News Splash Mountain retheme to Princess and the Frog - Tiana's Bayou Adventure

[MisterPenguin]

The reason for changing Splash in California would be the same reason for changing Splash in Orlando. There's no way both don't get changed.

 

[ToTBellHop]

The reason for changing Splash in California would be the same reason for changing Splash in Orlando. There's no way both don't get changed.

While I don’t agree with “there’s no way,” they’ve made it quite clear that this will happen. Any opportunity to back out passed when they commented recently. They could have just said nothing post pandemic and no one would have really taken notice.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I still think it's possible to "back out" of Florida's project, personally. We'll see though.

I think after Iger leaves and Chapek has full range, economics will be looked at a bit more. DL would be much harder to justify cutting, given all the design work, which is costly, is dedicated to its attraction mostly.

It would be pretty easy to focus PR on California and ignore Florida mostly outside of saying that "it will come at a later date". It still could come to Florida too. However, if they were to decide to build a new PatF attraction with Tiana's Place at DHS instead, just for example, I don't think too many people would complain that SM is still here, since very few who attend MK honestly do now.

What I'm really saying is that IF the makeover doesn't happen though, which it very much still could, it's going to be based on economics. It'd just take the right pitch for an alternative.

For me, that'd be a PatF ride without a height requirement. Nothing says let's build an "inclusive ride" like excluding everyone under 40 inches and breaking families with small children apart.

They dare not test the optics of announcing a ride meant to replace perceived racial insensitivity with a Black princess, state they are still working on it, and then pull out. Chapek will not allow those headlines to be written. This will get a healthy budget and get done. I’m less convinced that WDI will make a good product with that budget. It is hard to fill Splash’s shoes, especially at WDW. DL’s is a much weaker ride IMHO and could easily be added to New Orleans Square.

I just can’t see how it works at WDW. Song of the South is barely known by most guests, so we buy the vague Old West look without questioning.

Everyone knows Tiana lives in New Orleans.

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

They dare not test the optics of announcing a ride meant to replace perceived racial insensitivity with a Black princess, state they are still working on it, and then pull out. Chapek will not allow those headlines to be written. This will get a healthy budget and get done.

Exactly. They drew a line in the sand that acknowledged and agreed with the premises of the complaints. This is not something that can be walked back.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Exactly. They drew a line in the sand that acknowledged and agreed with the premises of the complaints. This is not something that can be walked back.

Their only opportunity was to just say nothing after the 2019 announcement. They chose not to.

We really need to work on accepting that Splash will be leaving pretty soon. It’s sucks but it’s true. I think they’ll wait until the 50th is over, at least.

 

[Magicart87]

I've said it before but a simple retooling of MK' Splash makes the most sense financially. As for optics, they could still overlay a different MK attraction or build a new one. HA!

None of that will happen of course but it's fun to speculate and hope for even if it's unrealistic. It's down to finances for me. I'd rather CA get a kickass PatF overlay with additional funds pumped into that one attraction than a mediocre overlay attempt copied between parks.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I just can’t see how it works at WDW. Song of the South is barely known by most guests, so we buy the vague Old West look without questioning.

Everyone knows Tiana lives in New Orleans.

All of Liberty Square to BTM is a mess of geography and chronology.

There's a Mississippi river boat with narration by Mark Twain that has a Liberty Square (colonial) port right next to a gothic New York mansion that passes by and comments on Splash Mountain and BTM.

Change the name of that whole area to Americana Land and stop worrying about the existing or future clashes of time and place.

 

[EagleScout610]

I still think it's possible to "back out" of Florida's project, personally. We'll see though.

See, while I think it's POSSIBLE, it's unlikely. With comments like this from the MK VP:

“I'm in a lot of meetings right now around Splash Mountain, and of course, our guests haven't seen any changes yet. That's going to take some time, but the sequence of these things is that sometimes decisions can be made many many months, even years before any of that will be seen on stage, so it's going to take us a little bit of time to reimagine Splash Mountain, but I can tell you behind the scenes that terrific work has been done including some selections around music around animatronics, and it is really an inspiring story.".

It's clear they want to boot Song of the South, but when will it happen is the question.

 

[Dan Deesnee]

I think the most likely scenario is that the Disneyland one happens. Then they can say that they did it.

Then all they have to do is announce that Splash mountain will be staying at WDW possibly with some changes to the voice overlays etc. At the same time they announced a new princess and the frog attraction for Magic Kingdom to "Truly give Tiana and her fans what they deserve."

 

[ToTBellHop]

I think the most likely scenario is that the Disneyland one happens. Then they can say that they did it.

Then all they have to do is announce that Splash mountain will be staying at WDW possibly with some changes to the voice overlays etc. At the same time they announced a new princess and the frog attraction for Magic Kingdom to "Truly give Tiana and her fans what they deserve."

I would have agreed 6 months ago. Now I think this is set in stone.

 

[EagleScout610]

I would have agreed 6 months ago. Now I think this is set in stone.

Isn't Cali going soon? I think that will be the big determining factor, how well that one does.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Isn't Cali going soon? I think that will be the big determining factor, how well that one does.

Yes, DL should be first.

 

[BuzzedPotatoHead89]

Yes, DL should be first.

Should be? That’s interesting since I assumed WDW was further down the pike.

If I were them I would plan it several years apart and wait for the guest surveys on DL to see what alterations/changes need to be made and assuming it’s popular maybe make a final *push* with OLC, too.

But perhaps the two domestic attractions are going to go down for retheme closer together than I thought.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Should be? That’s interesting since I assumed WDW was further down the pike.

If I were them I would plan it several years apart and wait for the guest surveys on DL to see what alterations/changes need to be made and assuming it’s popular maybe make a final *push* with OLC, too.

But perhaps the two domestic attractions are going to go down for retheme closer together than I thought.

In general, we avoid major closures during celebrations. So May 2023 at the earliest, but more likely Fall 2023 so it can open Spring 2025.

 

[EagleScout610]

Yes, DL should be first.

Isn't it this winter?

 

[ToTBellHop]

Isn't it this winter?

Last I’d heard but I stopped digging. They love delaying…

 

[owlsandcoffee]

As time goes on I just think...there's a steamboat going by. WDW's Frontierland was never really cohesive anyways. It's cool, it'll be fine. People will not for one second be drawn out of the experience. It'll be fun. The ride will probably not be that great but that's an indictment of what TWDC makes WDI do.

 

[CJR]

My question is - is Disney really going to achieve anything from this if a huge fragment of SotS still exists in Tokyo? I suppose social media (even though these people can be from anywhere) only cares about "racism" if it's in America, in this case?

[EDIT] Following a reply taking this out of context, I am not saying that social media is the only group that cares about this project. I asked a rhetorical question. Honestly answer this to yourself - no need to reply. Does racism stop at America? If your answer is no, are you OK if the project stops at America?

 

[Magicart87]

Last I’d heard but I stopped digging. They love delaying…

You got to dig a little deeper...

 

[LittleBuford]

My question is - is Disney really going to achieve anything from this if a huge fragment of SotS still exists in Tokyo? I suppose social media (even though these people can be from anywhere) only cares about "racism" if it's in America, in this case?

I think it’s a bit cynical to assume that the only people who’ll care about the retheme are social-media activists.

At any rate, yes, changing the US rides is going to read as a big statement regardless of what happens in Japan. Relatively few Americans know anything about the Tokyo parks beyond their existence.