What Disney World's New Tiana's Bayou Adventure Ride Gets Right About New Orleans, from a NOLA Native

PEOPLE's Jen Juneau explores what the new attraction nails about her hometown, and shares insights from the people who brought it to life

After The Princess and the Frog nailed so many nuances of New Orleans, it's no surprise that Walt Disney World's newest attraction, inspired by the 2009 animated classic, continues to let the good times roll.

As a NOLA native, I was optimistic about seeing the details of Tiana's Bayou Adventure, which officially opens to the public at the Magic Kingdom in Orlando on April 28.

The attraction is a re-theming of what was previously Splash Mountain, and the flume ride's mechanics and vehicles are exactly the same as its predecessor. But that's pretty much where the similarities end.

From the moment you enter the interior queue, you're surrounded by the sense of community and grandness of the Crescent City, with family photos on the walls, news articles celebrating Princess Tiana's accomplishments, assorted food-focused décor and more — much of it inspired by New Orleans' own Chase family. (The family's late matriarch, chef Leah Chase, who co-founded the famous Dooky Chase's Restaurant, is said to have inspired the character of Tiana.)

Once aboard the log flume, guests are surrounded by recreations of vegetation native to Louisiana, Tiana's garden growing favorite veggies of the region, as well as jazzy tunes around every turn, including from NOLA-born Grammy-winning musicians Trombone Shorty and Jon Batiste.

The attraction also features a brand-new song written by New Orleanian PJ Morton: "Special Spice," which plays over the finale scene and is sung by Anika Noni Rose, who voices Tiana in Princess and the Frog.

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Related: 7 Easter Eggs on Tiana's Bayou Adventure Every Princess and the Frog Fan Should Look, Listen (and Sniff) For

Morton spoke to PEOPLE during a media preview of Tiana's Bayou Adventure on Monday, June 10, about how the spirit of the city lives on in the ride.

"It was simple things, like in the very beginning ... even down to type of trees they use, and all the things surrounding [like] the peppers, how they wanted to show that," says Morton, 43. "For me, it's the smell of the beignets on the ride that I think really got it."

"But ultimately, what makes New Orleans is that music, and that is all throughout the ride," he added. "It brings you right there to the party and the communal aspect of New Orleans, and bringing us together to just have a good time."

"We go way back when it comes to telling stories about New Orleans," Charita Carter, executive producer at Walt Disney Imagineering, said in a talk earlier in the day, citing Disneyland's New Orleans Square as an early example.

To help ensure authenticity with Tiana's Bayou Adventure, Carter said her team "sought out local artists and artisans that we wanted to collaborate with and be inspired by, so that they could be a part of delivering this wonderful, authentic guest experience." Some of those creatives include Sharika Mahdi, Malaika Favorite, Varion Laurent and Darryl Reeves.

Related: Disney Just Quietly Dropped First Look Inside Rethemed Splash Mountain Ahead of Reopening as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

For Bruno Campos, who voiced Prince Naveen in the film, Tiana's Bayou Adventure "captures that spirit of the French Quarter, which has been drawing people in for hundreds of years."

"It's a beautiful town, and it's a thrilling town. It's got that French flavor, which is unique in the United States," Campos, 50, raved to PEOPLE. The ride "has all the colors and the personality and the vibe of New Orleans."

Morton also told reporters that "its so special" to "feel home" in the details of the attraction.

"I got to ride today with my band and my family; a lot of them played in the music that's on the ride," he said. "So we just kept nodding to each other, like, 'Man, they got that right. Look at these details, look at that.' "

"And hearing ourselves on the music ... that fact that we're here, we're New Orleans, it just felt like home," Morton added. "They really did the work to get it right, and we couldn't be happier."

Tiana's Bayou Adventure opens to the public June 28 at Walt Disney World. It will open at Disneyland in California later this year.

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