Splash Mountain re-theme announced

[lebeau]

Folktales have no known author, they are just handed down orally to start with or do you think the person that simply put them into written form magically became the creator.

He's the one credited.

 

[Touchdown]

Man, you sure to have a lot of issues and problems to take. Maybe, just maybe, the problem is not everyone else's artwork?

Funny, I really like Splash Mountain, it’s my favorite MK ride and I’m extremely worried about a redo (and secretly hoping it doesn’t happen.) I own physical copies of every movie I’ve mentioned (except Bagger Vance that movie was terrible) and enjoy them except SotS. I just happen to have gone through a liberal arts education and know a thing or two about storytelling tropes.

To get back on Splash Mountain, I’m white. I’ve never watched SotS because enough people have told me it’s racist and a bad film outside of the animated segments, so I have no desire. I thought the ride did a good job of removing the racist portions but as a white man my opinion doesn’t count for much.

I would argue that if Disney was serious about correcting all of its past wrongs, they would allow SotS to enter the public domain so that society could fairly discuss it, but it’s not going to do that it’s going to do what it always does, wallpaper over any bad segments of its history.

Just wait 30 years from now Aladdin and Tarzan will join the blacklist, Dumbo and Peter Pan will be added sooner then that. The problem is amnesia is not the correct way to address racism in this country.

 

[MisterPenguin]

There seems to be a variance here between, if I'm reading these posts correctly:

A) Design work hasn't started...

Disney has not yet completed the design phase on this, so nothing has leaked at this point. This project seems a while away from being started.

B) And design is pretty much done...

Tony is being polite. The ride changes are already designed.

So done that one can say what currently exists now has to be changed....

There are no insiders saying what you've stated. It's a provable lie. Splash mountain literally just had a new track installed that will have to be adjusted yet again because it wasn't designed for the incoming alterations.

 

[OrlandoRising]

There are no insiders saying what you've stated. It's a provable lie. Splash mountain literally just had a new track installed that will have to be adjusted yet again because it wasn't designed for the incoming alterations.

Good thing you’re not a real insider then.

 

[_caleb]

Not sure about Haunted but you can bet your bottom dollar that this is not the end. The pain is just beginning though I'm sure the woke folks are out on the streets singing zip a dee doo dah right about now!

You should actually go out into the streets and listen. No one is singing Zip-a-dee-doo-dah.

 

[Phicinfan]

Ok, I am a bad guy and have not read the whole thread....
So if some of my questions were covered, bear with me, I am traveling for work again, so have very little time and access.

First - I am not surprised this happened, look at all the statues and other things being torn down. That being said, I don't believe for one minute this was a knee jerk reaction, this looks and smells like its been in the works for a bit, and they were just waiting for pressure to make the move. If this is not correct, feel free to let me know.

Secondly - thematically it CAN fit, I am pretty sure the movie was based in the roaring 20s and 30s, so if they also add some old time New Orleans to frontier land, maybe re-theme a restaurant to what was going to go into Reflections.... it could fit okay, but not be ideal.

This is another step in showing Disney will move on from traditional to new - look at GMR, Energy. I am really starting to wonder again about the future of SM.

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

I wasn’t talking about Disneyland in this instance.

They’ve made their decision regarding Splash Mountain, it’s understandable and hopefully we get a replacement that is comparable in terms of content and quality.

But updating the parks doesn’t always need to equate to replacing existing classic attractions. We could have gotten the Mickey Mouse attraction at DHS, which is in desperate need of new attractions, without losing the Great Movie Ride, which could have been updated alongside adding the new Mickey Mouse attraction. Disney have this mindset where to update mean to replace rather than add and it’s not the right one.

So do you think Disney should never change older rides? You think we should still have opening day MK with a handful of new rides squeezed in?

Many of us on here are disney fanatics. The average disney guest doesn't get excited or attached to the peoplemover or COP like we do. They want new and more current attractions.

Take someone who has never been to disney and make them watch CBJ... they generally have a "wth" face the either time. Disney understands that too. They have to keep the parks fresh and give the average disney guest a reason to come - they already have our money. They know us crazies are going to the parks no matter what.

 

[orlandogal22]

How long do you think Tom Sawyer’s Island will survive?

It will be a sad day when TSI is gone. I'm sure Swiss Family Treehouse will be gone too (or reimagined) in the near future.

I adore both and it won't be the same w/out the originals.

 

[SteamboatJoe]

I am glad Princess and the Frog is getting an attraction. Great representation. Great songs. Great visuals. The last traditional feature animation film for Disney to date.

I am sad Splash Mountain has to go away. Fun memories for me. And, superficially speaking, fun songs, fun visuals, and the best storytelling work of any Disney attraction, past or present.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

How about you define “progressive” before making that assumption? Woodrow Wilson was a “progressive” and also very much a racist.

Oh, you want to use examples of who and what was considered progressive 80 years ago and that it what, must stay static and never evolve? Sorry but that would be conservative not progressive. Allowing two people that aren't married to share a hotel room was at one point a "progressive" way of thinking, thinking evolves though, thus the point of being progressive.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

How long do you think Tom Sawyer’s Island will survive?

Have you been there the past few years? I think it died already, it seems WDW has forgotten its even there beyond operating the rafts.

 

[Phicinfan]

Okay I have to ask, wonder if we get a petition going, we could get a tombstone for GMR, Brear Rabit and may be dinosaurs in Energy in the cemetery by Haunted Mansion

 

[Oskar]

So do you think Disney should never change older rides? You think we should still have opening day MK with a handful of new rides squeezed in?

Many of us on here are disney fanatics. The average disney guest doesn't get excited or attached to the peoplemover or COP like we do. They want new and more current attractions.

Take someone who has never been to disney and make them watch CBJ... they generally have a "wth" face the either time. Disney understands that too. They have to keep the parks fresh and give the average disney guest a reason to come - they already have our money. They know us crazies are going to the parks no matter what.

No, I wasn’t even remotely suggesting that; if anything, it was the opposite - update attractions like Great Movie Ride, improve those experiences and use the land available to them in all of the parks to also add new ones.

I’m all for keeping the parks relevant, though I’m not sure there is anything in them that I would class as irrelevant, personally. Make changes where appropriate and necessary, freshen things up, but it doesn’t always need to be the case where we need to lose current attractions, rather than update them, in order to bring in new ones.

They could refresh elements of CBJ and also build a new attraction in Frontierland, they have the room and, apparently, infinite resources even in the current economic downturn.

I agree with your points throughout this threat to a certain extent, but I also think that Disney shouldn’t take the “crazies” and their money for granted.

 

[celluloid]

Have you been there the past few years? I think it died already, it seems WDW has forgotten its even there beyond operating the rafts.

You think so? Aunt Polly's just reopened recently, two years ago to now before the Covid closure happened to operate seasonally where it never had before. It was crowded, barrel bridge was open and kids were loving it. It has a low cost to operate and maintain. There are Photopass people there as well. There is a reason it is reopening with the first line up phase. It is only going to be more popular when everyhting indoors has a virtual queue roam to wait.

 

[Phicinfan]

Have you been there the past few years? I think it died already, it seems WDW has forgotten its even there beyond operating the rafts.

All joking aside, the first thought "I" had, was they move the Belle over to splash mountain side, dock it permanently and use it for shows or a restaurant...and then re do the Island and other areas there for expansion.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

Somebody needs to create a 21st century version of the "Save Mr. Toad" campaign but changed to "Save Splash Mountain". Complete with shirts and a website.

Here's photos during the "Save Mr Toad" period.

Yes that worked out so well....

 

[SteamboatJoe]

It will be a sad day when TSI is gone. I'm sure Swiss Family Treehouse will be gone too (or reimagined) in the near future.

I adore both and it won't be the same w/out the originals.

I wouldn't be surprised if treehouse stays because its relatively small footprint and ability to serve as a buffer and background for the land. The Tarzan overlay seems likely which doesn't bother me. I have no personal, emotional connection to the Swiss Family Robinson. I am sure there are those that do and I sympathize.

This Splash Mountain thing makes me feel like TSI is definitely not long for this world. A total re-brand a la Disneyland is probably the short term solution but it simply sits on too much real estate to not get eaten away also like at Disneyland.

 

[orlandogal22]

Have you been there the past few years? I think it died already, it seems WDW has forgotten its even there beyond operating the rafts.

And that's how I like it! Peaceful place to explore and be a kid again.

They also had opened Aunt Polly's back up here or there, as I ate there in December.

 

[Brer Oswald]

Listen, I know you have mental health issues, as you have mentioned your extreme depression and suicidal thoughts here. Honestly, you need to speak to a mental health professional.

But again, no one here has ever called anyone racist. And most (from what I can recall) have all said they enjoy and have fond memories of the ride. It’s sad to me that the extremists on this thread can not understand that there level-headed, mature adults here who enjoyed the ride but also believe it’s the right decision to change it. Enough already.

When I make those comments. I’m not talking about you. There are tons of people for the change that are speaking level headed. There are also a bunch who are making people feel bad for being against the change. The fact that you are pulling the “get help” card, when I said nothing to warrant it is pretty lame of you, but I’ll give you the pass this time.

 

[orlandogal22]

You think so? Aunt Polly's just reopened recently, two years ago to now before the Covid closure happened to operate seasonally where it never had before. It was crowded, barrel bridge was open and kids were loving it. It has a low cost to operate and maintain. There are Photopass people there as well. There is a reason it is reopening with the first line up phase. It is only going to be more popular when everyhting indoors has a virtual queue roam to wait.

Yeah. I just said the same thing. I ate at Aunt Polly's in Dec. Love it there. I also love the barrel bridge... exploring the cool dark caves, going up in Fort Langhorn - really being like a kid again. Plus, you can get some great photos of BTMR from TSI.