Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Breaks 87 Years of a Weird Disney Princess Canon
Over the past few days Disney fans who have managed to ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Walt Disney World have been among the first to experience the continuation of Tiana’s fairytale after the events 2009’s The Princess and the Frog. The ride itself serves as a sequel in attraction form, where guests follow Tiana and friends as they put together a band for their Mardi Gras celebration. But there are so many more details revealed even before you board the flume water ride for fans of the beloved Disney film.
One of the biggest official reveals is that unlike the Disney Princesses that came before her—even as far back as Snow White—New Orleans’ very own princess has a real last name. In the queue for Walt Disney World’s attraction, fans have noticed that Tiana is referred to as Tiana Rogers, daughter of Sargent James Rogers, in newspaper clippings and cooking awards for Tiana’s Palace and Tiana’s Foods (her culinary co-op). And this was intentional, Disney Imagineer Ted Robledo shared: “There’s so much of her story that was touched upon in the film, the relationship with her father, a World War I veteran; her relationship with her mother, [who] we like to say was the entrepreneurial inspiration for her to be the successful businesswoman that Tiana is today in our story.”
See below for the in-universe confirmation of Tiana Rogers’ last name.
The fairytale fandom has been very tricky when it comes to the Disney Princess lineup and their official titles. Technically Rapunzel could have taken Eugene Fitzherbert’s name—but it’s never canonized in Disney content, much like the other married princesses including Snow White or Cinderella (can the real Mrs. Charming please stand up?). Even in the case of The Princess and the Frog, Tiana did marry Prince Naveen of Maldonia, which would make her Tiana Rogers, Princess of Maldonia, since she clearly kept her father’s name to honor him with her successful food company in New Orleans.
“Tiana’s story is going to be furthered in a new series that was announced,” Robledo continued, confirming that Disney Imagineers worked closely with Disney animation to keep within canon on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure as the studio prepares for her Disney Plus series Tiana, which will dig a little deeper with what’s next for the princess and her family. The series will focus on things like, “Her relationship with her husband, who is from another country of likely of mixed race. It’s a time of Indigenous people and colonization. I think that team, from what little we heard, is going to explore that route. But I will say this about Naveen: we knew early on, and even if Naveen plays a small role or big role in this story, he has a role—they’re a married couple, they care about each other. So to honor that, we want to make sure he’s included somewhere in a real way. And actually, it’s quite humorous, as this little performance of our story.” We can’t wait to see Tiana and Naveen return with more adventures down in New Orleans with Disney+ series Tiana, but for now going on bayou log boat rides will do at Disney Parks.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is now open at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL and is set to open soon at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA.
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