Teen Gets Preview of Tiana's Bayou Adventure After Prom Dress Goes Viral

Lina Portman3 weeks ago

0 4 minutes read

A high school graduate whose viral prom dress, inspired by Disney's 'The Princess and the Frog,' garnered national attention was invited to preview the new Tiana's Bayou Adventure ride at Walt Disney World in Orlando .

“I knew I wanted to make a prom dress, but I didn't want to do something that already existed or that I see people doing a lot,” Layla Hildreth, a graduate of Shades Valley High School in Alabama, told USA. TODAY.

Instead, she chose to create a ball gown similar to the ball gown from the movie that inspired her as a child.

Princess Tiana, the film's protagonist, was “an independent woman,” Hildreth said. “Inherently, she didn’t need anyone’s help and she never gave up on what she wanted.”

She spent five months sewing her dress while juggling her senior year and extracurricular activities. After her dress went viral, Disney Imagineers invited her to Walt Disney World, where she met the voice actors from the film that inspired her dress, “The Princess and the Frog.”

Disney Trips: 45% of parents go into debt for Disney vacations but regrets are rare

The “Princess and the Frog” dress creates an enchanting effect

Her dress captivated people at the ball.

“A lot of people were just amazed,” Hildreth said.

She adds that people at her school, whom she didn't really know, would stop her and ask her to take photos with her.

But she didn't just attract the attention of classmates at her school. She conducted several interviews with different media outlets and caught the attention of Disney Imagineers.

Charita Carter, Disney Imagineer and executive creative producer of Tiana's Bayou Adventure, said the imagineers were so captivated by Hildreth's story that they invited her and her family to the resort. They were also able to attend the “Dig a Little Deeper” showcase, where Hildreth was able to show off her dress.

“I didn't expect the story to touch so many people,” Hildreth told Florida Today, part of the USA TODAY Network. “I know people my age have seen Tiana, but they don't talk about it as much as they used to. So I'm just happy it's coming back.”

Sewing was an integral part of creating a viral prom dress

It took the graduate five months to complete, but he worked on it between his school responsibilities.

She sewed it while attending rehearsals and participating in three performances throughout the school year. She said she rehearsed some days between 3 p.m. and 10 p.m.

“If I really think about how much time actually went into making the dress, it’s probably about two weeks of work,” Hildreth said.

Those who want to start sewing “just need to start,” Hildreth said.

“It took me a long time to start doing it,” she said. “And it's going to take a while to really, really enjoy it because I was just doing things to say I did them at first. But now I really enjoy doing things, and I'll work until one o'clock in the morning if I want.

While Hildreth has recently completed other projects involving hemming her parents' pants, she is also working on creating more varsity jackets for the college she will be attending in the fall: Georgia State University.

However, she does not sell her creations and instead uses her talents to create gifts for others and perfect her craft for now.

“I'm trying to learn how to use my embroidery machine better so I can actually start selling things,” Hildreth said.

The teenager's trip was a magical experience

Hildreth got to try Princess Tiana's donuts, which was her favorite food during the entire trip, explore Pandora's Island in Animal Kingdom, and walk around Galaxy's Edge in Hollywood Studios.

In addition to exploring the most magical place on Earth, Hildreth also met Anika Noni Rose, the voice of Princess Tiana, and Michael-Leon Wooley, the voice of the trumpeter alligator, Louis, at the showcase.

Her favorite part, though, was tasting all the different types of food inspired by the film's New Orleans setting.

“I'm a foodie, so I really like trying all new foods and seeing what I would and wouldn't like,” Hildreth said.

Overview of Tiana's Bayou Adventure

Inside Tiana's Bayou Adventure, Disney World's newest attraction

In 2020, Disney announced that it would replace Splash Mountain in its U.S. parks with Tiana's Bayou Adventure, based on “The Princess and the Frog.” A previous version of this video incorrectly stated the queue setting. He takes visitors inside his employee-owned cooperative, Tiana's Foods.

In addition to the invitation to the Most Magical Place on Earth, Hildreth also got a sneak peek at Magic Kingdom's new ride, Tiana's Bayou Adventure.

“I’ve never done a ride like that,” Hildreth said. “When it started, I expected it to be very slow and it was great. But there are also drops, fast moments and slow moments, and the visuals are just incredible.”

The water attraction is scheduled to open to the public on June 28 this summer. But some advice from the recent high school graduate:

“You will get wet,” Hildreth warned. Especially if you are sitting at the very front of the transport vehicle.

She adds that people who want to use their phones should take extra precautions.

“Definitely take something for your phone if you want to take videos so it doesn't get wet,” Hildreth said.

Florida Today suggests people watch the movie before boarding. “The Princess and the Frog” can be watched on Disney+.

Contributor: Britt Kennerly, Florida Today

Julia is a trends reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered a variety of topics, from local business and government in her hometown of Miami to technology and pop culture. You can contact her on LinkedIn or follow her X, formerly Twitter, Instagram And Tic Tac: @juliamariegz

The “Princess and the Frog” dress creates an enchanting effect

Sewing was an integral part of creating a viral prom dress

The teenager's trip was a magical experience

Overview of Tiana's Bayou Adventure

Lina Portman

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