Future Splash Mtn. Re-Theme

Rich T

Rich T

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
A year ago I'd never have considered this a possibility, but now--Considering what's happening to PoC and What's already happened at DCA--I'm predicting Splash Mtn. will be rethemed, renamed, tied to a more popular IP, and presented to the public as a brand new ride. And Disney will pretend Brer Rabbit and crew never existed. Consider this:

1) Disney knows Splash Mtn.'s origin IP is (deserved or not) a ticking grenade of potential social media disaster. All it would take is one slow news week and the next thing you know #RacistRabbitRide is all over CNN.
2) Nothing at DL is sacred. That's been made quite clear.

So what would Splash Mtn. become? I've got 3 possible makeovers in mind...

#1 (Least likely): ZOOTOPIA LUMBERMILL MYSTERY CHASE. Hey--they're critters, right?
#2 (More likely) POOH STICKS.
#3 (Most likely) EWOK RIVER RUSH: A STAR WARS ADVENTURE. As SW expands to gobble up the entirety of Critter Country.

I'm calling it, and I predict it'll happen within 5 years. Maybe not based around one of my 3 guesses, but definitely a total erasure of any ties to Song of the South. What do you think?
 
Last edited:
mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Rich T said:
A year ago I'd never have considered this a possibility, but now--Considering what's happening to PoC and What's already happened at DCA--I'm predicting Splash Mtn. will be rethemed, renamed, tied to a more popular IP, and presented to the public as a brand new ride. And Disney will pretend Brer Rabbit and crew never existed. Consider this:

1) Disney knows Splash Mtn.'s origin IP is (deserved or not) a ticking grenade of potential social media disaster. All it would take is one slow news week and the next thing you know #RacistRabbitRide is all over CNN.
2) Nothing at DL is sacred. That's been made quite clear.

So what would Splash Mtn. become? I've got 3 possible makeovers in mind...

#1 (Least likely): ZOOTOPIA LUMBERMILL MYSTERY CHASE. Hey--they're critters, right?
#2 (More likely) POOH STICKS.
#3 (Most likely) EWOK RIVER RUSH: A STAR WARS ADVENTURE. As SW expands to gobble up the entirety of Critter Country.

I'm calling it, and I predict it'll happen within 5 years. Maybe not one of my 3 guesses, but definitely a total erasure of any ties to Song of the South. What do you think?
Click to expand...

No. Nope. Absolutely NOT. I despise the thought of any of these ideas.
 
SuddenStorm

SuddenStorm

Well-Known Member
Any potentially offensive reference has been carefully avoided in the ride (little to no mention of Uncle Remus, tar baby replaced with a beehive).

It's already well known by just about anyone who cares in the slightest that the ride is based on Song of the South characters. Most don't care.

The entire facade is rooted in the Brer Rabbit stories- it's designed to be Chick a Pin hill, as seen in the film. Retheming the ride would require a complete exterior rebuild.

Brer Rabbit and crew aren't inherently offensive, and nothing about Splash Mountain the ride could be seen as offensive.

That said- I do expect the logs to get seatbelts within the next decade. However unnecessary they may be.
 
mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Rich T said:
Just to be clear, this doesn't reflect my personal opinion of Splash Mtn. I'm just sure--based on Disney's recent direction-- this sort of change is coming.
Click to expand...

Oh I know. Lol. I just don’t want to breathe any life into them or speak/ think them into existence... In case the Universe or Disney is listening
 
SuddenStorm

SuddenStorm

Well-Known Member
Another thought-

The change to the auction scene in Pirates as just as much to do with promoting something new for the summer (new face character for photos, new merchandise, potential for a new character in the films) as it does political correctness. It was also a very cheap fix that was easily implemented very quickly.

Retheming the entirety of Splash Mountain would be far more expensive. They'd have to find a way to utilize or remove the insane number of animatronics found in the ride. They'd have to redesign and manufacture an entire new fleet of logs. They'd have to tear down the iconic facade and replace it with something equally beautiful and enticing.

And at the end of the day? What for. It's still popular. It's Song of the South origins are no secret, especially in this day and age of "10 Disneyland facts Disney doesn't want you to know" Buzzfeed articles and "An anonymous CM cited Song of the South as the origin of Splash Mountain." inside posts that plague Disneyland clickbait articles.
 
Rich T

Rich T

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
SuddenStorm said:
Another thought-

The change to the auction scene in Pirates as just as much to do with promoting something new for the summer (new face character for photos, new merchandise, potential for a new character in the films) as it does political correctness. It was also a very cheap fix that was easily implemented very quickly.

Retheming the entirety of Splash Mountain would be far more expensive. They'd have to find a way to utilize or remove the insane number of animatronics found in the ride. They'd have to redesign and manufacture an entire new fleet of logs. They'd have to tear down the iconic facade and replace it with something equally beautiful and enticing.

And at the end of the day? What for. It's still popular. It's Song of the South origins are no secret, especially in this day and age of "10 Disneyland facts Disney doesn't want you to know" Buzzfeed articles and "An anonymous CM cited Song of the South as the origin of Splash Mountain." inside posts that plague Disneyland clickbait articles.
Click to expand...
I'm just putting my prediction in the Wouldn't Surprise Me at All category. I'm not saying they'd do it *well*. In fact, I'm sure they'd leave as much of the exterior untouched as possible, and replace AAs with static figures and screens.

Even if you remove the SotS issue (which is dormant now, but could awaken anytime)... there's the big merchandise picture. SotS is a dead IP. How much more Pooh or Ewok products could they sell versus Brer Rabbit?

If that stupid Christopher Robin movie turns out to be a huge hit... Watch out. :D
 
Disney Irish

Disney Irish

Premium Member
If it was going to be done it would have been done already.

At this point it'd be torn down along with Pooh to open up the area to give way to more Star Wars.
 
Rich T

Rich T

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Disney Irish Bruh said:
If it was going to be done it would have been done already.

At this point it'd be torn down along with Pooh to open up the area to give way to more Star Wars.
Click to expand...
It would be cheaper to leave the flume ride where it is and do a half-baked makeover ala Incredicoaster, MB or Frozenstrom. Today's management likes cheap changes to push more merch. Ewok River Rush would be to Galaxy's Edge what Pixar Pier is to Cars Land.
 
note2001

note2001

Well-Known Member
Rich T said:
A year ago I'd never have considered this a possibility, but now--Considering what's happening to PoC and What's already happened at DCA--I'm predicting Splash Mtn. will be rethemed, renamed, tied to a more popular IP, and presented to the public as a brand new ride. And Disney will pretend Brer Rabbit and crew never existed. Consider this:

1) Disney knows Splash Mtn.'s origin IP is (deserved or not) a ticking grenade of potential social media disaster. All it would take is one slow news week and the next thing you know #RacistRabbitRide is all over CNN.
2) Nothing at DL is sacred. That's been made quite clear.

So what would Splash Mtn. become? I've got 3 possible makeovers in mind...

#1 (Least likely): ZOOTOPIA LUMBERMILL MYSTERY CHASE. Hey--they're critters, right?
#2 (More likely) POOH STICKS.
#3 (Most likely) EWOK RIVER RUSH: A STAR WARS ADVENTURE. As SW expands to gobble up the entirety of Critter Country.

I'm calling it, and I predict it'll happen within 5 years. Maybe not based around one of my 3 guesses, but definitely a total erasure of any ties to Song of the South. What do you think?
Click to expand...
Don't mess with one of my favorites. Just. Don't.
tumblr_mtlo29eHiA1swk3bio2_500.gif

Apologies to Cobra Bubbles.
 
Disney Irish

Disney Irish

Premium Member
Rich T said:
It would be cheaper to leave the flume ride where it is and do a half-baked makeover ala Incredicoaster, MB or Frozenstrom. Today's management likes cheap changes to push more merch. Ewok River Rush would be to Galaxy's Edge what Pixar Pier is to Cars Land.
Click to expand...

Except as we know they want to make no overt reference to the original trilogy in SW:GE, its all about the new generation of SW. So Ewoks are out.
 
Rich T

Rich T

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
SuddenStorm said:
Any potentially offensive reference has been carefully avoided in the ride (little to no mention of Uncle Remus, tar baby replaced with a beehive).

It's already well known by just about anyone who cares in the slightest that the ride is based on Song of the South characters. Most don't care.

The entire facade is rooted in the Brer Rabbit stories- it's designed to be Chick a Pin hill, as seen in the film. Retheming the ride would require a complete exterior rebuild.

Brer Rabbit and crew aren't inherently offensive, and nothing about Splash Mountain the ride could be seen as offensive.

That said- I do expect the logs to get seatbelts within the next decade. However unnecessary they may be.
Click to expand...
I actually think the merchandise potential will kill Splash. And really, what makes you think they'd bother rebuilding the exterior? If Incredicoaster's a hit, they'll decide cheap overlays are the future. Chick a Pin hill suudenly becomes Wicket's hideout or Pooh's Woozle Lair without changing a thing. Few have seen SotS, and so the GP won't care.
 
Disney Irish

Disney Irish

Premium Member
Rich T said:
Fine. Porg Mountain. :D
Click to expand...

Sure why not.

However given that next year it'll be 30 years old, there are things that probably need replacing, upgrading, or completely rebuilding. For example, they'd want to install the side-by-side logs for higher capacity. That would require rebuilding most if not all of the flume. Which would require rebuilding some areas to handle the new flume.

Not saying its not possible, but I think it'd be cheaper to just tear it down and rebuild the whole thing.
 

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