Splash Mountain re-theme announced

[Homemade Imagineering]

I also feel very close to Small World. Out of all the Disney attractions, it’s the one that’s held my fascination the longest. Sometimes, I’ve felt very negatively about it. But mostly, I just love immersing myself in the attraction. I have hope that the great message will keep the ride alive. But I have little interest in visiting the parks to the extent I used to, so whatever happens happens.

I can also relate when you said you felt negatively about it. At one point in the third grade I thought it wasn’t cool and I began talking trash about it because I thought it would make me look cool, but at the end of the day I found it impossible to resent the thing I once loved.

 

[Brer Oswald]

You do have a lot in life. You just have to find it. When I was younger, I felt the same way. I was overweight, always picked last in gym, had mediocre parents, and I never thought I’d have a girlfriend. I had very little motivation to do good in school.

But you wait long enough and life presents you with endless opportunities. I have a great wife, great kids, and I have a good (albeit boring) career that allows me to travel to Disney and other places I only dreamed of going when I was a kid. Best of all, I get the chance to be a better parent than mine were.

You’ll find your path in life. Yes, Splash Mountain is gone. I hate it, too. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be an Imagineer. If it’s your calling, then go and imagine an even greater ride than Splash Mountain. I’ll be waiting!

Thank you. No really. All of these words mean a lot to me. These past 3 months have been an absolute blow to me. This was the final kick that I thought would have me down. But now I know I just gotta keep going.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Well. They really botched this petition. How do you have a ride with a Mardi Gras story - and not serve Hurricanes?

All they had to do was add one more sentence. “And we want a bar somewhere close to the mountain”

 

[Brer Oswald]

I can also relate when you said you felt negatively about it. At one point in the third grade I thought it wasn’t cool and I began talking trash about it because I thought it would make me look cool, but at the end of the day I found it impossible to resent the thing I once loved.

I would do the same for the same reason.
However, Small World used to actually scare me. But this weirdly irrational fear oddly increased my interest and love for the attraction.

 

[orlandogal22]

Thank you. No really. All of these words mean a lot to me. These past 3 months have been an absolute blow to me. This was the final kick that I thought would have me down. But now I know I just gotta keep going.

Never let external forces bring you down. Never let external forces "win."

It sounds cheesy, but your strength lies WITHIN. The fact that you say you gotta just keep going proves you have TREMENDOUS strength to keep doing just that! ❤

 

[UNCgolf]

I do feel sorry for people that have a deep connection to Splash Mountain. I don't think I've ever had such a deep connection to a ride that I would be devastated if it was gone, but several of my favorite Disney attractions are already gone and it does suck. As a kid, my favorites were Horizons, Journey into Imagination, the whole Living Seas pavilion, Spaceship Earth, and Carousel of Progress. The first is gone entirely, the second and third exist in name only, and the fourth has been altered for the worse. Only Carousel of Progress is the same (I must have seen the older version of the final scene, but the current version is what I really remember) -- and apparently it may not exist much longer. I also really loved 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

It's not quite as fun to go to the parks and not be able to experience those attractions.

 

[Sped2424]

Overall something that imo needed to happen. Good on them.

 

[N2dru]

You must be making a (poor) joke, right? Please educate yourself. There are several excellent posts in this thread that explain the racist elements of SotS and by default, Splash Mountain.

100% this. As an African American I enjoy Splash Mountain for the thrill/animatronics, but saying there aren't any questionable elements from the film present is totally unenlightened. Ppl in our party have commented and even to the point of not wanting to ride at all. One element in particular is the "sticky situation" scene. Yes, the tar has been replaced with honey but you can't replace the source material. There are others but I digress. It has been discussed ad nauseam how some find the movie offensive (and has since its premiere). But to say the ride doesn't share some of those problematic elements because no human characters were used only the animated sequences is quite crass.

 

[orlandogal22]

I do feel sorry for people that have a deep connection to Splash Mountain. I don't think I've ever had such a deep connection to a ride that I would be devastated if it was gone, but several of my favorite Disney attractions are already gone and it does suck. As a kid, my favorites were Horizons, Journey into Imagination, the whole Living Seas pavilion, Spaceship Earth, and Carousel of Progress. The first is gone entirely, the second and third exist in name only, and the fourth has been altered for the worse. Only Carousel of Progress is the same (I must have seen the older version of the final scene, but the current version is what I really remember). I also really loved 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

It's not quite as fun to go to the parks and not be able to experience those attractions.

I came to terms with Mr. Toad's but still haven't gotten over Maelstrom. I am just finally getting used to The Three Caballeros in Mexico. Don't get me started on 20,000 Leagues.

 

[UNCgolf]

I came to terms with Mr. Toad's but still haven't gotten over Maelstrom. I am just finally getting used to The Three Caballeros in Mexico. Don't get me started on 20,000 Leagues.

I miss Mr. Toad and Maelstrom too. I think Maelstrom was a better ride than FEA, if only because it was specifically designed for that location rather than being hamstrung by retrofitting.

 

[hopemax]

Does that Laughing Place site have to change its name now too? Steve picked wise when going with WDWMagic

I'm guessing you are unfamiliar with the ownership of LaughingPlace? As a black man and Disney fan, Doobie would have been very aware of its origin when he started it.

And on FB, they responded to a comment that they aren't changing their name.

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

We're so determined to prove that we're not racist that we do stuff like this (which may or may not be important) rather than taking actual actions that would help black communities.

It’s awfully presumptive to assume that the people who support this change aren’t taking action to improve our communities.

It’s also false.

 

[Flugell]

I will be honest, and I will say that I feel the same exact way you do about splash as I do with IASW. Call me crazy but it was the first attraction I ever knew at any Disney park, and to this day I still recreate props from the attraction. In fact, I’m working on a ride accurate animatronic doll. To see IASW on a list of attractions under scrutiny made me feel very upset, and while I understand there are stereotypes in the attraction, the message is extremely relevant and is very important to me too. I would also feel the same way about POTC or HM, but if you made me chose out of the three which one I love the most, it’s IASW. There’s just something about it that makes me feel joyful, and I really think it’s because I’ve loved it since I was only 2 years old...

I enjoy IASW but as a Welsh lady I cannot believe that England, Scotland and Ireland are represented whilst Wales is not. We have our own history, our own national dress and our own language. We also have, IMHO the most beautiful national anthem in the world! If it is reimagined please include Wales!

 

[Homemade Imagineering]

I enjoy IASW but as a Welsh lady I cannot believe that England, Scotland and Ireland are represented whilst Wales is not. We have our own history, our own national dress and our own language. We also have, IMHO the most beautiful national anthem in the world! If it is reimagined please include Wales!

I am totally okay with an update that Disney feels is more inclusive, because that’s the theme of the attraction, so it should stay true to what it preaches!

 

[DisneyJayL]

Thanks for your service! And yah it’s crazy how fast things changing! Do you think we going towards civil war level of division? Feels like that to me. Also if the mob already has this much control, what happens if the left wins 2020 elections?

Well, the saying is, 'Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.' It’s happening before our eyes. What’s funny is the same side who started last time and starting it again. I’m afraid to say what happens because it just might happen.

 

[Phil12]

As a practical matter, I think Jungle Cruise should be the next attraction to be removed or re-themed.

 

[MMFanCipher]

I am from the UK, where the film wasn’t banned, and had a video of Song of the South that I watched often. Even as a British child with very little knowledge of American history, I recognised that the film was romanticising the lives of African Americans who were in servile positions (I couldn’t quite tell if they were meant to be slaves or not). Such romanticisation may not be racist per se, but it’s deeply problematic and certainly plays into a racist discourse that tries to minimise the horrors of plantation life

I've heard this about romanticism slavery, but i don't see it. Maybe I need to watch it again. It has been a long time. I'm sorry but I knew it was after the Civil War and they were free. That might be because it is part of my country's history. Again if people have a problem with this movie were are the protests about other 'problematic' movies? I personally believe it is such an issue because Disney has tried to bury it instead of talking about it.

 

[UNCgolf]

As a practical matter, I think Jungle Cruise should be the next attraction to be removed or re-themed.

I think you're the first person here I've seen actually agree with me that Jungle Cruise should go!

It's just pointless with the existence of Animal Kingdom, not to mention incredibly outdated. It also takes up a huge amount of space that could be used for something better. I would prefer to see it replaced entirely with something new, but a retheme could work.

Of course, since they've got a movie coming out, I doubt it will go anywhere if the movie is even moderately successful. At most they'll change it to fit the movie.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Apparently the ride will get a rename (or, like DHS, won't).

The best response in this Twitter thread: The Princess and the Log

 

[Model3 McQueen]

As a practical matter, I think Jungle Cruise should be the next attraction to be removed or re-themed.

I don't necessarily agree with what you just said but that avatar is on-point