Splash Mountain re-theme announced

[Chi84]

A little off topic, but I just read that Hallmark is pulling an ornament that was supposed to come out this month. It’s Mickey Mouse playing “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” on a xylophone.

My oh my this song is going away . . .
Sorry. I really do like the song.

 

[Matt_Black]

Interesting info I found of brer rabbit why can't Disney show some back bone and drop some facts on these sensitive people. African folklore is getting replaced by a European one talk about irony.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Brer-Rabbit

That's a bit of a disingenuous argument. It's African folklore as presented by a Caucasian folklorist. That's like saying Aladdin and Ali Baba are authentic Arabian Nights stories even though they were added by a French author.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

That's a bit of a disingenuous argument. It's African folklore as presented by a Caucasian folklorist. That's like saying Aladdin and Ali Baba are authentic Arabian Nights stories even though they were added by a French author.

That same African folklore has been adapted all over the world in 14 different languages.

 

[Matt_Black]

That same African folklore has been adapted all over the world in 14 different languages.

Uh-huh. Your point? Taco Bell has restaurants all over the world, I'd hesitate to call that "Mexican cuisine".

 

[ImperfectPixie]

Uh-huh. Your point? Taco Bell has restaurants all over the world, I'd hesitate to call that "Mexican cuisine".

Point being, these aren't the only adaptations...other authors have adapted them, too.

 

[Phil12]

Point being, these aren't the only adaptations...other authors have adapted them, too.

And hopefully they are far less racist than the Joel Chandler Harris adaptations.

 

[LittleBuford]

That's a bit of a disingenuous argument. It's African folklore as presented by a Caucasian folklorist. That's like saying Aladdin and Ali Baba are authentic Arabian Nights stories even though they were added by a French author.

I think the bigger issue is that any connection with African folklore (which is still arguably preserved in Harris’s retelling of the stories) is pretty much lost by the time you get to Splash Mountain, just as the Frozen and Little Mermaid attractions can hardly be said to preserve Hans Christian Andersen’s literary legacy.

Regarding Aladdin and Ali Baba, it’s likely those stories were told to Galland by Hanna Diyab (a Maronite) and are therefore of Middle Eastern origin, even if they don’t feature in the original 1001 Nights.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

But they have spoken out. Bob Iger (Disney CEO) has said, “I’ve felt, for as long as I’ve been CEO, that Song of the South – even with a disclaimer – was just not appropriate in today’s world. Given the depictions in some of those films, to bring them out today without some form or another, without offending people. So we’ve decided not to do that.”

And since Splash Mountain is directly based upon Song of the South and uses the principal cartoon characters from the film and uses direct quotes from Uncle Remus, it is obvious that the attraction too is not appropriate in today's world as well.

Frankly, I don't think TWDC wants to admit they were unwitting dupes in endorsing white supremacy.

I never said the folks at Disney...if you go back to my original post, I mentioned Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon...and the other voice over actors in the animated SM movie...I never said anyone from Disney corporate.

 

[thomas998]

That's a bit of a disingenuous argument. It's African folklore as presented by a Caucasian folklorist. That's like saying Aladdin and Ali Baba are authentic Arabian Nights stories even though they were added by a French author.

So to you the historian has to be the same race of the people they are working to capture the folklore and history of... well if that's the way you see it we need to burn most every book about certain people of the world... That would be the majority of the American Indians earliest history since none even had a written language until around 1820... And tribes in South America should be erased from any history books... Of course then why stop at the race of the historian or author maybe we should eliminate anything that isn't written in the original language of the people.

Sorry but to take issue with someone putting on paper stories that were being passed down orally is just another reason the woke warrior's code is stupid.

 

[orlandogal22]

So to you the historian has to be the same race of the people they are working to capture the folklore and history of... well if that's the way you see it we need to burn most every book about certain people of the world... That would be the majority of the American Indians earliest history since none even had a written language until around 1820... And tribes in South America should be erased from any history books... Of course then why stop at the race of the historian or author maybe we should eliminate anything that isn't written in the original language of the people.

Sorry but to take issue with someone putting on paper stories that were being passed down orally is just another reason the woke warrior's code is stupid.

EXACTLY RIGHT.

 

[Phil12]

I never said the folks at Disney...if you go back to my original post, I mentioned Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon...and the other voice over actors in the animated SM movie...I never said anyone from Disney corporate.

Good point. Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon mostly likely don't need to air any of their dirty laundry this week so they decided to remain silent on the issue.

 

[celluloid]

But they have spoken out. Bob Iger (Disney CEO) has said, “I’ve felt, for as long as I’ve been CEO, that Song of the South – even with a disclaimer – was just not appropriate in today’s world. Given the depictions in some of those films, to bring them out today without some form or another, without offending people. So we’ve decided not to do that.”

And since Splash Mountain is directly based upon Song of the South and uses the principal cartoon characters from the film and uses direct quotes from Uncle Remus, it is obvious that the attraction too is not appropriate in today's world as well.

Frankly, I don't think TWDC wants to admit they were unwitting dupes in endorsing white supremacy.

They should stick up and directly say that is never what the company was endorsing.
If he he and they were willing to demonize the movie and by proxy the ride so much, than why is he standby this if they can still make money off it in any way in the mean time. He should just be honest and say they want something more relevant than Splash Mountain. Home videos have been avalible in plenty of other countries. It is clear it is where the money is, and nothing personal. He should just admit that.

 

[celluloid]

Uh-huh. Your point? Taco Bell has restaurants all over the world, I'd hesitate to call that "Mexican cuisine".

That does not make Taco Bell wrong. As much as I don't like the food, being inspired/influenced/immitation by and cheaply producing fast food is not evil nor racist. So even if Splash Mountain's version of what is inspired by is not authentic, it does not make it racist or wrong.

The same way Walt took the American folklore versions of Fairy Tales and composed them in a way now more famous than arguably any other, does not make it wrong.

 

[manmythlegend]

For those who don't know, there is a Facebook group called "Save Splash Mountain." I think someone in the group started a Go Fund Me as well. We must save Br'er Bear!

 

[Chi84]

For those who don't know, there is a Facebook group called "Save Splash Mountain." I think someone in the group started a Go Fund Me as well. We must save Br'er Bear!

Everyone who wants to save Splash should contribute as much as they can afford!

 

[LittleBuford]

I think someone in the group started a Go Fund Me as well.

What is money being raised for exactly?

ETA: I found the answer myself:

​

This Go Fund Me campaign will serve 2 purposes:​

1) To show the Walt Disney World Company that people do not want Splash Mountain to change​

2) Donations will be used to get politicians and lobbying firms to persuade Disney that Splash Mountain should be kept as is.​

Donate to Save Splash Mountain, organized by Thomas Meyer

UPDATE Posted September 21: Rey Ford is now in charge of the Save Splash Mountain efforts. All fun… Thomas Meyer needs your support for Save Splash Mountain

www.gofundme.com

In other words, it’s a scam designed to make its originator a tidy sum ($5,000 to be exact). Thank goodness it’s only managed to raise $35 so far.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

What is money being raised for exactly?

That's what I thought the minute I read that. Who is collecting the money and for what purpose? Disney isn't going to accept money to change their minds.

 

[LittleBuford]

That's what I thought the minute I read that. Who is collecting the money and for what purpose? Disney isn't going to accept money to change their minds.

See my edit.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Sorry but to take issue with someone putting on paper stories that were being passed down orally is just another reason the woke warrior's code is stupid.

We'd also lose The Odyssey, The Iliad, Beowulf, and a good chunk of the Arthurian legends- just to name a few. Oh, and probably a number of the Disney princess fairytales too - like Cinderella.

Our first known written account of Cinderella was as a Chinese tale, then a Greek Tale, then a French tale, THEN it was a German tale....

 

[George]

Interesting thread. I always assumed Splash Mountain had to do with that movie that came out when I was a teenager. I just figured the rabbit was a terribly designed mermaid animatronic.