Carmen Smith, Senior Vice President and Executive Creative Development Product/Content & Inclusive Strategies for Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, and her team spearheaded the creation of Disneyland’s newest ride and attraction, “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure,” which opened to the public on Nov. 15.
“You couldn’t tell [me I’m not a] New Orleanian,” Smith said after all the time she spent there learning the city and culture so that she could help Disney create the best Princess Tiana ride ever. Rolling out was in attendance at the private opening of the ride and sat down with Smith to hear just how “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” came to be.
What was something you wanted to really bring to life with this attraction?
What we tried to infuse in everything — from the story to the props to the music — was this idea that we’re better together. Because when you think about Tiana’s Foods, what she’s done is she’s embraced the community. So everybody has a part in Tiana’s Foods, it’s not just about her. … So, you see that throughout the entire attraction. It’s all about how we bring people together and give them a sense that they too can be part of this, too.
How did you bring the New Orleans culture to California?
Everything in the ride is from New Orleans. Everyone wanted to have a stake in understanding the story of New Orleans. So, for us, it was everyone coming together to make sure that every aspect of the story had the New [Orleanian] lived experience in it. For example, even when you’re in the queue, we wanted you to start tapping your feet and swinging around a bit. We brought in Terence Blanchard, a New Orleanian composer who has won [seven] Grammys. We sat in the studio with him, and it was amazing, seeing him come alive. He really wanted people to really get a sense of the music of New Orleans.
The Chase Family’s impact on this attraction is immeasurable. What will you remember about them?
The first time I picked up the phone and called Stella Chase … I can’t tell you what went through the wires or through the air, but she made me feel like I was talking to my sister. From day one, the entire family opened up their hearts to us. They opened up their home and their restaurant to us, which paved the way for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. When we would walk with Stella Chase throughout New Orleans, it was almost like the water was parting. She is so revered that you couldn’t ask for a better ambassador to New Orleans.
What is something that you will never forget about creating this experience?
To have Leah Chase, her daughter and … her namesake perform in the studio to record some of the music for the ride … that was the last time [Chase] was able to perform. Just to have her voice in this attraction is unforgettable. It’s legendary, and I’m just glad Leah Chase’s voice and memory will both get to live on for who knows how long, like our Disney Parks attractions do.
What does it mean to young Black girls and all people of color to see Princess Tiana highlighted at Disney Land?
I would say that it’s hard to describe. I was with a colleague of mine, Madam Ambassador Harriet Thomas, when she saw Tiana, she broke down in tears — and she’s 80 years old. I’ll never forget her saying, “I see myself.” When we walk around the park and we see young girls and young women who have made their own outfits and dresses, they feel like they’re not looking for themselves anymore; they finally see themselves in the story. And it means just as much to young little girls that are African American, that are from the Caribbean or Africa, as it does to little girls from Ecuador. Stella Chase will tell you that their restaurant has attracted young girls in search of Tiana from all over the world. And to see that happen, it’s like you feel that we’re part of the change, that we’re all part of the change to make the world a better place. And if our ride does that, we’ve accomplished a lot.
