Splash Mountain re-theme announced

[lebeau]

Enchanted Voyage will forever be “The Smurf Ride” to me

Although I liked the old log flume, I would much rather have Diamondback in its place. That’s kind of my point about Splash Mountain though.. Diamondback is infinitely more popular than the Keelboat Canal, the replacement was a huge improvement over what was there.
With Splash, we aren’t getting a huge improvement, we’re getting a princess overlay in the most gender neutral area of the park. I can’t say that’s bigger and better.

See, I'm Old School KI. Hanna–Barbera Land! I reacted to the Smurf version of the ride the way some people are reacting to this retheme.

 

[orlandogal22]

Yup. They thought of/allowed an IP* that brought no gains to the park and their pockets and only issues. So yes they failed in regards to the theme.

*disclaimer that i am stricly speaking of the IP, song of the south, and not of the ride itself

Huh?

 

[Bleed0range]

But how is everything changing (cherrypicked at that) going to amount to anything? That is the point.

And I'm not going to get into a discussion about equality right now when we're talking about a theme park ride. That's a whole other topic.

It’s actually not a whole other topic. If you don’t get it you don’t get it. This can’t exist as is if you really want black people to have the equality they should have. That’s it.

It’s just a ride is downplaying the connections because you like and are used to the ride.

 

[lebeau]

Sure, but it’s incentive for Disney to do it. The announcement creates good PR for the cancel mob. Half of the benefits have already been reaped!

The cost saving helps Disney a lot.

I can't take you seriously when you say things like "cancel mob". Can you stop talking in conservative buzz words for a few minutes?

 

[WDW Pro]

I stick to Martin and WDWMagic for any news leads on the boards.

Martin asked me to stay on these forums and we often compare sources.

 

[Kate F]

It’s actually not a whole other topic. If you don’t get it you don’t get it. This can’t exist as is if you really want black people to have the equality they should have. That’s it.

It’s just a ride is downplaying the connections because you like and are used to the ride.

How does a theme park ride affect how blacks are treated in today’s society exactly?

 

[Parker in NYC]

Martin asked me to stay on these forums and we often compare sources.

He's a very understanding fellow and thankfully a gentleman.

 

[orlandogal22]

It’s actually not a whole other topic. If you don’t get it you don’t get it. This can’t exist as is if you really want black people to have the equality they should have. That’s it.

It’s just a ride is downplaying the connections because you like and are used to the ride.

No. It's not that I don't get it. It's that I've been reprimanded by Mom and other hall monitors time and time again for derailing a thread by going off on a tangent about other things.

So that's why I'm not going to start talking about equality, as a general conversational topic.

That's why I'm sticking to talking about the ride and its source material, as applicable.

 

[_caleb]

I think what makes this so complicated is that there is no racially insensitive content in the ride. Its a very nebulous position. I see merit in both sides.

My position is that I should leave it to those who are offended by the ride to explain what might be racially insensitive about it (is it just the association with the film? The narration? Portrayal of characters? Lack of context?)

I want Disney to listen, try to understand, and then work together on a solution that is good for more of the fans.

 

[lebeau]

Oh, don't encourage him.

You're right. I shouldn't.

 

[Haymarket2008]

Anyone see Zach Ridley's post on instagram about this that references "Frontierland expanding its themes"? It could be a pull quote, but it seemed like it was hinting at a different lense being utilized in the future.

 

[Scuttle]

Go take a poll of people coming off the ride and ask them what the ride is about. Ask them what movie the ride is connected to. You'll be lucky if any of them have a clue. The reality is Song of the South hasn't been available on video in the US period and was completely withdrawn from worldwide circulation in 2001... So let me know how people can even be familiar with the movie to have an informed opinion of it. If you want to be offended by a movie, then for the love of god watch the movie first otherwise you really can't be offended by something you've never seen. I saw it a long time ago when it was in theaters with the Aristicats but I seriously don't remember much beyond Uncle Remus and blue animated bird... certainly not enough to be offended by it.

The average park tourist doesn’t know the difference between WDW and DL. No way they’ve even heard of Song of the South.

 

[_caleb]

The fact hat a petition to get rid of Splash Mountain gained only 20,000 signatures is pretty much proof enough. Even if you were only look at the population of the US it's less than a percent of the people. That is the very definition of insignificant. Show me a march of thousands picketing the front gate of Disney to have the redhead removed and you might have a point. Otherwise there is simply no evidence to support the insignificant chorus of harpies that love to be offended by anything and everything.

So you're saying that the petition is representative of the number of people who would like to see the ride changed, and that there is (theoretically) a minimum number of people that would justify making changes such as these? Then why, in your opinion, would Disney risk backlash from the majority and spend lots of money to retheme the ride?

 

[Brer Oswald]

Yeah. I’m going. I’m tired of being labeled as racist for caring about Splash Mountain. I’m also tired of other fans being labeled as such as well. This community is rather revolting, particularly on Twitter. Most of you on here have been fine, but I just thought I’d leave a final message.

 

[lebeau]

When did I ever state I was an expert on Disney animation? Nor when was I called out for wrong information on Disney animation?

I didn't say you said that.

Clarifying what I did and did not say is getting really confusing in this thread!

 

[WDW Pro]

Yeah. I’m going. I’m tired of being labeled as racist for caring about Splash Mountain. I’m also tired of other fans being labeled as such as well. This community is rather revolting, particularly on Twitter. Most of you on here have been fine, but I just thought I’d leave a final message.

Remember, if you leave, it just emboldens them.

 

[Parker in NYC]

Yeah. I’m going. I’m tired of being labeled as racist for caring about Splash Mountain. I’m also tired of other fans being labeled as such as well. This community is rather revolting, particularly on Twitter. Most of you on here have been fine, but I just thought I’d leave a final message.

I'm afraid fandom is toxic, period. ::sings Britney::

 

[orlandogal22]

The average park tourist doesn’t know the difference between WDW and DL. No way they’ve even heard of Song of the South.

Yep.

When I worked in Guest Services at the Yacht & Beach, people routinely would ask me how to get to DisneyWorld. I would say - you ARE at Disney World. They'd insist I was to tell them how to get there. Then, it dawned on me. "You mean... Magic Kingdom?"

Yep, they would call MK DisneyWorld.

Of course, I also had a mother and teenage daughter ask where I lived in the hotel. I said, I don't live here; I live 20 minutes up the road.

You'd be amazed at what guests really are clueless about.

 

[Kate F]

While I haven’t been labeled racist myself for being a fan, I have seen rather detestable things said about us. “Boo hoo, the racist critter ride is going!”

 

[Kate F]

Social media in general is toxic