Intelligibility of Splash Mountain's plot

[NelleBelle]

I think that’s the rub, for me. Everyone seems convinced that the audio parts of the story are easily picked up but they are not. The audio isn’t exactly clear, and our first couple times through the attraction we only got wrong lyrics and main verses.

THIS!! I first rode Splash at DLR when it first opened when I was around 11. My parents read me the Tar Baby so I was fairly familiar with the main characters and plot. I probably would've picked up the plot of the ride but it certainly would not have been from listening to the audio on the ride. To this day, and I've tried, I still can't pick out everything that's being said. I can follow it a ton better now, but that's from listening to the soundtrack for years and asking my DH, "what'd they say"?? Regardless, it was always one more reason t ride, to see if I could hear "everything".

 

[Sir_Cliff]

But the truth is that the ride is enjoyable with only snippets of the story anyway. Unlike a lot of the newer rides, there’s nothing dampening the enjoyment of the ride if you miss part of the backstory. Like, it’s clear the rabbit is running from the Fox and bear, and that those two are bumbling bad guys who’s plans don’t work, and that all the forest animals are happy the rabbit gets away and goes home. You don’t need any more than that to enjoy the ride anyway.

I very much feel this way about it, even though I think Splash is the best job they've done of constructing an attraction with a linear narrative.

As long as you get the gist of the dynamics between the main characters, it all works and is a wonderful attraction. If you don't, then that just makes it even more rewarding to re-ride as you'll hopefully pick up new points and notice new details on re-rides.

On the other end of the spectrum are the rides that need to have you stand in a room and have someone explain the backstory to you for the ride to make sense. The main example that always comes to mind for me is Dinosaur as almost nothing on the ride would indicate you're supposed to be bringing back a dinosaur without them explicitly telling you beforehand.

 

[BuddyThomas]

I mean, I could completely figure out the plot of this when I first rode it as I child, and I am no genius.

 

[_caleb]

I mean, I could completely figure out the plot of this when I first rode it as I child, and I am no genius.

What ride elements helped you put together what the Laughin’ Place was? What ride elements showed/told you that Br’er Rabbit was a trickster? What did you take away as the lesson/moral of the story?

 

[BuddyThomas]

What ride elements helped you put together what the Laughin’ Place was? What ride elements showed/told you that Br’er Rabbit was a trickster? What did you take away as the lesson/moral of the story?

All I can tell you is that in my opinion, the storyline of that ride was extremely easy to figure out.

 

[YouMakeTheWorldGoRound]

The first few times I rode splash I didn’t understand the plot they were trying to tell, but instead created this roughly equivalent plot in my mind as a kid.

The rabbit is on his way to the laughing place to meet up with his friends, the villains fox and bear are trying to capture the rabbit. Later they catch the rabbit and bring him to the edge of the mountain and throw him in the patch. Happy to survive he meets up with all his friends and later we see the fox and the bear trapped as punishment.

Very simple story. It wasn’t till I was a teenager I looked up the animated segments of song of the south and heard the isolated source audio of splash that the dots got connected. Of course the rabbit would terrified of the drop, I was terrified of the drop! Being so scared the first time I went made my story make sense to me.

(I have only experienced the MK version if that helps context)

 

[Sir_Cliff]

What ride elements helped you put together what the Laughin’ Place was? What ride elements showed/told you that Br’er Rabbit was a trickster? What did you take away as the lesson/moral of the story?

After Brer Bear and Brer Fox find there's nothing in there but bees, Brer Rabbit says that he never said it was their laughing place, he said it was his. You also see and hear Brer Rabbit laughing hysterically at Brer Bear as Brer Fox prepares to capture him if you missed the dialogue, which indicates that he was happy with his trick.

The whole song is also that everybody has a laughing place, which reinforces the notion there isn't one laughing place but that it's an individual thing. They do sing about you finding yours, too. The vultures also allude to it.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

The only part I don't get is the vultures. I understood the reverse psychology, but if Br'er Rabbit (and by extension, us) actually wants to go into the briar patch as a means of escape, then why are the vultures looming over our heads in a menacing way as if the briar patch is something to be feared?

The lift hill is Br'er Fox's Lair, and the Boothill Boys are taunting us because we're "caught." They're not alluding to the Briar Patch. Br'er Fox's Lair just happens to overlook it, giving Br'er Rabbit a fortunate easy out in the end.

You even pass this big well-lit sign as you transition out of The Laughin' Place.

This is what I meant in the other thread when I said it feels like people are maybe just not paying attention?

 

[celluloid]

This is funny to me. It would be like riding its a small

The lift hill is Br'er Fox's Lair, and the Boothill Boys are taunting us because we're "caught." They're not alluding to the Briar Patch. Br'er Fox's Lair just happens to overlook it, giving Br'er Rabbit a fortunate easy out in the end.

You even pass this big well-lit sign as you transition out of The Laughin' Place.

View attachment 695705

This is what I meant in the other thread when I said it feels like people are maybe just not paying attention?

Among all the obvious humor throughout, the character had a rope, talking about Brer Bear how they were going to get him this time and other details including... https://2.bp.blogspot.com/__arA_6Zj...1ZuDUrkk/s1600-h/sm_how_to_catch_a_rabbit.jpg
People still want to not see Haunted Mansion as a tour for a retirement home for ghosts. Even though it is directly in the attraction's narration.

 

[_caleb]

The lift hill is Br'er Fox's Lair, and the Boothill Boys are taunting us because we're "caught." They're not alluding to the Briar Patch. Br'er Fox's Lair just happens to overlook it, giving Br'er Rabbit a fortunate easy out in the end.

You even pass this big well-lit sign as you transition out of The Laughin' Place.

View attachment 695705

This is what I meant in the other thread when I said it feels like people are maybe just not paying attention?

“We” are caught? Or Br’er Rabbit?

And whoever is caught, if Br’er Fox has them in his kitchen next to the stew pot, why would he throw us/him out over the edge into the briar patch?

 

[Sharon&Susan]

And whoever is caught, if Br’er Fox has them in his kitchen next to the stew pot, why would he throw us/him out over the edge into the briar patch?

Sadism.

 

[flynnibus]

And whoever is caught, if Br’er Fox has them in his kitchen next to the stew pot, why would he throw us/him out over the edge into the briar patch?

Because Brer Rabbit cons them into thinking that is an even WORSE way to punish Brer Rabbit.

 

[_caleb]

Now that I’ve gone back and watched a few different ridethrough videos to refresh my memory, I’m certain some of you all might be over-estimating how much of the ride’s actual story you understood on your first (or even your first few) rides.

Firstly, many Splash ride POV videos on YouTube reflect the poor lighting and audio that the ride has often had over the years. Much of the actual plot (not the general overall story) is conveyed in audio. So if the audio isn’t working well (muffled, poor balance), some of the scenes don’t make much sense at all.

I was happy to find this script of all ride audio!

But even with the audio, much of the plot needs to be inferred.

 

[flynnibus]

But even with the audio, much of the plot needs to be inferred.

or simply acknowledge that the plot is an abbreviated version of existing stories. (as is commonly done in many attractions)

Imagine trying to figure out Peter Pan if you had ZERO knowledge of the story/movie. It would be pretty dang confusing too. Cute and unique... but still feel rather random. But have some familiarity with the source content.. and you recognize it for what it is... a rushed push through some highlights of the film.

Splash got by through all the years because like Pan, it has more than just the story that people found enjoyable. The effects, the environments, the scale, the catchy music, the cute characters, and the basic fun of a flume ride. The ride had character, scale, and created memories... even if you didn't quite understand the purpose/plot connecting the scenes.

WIth even limited exposure to the source content of the Brer Rabbit tales.. it, like Pan, is easily understood as this rush push through memorable moments in the source material.

 

[LittleBuford]

Now that I’ve gone back and watched a few different ridethrough videos to refresh my memory, I’m certain some of you all just aren’t being honest about how much of the ride’s actual story you understood on your first (or even your first few) rides.

It may well be that some people have an exaggerated recollection of how much of the plot they got the first time around, but I don't think that's the same as being dishonest, nor do I doubt that some (and perhaps many) really were able to follow everything and fill in the gaps unaided. That last bit is crucial, because there certainly are gaps, even if a number of posters here think the narrative is presented extremely clearly. I guess one's ability (or inability) to intuit what should bridge those gaps is what leads to the differing perceptions of the ride's intelligibility. But I don't think it's fair to frame any of this in terms of honesty (or, as others have done, intelligence or attentiveness).

 

[celluloid]

I’m certain some of you all just aren’t being honest about how much of the ride’s actual story you understood on your first (or even your first few) rides.

Yeah! It has to be everyone else! It can't possibly be that some people did not get it and many did.

 

[_caleb]

It may well be that some people have an exaggerated recollection of how much of the plot they got the first time around, but I don't think that's the same as being dishonest, nor do I doubt that some (and perhaps many) really were able to follow everything and fill in the gaps unaided. That last bit is crucial, because there certainly are gaps, even if a number of posters here think the narrative is presented extremely clearly. I guess one's ability (or inability) to intuit what should bridge those gaps is what leads to the differing perceptions of the ride's intelligibility. But I don't think it's fair to frame any of this in terms of honesty (or, as others have done, intelligence or attentiveness).

Good point, and I agree that that framing it as “not being honest” wasn’t very charitable. I’ve gone back and edited my post to try to be a bit more gracious. Thanks.

 

[LittleBuford]

99 responses so far. And of those who responded, a slight majority (53) do not regard the plot as easy to follow in all its particulars. I imagine that percentage would be higher outside our community.

 

[Tom Morrow]

Interesting thread topic. It's been so long since I didn't know the ride's plot that I had to think about this one. I first rode it as a kid with no knowledge of Song of the South or anything like that. I know I picked up on "rabbit = good guy", "fox and bear = bad guys". The ride makes this more than obvious that they're trying to catch Brer Rabbit. However, I didn't know the whole moral of the story being 1. to recognize the positives about your home, and 2. to not put yourself in potentially bad situations on a vague promise of a better life, until reading it after the fact, and was not aware of Brer Rabbit's use of reverse psychology.

Also, several of you in this thread are using the film to explain the ride, but the plots are not quite the same. In the film, the Laughin' Place is just some BS Brer Rabbit comes up with on the spot to escape one specific trap. In the ride, Brer Rabbit specifically declares, in song, that he is tired of his home and wants to set out on an adventure to find his Laughin' Place, or in other words, find happiness in a place he belongs. After finding himself in danger, he decides that home is where he is happy.

A couple of clarifications to things I saw in the thread and don't feel like quoting:

- Only Brer Rabbit and the porcupine(?) after are singing about leaving home and heading off on an adventure. The rest of the critters are just singing a song about friendly greetings to your neighbors. Brer Rabbit's vocals juxtapose theirs.

- In the Disneyland version, the mothers are warning their children to not look for their "Laughin' Place" because in the ride it is not "any place that makes you laugh", it's an analogy for going into the unknown on the vague promise of finding happiness.

- The lift hill is scary and imposing because Brer Rabbit doesn't realize his escape plan until the last moment.

 

[Ayla]

Nonsense, things could always be clearer, but a certain point it is not as fun or organic. It is like the show don't tell principal of storytelling.

In terms of your clarity. I think you are genuine, and you couldn't be much clearer, but it seems you don't like the results.