Splash Mountain re-theme announced

[Brer Oswald]

I’m starting to come to terms with the fact that the majority just isn’t going to ever understand this property. They either can’t think critically enough or they don’t care enough about it and just go with the public opinion.

There are certain folks out there who are capitalizing on this moment to gain social media popularity. The ride is expendable to them, which is understandable. What is less understandable is the fact that people who like the ride are also expendable to them. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing. I’m not blind. I’m not an idiot. You’ll fool most, but not me.

I’m also just going to have to deal with the fact that ignorant people are going to call me names for loving Brer Rabbit and his wonderful adventures for the rest of my life.

But I’m not going to retaliate. The ride, the music, the characters, the story, heck even the film have taught me to be smarter than that. They’ve done nothing but create a strong emotion of love, as intended. No hate. So I won’t spread the hate, but the love and joy it’s given me.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

A good video on the Brer Rabbit stories and their origins.

Thank you for sharing this. It was a very informative reminder of why these stories shouldn’t be erased in the name of political correctness or beignet sales.

 

[Parker in NYC]

Why not hire a team of black writers and artists who can “reclaim” the characters and make a new Song of the South movie instead of forcing Tiana (who deserves an attraction of her own) into a completely ridiculous context. A) Disney gets a new Song of the South. B) We keep Splash Mountain and our love-able characters. Everyone wins.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

I’m starting to come to terms with the fact that the majority just isn’t going to ever understand this property. They either can’t think critically enough or they don’t care enough about it and just go with the public opinion.

There are certain folks out there who are capitalizing on this moment to gain social media popularity. The ride is expendable to them, which is understandable. What is less understandable is the fact that people who like the ride are also expendable to them. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing. I’m not blind. I’m not an idiot. You’ll fool most, but not me.

I’m also just going to have to deal with the fact that ignorant people are going to call me names for loving Brer Rabbit and his wonderful adventures for the rest of my life.

But I’m not going to retaliate. The ride, the music, the characters, the story, heck even the film have taught me to be smarter than that. They’ve done nothing but create a strong emotion of love, as intended. No hate. So I won’t spread the hate, but the love and joy it’s given me.

Good on you. Don’t even bother with those using this situation for political gain on social media. Also, keep in mind that while social media echo chambers may seem overwhelming, you are far from alone in your defense of the attraction.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

Why not hire a team of black writers and artists who can “reclaim” the characters and make a new Song of the South movie instead of forcing Tiana (who deserves an attraction of her own) into a completely ridiculous context. A) Disney gets a new Song of the South. B) We keep Splash Mountain and our love-able characters. Everyone wins.

Now this is just common sense. If only people with ideas like your’s were calling the shots at the Mouse House.

 

[Parker in NYC]

Now this is just common sense. If only people with ideas like your’s were calling the shots at the Mouse House.

64 minutes on Disney+ and we’re home free. Add in a documentary about the history of the original movie and the making of the new one. Boom.

(Just keep the music and explain/reframe Zip a dee doo dah and don’t screw it up)

 

[Brer Oswald]

Why not hire a team of black writers and artists who can “reclaim” the characters and make a new Song of the South movie instead of forcing Tiana (who deserves an attraction of her own) into a completely ridiculous context. A) Disney gets a new Song of the South. B) We keep Splash Mountain and our love-able characters. Everyone wins.

This is what should happen. It’s the moral decision.

Unfortunately, we are in an era dominated by people who wouldn’t accept any Disney retelling of these remarkably significant stories. And Disney knows this. Or they just don’t care. They go wherever the money is. Not what’s morally correct.

Disclaimer: Not everyone in the company is like this. Not even all of the executives. But there is a clear dominance of people who are.

I liken the social media “guru’s” jumping on the hate train to Brer Fox. They think they’re smarter than they are. Brer Bear represents the impressionable public. Just like how Brer Fox was able to influence Brer Bear into getting him to help him do his dirty work, the social media “leaders” influence the public on how to feel.

It’s ironic. The lessons of these stories are as relevant today as they’ve ever been, even if most no longer care for the characters.

 

[Parker in NYC]

This is what should happen. It’s the moral decision.

Unfortunately, we are in an era dominated by people who wouldn’t accept any Disney retelling of these remarkably significant stories. And Disney knows this. Or they just don’t care. They go wherever the money is. Not what’s morally correct.

Disclaimer: Not everyone in the company is like this. Not even all of the executives. But there is a clear dominance of people who are.

I liken the social media “guru’s” jumping on the hate train to Brer Fox. They think they’re smarter than they are. Brer Bear represents the impressionable public. Just like how Brer Fox was able to influence Brer Bear into getting him to help him do his dirty work, the social media “leaders” influence the public on how to feel.

It’s ironic. The lessons of these stories are as relevant today as they’ve ever been, even if most no longer care for the characters.

Oh, well.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

64 minutes on Disney+ and we’re home free. Add in a documentary about the history of the original movie and the making of the new one. Boom.

(Just keep the music and explain/reframe Zip a dee doo dah and don’t screw it up)

Now that’s what I call smart PR.

 

[Brer Oswald]

Oh, well.

Hopefully one day. I still have hope that the Disney Company will get a leader that truly cares again. But we might have to wait awhile.

 

[Parker in NYC]

Hopefully one day. I still have hope that the Disney Company will get a leader that truly cares again. But we might have to wait awhile.

I still don’t think the overlay is gonna happen. Yes, they made the announcements, hired a team that is allegedly working on it, but something about all of it seems incredibly... off. They’ve double-backed before. There are a million reasons why they would never back down from THIS particular project, of course. You can list all of those reasons and you’d be right. But I just... it doesn’t seem like it will actually happen. I predicted the parks wouldn’t open until July — so, do I get a pass?

 

[Brer Oswald]

I still don’t think the overlay is gonna happen. Yes, they made the announcements, hired a team that is allegedly working on it, but something about all of it seems incredibly... off. They’ve double-backed before. There are a million reasons why they would never back down from THIS particular project, of course. You can list all of those reasons and you’d be right. But I just... it doesn’t seem like it will actually happen. I predicted the parks wouldn’t open until July — so, do I get a pass?

I think it’s happening for sure. At Disneyland at the very least. There’s a chance it gets postponed at WDW. And maybe Iger leaves, and they realize it was a bad move, and they make proper adjustments to the Florida version like they should have instead of outright getting rid of it.

But I unfortunately rank those chances as slim to none.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

Unfortunately, we are in an era dominated by people who wouldn’t accept any Disney retelling of these remarkably significant stories. And Disney knows this. Or they just don’t care. They go wherever the money is. Not what’s morally correct.

I think the problem is less about the people who are dominating the social media discussion who wouldn’t accept any retelling and more about Disney choosing to act in ways that appease them. Look at how Warner Bros. has handled their controversial content over the years for example. Even recently with the Gone with the Wind controversy, they proved you can still go against the mob by taking the time to educate and contextualize rather than burrying the movie and pretending it never happened. When you directly compare that situation to this one, it becomes clear that Disney always taking the coward’s way out has only gotten them into more trouble in the long run.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

I still don’t think the overlay is gonna happen. Yes, they made the announcements, hired a team that is allegedly working on it, but something about all of it seems incredibly... off. They’ve double-backed before. There are a million reasons why they would never back down from THIS particular project, of course. You can list all of those reasons and you’d be right. But I just... it doesn’t seem like it will actually happen. I predicted the parks wouldn’t open until July — so, do I get a pass?

I think it’s happening for sure. At Disneyland at the very least. There’s a chance it gets postponed at WDW. And maybe Iger leaves, and they realize it was a bad move, and they make proper adjustments to the Florida version like they should have instead of outright getting rid of it.

But I unfortunately rank those chances as slim to none.

I think these are both very interesting and well reasoned perspectives. As for me, I’ll take the middle road for the sake of arguement. The only two ways I can realistically see Disney getting cold feet on this is if they either confront major logistical issues in the process or end up in an even worse off economic reality where the investment is too difficult to justify moving forward with for the forseable future. Outside of those circumstances, it will take nothing short of a miracle to save the attraction.

 

[seabreezept813]

I still don’t think the overlay is gonna happen. Yes, they made the announcements, hired a team that is allegedly working on it, but something about all of it seems incredibly... off. They’ve double-backed before. There are a million reasons why they would never back down from THIS particular project, of course. You can list all of those reasons and you’d be right. But I just... it doesn’t seem like it will actually happen. I predicted the parks wouldn’t open until July — so, do I get a pass?

I agree. I think it won’t happen in Florida. Maybe part of that is wishful thinking but Disney has let many projects be announced and then disappear never to be heard of again. In all likelihood they don’t want to invest in what is already an E-ticket crowd pleaser. I just hope that all of the people who suddenly find it so offensive but had no problem with it for the last 25 years boycott it in the future. It’d be even better if it had shorter wait times! And to be clear, I just think of Splash as it’s own identity. I think it’s not problematic and some history of the stories in the queue could go a long way to making that separation more clear.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Even if one accepts it as art (and I do), that’s not necessarily an argument against changing it. Historically, works of art were often altered or even replaced altogether. Michelangelo’s painting of the Last Judgement in the Sistine Chapel, for example, entailed the destruction of a whole wall of frescoes from the previous century.

How many artworks have been destroyed because someone deemed it to be offensive in a fit of passion?

The ancient Egyptians did it. The cult of Akhenaten got rid of countless sculptures. When he died Egypt realized what a terrible mistake they'd made.

Early Christians did it. They destroyed countless sculptures and shrines deemed pagan, or otherwise offensive. Luckily, some were rediscovered because they were buried. The rediscovery of the ancient Lacoon and Belvedere Torso sculptures inspired Michelangelo and other artists to rediscover aesthetic realism and gave us the Renaissance!

Protestant Reformers did it.

In the 1790's, mobs in Paris did it. They destroyed all king statures on the exterior of Notre Dame. The kings were blatantly decapitated. Except, oops, Notre Dame's statues didn't depict the kings of France.

During WWII, the world lost lost Raphael's Portrait of a Young Man, Caravaggio's Portrait of a Courtesan, Rembrandt's An Angel with Titus' Features, Degas' Five Dancing Women (Ballerinas), and Manet's Portrait of Young Henry Bernstein among many others. Countless churches and other buildings were flattened. The entire old town area of Gdansk was destroyed.

 

[LittleBuford]

How many artworks have been destroyed because someone deemed it to be offensive in a fit of passion?

The ancient Egyptians did it. The cult of Akhenaten got rid of countless sculptures. When he died Egypt realized what a terrible mistake they'd made.

Early Christians did it. They destroyed countless sculptures and shrines deemed pagan, or otherwise offensive. Luckily, some were rediscovered because they were buried. The rediscovery of the ancient Lacoon and Belvedere Torso sculptures inspired Michelangelo and other artists to rediscover aesthetic realism and gave us the Renaissance!

Protestant Reformers did it.

In the 1790's, mobs in Paris did it. They destroyed all king statures on the exterior of Notre Dame. The kings were blatantly decapitated. Except, oops, Notre Dame's statues didn't depict the kings of France.

During WWII, the world lost lost Raphael's Portrait of a Young Man, Caravaggio's Portrait of a Courtesan, Rembrandt's An Angel with Titus' Features, Degas' Five Dancing Women (Ballerinas), and Manet's Portrait of Young Henry Bernstein among many others. Countless churches and other buildings were flattened. The entire old town area of Gdansk was destroyed.

I think my comparison is more fitting. This is a deliberate modification by those who own the artwork, not an act of vandalism inflicted by outsiders.

 

[Brer Oswald]

I agree. I think it won’t happen in Florida. Maybe part of that is wishful thinking but Disney has let many projects be announced and then disappear never to be heard of again. In all likelihood they don’t want to invest in what is already an E-ticket crowd pleaser. I just hope that all of the people who suddenly find it so offensive but had no problem with it for the last 25 years boycott it in the future. It’d be even better if it had shorter wait times! And to be clear, I just think of Splash as it’s own identity. I think it’s not problematic and some history of the stories in the queue could go a long way to making that separation more clear.

The ride isn’t offensive. The people who’ve been on it that have had a sudden “change of heart” don’t really care about the ride. They look at this change as a political statement. Like Disney has finally “woken up” and are “listening to them”. What Brer Rabbit truly stands for is irrelevant to them. The movie it’s based on has a reputation (undeservedly) of being the most racist thing the company has produced.

Ignore the fact that Disney doesn’t seem to be making immediate changes to how they treat employees of colour. Ignore the fact that the primary reason this overhaul is happening has little to do with being politically correct and more to do with merchandising and food. Ignore the fact that the petitions did absolutely nothing but bump up the announcement.

If they replaced it with any other IP, I’m sure there would be more push back. If they went Pocahontas, or Pooh, or something else, I’m sure we’d here “Bad call Disney, replacing black folklore characters with that? Should’ve done PatF or nothing at all.”

Disney’s lucky that one of their CMs dropped an armchair Imagineering prompt specifically for the theme they chose. Or maybe that was planned? Seems all too convenient. He seemed a little cocky about it till I name dropped D’Amaro. But perhaps it all was just one big “happy” coincidence.

 

[kong1802]

Holy smokes

 

[seabreezept813]

The ride isn’t offensive. The people who’ve been on it that have had a sudden “change of heart” don’t really care about the ride. They look at this change as a political statement. Like Disney has finally “woken up” and are “listening to them”. What Brer Rabbit truly stands for is irrelevant to them. The movie it’s based on has a reputation (undeservedly) of being the most racist thing the company has produced.

Ignore the fact that Disney doesn’t seem to be making immediate changes to how they treat employees of colour. Ignore the fact that the primary reason this overhaul is happening has little to do with being politically correct and more to do with merchandising and food. Ignore the fact that the petitions did absolutely nothing but bump up the announcement.

If they replaced it with any other IP, I’m sure there would be more push back. If they went Pocahontas, or Pooh, or something else, I’m sure we’d here “Bad call Disney, replacing black folklore characters with that? Should’ve done PatF or nothing at all.”

Disney’s lucky that one of their CMs dropped an armchair Imagineering prompt specifically for the theme they chose. Or maybe that was planned? Seems all too convenient. He seemed a little cocky about it till I name dropped D’Amaro. But perhaps it all was just one big “happy” coincidence.

100% agree the ride is not offensive and think today’s audience isn’t even familiar enough with the film to make an educated call, but I get the film criticism. I do think that Disney did not come out and say that this change was connected to recent politics. So if they trashed the idea or only did it on one coast they don’t have to feel guilty. I think they took advantage of a time of high political anxiety and know that they can back down due to finances and let this drop and most people will still be happy and wait in 2 hour lines ride for Splash Mountain. By then , people will move on to complaining about more ridiculous things (looking at you Hamilton). For once, they could use guest feedback as their excuse not to invest and try to please both sides by doing some informational pieces in the queue. And as an English teacher who loves Twain, I’d sacrifice Tom Sawyer Island. I’ve read the books, have an interest and still never gone due to just not having the time. Give Tiana a legit new ride there and you’ll draw people to that part of the park and increase the number of popular attractions.