Disney is unveiling more about the upcoming The Princess and the Frog overhaul of Splash Mountain at it’s theme parks!
In addition to brand new concept art being released, Disney has shared some new details about the ride and what to expect.
Click inside to read more… More Here! »
Disney Parks just made a huge announcement regarding Splash Mountain!
The classic ride will officially be getting turned into a Princess and the Frog themed attraction at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.
“Today we are thrilled to share a first glimpse of a project Imagineers have been working on since last year. Splash Mountain – at both Disneyland park in California and Magic Kingdom park in Florida – will soon be completely reimagined,” Disney Parks said on their blog. “The theme is inspired by an all-time favorite animated Disney film, “The Princess and the Frog.” We pick up this story after the final kiss, and join Princess Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure – featuring some of the powerful music from the film – as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance.”
“Tiana is a modern, courageous, and empowered woman, who pursues her dreams and never loses sight of what’s really important. It’s a great story with a strong lead character, set against the backdrop of New Orleans and the Louisiana bayou. In 1966, Walt himself opened New Orleans Square when it became the first new ‘land’ added to Disneyland park, so it feels natural to link the story and the incredible music of The Princess and the Frog to our parks,” they added.
Voice of Tiana, Anika Noni Rose, shared her reaction to the exciting news.
“It is really exciting to know that Princess Tiana’s presence in both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom will finally be fully realized! As passionate as I am about what we created, I know the fans are going to be over the moon. The Imagineers are giving us ‘The Princess and the Frog’ Mardi Gras celebration we’ve been waiting for, and I’m here for it!” she said.
Earlier this month, many fans called for the ride to be overhauled to fit the theme of the animated film amid the Black Lives Matter movement.
Disney also just announced that Disneyland’s planned phased reopening may be pushed back from it’s original July 17th date.
The most evil of evil villains – Dr. Facilier – is coming to Descendants 3!
The Princess and the Frog‘s villain and his daughter, Celia, were just announced as the newest members of the Descendants family.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Descendants 3
Jamal Sims, who also serves as a choreographer on the movie, will play Dr. Facilier, EW reports.
Up and coming actress Jadah Marie will play Celia, his young daughter.
Anyone else wondering where Freddie is?
The two join returning cast Dove Cameron, Cameron Boyce, Sofia Carson, Booboo Stewart, China Anne McClain, Mitchell Hope, Thomas Doherty, Dylan Playfair, Anna Cathcart, Brenna D’Amico, Zachary Gibson, Jedidiah Goodacre and Sarah Jeffery.
Descendants 3 is expected to debut in 2019.
Mekia Cox is making our hearts extremely happy right now!
The Once Upon a Time actress revealed that Prince Naveen would finally be popping up on the ABC show later this season.
“Episode 12 will be another big Tiana episode,” Mekia shared with TV Guide this week at the Television Critics Association winter press tour.
She adds, “You will get to see some old characters that you’ve already seen – Dr. Facilier comes back, so you’ll get to see a little more of him. You’ll also get to see a new character, that might be a little love interest for Tiana. And he might be a familiar face from the Princess and the Frog movie.”
While Mekia didn’t say it was Naveen, we’re definitely hoping it is. Or Ray, or even Louis. But definitely NOT Lawrence!
Here’s hoping that Tiana’s BFF Lottie pops up too.
Once Upon a Time will return in March.
Earlier this summer, we were all wondering about how Tiana’s story (from The Princess and the Frog) would fit into Once Upon a Time this season, and we didn’t get a great answer.
“We’re not redoing the movie, but we’re taking it as a jumping off point,” executive producer Adam Horowitz shared at the time. “We have a OUAT spin.”
However, Mekia Cox, who plays Tiana/Sabine in the upcoming season, is making it all good again for us.
“When I first auditioned, I asked that same question, and they said that they would like to meld The Princess and the Frog from Disney’s Princess and the Frog with the real Princess and the Frog stories, so they’re taking bits and pieces of it all,” she shared with EW.
She adds, “I mean, her name is Tiana, and they have bits of the bayou and all of that in there, but then they’re also taking pieces from other portions of the actual fairy tale, the Princess and the Frog story.”
Okay, so our Princess and the Frog hearts are a lot better now. Especially since we know that cooking is still part of her.
“Her main thing is she has her eyes on this goal of hers, which is cooking,” Mekia says. “She has always loved cooking, and you go back and you see how she gained this entrepreneurial spirit that she has; and that is brought into the real world.”
Once Upon a Time premieres Friday, October 6th on ABC.
If you’re as obsessed with Disney’s The Princess and the Frog as JJJ is (see here and here for the proof), you know that “Almost There” is the stand out song from the film.
Anika Noni Rose, who voiced the beautiful Tiana, has opened up about the importance track and how she identified with the song.
“The song, to me, really was all of what the movie was and all of what my life was,” she shared with LA Times.
“I felt like I knew this girl. I grew up in a small town without anybody who did the thing that I wanted to do. Where a guidance counselor told me maybe I should learn a trade. I understood being somewhere where nobody else understood what it was I wanted to do,” Anika continued, revealing her real connection with Tiana.
Anika continued, stressing how the song still makes her feel and how it can inspire every little kid everywhere.
“There are two ways to take that song,” she says. “You can be almost there and be sad about it. Or you can be almost there and find the joy in the journey, and the joy in the steps that you have taken, and the joy in how far you have gone.”
“Sometimes you’re not quite touching it yet, but the fact that you have gotten yourself until the point that you are almost there means that you only have a couple more steps to go. Those steps may be be years or days or minutes and you never know. But there is a joy to knowing you’re going to do it.”
