Walt Disney Imagineering is taking a show on the road.
Disney has announced that it will launch a new traveling exhibition next year, themed to characters from "The Princess and the Frog." Tiana's Joyful Celebration will debut March 7, 2026 at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis - the first of 13 planned stops around the country.
Disney often sends traveling exhibitions to museums around the world, but they tend to be productions from the Walt Disney Archives. This one is coming from WDI, in cooperation with The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, and it is designed to provide "interactive, multi-sensory experiences inspired by the music, food and people of New Orleans," according to Disney's press release.
Last year, Disney opened its Tiana's Bayou Adventure ride at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom and Disneyland. WDI took a deep dive into Black culture in New Orleans in preparation for that retheme of the former Splash Mountain flume ride to "The Princess and the Frog," and is using that experience to extend Tiana's story through this new exhibition.
Here is Disney's description:
In this magical adventure, Princess Tiana is celebrating her community by throwing a parade. Tiana’s friends, critters included, have been working hard in Tiana’s childhood neighborhood to prepare for the big day. But when the day arrives, they learn that their timeslot begins earlier than anticipated and need the entire community and critter friends to put the finishing touches on the floats to make it in time.Guests will receive a call for assistance, learning Tiana needs help with décor, music, food, costumes and more. Everyone must come together and contribute their unique talents–a bit of their special spice– to pull the parade together on time. From music and crafts to cooking and community spirit, you’ll be immersed in the diverse and vibrant world of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras celebrations as you help Princess Tiana.
Indianapolis' Children's Museum is well known for its immersive, interactive experiences, so I am looking forward to seeing what WDI can do on this canvas. After the Indy 500, the Children's Museum might be Indianapolis' most popular tourist attraction. I spent plenty of time at that museum while in school in Indianapolis, and it has grown significantly since then. The museum - long promoted as the largest of its kind in the world - is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
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