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Splash Mountain's exterior is getting some updates

Tiana's Bayou Adventure, Disney
Image: Disney

Recent attraction re-themes like Frozen Ever After and Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway have largely kept the exterior facades of their previous attractions (Maelstrom and the Great Movie Ride) more or less intact. However, it looks like Disney is making some big changes to the outside of the former Chickapin Hill for Splash Mountain's transformation into Tiana's Bayou Adventure, with a recent model of the attraction showing off a tall water tower right next to the big drop that showcases the logo for “Tiana’s Foods,” a co-op Tiana established in 1927 according to the ride backstory's timeline.

Also visible in the model are crops that growers have planted along the waterway, presumably for the aforementioned co-op. Eagle-eyed fans will also notice that the model shows the top of the attraction looking a little flatter than that of its predecessor, with the big tree stump having been removed. Early concept art showed a ship on top of this hill, but it looks like that part of the exterior redevelopment has been cut. 

The ride will open in late 2024

Image: Disney

Ever since Tiana's Bayou Adventure was first announced back in 2020, fans have been wondering when they could check out this updated attraction, and Disney confirmed earlier this year that the wait won't be too long, as this new ride will open in just about two years. Though that might seem like a fast turnaround time (especially since Splash Mountain hasn't closed yet) work is likely being done off-site so that when the attraction does close, construction workers and Imagineers can move quickly to install all the new components of this ride to get it ready for its 2024 debut. 

Splash Mountain will be closing very soon

Disney has not yet announced a closing date for Splash Mountain but given the now-confirmed opening timetable, we'd imagine that this attraction is definitely in its final days. Though Disney will probably want to keep Splash Mountain open in its current form through the holidays to help out with crowds, once the weather in Florida gets colder in January, this attraction will probably close for good so that Imagineers can get to work on making sure Tiana's Bayou Adventure is ready for its debut. Though no date has been listed, a notice of commencement was filed several weeks ago for this attraction, which also is another good indicator that there are likely only a few weeks left for fans of the original Splash Mountain to ride it one last time. 

While some may be sad to see Splash Mountain go, it is definitely exciting to see that progress is ramping up on bringing this new attraction to life at the Magic Kingdom, and hopefully we will learn more about what to expect from this ride as we get closer to the closure of Splash Mountain early next year and the opening of Tiana's Bayou Adventure the year after that! 

 
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