ORLANDO, Fla. — P.J. Morton in a monochromatic double-breasted yellow suit standing on a piano in Jackson Square, surrounded by the St. Augustine marching band -- You can't get more New Orleans than that.
And that's exactly how Walt Disney World decided to announce that their new ride based on the 2009 movie 'Princess and The Frog' would open for business on June 28, in a YouTube video from Disney Parks titled 'OPENING DATE REVEALED.'
St. Augustine band director Ray Johnson confirmed on Monday that the school band would be part of the official soundtrack for 'Tiana's Bayou Adventure,' set to open for business on June 28 at the theme park in Orlando.
"I feel pretty good about it," Johnson said on Monday. "That video they sent out took a lot of practice."
Maroon 5's P.J. Morton, who graduated from the St. Augustine High School marching band would also be featured on the soundtrack for the ride.
As fans already know, the movie and the ride are set against the backdrop of New Orleans and the Louisiana Bayou, with Dr. John among the New Orleans performers who graced the movie's soundtrack back in 2009. The movie was based on the story of New Orleans chef Leah Chase.
Tiana's Bayou Adventure will replace Splash Mountain, which closed in January 2023 and was based on the 1946 movie 'Song of The South,' widely considered to be Disney's most racist movie. In 2020, a petition to get rid of the ride got 20,000 signatures leading the park to officially close the ride for good.
A Disneyland version of Tiana's Bayou Adventure is also expected to launch at the California park later in 2024, although that date has not been announced yet. And it's unclear whether Morton and the St. Augustine H.S. Marching Band would be involved in that ride's soundtrack also.
