Disney has formally confirmed that Tiana’s Palace Restaurant is coming to New Orleans Sq. in Disneyland forward of the Tiana’s Bayou Journey experience reimagining of Splash Mountain. This publish shares dates, particulars, idea artwork and commentary for the upcoming addition, plus ideas on whether or not one thing related may–or ought to–come to Walt Disney World.
Tiana’s Palace Restaurant would be the second location in New Orleans Sq. to be given an overhaul impressed by the Princess and the Frog. Final fall, Eudora’s Stylish Boutique That includes Tiana’s Gourmand Secrets and techniques arrange store within the former Le Bat en Rouge store. In case you’re unfamiliar with it, that is nestled into the present New Orleans Squares alleyways, close to Pirates of the Caribbean. It’s separated from Splash Mountain by quite a few places, together with Haunted Mansion.
Truthfully, Eudora’s Stylish Boutique isn’t actually a lot. Should you weren’t actively searching for the small print impressed by the Princess and the Frog, you may miss them fully. There’s a nook of the situation showcasing a interval present scene with a stitching machine, stitching model, and aprons. There are additionally music lyrics and different nods to the film I’m most likely forgetting. It’s very delicate and simple to overlook.
Eudora’s Stylish Boutique That includes Tiana’s Gourmand Secrets and techniques was first revealed on the D23 Expo. Throughout that very same occasion, a mannequin of Tiana’s Bayou Journey (Disneyland model) was additionally shared in “Great World of Desires” Disney Parks sales space. That exposed new particulars concerning the reimagined experience, and a few of what to anticipate along with the attraction at Disneyland.
At Disneyland, Tiana’s Bayou Journey will turn into a part of an expanded New Orleans Sq., annexing space from the prevailing Critter Nation. Based on Disney, this enables for the chance to inform much more of Tiana’s tales. That sales space and the Imagineers in it additionally shared that Tiana’s Palace Restaurant could be coming to Disneyland. Now, we now extra about what form it’ll take and the place it’ll be positioned…
Tiana’s Palace Restaurant will likely be positioned on Orleans Road in Disneyland, changing French Market Restaurant. Disney has not but shared specifics about what sort of eating location it’ll be, simply that Tiana’s Palace Restaurant will not be a personality eating expertise.
Throughout the peach-colored partitions and fancy inexperienced wrought-iron balconies of Tiana’s Palace Restaurant, you’ll discover elegant fixtures and appointments harking back to Tiana’s life and friendships. The brand new Tiana’s Palace can have a lot of the identical pinch of pizzazz and aptitude because the restaurant from the movie, providing genuine New Orleans flavors impressed by Tiana’s pals and adventures on this quick-service type restaurant.
Based on Disney, the menu at Tiana’s Palace will broaden on most of the present favorites served within the location, discover seasonal flavors and provide New Orleans classics. In all probability, this implies Tiana’s Palace Restaurant will proceed to be a buffeteria-style counter service restaurant.
Tiana’s Palace is certain to be a gathering place for family and friends to get pleasure from nice meals and rejoice collectively, identical to Tiana and her father James dreamed. It’ll be attention-grabbing to see what adjustments to perform this.
Disney Imagineers are partnering with Disney Animation artists from the unique movie to deliver this story to life at Disneyland. In truth, the movie designers took inspiration from the outside of the unique French Market Restaurant in New Orleans Sq. when designing Tiana’s Palace for the film, so it is a long-dreamt homecoming.
To start this work, French Market Restaurant (and Mint Julep Bar) will likely be closed starting February 17, 2023, and can reopen as Tiana’s Palace (alongside Mint Julep Bar with its well-known mint juleps and Mickey beignets) later within the 12 months.
Our Commentary
It was a foregone conclusion that Tiana’s Palace Restaurant could be coming to Disneyland even earlier than Imagineers prematurely spilled the beans on the D23 Expo. Truthfully, this most likely ought to’ve occurred a few decade in the past when the film first got here out. It has all the time been such a logical match with New Orleans Sq..
There undoubtedly would’ve been backlash from Disneyland followers then, simply as I’m certain would be the case now. That’s as a result of New Orleans Sq. is the head of themed design and among the best theme park lands on the planet. Additionally it is one which has been largely unspoilt since its unique development, which means that characters and Disney mental property for essentially the most half haven’t encroached the land. (Each Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean have turn into IP outdoors the parks, although!)
Again final fall when Imagineers revealed that Tiana’s Palace Restaurant could be a reimagining of an current eating location at Disneyland, it wasn’t clear whether or not the restaurant would annex extra of Critter Nation, or substitute a location in New Orleans Sq..
Our guess was that it’d both be Cafe Orleans, a desk service restaurant, or Hungry Bear Restaurant, one other quick-service choice. Though we might’ve been unhappy to see the final remnants of the Nation Bears disappear from Disneyland, changing Hungry Bear Restaurant was been the perfect choice. That’s the extra bold transfer and fewer controversial route, too.
Our hope was that Disney would go massive, making all of Critter Nation a part of New Orleans Sq.—or a brand new bayou enlargement to it. That might’ve left New Orleans Sq. thematically intact, whereas additionally tying up unfastened ends, so to talk, and making this a bigger scale enlargement. Disney may’ve even marketed Tiana’s Bayou Journey as a part of a brand new themed bayou space at Disneyland.
Issues may come full circle, with Audio Animatronics from Splash Mountain transferring over to the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. That would turn into a musical revue—New Orleans Sings! or Bayou Critter Jamboree each sound nice to me.
Sadly, that’s not what’s going to occur. Not solely that, however Disneyland isn’t even changing the desk service Cafe Orleans. As an alternative, they’re utilizing the buffeteria-style French Market as the idea for the reimagined Tiana’s Palace Restaurant. That is undoubtedly the trail of least resistance, and the simplest choice–which is why a turnaround time of lower than one 12 months is possible for this challenge.
No matter your expectations are for Tiana’s Palace Restaurant, dial them down. It’s doable that Disney will intestine French Market to make the inside much less cramped, however I wouldn’t rely on that. Extra seemingly, this will likely be akin to the Eudora’s Stylish Boutique reimagining–most likely a bit extra bold than that.
Count on to see new props inside which might be nods to the Princess and the Frog, a brand new marquee, and a facade that evokes the look of Tiana’s Palace from the film. Apart from that, I wouldn’t anticipate to see main substantive adjustments to French Market. My guess is that it’ll proceed to be buffeteria service with the identical inside from a substantive perspective.
Personally, I’m probably not averse to the transfer–however I’m additionally not excited for it. Whereas I feel French Market is a beautiful location, the identical needs to be true for Tiana’s Palace Restaurant. I can’t think about them being materially totally different from each other. Greater than the rest, I’m disillusioned that Disney isn’t going larger. Closing Hungry Bear Restaurant for an 18-month overhaul that creates a brand new desk service restaurant would’ve been nice. That spot is nothing particular, however may very well be.
In contrast, the change from French Market to Tiana’s Palace Restaurant is prone to be a lateral transfer. There’s merely far much less potential upside and room for enchancment. On that notice, I’ll reiterate what I’ve written earlier than, which is that Disney actually must swing for the fences with Tiana’s Bayou Journey, as this addition goes to be underneath a microscope. Opting to clean up French Market with a superficial replace as a substitute of changing Hungry Bear outright will not be proof that the experience reimagining will likely be unambitious, however it’s definitely not a constructive sign, both.
Whereas Tiana’s Palace Restaurant will not be at the moment a part of the plans for Magic Kingdom, we’re nonetheless holding out hope that it’ll be introduced as an addition outdoors the park. You may recall {that a} restaurant primarily based on The Princess and the Frog was introduced for Walt Disney World a couple of years in the past.
Should you don’t keep in mind, that’s most likely as a result of it was very forgettable. It was going to be a mixed-use waterfront restaurant positioned on the shore of Bay Lake at Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge. (It was seemingly going to be a personality breakfast that includes Tiana, Prince Naveen, Louie the Alligator, and Dr. Facilier and a Signature Restaurant for dinner–very similar to Topolino’s Terrace.)
Truthfully, it’s most likely for the most effective that restaurant isn’t coming to fruition. Disney by no means launched idea artwork on-line, however what was flashed on-stage on the D23 Expo took actually no visible cues from the film. This leaves the door open for a well-done Tiana’s Place Restaurant at Walt Disney World.
Tiana’s Place Restaurant on Disney Cruise Line is superior, and the idea looks like a slam dunk for Walt Disney World. Even when it doesn’t make sense in Frontierland, hopefully it involves fruition in Florida. Maybe it may very well be constructed within the unused eating house that already exists at Port Orleans French Quarter, the place it might truly make sense?
Regardless of what’s introduced (or not) for Walt Disney World, it’s not stunning that Disney is doing extra than simply the experience at Disneyland. For the final year-plus, Imagineers have been discussing their analysis journeys to New Orleans.
Final summer season, Imagineers gathered at Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in New Orleans – founder Leah Chase was one of many inspirations for Princess Tiana – to speak about Tiana’s impression over the previous decade and the inventive course of behind the upcoming attraction, together with the expertise Imagineers are utilizing to deliver it to life.
Within the ~30 minute roundtable video above, the proprietor of Dooky Chase’s Restaurant is joined by varied Imagineers and ABC Information correspondents.
Generations of the Chase household welcomed Imagineers whereas Chef Dook cooked up a few of their well-known gumbo. The group sat down with Leah’s daughter, Stella Chase Reese who shared that “the 2 coming collectively, music and meals, brings pleasure and happiness to all.”
Based on Disney, Imagineers are researching New Orleans to inform a narrative that’s as genuine to the area as it’s to the characters’ tales. From the meals, music, artwork and structure to the variety of its folks and their traditions, there’s a lot from which to attract inspiration. The group has completed digital analysis journeys by way of Zoom and this was their first of many in-person analysis journeys to get the story proper.
As Charita Carter shared that “in some ways, Tiana’s Bayou Journey is a love letter to New Orleans.” Carter continued, “just like the musical metropolis that impressed this attraction, Tiana’s second act is a few neighborhood working in concord to attain one thing extraordinary. She reminds us of an immutable fact we will all relate to: ‘in case you do your finest each day, good issues are certain to return your means.’ And that’s a melody we will all sing alongside to!”
Finally, we’re trying ahead to seeing the ways in which New Orleans Sq. expands and evolves at Disneyland to accommodate Tiana’s Bayou Journey and extra from The Princess and the Frog. There’s so much that Imagineering is ready to do in California that merely isn’t doable at Walt Disney World by advantage of the reimagined experience being adjoining to New Orleans Sq. as a substitute of Frontierland.
Personally, I hope that Critter Nation goes extinct, changing into a bayou-based addition to New Orleans Sq.. It might be attention-grabbing to see if Imagineering can pull off a bifurcated land, a lot in the identical means that Port Orleans Riverside Resort has each the white-column mansions of Magnolia Bend and Alligator Bayou’s quaint backwoods cottages.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Ideas on Tiana’s Palace Restaurant changing French Market in New Orleans Sq.? Do you want a complete bayou miniland had been coming to Disneyland together with Tiana’s Bayou Journey? Do you agree or disagree with our take that Critter Nation needs to be taken over by Princess and the Frog, and turn into the bayou-based subland? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions—even if you disagree with us—is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!