The cost of converting Splash Mountain to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland and Walt Disney World could be one of the most expensive ride updates in Disney history, according to a new published report.
Forbes estimates the total spent on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure over the past four years at $142 million.
“Making it back could take a lot longer than that,” according to Forbes.
ALSO SEE: See full ride-through video of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure coming to Disneyland
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure officially opened in late June at Florida’s Magic Kingdom and is set to debut later this year at Disneyland in the former Splash Mountain attractions at both parks.
Disney rarely discloses the costs of creating or updating theme park lands or attractions.
ALSO SEE: Behind-the-scenes look at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure animatronics coming to Disneyland
Forbes reporter Caroline Reid, who covers the movie and theme park industries, focuses on the costs of bringing dream worlds to life.
The cost of converting Disney’s twin Splash Mountains in Anaheim and Orlando was based on Walt Disney Imagineering’s cost estimates for creating Avengers Campus ($404 million) and updating Star Tours ($71 million) at Disneyland Paris, according to Reid.
ALSO SEE: Meet the 19 bayou critters moving into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Florida’s Magic Kingdom has been beset by a confusing premise for the ride, negative publicity related to on-ride video released by Disney and ride breakdowns leading to angry social media posts by fans, according to Reid.
“The reputational damage of this debacle is incalculable and that alone could make it one of the most costly theme park rides in Disney’s history,” according to Reid.
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The twin Tiana’s Bayou Adventure rides tell an extension of the “Princess and the Frog” story that picks up after the final kiss between Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen. The new backstory for Splash Mountain follows Tiana and Louis the trumpet-playing alligator as they prepare for their first Mardi Gras performance.
The ride’s backstory finds Tiana in need of a band for her bayou party and in search of a missing ingredient as she prepares to host a one-of-a-kind Mardi Gras celebration. As you might expect, that missing ingredient is you — the “Special Spice” she’s been looking for.
The reimagining of the Splash Mountain rides removes thematic elements related to “Song of the South” — the controversial 1940s animated film criticized for perpetuating racist stereotypes that has been disowned by Disney.