Tiana’s Palace
The proposal for Tiana’s Palace was created as a final project for my Themed Storytelling for the Immersive Domain course at Biola University.
In collaboration with other students, we presented our vision for a new restaurant located in Downtown Disney, Anaheim California. This presentation was completed prior to the announcement and completion of the official Tiana’s Palace restaurant location opened in Disneyland in 2023.
Created by Auburn Todd, Darius Smith, and Trevor Motes
Art by Auburn Todd
The Story
Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen are celebrating their wedding anniversary and they can’t think of a better way than inviting all of you to their restaurant!
Themed as a party for everyone to enjoy, with further opportunities for entertainment during Mardi Gras.
In line with Disney’s love for detailed theming, the gold railings of the staircase feature bayou motifs, frogs, and crowns as a nod to many scenes of the movie.
On the first floor houses the lobby, main stage, dance floor, dining, and bar area.
The Upstairs
As guests travel upstairs they’re offered a new perspective into the restaurant, with indoor and outdoor balconies.
The upstairs provides guests with views of the lower level of the restaurant or a view outside from above Downtown Disney.
This concept piece provides another view to help envision the layout of the upper and lower levels.
The walls along the interior of the lower level feature more records and history of the Jazz Age
The Menu
An important part of any restaurant is the menu! In taking inspiration from The Princess & the Frog the food can be nothing other than classic New Orleans.
Featuring brunch and dinner menus, serving classics like grillades & grits, creole bread pudding, gumbo, and of course, beignets!
Like other Disney restaurants, Tiana’s Palace is prepared with a kids and allergen menu to accomodate all guests to the best of our ability.
The Location
The restaurant is set to replace the Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney. The exterior is modeled after the visuals shown in the movie, The Princess & the Frog.
This location would keep Disney from losing the cuisine style already offered in Downtown Disney, but also extend the brand’s intellectual property into the area where it lacks representation.
The Interior
Guests walk into the two-story restaurant, showcasing a beautiful staircase leading to the upper level of seating and balconies. Behind the stairs is the dance floor and main stage.
The bar features history of jazz and music in New Orleans through records and photos hung behind the bar
This is an opportunity to recognize the historical influences of the movie and honor the music that informs this period.
The main stage is found at the rear of the stairs, directly in front of the dance floor.
The multiplane stage can be used for bands, singers, and character performances. The color inspiration comes from the bayou wedding scene from the film.
An iconic scene from the movie is the “Down the Bayou” sequence in which Ray is introduced, and as an immersive element of the experience the firefly family begins to travel throughout the interior and exterior of the restaurant every so often. This is achieved through fiber-optics like those used in other attractions in the Disney parks.
Entertainment
The Outside
The outdoor space offers another unique dining space.
With a secondary stage and lantern lighting, this space is best enjoyed at night. Featuring more bayou ambiance, this setting will take you into the heart of Louisiana.
The main stage will provide a place for singers, bands, and characters to perform throughout the dining experience.
The bands and singers will cover music from the Jazz Age and perform jazz renditions of the Disney classics.
Characters from The Princess & the Frog like Tiana, Naveen, Lottie, and Louis will appear to welcome guests and perform.
In addition to the professional performances, Tiana’s Palace will be a venue where local and school bands will be invite to perform for guests. We want to promote a community within Downtown Disney with entertainment from local talent.
To further the types of entertainment, Tiana’s Palace will be host to events like cooking classes with Tiana, swing dance lessons, and Mardi Gras celebrations.
Merchandising
Merchandise sold at the location will include cookbooks, cookware, dress-up clothing, and records.
Records have become increasingly popular with younger generations, making the appeal of then span across different age groups that we could be reaching at the restaurant. The style of records would include Disney soundtracks and Jazz to align with the theming.
A service provided at this location is shipping. Records and other merchandise may be something a guest would like to purchase, but not something they want to keep with them. In this instance we would offer shipping to their Disney hotel room or their home.