Any chance this Splash Mountain retheme is cancelled?

[chadwpalm]

Well is the “dislike” button available there?

The dislike button is not pressing the like button. Look, I'm with you that the change is a dumb idea but at this point, Disney was looking for a reason to justify doing it, not a reason to justify not doing it.

Unless people speak with their wallets and stop going creating a massive decrease in revenue that makes them think twice, which by the way isn't going to happen, then I'm pretty sure it is here to stay.

 

[Sharon&Susan]

Bad press huh? Didn’t seem to affect how they went about the sequel trilogy.

IX had plenty of "course corrections" in an attempt to please TLJ critics.

 

[No Name]

- The Negative Socio- Cultural impact from this decision.

Even pretending that’s true, the backlash they’d get from cancelling the announced attraction, and the backlash they’d get from leaving a ride they’ve now popularized as problematic, makes it essentially impossible for them to go back on this decision. Even if they wanted to build a brand new E-ticket attraction for PatF instead, which they don't have the money or desire to do, they’d still have the now-amplified problem of leaving the current ride open. Sorry to destroy your hopes, Splash is/was my favorite too, but I think there’s a better chance of just about anything happening than this being cancelled.

I think they are ****ing off s lot of their fan base with this move.

People including myself have thought that so many times over the past few years and they’ve been doing fine. Frozen Ever After was essentially the first controversial retheme in the internet age and they tiptoed very carefully on the announcement. But each success has made them only more confident, and at this point, I imagine they have very little concern for what some folks here think.

 

[SuddenStorm]

I remember fall of last year, where I expressed my optimism about the direction the resort was headed.

We had Mansion and Indy finally getting refurbished, Snow White (hopefully) getting fixed, and I was far more excited for AC then I was GE.

Yeah, I take all that optimism back now.

 

[BuzzedPotatoHead89]

I see three logical arguments why it wouldn’t happen (all combined with under 5% of happening). If anything these would “delay” more than “cancel”.

1. COVID-19 leading to massive cuts/overlays impacting imagineering projects. Assuming this project is not yet fully developed. We have precedent here at WDW with the indefinite delay of the Spaceship earth project, Main Street theater, and “Genie” app among others. Westcot and Galaxy’s edge entertainment also come to mind.

2. “PC problems” from Randy Newman’s history to critisms from some on social media of “tokenization” of Splash. This is in my opinion an extreme argument but I wouldn’t doubt it if modern Disney would give this equal credibility to those arguing in favor of keeping Splash. The problem with this line of reasoning is it might just lead to the mothballing of Splash Mountain (And others) altogether until the funds are available for a purpose built attraction, which IMO is even worse. But it’s a calculated risk for those aligning themselves with this argument in hopes of preserving the original Splash.

3. Concerns about “target market” - again Splash is a water ride with large drops not necessarily suited for aexpanded target audience to include young girls. This seems unlikely to sway any opinion, as I’m sure this argument has been vetted though before the DPB announcement.

In my opinion I’d prefer not to indefinitely delay this in the event I think Disney has long given up on Splash Mountain in its current iteration. Though I’d hope/think WDI would at least want to keep both versions operational through Summer/Fall of 2021 assuming there is still a D23 in Anaheim next summer and the 50th at WDW as a “swan song”.

I also would like to see this project completed under the “advisement” of senior imagineering statesman like Tony Baxter in hopes that elements of the original can be tactfully retained. But I do understand these concerns.

 

[DLR92]

I just hope Covid-19 will continue to allow the park to be under lockdown till next year to the point Disney will have no choice to postpone this project more cause how do they have money in resort and park division!?

 

[Kram Sacul]

As long as there’s hope that intelligent people will realize how stupid this change is... never mind, we’re screwed.

 

[DLR92]

They’re making the crucial error of thinking Twitter represents the fanbase. What an unfortunate creation.

Not just there...but ALL of their social media content too.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Bad press huh? Didn’t seem to affect how they went about the sequel trilogy.

What happened to Rian Johnson's trilogy?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

It's entirely possible. In the span of about 90 days earlier this year Disney announced the closing of Spaceship Earth for a major refurb, only to then say it's cancelled.

Disney's biggest mistake, though, was giving this project its own specific announcement instead of a broader vague statement that they're "reviewing attractions and ideas to bring diversity to Disney parks". It will make it harder to pull back.

The easiest out for Disney would be announcing an entirely new ride for PatF and saying they're donating x % of ticket/merch sales to help various causes.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

What exactly were they going to do to the Epcot Golf Ball?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

What exactly were they going to do to the Epcot Golf Ball?

Something about magical lights and storytelling. I'm glad it got canned.

 

[No Name]

It's entirely possible. In the span of about 90 days earlier this year Disney announced the closing of Spaceship Earth for a major refurb, only to then say it's cancelled.

The Spaceship Earth announcement was before coronavirus, didn’t make mainstream news, and wasn’t promoting any social implications. This Splash announcement is completely different and will happen.

What exactly were they going to do to the Epcot Golf Ball?

Make it less dated. I think it would’ve been good.

 

[Rich T]

No. Simply put— No.

The social media (and mainstream news media) backlash from a cancellation of this announced change would dwarf any other negative press Disney has ever experienced.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

I'm gonna go with no.

View attachment 480205

I've literally known people who fought for the Mission Breakout change and publically admitted they haven't been to Disneyland since middle school.

I imagine it's the same concept here except amplified because 2020.

 

[mickEblu]

No. Simply put— No.

The social media (and mainstream news media) backlash from a cancellation of this announced change would dwarf any other negative press Disney has ever experienced.

I see where you re coming from although I don't remember the parks blog actually making any correlation to the BLM movement etc. Of course they didn't have to and the timing said it all but still.

 

[Kate F]

No. Simply put— No.

The social media (and mainstream news media) backlash from a cancellation of this announced change would dwarf any other negative press Disney has ever experienced.

And that’s why we need to stop acting like social media is the real world.

 

[Rich T]

I've literally known people who fought for the Mission Breakout change and publically admitted they haven't been to Disneyland since middle school.

I imagine it's the same concept here except amplified because 2020.

I’m sorry... How does one “fight” for a done-deal Mission Breakout change? Ya mean they posted a pro MB opinion after the project was announced?

 

[mickEblu]

I’m sorry... How does one “fight” for a done-deal Mission Breakout change? Ya mean they posted a pro MB opinion after the project was announced?

I think he means fought for it not to change

 

[mickEblu]

This is all new territory for me. I don't think something Ive ever loved so much ed me off so bad that I was willing to leave it cold turkey.