Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Accessibility

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opened in Magic Kingdom earlier this summer to strong reactions. That was expected. What wasn’t expected were the many issues Disney has had with the basic functioning of the ride. It’s not yet reliable, and that creates an accessibility challenge for individuals with disabilities.

Challenge: The ride is closed frequently and unpredictably

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’s lack of ride operation consistency is its biggest accessibility challenge for individuals with invisible disabilities (autism, ADHD, anxiety). This is particularly problematic for those who rely on routine and predictability to help regulate their emotions.

For some individuals, like my son Noah, this lack of consistency renders Tiana’s Bayou Adventure completely inaccessible. He had a meltdown when the ride closed while we were in line. He struggled for hours to re-regulate. For other individuals with less severe reactions, there are ways to make the unpredictability more predictable.

Disney will eventually work out Tiana’s kinks, but it should be noted that they will take the ride offline during inclement weather.

Accessibility Tip: Pre-plan for the ride to break down

If someone in your party is heavily dependent on routines, my accessibility tip is to create a visual or written social story that explains what would happen if the ride were to break down. For those who use a communication system (e.g. PECS or other AAC/AAT device), use the same symbols and/or verbiage for maximum support. If the individual doesn’t use devices, consider using pictures or cartoon stickers to create your own symbols.

These social stories can be as simple or as complex as is appropriate for the individual. You can print them at home, laminate them at an office store, or create a paper book at home. They can be as fancy or as utilitarian as you like.

Example Social Stories for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Here’s an example of what the text of a simple social story could look like:

“I am going to Magic Kingdom. I will get in line for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The ride can close when I am in line. I will leave the line. I will use nice words and nice hands when I leave the line. I will try to ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure later. I can go on a different ride.”

A more complex written social story could involve a favorite character going through the line and reacting positively to the ride closing. The most important thing in a social story is to model the expected appropriate response to an upsetting situation.

Introduce the social story as far in advance as you feel is appropriate before your trip. Some individuals might be fine interacting with it at a bench 15 minutes before your return time. Other individuals might need to start preparing a week in advance, reviewing it again once they’re in line. It depends on the needs of the individual.

Summary

If you would like to ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure but have accessibility concerns due to the frequency of the ride breaking down, consider using social stories to prepare individuals with invisible disabilities for the possibility.

Visit Autism Parenting Magazine to learn more about social stories.