Splash Mountain re-theme announced

[UNCgolf]

My birth certificate may not have the same words on it if I request a new copy next year.

Do you want to know why?

My state may change its very name. It's been in the news recently, I'm sure you've seen a story.

When the name of the place you were born decides to change its name, because its old name was racist, or because some people thought it was racist - you can be sure the crazies out there may take that as a personal attack.

Much like you calling me unhinged. But I'll allow it in the spirit of good debate. Cheers!

What percentage of Americans do you think know the actual current full name of Rhode Island? I bet it's 1% or less. The state will still be called Rhode Island, which is what nearly everyone knows it as.

 

[BigDlover]

Song of the South is fictional too.

They meant live action when they said "real people"

 

[UNCgolf]

Song of the South is fictional too.

Yes, and it's the only representation of those characters. They don't really exist outside of it in Disney terms. That's not true for Mickey Mouse; he exists in numerous cartoons, movies, TV shows, etc.

It's not really comparable to something an actual person did in their past.

 

[jeanericuser001]

I hate to borrow something from someone else........but is this a late April fools joke. Hopefully this will get scrapped cause right now disney has too much on their plate anyways. I expect they won't consider this till after 2022 and by then this will be an afterthought that is quickly abandoned. Disney announces a lot of things but doesn't always deliver on what was promised.

 

[Figments Friend]

We need “save Splash Mountain” t shirts. I will go out of my way to tell every CM and manager I see that this is so incredibly dumb. If I see Josh D’Amaro again, I will tell him just how ridiculous of a decision this is. I’m honestly shocked.

May I suggest stopping by Guest Relations and voicing your concerns in person.
This will make more of a impact in getting your thoughts across.

Complaining to Cast only goes so far, but talking to the Cast at GRs will get the message across even better.


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[BigDlover]

I know I need to be respectful, but I must say I really am not in the mood to hear it from the pro-change side today.

You don't get to decide that. Welcome to a forum. Welcome to the internet. Welcome to the real world. You don't have to continue to post. Of course both sides are going to comment. You may think everyone in the world should agree with you but that's simply not the case, that's life.

"I know I need to be respectful, but what I'm about to say is incredibly disrespectful." It's like when someone says "I'm not a racist, but..."

Come on.

 

[Tony Perkis]

You don't get to decide that. Welcome to a forum. Welcome to the internet. Welcome to the real world. You don't have to continue to post. Of course both sides are going to comment. You may think everyone in the world should agree with you but that's simply not the case, that's life.

That's like a liberal going to Fox News and shocked/mad they're getting a conservative slant.

 

[Brer Oswald]

It's more that the "Indian" scene in Peter Pan is a small part of the film and the entire premise of Song of the South is how the little boy reacts to living at the Plantation and talking with Uncle Remus.

Also, the depictions of "Indians" in Peter Pan might be offensive, but the movie doesn't directly address or minimize the extermination of Native Americans at the hands of the US Government. Song of the South does directly address and minimize the evils of the relationship between southern plantation owners and the African Americans who worked for them.

It doesn’t minimize them. It just doesn’t address them whatsoever. It’s a fantasized reality that never existed.
Unless you watch SotS with a fine tooth comb, you aren’t likely to pick up the hidden symbolism that may or may not be there.

“Thankfully” film critics have done that work for us, making the criticism a lot easier for us to make. But if you plop SotS in front of a kid, it most definitely isn’t going to have any impact on how they view black people.

Plop Peter Pan in front of a young child and there’s a much greater chance they’re going to start making the sterotypical “Indian Noises” pretending to be the Native Americans.

(Keep in mind, Peter Pan is my favourite Disney movie and SotS isn’t anywhere close to that for me. Its hard, but I think my favourite movie should be held to the same scrutiny.)

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

It depends on how they are wording it. Some posts in this very thread are borderline racist in nature so don't be surprised when people call them out on it.

And on the first thread about this topic that was moved to the politics forum, there were quite a few blatantly racist responses, hence, the thread being moved.

 

[BigDlover]

That's like a liberal going to Fox News and shocked/mad they're getting a conservative slant.

Right? Like how ignorant and small-minded to say "I don't want to hear from anyone on the entire internet that doesn't think the exact same way that I do" Then leave. You may as well never get online again a day in your life lol.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

May I suggest stopping by Guest Relations and voicing your concerns in person.
This will make more of a impact in getting your thoughts across.

Complaining to Cast only goes so far, but talking to the Cast at GRs will get the message across even better.


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And Josh is in Burbank. Never to be seen at WDW.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

They meant live action when they said "real people"

Yes, and it's the only representation of those characters. They don't really exist outside of it in Disney terms. That's not true for Mickey Mouse; he exists in numerous cartoons, movies, TV shows, etc.

It's not really comparable to something an actual person did in their past.

Walt Disney was a real person. He created the cartoons. There’s a theme park that bears his name. Point is - if someone really wants to find issue - they will. Regardless if it was a real or imaginary person and regardless if it happened 1 or 100 years ago.

 

[hopemax]

Meanwhile, I don't see anyone asking for, let's say, historically preserved southern plantations to be torn down. Most would rather see them preserved, slave quarters and all, as a reminder of where this country came from, and the real forces that shaped it, including those that aren't always comfortable to confront. There's a pretty big distinction between that and a statue created years after an event with the purpose of "let's antagonize this particular group of traditionally marginalized people" in mind.

FWIW, I have seen several people advocate that preserved plantations should absolutely, not be used as wedding and event facilities.

 

[davis_unoxx]

The idea that Splash Mountain -- arguably Disney's most beloved ride, alongside Haunted Mansion -- has to go down the toilet because it is based on Song of the South is absolutely absurd.

I'm a young black man. I am a progressive one at that and anyone who isn't actively dismissing and/or turning a blind eye to racism can clearly see that Song of the South very much is based upon it. However SPLASH MOUNTAIN is not. It's a ride at a theme park, and depicts no humans let alone racial relations between them! No references to the movie are made. Dumbo is based on animal cruelty, all the princesses and castles are based on (cruel) fuedalism, and the entirety of Frontierland is based on the (obviously cruel) genocide and extermination/removal of Native Americans. We gonna take these down too? Ridiculous.

Disney consistently makes their parks worse, or at least almost never makes them better. A decision like this represents all the problems of modern Disney and why I thinknI can spend my tourist dollars better at another destination.

Beautifully said!

The woke police have no rationale, they use bullying as a tactic to make change. You’re someone that is against splash mountain getting removed? You’re a racist. People literally writing that online and shaming people.

As a young black male, what do you think of white people that call others racist for opinions such as that?

 

[Brer Oswald]

Not to mention this is a Disney World ride lol people need to let it go that it's changing

I really hope nothing is untouchable for you.

 

[SirNim]

What percentage of Americans do you think know the actual current full name of Rhode Island? I bet it's 1% or less. The state will still be called Rhode Island, which is what nearly everyone knows it as.

I would hope around 5%!

I will tell you, in public elementary schools, and not too long along, we were taught the full name, we were taught the shameful part of our history, but also the good part.

Do you use your middle name? Do you have a middle name?

You probably don't use your middle name much in daily life, but if you were told you had to ditch your middle name because you're a bad person if you want to cling to it, I think you may feel aggrieved. That issue goes straight to identity, and identity is the most dangerous thing to provoke, because people will go to unheard of lengths to preserve their identities. That is the point I've been trying to make here.

 

[celluloid]

"Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams and the hard facts that have created America."

Hard facts, be it what our Presidents had to go through, The Revolution our colonists provided, exploration of foriegn lands, less than proud moments and treatment of people of people who still taught kind values despite their mistreatment.

'Tell the truth but tell it slant' is a common request of artists in literature, and great art can do that. Disney certainly has. It does not make the intent ill.

 

[davis_unoxx]

Thanks for that. I’m an Army Vet. Served I. The second gulf war. The 90s were my favorite actually. Last decade wasn’t too bad, but I saw this train coming. I just didn’t know how big it was.

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?

 

[Basketbuddy101]

Beautifully said!

The woke police have no rationale, they use bullying as a tactic to make change. You’re someone that is against splash mountain getting removed? You’re a racist. People literally writing that online and shaming people.

As a young black male, what do you think of white people that call others racist for opinions such as that?

Twitter isn't having it today. You express your sentiment that you're disappointed by this change and they'll have your head on a silver platter for not being fully in favor of the change.

 

[Figments Friend]

A petition, some twitter outrage, and a bit of astroturfed bloggers have likely effectuated more real change in the parks than all of us have done in our years on this forum.

Maybe we've gone about this all wrong.

You are forgetting the 'Epcot 25th Anniversary' event.
That only happened because of a post made on this Forum in 2007 that snowballed into a fan movement so massive, it changed Disney's attitude completely around.

Google 'Epcot 25th ' or 'Celebration 25'.

All happened because of one post made here by a certain purple dragon.

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