana-themed playground available during the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival! This playground is an awesome offering Guests can enjoy during Walt Disney World Resort’s 50th-anniversary celebration, “The World’s Most Magical Celebration.”

While we don’t know much just yet as to what the Tiana-themed playground will include, we know our kids will be excited! “The World’s Most Magical Celebration” is an 18-month long party. From Disney’s announcement, it sounds like the Tiana-themed playground will remain open for the full duration of the 50th Anniversary celebrations. We did suspect to see some progress on the Splash Mountain retheming to The Princess and the Frog by the 50th Anniversary, but Disney has said the project will take time. In the meantime, Tiana is getting her own themed playground.

And yes, even though playgrounds are high-touch areas and COVID cases are on the rise in Central Florida, Disney recently reopened The Boneyard at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, along with the Dumbo playground inside the circus ten Dumbo attraction queue in Magic Kingdom.

Disney Says It’s Going To Take A Little Time To Revamp Splash Mountain to Princess & the Frog Theme

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Magic Kingdom

It’s been well over a year now since Disney first announced the ever-so-popular Splash Mountain attraction in Magic Kingdom would be reimagined to The Princess and The Frog theme. When the news broke on June 25, 2020, the response from Disney fans seemed about a 50/50 split as many Disney fans wish the iconic attraction would remain the same, while others are all for the removal of the Song of the South elements. Fan petitions went out in favor of the attraction’s reimagining while another went against any changes. And after a year plus now, we have yet to see any changes in Splash Mountain.

Last fall, Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products shared the company’s new approaches to operations and inclusion in the wake of 2020 via a keynote session of IAAPA Expo Virtual Education Conference. One key note included was that the reimagining of Splash Mountain has been expedited. With new information however from Disney’s Vice President of Magic Kingdom, it looks like the attraction reimagining may still be farther off than we suspected, noting that the revamping of Splash Mountain is going to take a little time.

As reported by OrlandoSentinel: “Melissa Valiquette, vice president of Magic Kingdom, talks with Orlando Sentinel tourism reporter Dewayne Bevil about upcoming changes at the Disney World park. Melissa dishes on the golden vibe guests can expect at the 50th-anniversary celebration, including “Disney Enchantment,” the new nighttime spectacular, and the 50 golden character statues spread across Disney World’s four theme parks. She also discusses Tron, Jungle Cruise and the revamping of Splash Mountain. Melissa asks for some patience as Splash Mountain transitions from “Song of the South” theme to “The Princess and the Frog,” “Our Guests are going to have to put a little bit of trust into us for a bit because we promise not to let you down. We’re going to deliver a wonderful attraction that is inspiring and beautiful and worthy of this princess, Princess Tiana.”