The Professor Errant

One of the many perks of being married to a Disney Cast Member is being able to preview new lands and attractions before (most) other guests do. That’s how Rob and I got to experience Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland for the first time in 2019. We did the same thing recently with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (which opened to everyone on Nov. 15th, 2024). Much more low-key than the GE preview. For that, they made us seal up our phones in plastic bags and no photos were allowed under pain of cast member termination (I heard some who broke the rules were indeed fired!). Magic Key (annual) pass holders were also able to preview Tiana’s so no one cared this time if we took pictures.

The entire (tiny) land of Critter Country has also been renamed. It is now Bayou Country, in keeping with Tiana’s theming. Not sure how the Winnie the Pooh ride fits into this…

Tiana’s

This is the old Splash Mountain log flume ride, redone with new theming and animatronics. Its counterpart at the Magic Kingdom in Florida has also recently had the same update. Previously, the ride was themed to the problematic Disney film Song of the South (it has an animated part that is less problematic than the rest of it).

Now the ride is based around the 2009 film The Princess and the Frog. The characters have long been fixtures in the park and the French Market restaurant became Tiana’s Palace in 2023. It was time for Tiana to have her own attraction (as all Disney’s rides are called). The ride track itself hasn’t changed but the rest of it has been nicely redone.

With our Cast Member preview passes, we bypassed the longer Magic Key holder line and quickly walked pretty much all the way to the boarding area. Everything was beautiful along the way.

Boarding was the same as Splash Mountain. You are told to stand on a number and wait your turn to get in a log. Rob and I always ask to be put in the back (less splashy).

As Splash Mountain, the animatronics of the ride were old, tired, and frequently seemed like they just didn’t work very well. A lot had been brought over from another attraction, America Sings, in the 1980’s, when Splash Mountain first opened.

The new animatronics look gorgeous! Everything is fully functional! I’m not one for doing “ride through” videos or trying to take pictures during a ride but I’m sure they are easy to find elsewhere on the internet…

We ended up getting the most wet from the very first drop. The final drop wasn’t as bad (splash-wise). And that has been our typical Splash Mountain experience in the past. Can’t say I enjoyed having the guy in front of me constantly digging his elbows into my knees (seriously, dude, where are my legs supposed to go?). Again pretty typical.

Our clothes dried pretty quickly in the sun, and soon it was time for lunch!

Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree

The Hungry Bear Restaurant has long been a fixture in Critter Country. When Rob and I became regular visitors of the park, we would go for the yummy chili burgers. There’s always plenty of tables and it was always a great Disney dining experience. (One of the big reasons I love going to Disney is the food!)

With this latest iteration (there have been a few, the chili burgers have been gone a long time), it is still a great experience. Now called “Barbecue Jamboree,” the menu is focused on…wait for it…barbecue!

We got there before the restaurant opened and joined the small line that was already forming. Mobile orders were already maxed out for the first couple of hours. Once they opened, the line moved quickly. There will never be a proper replacement for the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ (demolished to make way for Galaxy’s Edge) but the menu has some nice selections.

Rob opted for the Smoked Barbecue Combo Platter, while I got the Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwich. And of course, Banana Pudding for dessert. My sandwich was good, Rob’s ribs were good (he gave me a couple!) and the pudding was heavenly.

One thing that’s nice about living near the park is that we never feel the need to try and see/do everything. So after lunch we walked around Disneyland a bit, then crossed over to Disney California Adventure and walked around there. And then we were ready to call it a day.