Dear Prudence
Well-Known Member
If they actually cared, they would display a degree of urgency. It would have happened sooner rather than later.Oh right. They're doing the remake because they don't care. Its so obvious. How did I miss that?
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Tiana's Bayou Adventure: Disneyland Watch & Discussion
- Thread starter Californian Elitist
- Start date
Brer Panther
Well-Known Member
The only thing Disney cares about, regarding this retheme, is looking good in the public eye.
Mac Tonight
Well-Known Member
So the fact they're doing it at all suggests... what?
Dear Prudence
Well-Known Member
They get no credit until they actually start doing it.
Brer Panther
Well-Known Member
They announced it because lots of people online were demanding it. I don't buy their claim that this was in the works since 2019. Especially since they didn't give a rat's tail about The Princess and the Frog before 2020.
Mac Tonight
Well-Known Member
Just because the general public hasn't seen them working on the physical space yet doesn't mean they haven't started "doing it". Lol.
Mac Tonight
Well-Known Member
I admit the timing of the announcement came off as very opportunistic, but that's it. Why would you dispute their claim? So much goes on within WDI that never gets announced to the public. Why would a preliminary Splash re-do idea be any different?
Brer Panther
Well-Known Member
It's waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much of a coincidence that Disney just so happened to have the exact same idea that Frederick Chambers posted on Twitter and people were demanding. It's possible that Disney orchestrated the demand to have the attraction rethemed to avoid backlash for retheming such a popular ride, or perhaps Frederick Chambers found out about the idea and claimed to come up with it himself, but I highly doubt it's just a coincidence. At best, I'd believe that a retheme of Splash Mountain based on The Princess and the Frog was suggested by somebody in Imagineering once or twice but didn't gain traction. And as I've said, Disney brushed off The Princess and the Frog as a flop and ignored it for years. Their sudden 180 on it strikes me as extremely suspicious.
And even if they DID come up with the idea on their own, why would they announce it during a pandemic when most of the parks were closed?
Mac Tonight
Well-Known Member
As I said, the timing and nature of the announcement (given all that was going on in the world) seemed nothing more than opportunistic. I can't speak about Frederick Chambers though since I'm unfamiliar with him.
Something to consider though, is that it is also entirely possible that the Tiana D+ show was likely in development already (again, things happen without being "public knowledge"), so some inter-department chatter could have sparked the idea a few years ago.
It's also entirely possible we'll never fully know the truth surrounding the re-do, and will just have to judge Frog Mountain on it's own merits when it does eventually open.
Brer Panther
Well-Known Member
He's the guy whose pitch on Twitter for a Princess and the Frog retheme of Splash Mountain got this big, crazy mess started in the first place. If you use Google, you can find interviews that people have done with him over Disney's using his idea. I won't get into what he's like personality-wise because I know a lot of people on here like to defend him.
I thought the Tiana show was developed after the retheme was announced. We still don't have much information about it, do we?
Mac Tonight
Well-Known Member
The Tiana show was announced in Dec 2020. Then, just a few weeks ago in Nov 2021, the first-look concept art was released, along with the name of the writer/director. The show itself isn't slated to hit D+ until 2023. At that pace, it's entirely believable the idea originated in 2019 or possibly even earlier.
I think it goes without saying, Disney doesn't do anything quickly.
Dear Prudence
Well-Known Member
Especially considering how long animation takes to create.
BuzzedPotatoHead89
Well-Known Member
It’s difficult to say whether the timing of the Splash announcement was a chicken or the egg scenario that pushed the announcement prematurely, but even had the events of Summer 2020 not occurred and the much maligned Freddy Chambers not have tweeted a word I’d argue Splash’s days in its dimly lit, late 1980s, Brer-friendly state were on choppy waters regardless.
Source material aside, the problem that Splash Mountain has is that it hasn’t reached the age to be considered a “Walt-era classic” in the mold of IASW, JC, Pirates, HM, or even Space Mountain and Matterhorn which were either overseen by or highly inspired by Walt and/or the first generation imagineering team.
I’d argue this is a trap that many of the other Eisner-era properties fall into - including Roger Rabbit, Star Tours, ToT, Screamin’, GMR, nearly all of DCA and Hollywood Studios, etc. They’re not really old enough to be considered “untouchable” for nostalgic reasons but because the “bones” of the attractions themselves are strong/popular they make for prime suspects for corporate layovers/promotions.
Heck, there were even rumors around decade ago that even BTMRR would have received a Zorro layover (had the movie been a financial success). Unfortunately for Tony Baxter and the 2nd Gen imagineers, TWDC of today as interested in IP layovers as they are park/land expansion.
Source material aside, the problem that Splash Mountain has is that it hasn’t reached the age to be considered a “Walt-era classic” in the mold of IASW, JC, Pirates, HM, or even Space Mountain and Matterhorn which were either overseen by or highly inspired by Walt and/or the first generation imagineering team.
I’d argue this is a trap that many of the other Eisner-era properties fall into - including Roger Rabbit, Star Tours, ToT, Screamin’, GMR, nearly all of DCA and Hollywood Studios, etc. They’re not really old enough to be considered “untouchable” for nostalgic reasons but because the “bones” of the attractions themselves are strong/popular they make for prime suspects for corporate layovers/promotions.
Heck, there were even rumors around decade ago that even BTMRR would have received a Zorro layover (had the movie been a financial success). Unfortunately for Tony Baxter and the 2nd Gen imagineers, TWDC of today as interested in IP layovers as they are park/land expansion.
GoneForGood
Well-Known Member
My big concern is how they tackle turning the "underground scenes" (Caverns/Burrows in DL and the Flooded Mine in WDW) into something found in PATF/New Orleans Swamps. What they do with that space will tell me everything I need to know.
The HDYD scenes and Finale (sans the caves that lead back to the load...) should be swift repaint /AA swap/Lighting changes/etc. Which is why I use the term overlay. I don't see them changing much of either of those scenes. Isn't Splash all one big structure/complex? They COULD gut the entire thing, but I don't know if I could see them doing that much. I could be wrong but I don't think Disney has done anything this big in terms of rethemes, due to just how well themed the current ride is.
But back to potential show scenes, I glance at blueprints/track layout and wonder how the overlay would look. I caught this particular shot in PATF during the "Going Down the Bayou" scene. The large exaggerated cypress trees very vaguely resemble the rockwork of the caverns. That or I'm just seeing things. (That or being wishful for scenery and landscapes actually found in Tiana's story...)
It's honestly a just wait and see deal for me. But expectations aren't stellar so far. But I am curious to see how this turns out.
The HDYD scenes and Finale (sans the caves that lead back to the load...) should be swift repaint /AA swap/Lighting changes/etc. Which is why I use the term overlay. I don't see them changing much of either of those scenes. Isn't Splash all one big structure/complex? They COULD gut the entire thing, but I don't know if I could see them doing that much. I could be wrong but I don't think Disney has done anything this big in terms of rethemes, due to just how well themed the current ride is.
But back to potential show scenes, I glance at blueprints/track layout and wonder how the overlay would look. I caught this particular shot in PATF during the "Going Down the Bayou" scene. The large exaggerated cypress trees very vaguely resemble the rockwork of the caverns. That or I'm just seeing things. (That or being wishful for scenery and landscapes actually found in Tiana's story...)
It's honestly a just wait and see deal for me. But expectations aren't stellar so far. But I am curious to see how this turns out.
Attachments
Mac Tonight
Well-Known Member
What concerns me is the thought that, in our current hyper-synergistic, IP-focused Chapek/Iger landscape, even the "Walt-era classics" feel like they're living on borrowed time. Granted they might not receive full remakes, but more, "death by a thousand cuts" in an effort to modernize them to fit today's (ever-changing) societal standards. Which, ironically, has all the potential to be worse than a full redo.
Dear Prudence
Well-Known Member
wait, whaaaaaatttt????
CaptinEO
Well-Known Member
I mean Jungle Cruise and Pirates fully reflect 2021 logic and are not Walt rides anymore IMO.
I can all but guarantee Tiki Room is "offensive" because characters have accents.
Modern Disney's remedy to that would be have a bird from Mexico and a bird from Africa and give them very plain/sterile voices instead of highlighting their culture.
To modern Disney "inclusion" is only two races. (I wonder if its because these are large demographics and therefore stand to earn them more money/appeal).
Mac Tonight
Well-Known Member
Sadly, I can see that happening.
I'm also really curious to see what becomes of the rumored Pirates changes (Depp/Sparrow out) that would align with the upcoming franchise reboot. Though if I'm being 100% transparent, I wouldn't be that upset by a Margot Robbie AA
Kirby86
Well-Known Member
To be honest I'm suprised Epcot is getting a Walt Disney statue. It seems like the administration under both Iger and Chapek want to pretend ant thing pre-little Mermaid dosen't exist
BuzzedPotatoHead89
Well-Known Member
To be clear I agree with this, as I think “improving the classics” becomes more about stroking individual egos than improving ride experience. For instance I’m no fan of the changes to Pirates, since I think “softening” it changes the spirit of the ride entirely (which could be interpreted as a comedic but humbling cautionary tale in reverse).
But in the eyes of modern WDI they are “plussing” the experience by making the swashbuckling pirate characters antiheroes in their own backstories that more guests can personally identify with (I.e. Redd, Jack, etc.).
But in any case I do think the “classics” will remain in some form even if they’re tinkered with.