Any chance this Splash Mountain retheme is cancelled?

[el_super]

Disney: Oh, so you want Pixar? STAR WARS??? mArVeL?!?!??!? Oh, I know: TOY STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Probably about 3 years ago, I was driving around Anaheim and I saw one of those shuttle busses that has the Disney wraps on it. There was a picture of Space Mountain with Buzz Lightyear flying over it. It didn't make sense to me at first, because obviously the two don't really go together. But that's when I realized the huge disconnect between something that's classic (like Space Mountain) and something that's recognizably Disney like Buzz Lightyear, having to share the same space and the same audience.

What made it even more compelling was the concept of the bus wrap itself: in the short span of the 3 or 4 seconds someone is going to see that bus and think about it, it has to convey a message that people understand. That people understand what Buzz Lightyear is so easily, and the emotions he illicit, is powerful. It's been over 40 years now and I still don't think I understand what Space Mountain is supposed to be.

It may not make a lot of sense in theme park design, and sometimes it can feel like downright pandering, but people love seeing characters they know on the side of a bus.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I’m sure I’ll hear a lot of hell No’s but there is a lot at play here.

- The economic turmoil Disney find themselves in because of COVID 19

- Uncertainty in general of what the future holds for theme parks due to COVID 19

- The Negative Socio- Cultural impact from this decision.


So yeah weirder things have happened. I think they are ****ing off a lot of their fan base with this move. Also, it wouldn’t be the first time something was announced on a Blog and then canceled. Think 4th DLR Hotel. Lastly, the negative backlash worked with Mr. Toad. Granted, nobody finds Wind in the Willows racist... yet.

Any chance this Splash Mountain retheme is cancelled?
No.
The only questions are; When and how long will the attraction will be closed for the retheme.

 

[mickEblu]

Any chance this Splash Mountain retheme is cancelled?
No.
The only questions are; When and how long will the attraction will be closed for the retheme.

Copy that.

 

[Rich T]

Why are you not blocking all ads like the rest of us?

I’m on my phone.

 

[Rich T]

Mr Toad comes to mind

R.I.P. Florida Toad

 

[Stevek]

I've never understood the Star Wars obsession, but then I only saw New Hope back when they were re-releasing the older ones in 97 and it left no impression on me. Part of me wants to give it another chance; part of me has seen and heard enough Star Wars in my lifetime through osmosis that I never want to touch it because I'm that tired of hearing about it.

Is a Star Wars obsession any different than a Disney/Disney Parks obsession that most of us probably have if we are spending time on a message board? Like anything, there is a line where obsession is crossed and one becomes completely consumed by it...we've seen it all too often with people that live and breathe Disney Parks to the point on not being able to (or wanting to) do anything else. There are people like this in every fanbase.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Is a Star Wars obsession any different than a Disney/Disney Parks obsession that most of us probably have if we are spending time on a message board? Like anything, there is a line where obsession is crossed and one becomes completely consumed by it...we've seen it all too often with people that live and breathe Disney Parks to the point on not being able to (or wanting to) do anything else. There are people like this in every fanbase.

I'm not pretending it's different, just sharing my feeling that the balance, in this particular context, is off.

I'm sure if I was a fan I'd feel differently.

 

[smooch]

The reason for it is our primitive fight or flight instinct. At one point it was used all the time. We were put in situations where an animal or a stronger person is going to attack us. We decide to either fight the animal/person or run away. Since that doesn't happen anymore, we apply it to arguing on the internet. If you don't agree with me, you must be my enemy. Therefore, I'm going to fight against anything you say even if it is completely irrational. It is an instinct some people can't get over or control very well. It is easier to control with maturity.

Yeah that makes sense I guess but I've just noticed it get worse and worse over the last few years. I would say specifically I have noticed it get worse since my freshman / sophomore year of high school, so about 6-7 years ago is when people seemed to get really divisive both online and in person and I hate that toxic mindset. People aren't open to having their minds changed, they put themselves into virtual and real life echo chambers and attack anything that doesn't agree with their "truth."

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

The chance is close to zero I think. They backed themselves into a corner by announcing this, it's basically a tacit admission by Disney that they think Splash Mountain is too "problematic" to exist anymore. As others have said they'd get even worse of a backlash from the woke mob/media for trying to go back on this. Their line of thinking at this point is probably that they're gonna re-theme Splash no matter what even if it sucks.

And @mickEblu it hurts how much I resonate with you on this. Like you, I'm not gonna say I'm done with Disney parks forever now, but my interest in the American parks has been significantly reduced by this to the point where it may never be the same. I've always wondered if one day I would get pushed out of the parks community because over time everything I love about the parks would be taken out and made forgotten history and now I'm starting to see that nightmare become realized for the first time. Starting to worry that the part of my life spent following the parks may be coming to a close.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

I hope that all of those who don't want Splash to change will be writing to WDW and voicing their objections.
Maybe if they get a lot of negative feedback (not just via fan sites) they will reconsider.

 

[Travel Junkie]

The chance they cancel this change are less than 1%. They made this announcement during a Covid shutdown of their parks and a day after they announced Disneyland's opening was delayed. They took the finances into consideration before announcing. If they had announced this pre-Covid, then you might have seen a reconsideration. They are going ahead with this.

As far as fan blacklash, I'm sure they expected this. They see fan blacklash over the smallest of things, so I'm sure they expected this. And to be clear, the people voicing their disapproval are a very small percentage. I would guess that amongst the hardcore fans, it is close to 50/50 pro and against although the against are certainly much louder. And the hardcore fan represents a very small percentage of the parks going public. The average fan is not going to boycott. The hope that fan pressure will cause a cancellation from a small amount of superfans is misguided imo. It's just about time to move on from the denial phase.

 

[Phroobar]

Yeah that makes sense I guess but I've just noticed it get worse and worse over the last few years. I would say specifically I have noticed it get worse since my freshman / sophomore year of high school, so about 6-7 years ago is when people seemed to get really divisive both online and in person and I hate that toxic mindset. People aren't open to having their minds changed, they put themselves into virtual and real life echo chambers and attack anything that doesn't agree with their "truth."

Sure. Just look at this thread and how the same people keep screaming the same things at each other over and over again and it is carried to extremes as if it was true. There is nothing new in most threads. Nothing is ever resolved. Truth is lost within the five posts. One can not have a discussion where facts are treated as lies or unknowns because it doesn't fall in your tribe. It's like a contest to prove who is superior among bleating geeks.

I also think it is becoming harder and harder for people to distinguish the truth or a fact over all the noise. I believe if one consumes too much a media, it comes one's perception of reality. For example, if one watches CNN constantly, one would swear people are falling dead in the streets from covid which just isn't true. CNN's broadcast model is based on saying the same thing every five minutes so people that tune in at any time can catch it. If one watches it straight for hours, one would think the end of world is here.

 

[John park hopper]

I hope that all of those who don't want Splash to change will be writing to WDW and voicing their objections.
Maybe if they get a lot of negative feedback (not just via fan sites) they will reconsider.

Unfortunately when Disney decided to charge parking for those staying at the onsite resorts after 40+ years of that being a "perk" there was an outcry and many people contacted Disney and in true Disney fashion they went ahead and did it any way --the guest be damned was heir attitude.

 

[Rich T]

...It's been over 40 years now and I still don't think I understand what Space Mountain is supposed to be.

It’s a smooth, exhilarating roller coaster in the dark with a playful sci-fi theme. That’s enough to make it one of my all-time favorites.

But what the frick is Astro Orbitor supposed to be?

 

[Rich T]

I hope that all of those who don't want Splash to change will be writing to WDW and voicing their objections.
Maybe if they get a lot of negative feedback (not just via fan sites) they will reconsider.

The truth is most people are going to love Frog Mountain when it opens. Disney knows this.

 

[BuzzedPotatoHead89]

But what the frick is Astro Orbitor supposed to be?

A ride that was turned to utter trash in 1998 and given a futuristic spray tan.

 

[el_super]

A ride that was turned to utter trash in 1998 and given a futuristic spray tan.

Wow. I really hope they fired the Imagineer who came up with that.

 

[DanielBB8]

Once announced, Disney never changes their mind unless they lose their budget. This retheme might get them to fix everything wrong with it like the often broken light bulbs and non-functional animatronics. My hope is they save a few classic Splash scenes and reuse existing animatronics with a skin suit. I'm let down on this constant political correctness that alters history for short-term gain. The critics are never satisfied and they'll pull down Walt's statue if it wasn't inside the park.

 

[BuzzedPotatoHead89]

Wow. I really hope they fired the Imagineer who came up with that.

Ah yes, good one.

The new Tomorrowland had promise, but unlike how Eisner, Pressler, and and co helped “streamlined” that project I would like to hope this “reimagined” Splash Mountain does not suffer a similar fate.

 

[DavidDL]

..It's been over 40 years now and I still don't think I understand what Space Mountain is supposed to be...

Space Mountain is a space station, plain and simple. Its size is enough to qualify it as a "mountain" not of granite and dirt but of steel. Our Space Mountain is Space Station 77 (or SS77, named for the year it was created) and exists as one of several stations in fictional orbit (as evidenced by the wall graphics and decals found throughout the queue).

SS77's captain is John Hench (another clever nod found in the queue) and it's purpose is deep space exploration, which is a concept that speaks for itself. Its unique architecture, theme and ride type are meant to inspire a sense of thrill and wonder in any and all would-be space explorers. It exists to drive the imagination of both young and old wild with the concept of what undiscovered wonders might await us somewhere among the stars, without the need for licensed characters or explicitly stated storylines. It gives us little to no narrative as to encourage us to use our own imaginations and find our own sense of wonder (sort of creating our own universe of adventure) instead of simply being told a story that must exist within its own, predetermined "box" or universe and must obey certain rules to make sense. Neither of these techniques is right or wrong, both are wonderful when done correctly but it is nice to have them both presented in the parks in some capacity.

Space Mountain and Buzz both share similar theme and concepts of space travel/exploration. -and although Buzz and his Space Rangers are more concerned about protecting the universe and SS77 is more concerned about exploring it/opening new frontiers, the two are certainly close enough in spirit to share a bus wrap (heck, they share a Tomorrowland mural as well).

The fact that you and millions of others are immediately able to identify Space Mountain on the side of bus as quickly and as easily as you could Buzz says enough about Space Mountain being unique enough to be considered a character in it's own right. Even if not for all the same reasons as Buzz. The Death Star doesn't have nearly as much characterization as someone like Darth Vader but it's still iconic enough to stand on its own right and be distinctly "Star Wars". Similarly, Space Mountain is iconic enough to be considered distinctly "Disney".