Splash Mountain Audio Mystery

[mccgavin]

In this thread I'm going to try get to the bottom of a mystery that has been bothering me for years. As a part of the Disneyland 50th anniversary CD, the ride audio for Splash Mountain was included. One thing that had always puzzled me was that there was a portion of audio that as far as I know was never a part of the final ride. The audio in question can be heard at 3:56 in this video:



Despite my research over the years, I was never able to find any footage of this mysterious character in the ride. I also wondered if it was never used, what was it intended for. Eventually though, I discovered that nearly identical audio by seemingly the same voice actor was used in Walt Disney World's Splash Mountain, and was sung by Br'er Porcupine.

I then came to the conclusion that Br'er Porcupine was intended to appear in the first act of the ride, only to be moved by Dave Feiten when reportedly he rearranged many of the ride's animations to fix story and staging problems. I believed this to be the simple truth up until recently.

This concept art, which shows Br'er Porcupine in the finale scene has made me doubt my previous assumption. While this is by no means hard evidence that he was always planned to be in the finale, it certainly adds credence to the idea.

The only other theory I have is that it could've possible been an early version of the dialogue for this alligator, later to be replaced by a more fitting deeper voice. Other than this I have no idea who or what it was intended for.

If anyone would have the answer to this question, I would imagine it would be someone on these forums. Do you know who these lines were intended for, and why there were removed? If so be sure to let me know.

 

[Sharon&Susan]

Maybe it was meant for Brer Stork

Would've been quite a groovy solo!

 

[oo_nrb]

To my knowledge, that audio was recorded for but never used for Splash in California. A lot of things for Splash had to be adjusted during the test and adjust phase of things, which pushed Splash's opening from January to July 1989. One of those things was the speed at which the logs move through each section of the attraction, and how that timing works with the rest of the attraction. It was likely discovered that, with how fast the logs move through that portion of the attraction, a figure/scene had to be cut and the porcupine was the easiest one to cut. In Florida's Splash, the logs move much slower through that area of the attraction and there is more room for more scenes, making his inclusion easier.

As to why that audio is included on the 50th CD, it's beyond me. I feel it was either an oversight by the person assembling the collection (who maybe has only experienced the attraction in Florida) or left in as an homage to the fact that the porcupine was originally intended to be there.

EDIT > Also, to your earlier question, it is definitely the same recordings for both the CD track and the Florida porcupine track. The porcupine is voiced by Jess Harnell, who also provided the voice of Br'er Rabbit (and probably more famously, Roger Rabbit in Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin and Wakko Warner in Animaniacs).

 

[mccgavin]

To my knowledge, that audio was recorded for but never used for Splash in California. A lot of things for Splash had to be adjusted during the test and adjust phase of things, which pushed Splash's opening from January to July 1989. One of those things was the speed at which the logs move through each section of the attraction, and how that timing works with the rest of the attraction. It was likely discovered that, with how fast the logs move through that portion of the attraction, a figure/scene had to be cut and the porcupine was the easiest one to cut. In Florida's Splash, the logs move much slower through that area of the attraction and there is more room for more scenes, making his inclusion easier.

As to why that audio is included on the 50th CD, it's beyond me. I feel it was either an oversight by the person assembling the collection (who maybe has only experienced the attraction in Florida) or left in as an homage to the fact that the porcupine was originally intended to be there.

Yeah, I can understand the reasoning as to why it was removed. One important thing to note though is just because the lines were eventually used for Br'er Porcupine, that doesn't mean that the lines were meant for that character, or that he was meant to appear at that point in the ride. Judging by the concept art he was always intended to appear in the finale.

The main question I'm trying to answer is which animatronic the lines were intended for.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

Somewhat off-topic, but I emailed Dave Feiten years ago asking if I could do a brief interview with him about Splash but unfortunately never got a reply. This would have been an interesting question to ask him.

 

[SuddenStorm]

That audio has been on every version of the Splash Mountain medley that's been released, and it bugs me to no end. Should be the alligator singing there, and to me, cheapens the track.

They've released a few different versions of the Splash Mountain Medley for different releases... the 50 one has the Sooner Or Later in place of Burrow's Lament. The Legacy Collection omits the bee version of Laughing Place and Burrow's Lament. My favorite? The one on the theme park classic disc, that has both the bee rendition of Laughing Place and Burrow's Lament.

I'd LOVE for Splash Mountain to get a proper ride through audio release similar to what Pirates and Mansion have gotten.

 

[TROR]

Yeah, I can understand the reasoning as to why it was removed. One important thing to note though is just because the lines were eventually used for Br'er Porcupine, that doesn't mean that the lines were meant for that character, or that he was meant to appear at that point in the ride. Judging by the concept art he was always intended to appear in the finale.

The main question I'm trying to answer is which animatronic the lines were intended for.

I'd bet on Br'er Turtle

 

[mccgavin]

EDIT > Also, to your earlier question, it is definitely the same recordings for both the CD track and the Florida porcupine track. The porcupine is voiced by Jess Harnell, who also provided the voice of Br'er Rabbit (and probably more famously, Roger Rabbit in Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin and Wakko Warner in Animaniacs).

Ah, that's cool. I believe he's also the voice of Crash Bandicoot in the games.

I'd bet on Br'er Turtle

View attachment 352163

That's possible, but assuming this is the case there would also be unused audio of Br'er Rabbit singing alone.

 

[mickEblu]

I think it has to be the turtle. The voice over work definitely sounds like they re going for turtle.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Wait, so we think that the audio is the original audio for Brer Turtle?

I don't think it is... the audio for the track goes:

Brer Rabbit: I'm lookin' for a little more adventure
Brer Turtle: I'm headin for a little bit of fun now
Brer Rabbit: I'm hopin' for a little more excitement
Brer Rabbit and Brer Turtle: Time to be movin' along
Brer Rabbit: I've had enough of this old briar patch
Brer Turtle: I think an adventure's a bout to hatch
Brer Rabbit: I'm movin' on, say goodbye to me. Down at the laughin' place is where I'll be
Brer Rabbit: I'm lookin' for a little more adventure
Brer Turtle: I'm headin for a little bit of fun now
Brer Rabbit: I'm hopin' for a little more excitement
Brer Rabbit and Brer Turtle: Time to be movin' along
Brer Rabbit: I've nailed up my door I'll see you around, the laughin place is where I'll be found
Brer Turtle: If you're heading out and not coming back, then I'm coming to I've packed my sack
Brer Rabbit and Brer Turtle: I'm looking for a little bit of fun now, time to be movin along, time to be movin along

Unknown Voice: He's looking for a little more adventure, but he's headin' for a little bit of trouble. He's headin for a little bit of danger, time to be turnin' around. Time to be turnin' around. Careful Brer' Rabbit you better mend your ways, you're headin' for trouble one of these days. Warnin' this rabbit I'm afraid afraid it's a waste, he's headin' for the laughin' place. Time to be turnin' around, time to be turnin around. He's looking for a little more adventure, but he's headin' for a little bit of trouble. He's headin for a little bit of danger, time to be turnin' around. Time to be turnin' around. Time to be turnin' around.

It's interesting that halfway through, it seems like the voice changes from warning brer' rabbit, to speaking directly to the audience. It functions as a bit of warning that things are about to go wrong for the rabbit... and the voice functions as a monologue, not a duo like Brer Rabbit and Turtle. This confused me until I actually watched WDW's Splash Mountain...

The exact audio for the "unknown" voice can be heard here in WDW's Splash Mountain:



The OP already pointed out it's the same voice actor... I'd take it a step further and say it's the exact same audio track, or a b version of WDW's Porcupine audio track. The way the dialogue is sung fits FAR better with WDW's style of music vs Disneyland's.

The dialogue functions as a transition between the hopeful "moving along" and the warning of the laughing place... and when heard in WDW's ride, it fits far better.

My guess? This audio was never intended for use in Disneyland's Splash Mountain, but was used in the Splash Mountain Medley releases for some reason.

It's my understanding that Splash Mountain never got an official music release until after WDW's opened, so I'm guessing whoever did the audio mix just liked the line and thought it helped tell the "story" better or something. They really should have the Alligator's singing there though, and it's a shame the mistake has never been fixed.

 

[SuddenStorm]

To my knowledge, that audio was recorded for but never used for Splash in California.

Where'd you hear this from? The only released audio I'm aware of that was originally intended for CA's Splash is the Sooner Or Later bit also found on the '50th version of the medley. I'd be curious to learn more, since there's really no place inside Disneyland's Splash Mountain this figure/audio would have fit, so I'd be surprised if they had recorded it for DL and not WDW.

 

[mccgavin]

It's my understanding that Splash Mountain never got an official music release until after WDW's opened, so I'm guessing whoever did the audio mix just liked the line and thought it helped tell the "story" better or something. They really should have the Alligator's singing there though, and it's a shame the mistake has never been fixed.

If you listen closely there is one subtle difference between the two recordings. The line in question is:

"Warnin' this rabbit I'm afraid afraid it's a waste, he's headin' for the laughin' place."

In the Disneyland version he holds out the word "laughin' place" as "laugh-in'-place". In the WDW version he sings the word quickly and in a much higher pitch than any of his other lines.

It would be odd for them to record a new line just for the Disneyland CD release, and then to mix it with the pre-existing audio. Also these lines can be heard in this demo tape for the ride at 2:35:



I'm pretty sure it was at least intended to be in the Disneyland version at some point, before later being used for WDW (albeit very slightly modified).

 

[SuddenStorm]

If you listen closely there is one subtle difference between the two recordings. The line in question is:

"Warnin' this rabbit I'm afraid afraid it's a waste, he's headin' for the laughin' place."

In the Disneyland version he holds out the word "laughin' place" as "laugh-in'-place". In the WDW version he sings the word quickly and in a much higher pitch than any of his other lines.

It would be odd for them to record a new line just for the Disneyland CD release, and then to mix it with the pre-existing audio. Also these lines can be heard in this demo tape for the ride at 2:35:



I'm pretty sure it was at least intended to be in the Disneyland version at some point, before later being used for WDW (albeit very slightly modified).

Perhaps the audio used in the Splash Mountain Medley was a different recording than the one that eventually wound up in WDW?

I'm just really curious about where it would have gone. I tried to find the storyboard for that portion of the ride, but a quick Google search didn't bring it up. At the very least, that could have possibly cleared up who the voice was to be attributed to.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Here's an off topic question: Why don't the Disneyland vultures have the top hats like they did when they were used in America Sings, but the (I'm assuming) purpose built ones used in Florida do?

Here's them in America Sings:

Here's them in Disneyland Splash Mountain:

But here's them in Florida Splash Mountain:

Seems weird that Florida would have the America Sings era tophats, but Disneyland which has the actual America Sings animatronis doesn't.

This 1990 video of Disneyland doesn't have the tophats, so unless they were there in '89 then removed by 1990, Disneyland never had them, so why the heck does WDW?:

 

[mccgavin]

Here's an off topic question: Why don't the Disneyland vultures have the top hats like they did when they were used in America Sings, but the (I'm assuming) purpose built ones used in Florida do?

I've always wondered that too. I believe a lot of merchandise at Disneyland, as well as the art on the in-ride photo depicts them with hats. I really have no idea why they chose to leave them off.

Also don't even get me started on the discrepancy of Br'er Rabbit's fur color...

 

[SuddenStorm]

I've always wondered that too. I believe a lot of merchandise at Disneyland, as well as the art on the in-ride photo depicts them with hats. I really have no idea why they chose to leave them off.

The only thing that makes sense is that the ceiling where they were installed was too low for the top hats, looking at the photo it doesn't look like much space, especially when they move their head up.

But then that doesn't explain why there were installed with the America Sings attire in Florida, instead of something new/unique that's actually designed for Splash Mountain.

 

[Disney Irish]

Here's an off topic question: Why don't the Disneyland vultures have the top hats like they did when they were used in America Sings, but the (I'm assuming) purpose built ones used in Florida do?

Here's them in America Sings:

View attachment 352300

Here's them in Disneyland Splash Mountain:

View attachment 352301

But here's them in Florida Splash Mountain:

View attachment 352302

Seems weird that Florida would have the America Sings era tophats, but Disneyland which has the actual America Sings animatronis doesn't.

This 1990 video of Disneyland doesn't have the tophats, so unless they were there in '89 then removed by 1990, Disneyland never had them, so why the heck does WDW?:

I'm guessing, and its only a guess, the FL version has the tophats as an homage to the original getting its AAs from America Sings.

 

[SuddenStorm]

I'm guessing, and its only a guess, the FL version has the tophats as an homage to the original getting its AAs from America Sings.

Alright, but why would Florida have this homage but not California?

 

[Disney Irish]

Alright, but why would Florida have this homage but not California?

There you have me, I don't know. As I said it was a guess. But maybe its a little wink and nod to the past.

Plus the AAs in CA themselves are already an homage to the America Sings.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Plus the AAs in CA themselves are already an homage to the America Sings.

Perhaps I'm nitpicking, but they're not an homage- they are America Sings. That's why it's weird that the actual America Sings vultures used in Disneyland wouldn't have the tophat, but WDW would.

I think my ceiling theory holds weight, but the whole thing doesn't make sense.