Last June, Disney announced that they would be reimagining Splash Mountain in order to make it more inclusive to all visitors, changing the ride up with a theme based on the 2009 Disney film The Princess and the Frog, which features the company's first Black princess, Tiana.
Now, the company is sharing a few updates on the iconic attraction's revamp — including how they've been working with a team of important residents of New Orleans (where the movie is set) to make sure it's done right. In a Disney Parks blog post published on Monday, the company shared a new rendering (above) of what the attraction will look like, explaining that the story will begin "after the final kiss," and see Prince Naveen (Princess Tiana's love interest) and Louis (the friendly alligator) joining the princess on an adventure as she hosts a Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans.
"Original music inspired by songs from the film will bring guests into the story," the blog states, and riders will follow the princess as they "encounter old friends and make new ones along the way," preparing for the city's famous spring celebration.
To ensure that the spirit of New Orleans is captured authentically in the attraction, Disney has been working with the Chase family, who own a restaurant called Dooky Chase's in the city. The restaurant was founded by Leah Chase, who was one of the inspirations for the character of Princess Tiana, Disney shares.
Representatives from Disney met with several generations of Chase family members at the restaurant, where they enjoyed some of their famous gumbo and discussed the city's culture — especially their music and food — and how Disney Imagineers could bring it to life in the reimagined ride.
"Imagineers often do in-depth research to help inspire their work. In this case, that involved digging deep into the culture of New Orleans to tell a story that's as authentic to the region as it is to the characters' stories," the blog shares. "From the food, music, art and architecture to the diversity of its people and their traditions, there is much from which to draw inspiration."Disney also announced that they would be making a $50,000 donation to the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), an arts training and education center, as a token of their appreciation for the city and culture of New Orleans.
According to a press release shared with PEOPLE last year, Disney has been planning to reimagine Splash Mountain with a The Princess and the Frog theme since 2019.
