News Splash Mountain retheme to Princess and the Frog - Tiana's Bayou Adventure

[No Name]

I largely agree with this. The ride isn't dated because the ride system itself and the associated thrill aspect are essentially timeless, and Splash represents the very best in class for rides of its type. The interior environment is also expertly themed to feel like a real cavern throughout.

However, I do feel like the characters and storyline may be entirely incidental to most guests' enjoyment, or I at least think folks here overestimate how central the majority of visitors feel they are to the overall experience. There might be more of an argument for the music, though.

Much bigger argument for the music, which is iconic and will be missed. If they just replaced Brer Bear with Generic Mammal most people wouldn’t notice or care.

 

[Midwest Elitist]

Much bigger argument for the music, which is iconic and will be missed. If they just replaced Brer Bear with Generic Mammal most people wouldn’t notice or care.

And that's one of the reasons why it's so dumb they couldn't just let the music stay in the parks.

 

[BlakeW39]

Who here is saying Splash Mountain is tired and uninteresting?

Splash is the best ride in the park. And easily one of the most popular.

I, for one, am very disappointed to see it go but I am not surprised, I don't think Disney does anything I fully approve of anymore.

 

[Sharon&Susan]

Agreed. I'll absolutely miss Splash but it's become so tired and unloved that it needs something major. Giving it a massive overhaul and retheme is the logical option. Outside of North Americans who are 40+ years old nobody gets the references anymore, and nobody new to the parks can look at it and seriously think it's a good, modern attraction.

If we take off the rose tinted glasses we all wear it is an incredibly dated ride.

They should turn Splash into a spinner. Why? Because half of the modern additions to MK have been spinners so why change things now?

 

[EagleScout610]

 

[WDW Pro]

And that's one of the reasons why it's so dumb they couldn't just let the music stay in the parks.

You're forgetting: the song Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, which won an Oscar for an African American man for the very first time (James Baskett), is now officially "irrelevant."

 

[LittleBuford]

You're forgetting: the song Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, which won an Oscar for an African American man for the very first time (James Baskett), is now officially "irrelevant."

It won an Oscar for Best Original Song. James Baskett's honorary Oscar was a separate thing, given in recognition of his acting.

 

[UNCgolf]

However, I do feel like the characters and storyline may be entirely incidental to most guests' enjoyment, or I at least think folks here overestimate how central the majority of visitors feel they are to the overall experience. There might be more of an argument for the music, though.

I agree with this too. I think the overall depth of theming and story is generally why people love the ride -- I'm not sure the specific characters/IP itself matter to many guests, especially since most guests have little or no prior knowledge of them. They do, of course, absolutely matter to some guests, but my guess is they are not the majority of visitors. I also agree that the music will be difficult to replace.

It's why I'm concerned about the re-theme. I don't have much faith in current Disney to design something that's as detailed and impressive as the existing attraction.

 

[WDW Pro]

It won an Oscar for Best Original Song. James Baskett's honorary Oscar was a separate thing, given in recognition of his acting.

Yes but the Oscar for Best Original Song put pressure to give him the award. I'm not even sure the Hollywood elite of the time let him speak when he accepted. You really have to admire Walt Disney for making that sort of a glass ceiling break possible.

 

[LittleBuford]

Yes but the Oscar for Best Original Song put pressure to give him the award.

Do you have any evidence for this assertion?

I'm not even sure the Hollywood elite of the time let him speak when he accepted.

What makes you think this?

You really have to admire Walt Disney for making that sort of a glass ceiling break possible.

I don’t think one can really credit Walt with doing anything particularly notable to advance the lot of Black actors. Nor does it make much sense to treat him as standing apart from some nefarious Hollywood “elite” (your very particular use of that word betrays the influence of modern political demagoguery).

 

[Californian Elitist]

Yes but the Oscar for Best Original Song put pressure to give him the award. I'm not even sure the Hollywood elite of the time let him speak when he accepted. You really have to admire Walt Disney for making that sort of a glass ceiling break possible.

Baskett’s honorary award has nothing to do with the song. Also, what glass ceiling? Hattie McDaniel won an actual Oscar for Best Supporting Actress without Mr. Disney’s help years prior in 1940.

 

[MisterPenguin]

You really have to admire Walt Disney for making that sort of a glass ceiling break possible.

And how did Walt follow up on that now that the glass ceiling was broken. How many of his live action movies afterward had Black protagonists?

 

[Incomudro]

And how did Walt follow up on that now that the glass ceiling was broken. How many of his live action movies afterward had Black protagonists?

Well, he caught a lot of flack for using a black lead characte in Splash.
A really nice man who taught wondeful lessons, and the culture is still trashing Disney for it today.
So maybe he avoided the subject thereafter.

 

[LittleBuford]

Well, he caught a lot of flack for using a black lead characte in Splash.

Did he? Could you elaborate?

 

[MisterPenguin]

Well, he caught a lot of flack for using a black lead characte in Splash.
A really nice man who taught wondeful lessons, and the culture is still trashing Disney for it today.
So maybe he avoided the subject thereafter.

If true, that just shows that Walt buckled like an umbrella in a hurricane. A real profile in squirrelage.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Yes but the Oscar for Best Original Song put pressure to give him the award. I'm not even sure the Hollywood elite of the time let him speak when he accepted. You really have to admire Walt Disney for making that sort of a glass ceiling break possible.

Huh??

Both Baskett and Zip A Dee Doo Dah were awarded their Oscars on the same night. Zip's win couldn't possibly have "put pressure" on anyone to give Baskett the award, because it didn't win Best Song until after it was already decided to honor him for his performance.

Also, that Baskett did indeed give a speech is a pretty easily Google-able fact. This post suggets pretty clearly you know not of what you speak here.

 

[Prince-1]

Huh??

Both Baskett and Zip A Dee Doo Dah were awarded their Oscars on the same night. Zip's win couldn't possibly have "put pressure" on anyone to give Baskett the award, because it didn't win Best Song until after it was already decided to honor him for his performance.

Also, that Baskett did indeed give a speech is a pretty easily Google-able fact. This post suggets pretty clearly you know not of what you speak here.

Wait, I thought WDW Pro was an insider??

 

[WDW Pro]

Huh??

Both Baskett and Zip A Dee Doo Dah were awarded their Oscars on the same night. Zip's win couldn't possibly have "put pressure" on anyone to give Baskett the award, because it didn't win Best Song until after it was already decided to honor him for his performance.

Also, that Baskett did indeed give a speech is a pretty easily Google-able fact. This post suggets pretty clearly you know not of what you speak here.

Because Oscars management knew Zip-a-dee-doo-dah had won the Oscar and because the movie was one of the most financially successful, it put pressure to award Baskett. He deserved better than an "honorary" award. Awards are known by committees prior to reception, especially in days prior to social media and easier leaks.

Baskett was allowed to speak very briefly, but no actual speech. It was essentially a few sentences.

Do you have any evidence for this assertion?


What makes you think this?


I don’t think one can really credit Walt with doing anything particularly notable to advance the lot of Black actors. Nor does it make much sense to treat him as standing apart from some nefarious Hollywood “elite” (your very particular use of that word betrays the influence of modern political demagoguery).

You'll note that most of the Oscar speeches from that evening were kept saved for historical purposes and reuse. Baskett's acceptance was discarded and we only have a fleeting clip of him on stage, perhaps seconds long. It was a momentous, historical event, yet it was thrown away.

Also, if you're ever curious where the the insiders went... when you make a claim about something in which you have a long track record of demonstrated expertise and you're casually called under the influence of "modern political demagoguery," why would one keep explaining things?

 

[LittleBuford]

Also, that Baskett did indeed give a speech is a pretty easily Google-able fact.

I honestly drew a blank when I searched yesterday. I found a clip with him thanking Ingrid Bergman, but nothing more. There’s no reason to think he didn’t give a speech, but I couldn’t find any references to it.

 

[Prince-1]

Also, if you're ever curious where the the insiders went... when you make a claim about something in which you have a long track record of demonstrated expertise and you're casually called under the influence of "modern political demagoguery," why would one keep explaining things?

The true insiders on here don’t make up some random percentage of how accurate they are without having any back up. They don’t need to continually remind people that they are an insider and then continually pat themselves on the back. Oh and let’s not forget the fact that you randomly post things that others already have posted or have been proven wrong on many things.

But hey, you are the insider with something like 87.674% accuracy.