frog

That message shows up again, both in signage and song, throughout the ride, which replaced Splash Mountain at Anaheim’s Disneyland Resort and is inspired by the 2009 film “The Princess and the Frog” that features Disney’s first Black princess.

The ride continues the story of “The Princess and the Frog” and focuses on a party Tiana is throwing for family and friends in New Orleans, where the movie is set.

Adding popular intellectual property such as “The Princess and the Frog” to a ride fits with Disney’s virtuous cycle strategy of using its film and TV characters to drive attendance to the parks, merchandise sales and vice versa, said Gavin Doyle, founder of MickeyVisit.com, an independent trip-planning website focused on Disney and Universal theme parks.

Centered on characters from the 2009 animated film “The Princess and the Frog,” Tiana’s Bayou Adventure makes the argument that thrill rides can enchant rather than frighten us.

The land, most recently known as Critter Country, now serves as a sort of extension of the nearby New Orleans Square, home to the quick service dining location Tiana’s Palace and “The Princess and the Frog”-themed shop Eudora’s Chic Boutique.