
Walt Disney World visitors can soon join the Peopleโs Princess on Tianaโs Bayou Adventure. The attraction follows the first Black Disney princessโs life after the events that played out in the hit film The Princess and the Frog. ESSENCE received a sneak preview of the magic found, fittingly, at the Magic Kingdom theme park ride.
Princess Tianaโs dream and reality have expanded as sheโs gone from owning a restaurant to growing an empire. Riders who enter the Bayou neighborhood created for the attraction will see her establishment, Tianaโs Palace, but also the princessโs brand, Tianaโs Foods. Vintage vehicles and vibrant murals line the entrance to the ride area, where guests who wait in the queue hear tunes curated by Grammy award-winning and two-time Oscar-nominated producer Terence Blanchard, who played trumpet on songs for the film.
Blanchard and other notable figures, including stars of the animated film, showed up at the preview event to celebrate the rideโs upcoming opening. They included Anika Noni Rose, who was the voice of Princess Tiana, Keith David, who played Dr. Facilier, and Jenifer Lewis, the epic voice of voodoo priestess Mama Odie.

Another guest was Stella Chase, daughter of Dooky Chase founder Leah Chase, who inspired the character of Princess Tiana. Television personalities Yandy Smith-Harris and Toya Johnson-Rushing, as well as content creators Courtney โColor Me Courtneyโ Quinn and Emmanuella โFunmiโ Ford, were also on hand to celebrate.
Once guests get inside Princess Tianaโs world, they get to see all of the consumer goods that she sells. A radio announcer welcomes riders to Tianaโs Palace during Mardi Gras season, where the Princess is preparing for a huge community celebration for all of New Orleans. And the restaurant offers a fully immersive experience. Thereโs an old-fashioned clock, an annotated calendar, vendor forms, functional aprons, lunch pails, and more. The counters are stocked with signature products from Tianaโs Foods, including jarred peppers, spicy hot sauces, and seasonings.
Every aspect of the attraction is filled with these thorough details, and itโs only right that Disney went all out for a ride honoring the first Black Disney princess, as expectations and excitement are high.
Bionqua Johnson, a new mom to a five-month-old and a Tampa resident, had the chance to experience the attraction. She was excited to see it come to life. โAs a new mom to a little Black Hispanic girl, this ride really means a lot to me,โ she tells ESSENCE.
โLittle girls really tend to look up to Disney princesses,โ says Johnson. โThe fact that they finally created a Black princess, and now created a ride that children who visit Disney are going to get to enjoy, it really is just phenomenal. I think itโll inspire little girls and encourage them to be their true selves.โ

The great thing about The Princess and The Frog and what the ride represents is that while itโs all magical and inspirational, itโs not totally unrealistic. โI think this is the first princess that had a job,โ Jenifer Lewis says. โThis is very important for the children to see this character.โ
Bionqua Johnson agrees, noting itโs uplifting for adults too. โItโs not necessarily just fantasy, it really can be attainable,โ she says. โThey took it a step further and are showing that Tiana is now a businesswoman; sheโs able to create her own food line. Thatโs inspiring for little girls, you know? Even [for] Black women like myself, who didnโt grow up seeing a Black female figure in many of these Disney stories, so Iโm really proud of what Disney has done.โ
Riders proceed further into Princess Tianaโs world as they file into a line for the โcoaster element. There are small drops before everything concludes in a fifty-foot plunge down water.
The ride doesnโt just show her future, though. It expands on her past. Her late fatherโs military service is featured, highlighting the contributions of service people. And Princess Tiana also has a new look that is sure to be appreciated by riders. The Princess has traded in her signature look for period-accurate festive clothing for special occasions. A teal floor-length gown with a flapper flair is a showstopper for the grand affair she is hosting.
You can join in on Princess Tianaโs party and celebrate this landmark attraction by visiting Disney World. Tianaโs Bayou Adventure opens to the public on June 28.