We know guests have been itching for an update on Country Bear Musical Jamboree and more coming to Walt Disney World’s Frontierland in 2024 and beyond. So saddle up and let’s get started!
Country Bear Musical Jamboree
Get ready to knee slap and toe tap to a little country twang this summer!
If guests have been too busy trottin’ through the wild west and have missed the news, the Country Bears are getting ready to put on a new show that pays homage to the Opry style shows of Nashville. While the Country Bear Musical Jamboree will include Easter eggs from the beginning to the end including a familiar tune fans may remember, the bears will sing new, reinterpreted Disney tunes in different genres of country music – like bluegrass, pop-country, Americana, rockabilly and other styles. Here’s a look at one of the clips we shared at Destination D23.
To prepare for the show, Country Bear Jamboree will close temporarily beginning January 27 and will reopen later this summer.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Another attraction a little down yonder in Frontierland is also being reimagined, with incredible detail going into this all-new experience.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will take guests on a musical adventure inspired by the beloved story and characters from the fan-favorite film. Picking up where the film left off, guests will join Princess Tiana, jazz-loving alligator Louis and others on an adventure through the bayou as they prepare to host a one-of-a-kind Mardi Gras celebration where everyone is welcome.
Guests may have seen the custom handcrafted weathervane by Louisiana’s master blacksmith, Darryl Reeves, now visible to anyone strolling past Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom.
When guests visit Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, we want them to feel like they are taking a trip down the Louisiana Bayou in a way only Disney can bring to life. The weathervane does just that, and its installation is another important milestone Cast Members and Imagineers are celebrating ahead of the new adventure opening for our guests later this year.
Keep an eye on Disney Travel News as we introduce all the “bayou”-tiful details for this attraction, from new critters to the catchy New Orleans-inspired tunes.
And hold those horses, we’re not done yet. We have a lot of growth and investment planned for our theme parks in the coming years and look forward to sharing more announcements about Frontierland… so y’all come back now, ya hear?
Happy New Year! This year, more than ever, we’re bringing your favorite stories to life in fun, innovative ways at our theme parks and resorts, on our cruise ships and through our amazing products and experiences around the world. From Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and the launch of the new Disney Treasure cruise ship, to the first-of-its-kind Pixar Place Hotel and other highly anticipated experiences, here are some sensational things to look forward to in 2024:
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort
In 2024, the all-new Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will open at Disneyland park at Disneyland Resort and Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort.
This attraction brings guests into Princess Tiana’s world like never before on a musical journey inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios film “The Princess and the Frog.”
When the attraction opens, guests will join Princess Tiana, Naveen and jazz-loving alligator Louis on an adventure as they prepare to host a one-of-a-kind Mardi Gras celebration. Along the way, they’ll see familiar faces, make new friends and travel through the bayou to original music inspired by songs from the film as they are brought into the next chapter of Tiana’s story.
New Star Tours Attraction Characters, Stories
Star Wars was a favorite topic with Blog readers last year – so, I’m sure many guests are as excited as we are that Star Tours – The Adventures Continue is adding more stories and characters in 2024 at Disneyland Park in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida.
Also, from April 5 – June 2, Season of the Force will arrive at Disneyland Park with Hyperspace Mountain and special merchandise, themed food and beverage and more. Plus, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will give a fresh perspective on the fireworks above Disneyland Park with galactic music sweeping through the spires!
Pixar Fest at Disneyland Resort
Pixar Fest is returning to Disneyland Resort from April 26 through Aug. 4, celebrating friendship and beyond with colorful décor, themed entertainment and more. Here’s a sneak peek of an all-new sculpture featuring Pixar pals like Woody and Buzz that you’ll be able to snap a photo in front of at Main Street, U.S.A., in Disneyland Park when the celebration begins!
This festival is highlighted by heartwarming entertainment featuring favorite Pixar stories. An all-new daytime parade “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” will debut at Disney California Adventure Park, and at Disneyland Park, the emotional “Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular” returns with some all-new scenes, including one with Mei Lee and her friends from “Turning Red.”
During the celebration, guests may also encounter new characters such as Ember and Wade from “Elemental” and more.
Pixar-Themed Hotel at Disneyland Resort
Also at Disneyland Resort, Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel will officially transform into Pixar Place Hotel on Jan. 30, becoming the first fully Pixar-themed hotel in the United States.
The 15-story hotel overlooking Disney California Adventure park will offer guest rooms inspired by the artistry of Pixar, new dining from Great Maple restaurant, a rooftop pool area, play court and more.
“Fantasmic!” Returns to Disneyland Park
On May 24, “Fantasmic!” will once again illuminate the Rivers of America in Disneyland park, featuring new special effects, a thrilling new battle scene between Sorcerer Mickey and Maleficent, plus the return of the iconic “Peter Pan” scene.
If guests haven’t experienced it, “Fantasmic!” is an emotional extravaganza where fantastic events and images from Disney stories come to life through soaring music, dozens of live performers, character appearances and state-of-the-art pro
CommuniCore Plaza, CommuniCore Hall at EPCOT
At Walt Disney World Resort, CommuniCore Hall and CommuniCore Plaza will be completed in 2024 as part of the multiyear transformation of EPCOT.
These new spaces extend the EPCOT festivals beyond World Showcase and provide a new home for additional exhibits and entertainment, offering the perfect space to gather with family and friends.
Reimagined “The Little Mermaid” Show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
In 2024, an all-new theatrical production inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios classic “The Little Mermaid” is coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
The reimagined show will feature stunning set pieces, cutting-edge effects and a bold new design aesthetic that captures Ariel’s imagination and emotions through her unique view of the world around her. More to come in 2024!
All-Day Park Hopping, Dining Plan at Disney World
Beginning Jan. 9, guests at Disney World with a ticket with Park Hopper benefits or an Annual Pass will be able to once again visit another theme park at ANY TIME OF DAY during park hours (subject to capacity limitations).
Also, as part of our updates to improve the guest experience at Disney World, Disney dining plans will be coming back as an option for those staying at Disney Resort hotels who purchase a vacation package with us starting with stays beginning Jan. 9. Guests will be able to choose from two popular options: Packages that include either the Disney Quick Service Dining Plan or the Disney Dining Plan.
Country Bear Jamboree at Walt Disney World Resort
This year, the Country Bears will debut new songs and a new act that pays homage to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
The Country Bear Jamboree will still have the same fun and friendly tone guests enjoy and it’ll introduce reinterpreted Disney songs in different genres of country music – like rockabilly, bluegrass, pop-country and other styles.
Cake Bake Shop at Disney’s Boardwalk
The Cake Bake Shop, a whimsical table service restaurant and bakery with French flair, will be opening at Disney’s BoardWalk at Disney World in early 2024.
If guests haven’t heard, The Cake Bake Shop has counters lined with beautifully displayed handmade cakes, cookies, French macarons, brownies, dessert bars, pies and cheesecakes. Other locations have become known destinations for celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers, weddings, or for spending time with family and friends.
runDisney Returns to Disneyland Resort, Plus a New Halloween-themed Event
runDisney returns to Disneyland Resort Jan. 11-14 with the sold-out Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend, featuring four days of exciting events.
Later in the year, runDisney haunts will make their way to The Happiest Place on Earth for a grim-grinning good time during the 2024 Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon Weekend.
Taking place Sept. 5-8, there will be four days of events, including yoga, Kids Races, 5K, 10K, Half Marathon and Challenge, all themed to the 2024 Halloween season. Visit runDisney.com for more details.
Disney Treasure
Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Treasure, will debut in December 2024.
As guests have probably seen, this amazing ship will bring captivating stories from beloved Disney Animation, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel and Disney parks adventures to life like never before with new venues and reimagined spaces.
The Disney Treasure sets off on its maiden voyage, a seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral, Florida, on Dec. 21, followed by an inaugural season of seven-night itineraries to the Eastern and Western Caribbean from Port Canaveral.
Disney Lookout Cay in The Bahamas
This summer, Disney Cruise Line’s newest, one-of-a-kind retreat on the island of Eleuthera in The Bahamas, Disney Lookout Cay, will open.
As we’ve shared, when guests step foot on this one-of-a-kind island destination, they’ll discover a celebration of Bahamian storytelling, artistry and culture.
The vibrant island retreat at Lighthouse Point will be a unique celebration of Bahamian culture brought to life with the quality and service of a Disney vacation.
Pixar Day at Sea & Marvel Day at Sea with Disney Cruise Line
In January, two themed Disney Cruise Line sailings are returning – Pixar Day at Sea and Marvel Day at Sea.
For Pixar Day at Sea, Pixar stories will come to life on the Disney Fantasy through a cowboy sing-a-long breakfast with favorite Toy Story characters, Crush’s totally awesome pool party, themed activities and treats, a Pixar Pals dance party on the upper decks, character encounters and a deck show starring the Incredibles.
For Marvel Day at Sea, on the Disney Dream out of Fort Lauderdale, the largest assembly of Marvel Super Heroes and Villains on land or at sea will gather for Marvel Day at Sea for an action-packed day that’ll unlock the inner superhero in all guests.
Pixar and Marvel Day at Sea offerings are included in the price of a Disney cruise. All of the regular guest favorites, including Broadway-style shows, themed rotational dining, fireworks at sea and spaces and activities for everyone in the family, will still be present on all Disney Cruise Line sailings.
The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort
Beginning in Summer 2024, the newest Disney Vacation Club resort, The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort will open.
Tucked away in the peaceful woodlands of the Walt Disney World Resort, the refreshed cabins will make a relaxing retreat where guests can enjoy the comforts of home while staying in the great outdoors.
Adventures by Disney in Colombia
In 2024, Adventures by Disney will be taking guests to Colombia, the country and cultures that inspired Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Academy Award-winning film, “Encanto.”
Trips begin in the capital city of Bogota, and guests’ exploration of this beautiful country begins at the Paloquemao Market where they’ll see a bounty of flowers and colorful fruits and vegetables. They’ll also visit a fourth-generation coffee farm in the Coffee Region and learn about harvesting and roasting the beans, as well as brewing the perfect cup of coffee.
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event
In 2024, D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event is coming to Anaheim, California with a fan experience like none other.
From Aug. 9 to 11, this one-of-a-kind event will have spectacular shows, new venues and multiple days of entertainment and experiences that bring together all the wonderful worlds of Disney.
On Thursday, Aug. 8, the D23 kickoff celebration will take place at Disneyland Resort followed by shopping, exhibits, panels, presentations, and more on Aug. 9 – 11 at the Anaheim Convention Center during the day, with the fun extending into the evening at the Honda Center—the bigger home to marquee shows.
Tickets for the event will go on sale in Spring 2024 and more details will be announced early this year.
For the millions of fans who visit Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort every year, meeting your favorite Disney characters in real life is an essential part of the vacation. Getting to meet your heroes in a place as immersive as Disney is something that genuinely cannot be replicated anywhere else.
Of all of the Disney characters you can meet, the Disney Princesses are likely the most popular. These kind, heroic, and beautiful women are a massive draw for many theme Park fans.
When you meet a Disney Princess at a Disney Park, you will likely be expecting to see the outfit they wear in their feature film. However, that is all about to change for one princess: Tiana!
Princess Tiana, the beloved character from Disney’s Princess and the Frog, has been enchanting Guests at Disney Parks around the world for years. The parks have gone above and beyond to bring the magic of Tiana’s world to life, immersing Guests in her story and the charm of New Orleans.
One of the most exciting additions featuring Princess Tiana will be the “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” attraction. This thrilling water ride will take Guests through the lush landscapes of the Bayou, allowing them to experience the beauty of nature and the excitement of Tiana’s journey. With animatronic characters and stunning visuals, this new ride is expected to be incredible.
In preparation for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Disney has announced an all-new costume that the Princess will be rocking. A first glimpse of her new outfit, which is styled in the theme of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, was given to those attending ESSENCE Fest in New Orleans.
Disney has shared a first look at Tiana's new costume. The outfit is the same look for Tiana in Tiana's Bayou Adventure, which is set to open at Disney World and Disneyland next year.
It is so cool to see the Parks styling Tiana in a brand-new look. Fans will have a lot to look forward to once the retheming of Splash Mountain is complete.
The Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland at Walt Disney World is getting ready to undergo some massive transformations as the Park makes room for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. While the Splash Mountain re-theme was undoubtedly one of the biggest controversies seen in the Parks in recent years, Disney might be getting ready for a double whammy.
As developments toward the Princess and the Frog re-theme continue spreading throughout Frontierland, a recent post suggests another timeless attraction for the chopping block. Splash Mountain wasn’t the only vintage attraction with a cult following at risk, as the Country Bear Jamboree could be getting a massive overhaul very soon.
WHAT THE! Based on information provided to Mickey Views, we believe Disney is debating retheming Frontierland at Walt Disney World into a New Orleans Square-style street, featuring a Tiana Restaurant and a completely reimagined Country Bears attraction! pic.twitter.com/3aRp0KtMhs
The current incarnation of the Country Bear Jamboree is one of the few remaining attractions from Disney World’s golden age, taking it apart and revamping it is essentially messing with a Disney historical landmark. Naturally, it didn’t take long for supporters and Guests to notice.
Magic Kingdom Mayhem
The tweet was shared on r/WaltDisneyWorld, and fans wasted no time in sharing their hopes and fears for the supposed upcoming changes. Some are mildly curious about a “completely reimagined” Country bears, but others are downright trembling, stating how they hate the idea of losing them.
“A new Bears show could be good or bad depending on the material they give them. I will say that of the old-timey animatronic shows, it’s the one that seems to engage modern audiences the most. People still genuinely laugh at the jokes in a way that they don’t in the Tiki Room or the Carousel.”
“I think technology has progressed to a point where the Country Bear Jamboree isn’t at all impressive to audiences anymore, especially younger audiences. It looks old and dated, and the humour just doesn’t land with kids…”
But comments from users like u/ITrCool come with an ominous warning.
“If this was true, that means Thunder Mountain’s days are numbered too, because it’d essentially be isolated and essentially a weird rando “wild west miner” style coaster sitting between “New-Orleans” theming and Adventureland’s “1700s” theming.”
Granted, nothing is set in stone at this point, and this is all mostly speculation. However, as Disney continues to grow and adapt (as it was designed to do), how long will it be before it comes for our favorite classic attractions?
The magic of the bayou is calling, so listen closely because we’re “digging a little deeper” into the experience guests can expect from the future attraction coming to Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure! The enchantment of the bayou will illuminate with a celebration during Mardi Gras season hosted by Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen. And today, we’re thrilled to announce that Mama Odie will reprise her role as the catalyst to that magic.
As depicted in this newly released rendering, Mama Odie jokes with guests along their journey after a special display of her magic. The two-hundred-year-old Bayou Fairy Godmother, with her eccentric belongings and “seeing eye snake,” Juju, is comically eccentric, yet wise and all-knowing, throughout the adventure. We’re so delighted that legendary actress Jenifer Lewis, who starred as the voice of Mama Odie in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “The Princess and the Frog,” is once again returning to her role for the attraction.
If Mama Odie is a catalyst to the magic, then Sharika Mahdi is a catalyst to the Imagineers’ creations. This New Orleans artist and YAYA Arts Center alumna has inspired our work on the attraction with a local’s perspective. As we bring our attention to Mama Odie and the important role she plays in Tiana’s story, I’d like to share the latest in a four-part series commissioned to Sharika: a tribute to our wise and whimsical keeper of the bayou.
Notice how the long, flowing brush strokes offer visual cues for the floating journey that lies ahead in Tiana’s premier attraction. Along with “The Princess and the Frog” film, our team continues to use Sharika’s latest piece as inspiration for how Mama Odie will appear throughout the attraction. You may see evidence of this in the resemblance of the images above depicting Mama Odie.
Mama Odie joins a cast of friends – familiar and new – in Princess Tiana’s debut attraction. In December, we shared how a band of newly introduced critters will provide some of the soundtrack to your journey. In February, we shared the backstory behind the water tower that will punctuate the exterior. But what else is in store? Here’s a sample of what to expect from this musical adventure:
Brand-new cast of original Disney characters with distinct names and personalities
Dozens of entirely new Audio-Animatronics figures
Adorable critters with incredible talent, bringing the diverse flavors of musical gumbo found in New Orleans!
New, original music alongside favorite tunes from the film
Do you love beignets as much as Louis? Well, you’re in luck because the alluring scent of beignets being prepared for the party will be part of the attraction queue!
Additional talent voices from the film reprising their roles, including Bruno Campos as Prince Naveen, Michael Leon Wooley as Louis, and the one and only Anika Noni Rose as Princess Tiana
Familiar faces from the film such as Princess Tiana, Prince Naveen, Mama Odie, Louis, Eudora, Charlotte, “Big Daddy,” the King and Queen of Maldonia and Prince Ralphie
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure builds on the story of Princess Tiana, a character whose pride and perseverance reminds us of a universal truth: within us lies the potential to make our dreams come true. This all-new adventure will bring Disney Parks guests into Princess Tiana’s world like never before when the attraction opens in Disneyland Park at Disneyland Resort and Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort in 2024.
To make room for this new magic, Splash Mountain at Disneyland park will be closed starting May 31, 2023, so we can begin the next phase of development for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
