Splash Mountain re-theme announced

[Bleed0range]

People just need to get over some stuff that happened 150+ years and stop trying to inflict misery on to others. That would be my suggestion.

Unfortunately although slavery happened 150 years ago there are still plenty of people alive from the segregation of the 60s and civil rights movement. So, you describing a retheme of a ride that fundamentally will be the same as “inflicting misery” seems ridiculous.

Maybe if Americans 50 years ago weren’t screaming “2,4,6,8 we don’t want to integrate!” and this had all ended during reconstruction we wouldn’t have to have this conversation at all. People like to pretend there isn’t still a strong racist undertone to American culture that hasn’t ever faded away.

I even like the ride as it is, but I think it’s perfectly the right thing to do to change it.

 

[jimbaker84]

If they wanted to give Princess and the Frog its own attraction, could they not have designed and built something new instead of this?

If they are going to persist with the re-theme it had better be done to a very high standard. I will seriously miss Splash Mountain.

 

[Sharon&Susan]

I forgot that it was part of the frontier.

As much the frontier as Splash Mountain's Georgia setting is.

 

[manmythlegend]

As much the frontier as Splash Mountain's Georgia setting is.

The Laughing Place is most certainly the frontier.

 

[SuddenStorm]

If they wanted to give Princess and the Frog its own attraction, could they not have designed and built something new instead of this?

If they are going to persist with the re-theme it had better be done to a very high standard. I will seriously miss Splash Mountain.

Disney World doesn't have much space, and suffers from an overall lack of attendance... so re purposing existing attractions is the only way to go.

 

[Kate F]

Almost 200 pages and the only opinion of mine that’s changed is the quality of the Disney fanbase.

 

[seascape]

Almost 200 pages and the only opinion of mine that’s changed is the quality of the Disney fanbase.

I agree. However, I also think this thread and many of the posts show that the decision to make the change is long overdue.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

Nope. There needs to be wholesale changes. If theyre going to do this....then it needs to be resort wide. I didn’t even think about Haunted Mansion, it’s based on a southern plantation mansion!

Living in NJ, I didn't realize that the Hudson Valley of NY, (where the design of the mansion was based), was in the south, but ok...

 

[Kate F]

I agree. However, I also think this thread and many of the posts show that the decision to make the change is long overdue.

That I cannot agree with, I’m sorry.

 

[celluloid]

I did not see anyone mention the tip for the day wdw resort tv but with zip a see do dah, tip for the day.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Being objective here: I’ll miss Splash Mountain. It’s a great ride. As for Princess and the Frog, I can’t imagine a ride system that complicated changing its current course. Like Maelstrom it will be rethemed over the same water track. So here’s hoping the music and AAs keep it enjoyable throughout. I’ll be interested in how they explain an incline and a drop for New Orleans though!

For me, how they retrofit a Princess and the Frog story into the original ride is also a major concern. The pacing of the current ride (at least at MK) is already perfect in the way it builds the tension to the final drop, using storytelling very effectively to heighten the thrill. Getting friends together to celebrate Mardi Gras seems like an odd substitution. Splash is also the kind of lavishly-detailed, audio-animatronic filled attraction that Disney doesn't seem willing or able to build anymore. It seems inevitable that this change will mean stripping out a lot of figures, adding in a couple of advanced AAs of Tiana and Louis, and converting the rest over to screens and projection mapping. Finally, this is hitting right at a moment of significant belt-tightening and the Disney of today wouldn't be able to re-paint Splash Mountain for what it cost to build the entire attraction back in 1989. So, it's hard to imagine they're going to spend anything like what it would cost to replicate the original scale and level of detail in the original attraction. In short, I just don't think we've seen much evidence that the WDI of today can create something as engaging as Splash Mountain.

Furthermore, a thrill ride themed to a princess movie that largely appeals to small children is an odd choice to say the least. This is another reason I think they're going to have to tone done the thrill aspect of the storyline that is played up at the moment with the vultures, etc. I imagine they'll have to try and reframe the drop as a fun experience.

 

[WDW Pro]

For me, how they retrofit a Princess and the Frog story into the original ride is also a major concern. The pacing of the current ride (at least at MK) is already perfect in the way it builds the tension to the final drop, using storytelling very effectively to heighten the thrill. Getting friends together to celebrate Mardi Gras seems like an odd substitution. Splash is also the kind of lavishly-detailed, audio-animatronic filled attraction that Disney doesn't seem willing or able to build anymore. It seems inevitable that this change will mean stripping out a lot of figures, adding in a couple of advanced AAs of Tiana and Louis, and converting the rest over to screens and projection mapping. Finally, this is hitting right at a moment of significant belt-tightening and the Disney of today wouldn't be able to re-paint Splash Mountain for what it cost to build the entire attraction back in 1989. So, it's hard to imagine they're going to spend anything like what it would cost to replicate the original scale and level of detail in the original attraction. In short, I just don't think we've seen much evidence that the WDI of today can create something as engaging as Splash Mountain.

Furthermore, a thrill ride themed to a princess movie that largely appeals to small children is an odd choice to say the least. This is another reason I think they're going to have to tone done the thrill aspect of the storyline that is played up at the moment with the vultures, etc. I imagine they'll have to try and reframe the drop as a fun experience.

They're pulling money from planned Epcot capex investment of you'd like to know how they're paying for this.

This will dwarf the fan response to Journey Into Imagination. The money just isn't there for this project.

 

[_caleb]

I'm not sure what you want me to say. Just agree with some mythical group of people that I've never met or heard of that want Splash Mountain, my favorite ride, changed? Gee that sounds like fun(ish), kinda, sorta, maybe not.

I wouldn’t say that it’s “fun” to realize that a thing you enjoy may actually be hurtful to people. But I’d rather have a ride that is fun for more people than mostly for those who are like me, wouldn’t you?

 

[General Mayhem]

I wouldn’t say that it’s “fun” to realize that a thing you enjoy may actually be hurtful to people. But I’d rather have a ride that is fun for more people than mostly for those who are like me, wouldn’t you?

Seriously though? What is "Hurtful" in the ride at all? Why is it just "Hurtful" now after 3 decades of operation with literally no complaints until the past month?

 

[General Mayhem]

I told you hunny, you got a big storm coming...

 

[orlandogal22]

Living in NJ, I didn't realize that the Hudson Valley of NY, (where the design of the mansion was based), was in the south, but ok...

Back in the context of RCID's original statement and surrounding conversation from yesterday, the reference he was making was to Disneyland.

 

[Oskar]

They're pulling money from planned Epcot capex investment of you'd like to know how they're paying for this.

This will dwarf the fan response to Journey Into Imagination. The money just isn't there for this project.

So you know now that it will be a thematic disaster, far worse than what happened to Journey into Imagination if it’s going to generate that kind of response?

 

[LSLS]

I can't believe this many people are outraged that disney is getting rid of something to put more ip in. Honestly I don't know how you people can keep feeling such anger and outrage. You know they are going to keep doing it.

 

[DubyooDeeDubyoo]

I'm not gonna sign some rando's petition nobody at Disney will listen to about Splash Mountain. (And I certainly won't give that rando money. What are you doing? Please let me know because maybe I should make futile internet petitions for hot topics and make some cash.) However I did want to address aspects and origins and what I think is "salvageable".

From what I can tell, the source for ZADD being based on minstrel music that was popular over fifty years before Walt was born seems be based on a book where the author asserts this is true with no real source or evidence that I can find. He then also goes on to say that Mickey Mouse's body from his shoe size to his wearing gloves is rooted in racism, though many of these same aspects were borrowed from Oswald and Felix the Cat and while Mickey didn't wear gloves until 1928, you would have to condemn a lot of characters including newer ones like Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog if things like big shoes and white gloves are symbols of white supremacy.

I will grant you, however, that the non-animated parts of Song of the South sound very boring and are insensitive to slavery. And the books, holy moly, the books are written (by a white man, mind you) in a sort of textualized black vernacular that makes "who dat?" sound tame; and to 2020 readers is almost painful to read. I really have no problem with the work of Joel Chandler Harris going into history's dustbin. Disney published their own copies of the Uncle Remus books with pretty artwork but, man, that text.

The characters are not solely Harris's but based in African mythology. I do still have a soft spot for Brer Rabbit, who can be found in many other symbols around the resorts (he has a tiny statue in the hub surrounding Partners.) I'd like to think with some work, they could come back in 10-20 years in a respectable fashion; but Disney would have to actually want to do that (they don't seem to like talking animals much lately) and REALLY should hire black writers to make some stories instead of adapting how 19th century whites imagined it. And Fox especially would need a lot of revisions.

The characters are public domain. Disney can do whatever they want with them, change them as they please. And as we know they own the rights to those interpretations. Unfortunately, they seem set to take the route of least resistance: pretending they were never on the wrong side of history and getting called out on it by that Warners disclaimer.

 

[SosoDude]

I'll miss Splash as it is, but it's Disney's attraction and they have the right to do as they wish. But, if Disney was serious they would denounce and relenquish ownership of "Song of the South" entirely. Make it public domain. But I guess that would mean they couldn't continue to release it overseas and profit from it.

I guess what I'm saying is that a person, group, or company can take any stance they want on social issues, but they need to be consistent. I'll never believe what you preach if your not really living it. If you believe it's truly racist, never open the ride again. Tear it down and burn it. If you truly believe the earth will be destroyed by climate change in 10 years, you shouldn't drive a gas powered vehicle ever again, much less own a fleet of them and depend on the airlines to deliver your "guest" to your front gate with money in hand. If you truly believe in a better life for everyone, don't buy or sell crap made by slave or child labor. If you are looking at the sins of America, take a look at the sins of all the other countries that you do business with. Slavery is as real and ugly today as it ever has been. Be consistent. Quit virtue signaling.

Sorry, rant over.