For me, ride storytelling starts long before you hop into a vehicle. Each room/area of a queue has the opportunity to immerse you in whatever world you’re entering, sharing details you actually have time to absorb while you’re standing around waiting for your turn. One of the rides that had a long, elaborate queue to explore was Splash Mountain. Let’s take a look back at what the experience was like – and eventually compare it to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure!
If you visited during the summer or peak school holidays, the line may have started all the way back at the big drop. But the traditional start of the queue was the red barn, on the northern side of Chickapin Hill.
Inside the barn, you’d see a cabin setup, complete with stone chimney, burning lamps, and all the tools you’d need to hunt for dinner in Critter Country.
Whoever lives here never seemed to be home…so hopefully they didn’t mind passers through.
After wandering through the barn, visitors would head up the stone steps into a larger cabin structure closer to the mountain. This is also the first time you could spot some of the ride’s stars: Br’er Bear, Br’er Fox, and Br’er Rabbit.
After winding through a few wooden hallways, you’d finally head through a tunnel system inside of the mountain itself. This view of the cabin rear was your last look at daylight before heading into the tunnels.
And finally, you’d reach the boarding area and hop into a log flume. Time to take a daring dip into the briar patch!
