Splash Mountain re-theme announced

[montyz81]

It seems Disney is trying to intentionally lose its happy place!

 

[Brer Oswald]

What do you think I meant? Good lord. I meant ASIDE FROM US. Brer Oswald.

SORRY SORRY

 

[erasure fan1]

Surely you can see that reasonable people might be upset by racially insensitive content and that changing that content isn't necessarily the beginning of sweeping change that will lead to the removal of everything that anyone might find remotely offensive.

I think that is exactly where this will lead.

 

[thomas998]

Can we all just agree that the good things about Splash Mountain far outweigh the bad?

No, No, No, No, No... didn't you get the last woke memo? The new woke mandate is throw out the baby with the bathwater. There will simply be no redeeming part of anything that has anything that might even hint at being negative. If the person that finds the cure to the corona virus happened to have a relative 3 generations ago and twice removed that had a slave, then the world must never use that cure because it might be seen as condoning slavery.

 

[Parker in NYC]

I think that is exactly where this will lead.

Don't worry, the civil rights movement started a long time ago and you're still safe.

 

[Kate F]

No, No, No, No, No... didn't you get the last woke memo? The new woke mandate is throw out the baby with the bathwater. There will simply be not redeeming part of anything that has anything that might even hint at being negative. If the person that finds the cure to the corona virus happened to have a relative 3 generations ago and twice removed that had a slave or then the world must never use that cure because it might be seen as condoning slavery.

This would be funny if it weren’t actually happening.

 

[WDW Pro]

Don't worry, the civil rights movement started a long time ago and you're still safe.

This current movement is in direct contradiction to everything Martin Luther King Jr taught and believed.

 

[lebeau]

But I would argue we're not - in 2020 - building rides out of "them" in a present-day sense. The ride was originally conceived by Baxter in the very early 80s and wasn't opened until '89. 30-40 years ago in totality.

Again, I would argue that the average parkgoer - I include international here as well - is unaware of the origin of the source material, nor would they ever care (for better or for worse) of the origin of the source material as they progress throughout their life, nor would they immediately disassociate themselves with riding the ride as based on a movie from the 1940s as the ride's source material.

Furthermore, as I referenced, removing it will not solve, nor heal anything. Anti-SM / SotS folks will just move on to their next target. That's the reality of this situation, whether or not it's deemed wholly appropriate or laudatory to remove or not.

I'd wager more people are familiar with the troubled history of the source material than you realize.

I was talking with a reader on my blog last year about Disney and Song of the South. The reader indicated that all traces of the movie were obliterated by Disney in the eighties aside from bootleg stuff. He was shocked to discover that there was a theme park attraction based on the movie in several locations worldwide and Song of the South merchandise available for purchase on the Disney Store website.

 

[Parker in NYC]

This current movement is in direct contradiction to everything Martin Luther King Jr taught and believed.

You really are a bundle of fun.

 

[Father Robinson]

Not quite sure what you're saying; the Declaration of Independence was a non-governing document and more of a statement of what was already apparent: that the war was not going to result in reconciliation between the two sides, and American victory would mean separation. Jefferson's prose in it is iconic in its usage of John Locke's natural rights principles and applying them to the current circumstances in 1776, but the dye was already cast, and the effort and work on the Declaration was the work of the entire Continental Congress and the specific committee (Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Sherman, Livingston), not just Jefferson himself.

EDIT: And to parrot what some others are saying, I agree that there's basically a near-zero chance that Disney made this alteration because of a change.org petition. No company Disney's size pays attention to those outside of the most extreme circumstances. This was likely a long-time in the making internal decision, but the announcement likely got bumped up a little sooner given current circumstances. To think it's more than that is really grasping at conspiracy theory-laden straws.

Good God, I meant at the time it was created.

 

[Lirael]

Ultimately, the issue is that Splash Mountain put its foot in its mouth since it was built. The IP it used in its creation was neither beloved or sought after and already deemed controversial when it was made. The original IP thus did not generate more interest or merchandise for the ride at all.

But rather than not go with that theme or retheme it soon to something with less issue (and more profitable), Disney let Splash mountain simmer with that IP for so very long that said theme became seen as historical to guests. So now although the vast majority is still not avid about the IP itself (the movie and books it was based on), a lot of people have "imprinted" on that theme to the point that its removal evokes complaints. Meanwhile keeping the theme also brooks complaints... so Disney placed itself in a pickle with no easy, money making, way out.

All they had to do was create Splash Mountain not based on any IP (just like the other attractions right next to it) or pick an IP that had less issue (or even more love).

 

[The_Jobu]

Random thought: if the public are anything like me, they're suddenly planning trips to ride Splash before it's gone, during this likely period of low attendance...

 

[Disney Analyst]

Disney's The Princess and the Frog Merchandise in High Demand Weeks before Film's Debut!

GLENDALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Weeks before the theatrical release of Disney’s upcoming animated feature The Princess and the Frog , th...

wdccduckman.blogspot.com

Wait wait wait. But that poster saw them on the shelves and thus can properly conclude that no one bought PatF merch and it wasn’t successful.

 

[disneygeek90]

Random thought: if the public are anything like me, they're suddenly planning trips to ride Splash before it's gone, during this likely period of low attendance...

Make sure you get your park reservation.

 

[Parker in NYC]

Wait wait wait. But that poster saw them on the shelves and thus can properly conclude that no one bought PatF merch and it wasn’t successful.

Oh, my bad!

 

[lebeau]

The hill itself is definitely not, but the whole track is a little more exhilarating with the twists and small rapids.. Once upon a time there used to be a bigger (and better) log flume where Diamondback now sits.

I remember River Country and the Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal well. I miss 'em. But things change. I like Diamondback too.

Now don't get me started on the Enchanted Voyage!

 

[thomas998]

Disney's The Princess and the Frog Merchandise in High Demand Weeks before Film's Debut!

GLENDALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Weeks before the theatrical release of Disney’s upcoming animated feature The Princess and the Frog , th...

wdccduckman.blogspot.com

Note that your article is specific to Disney Stores. Which really doesn't mean that much considering those stores will push a particular item like made near the time of a new movie release. Go to any Disney Store near a new movie release and you'll see a huge push to sell the merchandise associated with that new movie.

See clearance merchandise at a Walmart and you have a pretty good indication of whether the product was really in demand.

 

[orlandogal22]

I'd wager more people are familiar with the troubled history of the source material than you realize.

I was talking with a reader on my blog last year about Disney and Song of the South. The reader indicated that all traces of the movie were obliterated by Disney in the eighties aside from bootleg stuff. He was shocked to discover that there was a theme park attraction based on the movie in several locations worldwide and Song of the South merchandise available for purchase on the Disney Store website.

If he was shocked, then I wouldn't really call him educated or up-to-date on park activities, given SM has been around since 1989. So, if he indicated Disney obliterated it in the 80s, how was he unaware of the ride in 1989?

 

[WDW Pro]

Sure but I'd check the rest of your post. But if you want to continue to engage, move it to the Politics forum.

Did you report the posts about neo nazis infiltrating the magic kingdom, or are you just the gatekeeper for what historical facts get through?

 

[SirLink]

So I don't agree with this re-theme any bit, but I have been informed that a re-theme was always in the works to get the four Br'ers out.

As early as mid 2011 Iger and his cronies, goon squad, advisors have been looking through their library to weed out problematic attractions, music, movies, tv shows. With that being said I've been told this project has been kicking along from that time going with a re-theme with no IP, to Brother Bear, to Pocahontas, to Princess and the Frog where we have ended up.

This re-theme project was at one time of a much larger project in Frontierland, no one I have spoken to knows whether that is still currently the case, but part of it was to tidy up us 'problematic elements' from operational stand point and what Iger's group sees as a problematic everything from Bears to Indians to Authors.

The new Splash Mountain will have fewer AAs more mist projection and screenz in general, but Disney got its toofer. Disney gets rid of the problematic four Br'ers and in its place gets a easier/cheaper to run attraction.

But why now I hear you cry ... it wasn't meant to be. This was apparently going to be announced at a later date. Two schools of thought inside Disney PR. One says capitalize on the whole movement going on now, the other says wait until people start going back to their lives so any change came from Disney wanting to change it not '[some of]the people'.

Disney has created a bizarre situation now where every man and their dog now thinks they can change the company due to Disneys own failed astroturfing attempt to create faux outrage has sabotaged themselves.