Last year, Disney opened Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. The attraction, which controversially to some replaced the aging Splash Mountain on both coasts, to great fanfare. However, despite the popularity of the flume attraction, there have definitely been some technological issues with the ride’s reliability, especially its animatronics.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Shortly before the ride opened, Disney wrote that Tiana’s featured “some of Disney’s most advanced Audio-Animatronics figures, and with this new, advanced technology it makes you feel like you’re really interacting with them in the attraction.” Unfortunately, those new highly advanced animatronics are having some issues.

On our most recent visit to the Magic Kingdom, we noticed several major issues with the ride’s stable of robotic characters and effects. The Mama Odie animation that usually hovers above the ascent to the ride’s final drop was nowhere to be found…

The lift. Notice anything?

…and of the ride’s multiple animatronics of its titular heroine, Tiana, only one (in the ride’s finale scene) was working correctly, with most of the others having issues with movements, particularly with their mouths.

Tiana is having some issues.

Finally, the Louis animatronic — which was hailed by Disney as “one of the largest and most dynamic figures Imagineering has ever built — created with new materials that bring him to life like never before and in a way that only Disney can do” — wasn’t moving from the waist down.

Louis

Now, we have to stress that technical issues like this have long been common with new Disney attractions, especially those relying on newly advanced technologies. In the majority of cases, these kinks are eventually worked out as the attraction operates.

The finale!

Until then, however, we’ll continue to document these issues here at DFB. Make sure you stay tuned so you don’t miss any important news or updates!

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Have you noticed any of these technical issues when riding Tiana’s Bayou Adventure? Let us know in the comments below.