LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – In the months leading up to the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Disney Imagineers have been giving guests a taste of what’s to come by introducing original attraction characters.
Since the ride is based on Disney’s animated film, “The Princess and the Frog,” they’ve fittingly saved the following frogs for last:
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Felipe the Frog – Deep among the cypress trees, you’ll hear band leader Felipe making musical magic on the piano! Felipe is also the proprietor of an exclusive bayou nightclub, where the local fireflies love to dance the night away to a musical recipe of hot rhythms and spicy melodies. He’s an old-school family guy, especially to his “family” in the band.
Mayra the Frog – Have you ever seen a frog play a flower blossom like a trumpet? You will when you meet Mayra; be sure to stick around for one of her toe-tapping solos. Mayra’s the most ambitious of the four frogs and has been practicing her instrument since she was just a tadpole.
Mondo the Frog – Mondo is a natural on the conga drums, which he made as a happy accident when his favorite bottle cap got stuck on his second favorite acorn. From there, the rhythm in Mondo’s soul took over! He’s very copacetic and accepts what comes, a trait as steady and reliable as his drumbeat.
Isabel the Green Tree Frog – Learning from Mondo’s example, Isabel loves getting lost in the music playing her congas. She’s the youngest member of the group, and there’s nothing she loves more than “going with the flow” and getting to play drums all night long.
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In order to create Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Disney Imagineers traveled to New Orleans to capture the essence of the Crescent City for the ride. The music styles of Zydeco, Rara and Afro-Cuban jazz are all part of the Mardi Gras celebration.
Not every character you’ll meet is a musician. Gloria and Delores are frog besties who like to indulge in the latest bayou gossip. Lari the armadillo is said to show up where you least expect him to. You’ll also run into characters whose big size will match their personality.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure takes over the former site of Splash Mountain in Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland and is set to open this summer.
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