Splash Mountain re-theme announced

[MisterPenguin]

Does that mean anything good that came of something bad should be discarded?

Sometimes... yes.

If something holds symbolic meaning to a another thing that is offensive, then you don't give offense.

Disney should have known better before making the movie, and then basing a ride off of that racist movie. It was an unforced error. And Disney admits the movie was racist by the way it has pulled it from circulation. And now, Disney shouldn't profit from that racist thing they once did even if they tried their best to whitewash it.

This isn't about your nostalgia for the ride. It's about Disney's arrogance for the movie and trying to still profit from it.

 

[disneygeek90]

We as Disney park fans know this ride has ties To Song of the Soith.

But honestly, without following the parks, who would know / associate the ride with that film?

Who out of us, as Disney fans, has watched that film?

What proportion of the general public in 2020, have watched that film?

I’m not saying ignorance is bliss, but prior to coming on here I would not have made that link between film and ride, and never have I rode it thinking, ”this is cool, but it’s based on a (unquestionably) dodgy film”

You kind of are, though.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I’ve seen people on these boards call out IASW because they equate cartoon versions of “historical cultural diversity” with “racism.” “It’s so racist because they’re dressed in historical stereotypes no one wears anymore!” All right, let’s put all the kids in the same clothes. Which ones do you approve? Twenty-first century American versions? Hypocrites.

Putting Disney characters into IASW is worse than whatever certain people think of the ride in its current state.

 

[BigDlover]

So should Runaway Railway be replaced because several Mickey cartoons were racist? If we are using “problematic source material” as the reason for change, logic would apply there too.

Why is Mickey safe, but Brer Rabbit isn’t? Is it simply because “he’s Mickey”? To which, from a business perspective, that makes sense. But from a moral perspective, it’s still wrong, and makes this whole thing seem rather half hearted.

I didn't know about that some of the Mickey cartoons were racist. How so?

 

[GoneForGood]

@BrerCountry Continue to speak loud. Your take needs to be elevated. There was a way to go about this properly and Disney went with the ignorant crowd.

I'm an African American and I am very upset with this. Instead of Disney ADMITTING their mistake with SOTS, Instead of trying to rectify what has been done and re-introduce the Brer Animals in a new take that honors Black Culture and History...they choose to double down on acting like it never happen..which I find appalling and even more offensive than it's existence

And in ADDITION TO THAT, now the stories of the Brer Characters now will fade back into extreme obscurity. Only to live in memory. The amount of people who don't know the history of theses characters is sad, yet will be the first to spring up on what should be done with them. Disney had the power to fix this, to move from their past in a way that doesn't hide it. The amount of non-black people that decided to speak up for me is another thing I have noticed since the discussion began. Stop.

These folklore tales really meant a lot to me, They were what helped me get through some pretty rough patches in my life, I saw the trickster hero overcoming and outsmarting his oppressors. In a way, I found-myself in them, it connects me to my ancestors as a storyteller and a writer myself. I know I am in a minority when I say the characters and Disney's take on them should be preserved and then retooled. But I know now that my voice does not matter. I admittedly enjoyed Disney's take on them specifically how they were told in a quick-paced Loony tunes style and being animated in Disney's house look. However that is all I can say as I don't care for the film and agree that it is insensitive/offensive.....

I have heard people talking about Zip and other things as reasons why Splash is offensive and must go. but those are things Disney CAN CHANGE, if Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah offends some people, sure that means the removal of what some people call a "classic" song.. by all means write a new song. The Brer voices offend you (despite Splash not really containing this other than like, 1 phrase by Brer Bear in the rabbit trap) then Re-record them or edit it out...

But no, they chose what was easy..and it is sad.

I love PATF, one of my favorite Disney flicks. I love Tiana, the rep was nice..but this hurts..It is different from people using the "erasing history" trope people dish out..because in this particular case that is what's happening as we KNOW Disney will continue to act as if the film and their myriad of offensive mistakes never existed. It is one thing not to praise past transgressions, but the literal erasure such as this is not the way to go.

My ancestor's folklore and stories deserved a second chance. Instead we chose to throw it away. That's fine..I'll live.

I am sorry for typing up a large vent everyone, I got a little carried away..

 

[orlandogal22]

It has to go. I don't know how they could rationalize continuing to use it after this.

A classic Disney song gone forever. Sad, but that's progress, I guess.

It's not progress. It's stupidity at this point. Utter ridiculousness.

 

[durangojim]

Sometimes... yes.

If something holds symbolic meaning to a another thing that is offensive, then you don't give offense.

Disney should have known better before making the movie, and then basing a ride off of that racist movie. It was an unforced error. And Disney admits the movie was racist by the way it has pulled it from circulation. And now, Disney shouldn't profit from that racist thing they once did even if they tried their best to whitewash it.

This isn't about your nostalgia for the ride. It's about Disney's arrogance for the movie and trying to still profit from it.

I disagree but that’s ok. The world is filled with great things that came from bad actions but we don’t have to destroy the good nor do we have to ignore the bad that it came from. Theres no reason Disney couldn’t address the issues with the movie and even make the ride and opportunity to teach about racism in a pre or post show. This is just erasing and ignoring history. They easily could have said this originally was associated with something hurtful and we apologize for the hurt the movie has caused but we’ve changed it to try to associate it with happiness and positivity which we hope the guests will feel when riding this ride.

 

[MisterPenguin]

It could very well just be me, but I have a feeling that the MK version would be “on the cheap” in the grand tradition of TDO.

Was SWSR cheap? RotR cheap? MMRR cheap?

What about the land that it’s on, Louisiana is next to Arizona now, I guess?

You're OK with Arizona currently being next to the Mississippi and Georgia, but Louisiana is your line in the sand?

 

[SplashJacket]

My whole thing with this retheme is the reason they are doing it now is because of everything that is going on now. I understand that.

Out of all of this, I do not see this as an insane thing that needs it to be changed immediately. If Disney were to retheme this for it to be ready by the 60th, I'd honestly be fine with it, but there is a laundry list of far far far more pressing issues which should be addressed far before Splash.

The announcement seems very haphazard. I feel like we are due for another figment situation (Kodak was contractually obligated to update the ride but they were struggling fiscally so they made a garbage replacement) due to Coronavirus. I am very glad Spaceship Earth refurb is not going forward in the present because once they gut it, they are likely to cheap out to the nth degree. I feel like Splash is at a very very very high risk of a similar situation occurring. If they do it right, I'd support it 100% but everything about this seems like a knee-jerk rash reaction which will come at the cost of a beloved attraction and the funding of other more pressing projects.

 

[Tony Perkis]

Uh oh. You’re using privilege! Sorry. You’re gonna need a better argument than a liberal buzzword.

If you can't see it, you have it.

 

[cursivesailor]

As someone from New Orleans, I find it hilarious that New Orleans is getting a mountain, considering that the entire city sits below sea level.

 

[Da Bird is Da Word]

I am shocked, bewildered, and just plain sad and deflated. Disney is capitulating to a practically nonexistent vocal minority. No one was demanding changes to Splash Mountain. I chalk this up to the same phony outrage that was calling for Paw Patrol to be cancelled over a friendly police dog. Splash is my favorite ride in all of Disney World, and the first ride I ever got on at WDW when I was 5 years old. Splash Mountain is a timeless classic. Changing it to a cheap IP is the epitome of everything that is wrong with Disney Parks today, and the political reasons for it are infuriating. I know it's probably a lost cause at this point, but people need to make their voices heard on this. This is terrible.

 

[Quinnmac000]

I mean... I don't mean to be the one to say it... but many people also believe that Princess and the Frog is itself a problematic movie. A black villain who is a voodoo witchdoctor? A movie placed in New Orleans directly after Katrina when many people of color were forced out of the city? A non-black prince who is the love interest of a black heroine? I'm just putting out things I've seen before on twitter...

As a black person, I will take this one.

Voodoo is rooted in West Africa. The Issue is American voodoo has tied it to Satanism when it more just herbal based spiritualism. One of the tenets of voodoo is its not supposed to be used to harm others so some who practice voodoo took offence to that. Additionally its a issue with some African Americans who are black and very religious who have huge issues with Haitians because they practice voodoo. As for the non black prince that issue was because some people believe black people should only be with black people which is somewhat racist in its own regards because people should love whoever they want as long as they are legal consenting adults.

 

[Super-Goof]

Look I get it, the source material is very problematic. But the virtue signalling is out of control over this. "Oh, you like (classic and beloved Disney ride) Splash Mountain? What are you, raaciiiist?"

Please, everyone, separate that I can love a ride about a singing rabbit being chased by a hungry fox and bear without also saying "I see nothing wrong with the depiction of black people in the film 'Song of the South".

to be fair I havent seen anybody accusing others of being racist for liking Splash Mountain, i dont think thats ever been the case.

 

[SosoDude]

Not a lot of mountains in the bayou.

Not many hills in New Orleans, much less mountains. They built a hill in the N.O. Zoo just so area kids would be able to experience one.

 

[LittleBuford]

I would argue that the “African-American vernacular” is racist and offensive along with what most African-Americans don’t sound like.

I’m not saying this with regard to the ride, but it should be noted that there is nothing racist about acknowledging the existence of African American Vernacular English, which is a variety of English spoken daily by millions of African Americans.

 

[Bairstow]

So should Runaway Railway be replaced because several Mickey cartoons were racist? If we are using “problematic source material” as the reason for change, logic would apply there too.

Why is Mickey safe, but Brer Rabbit isn’t? Is it simply because “he’s Mickey”? To which, from a business perspective, that makes sense. But from a moral perspective, it’s still wrong, and makes this whole thing seem rather half hearted.

I hate the word "problematic" because it's lazy, but in the interest of brevity, some things are more problematic than others.
Song of the South is more problematic than Mickey Mouse.
Mickey Mouse borrows some of the stylistic trappings of minstrel shows without actually conveying any of the underlying ideas of racial inferiority. In fact, that's probably some of the point of drawing a cartoon mouse.
Brer Rabbit is from a movie where southern plantation life is glorified as nostalgic and pastoral.
Both source materials have their problems but one is much more egregious than the other.

Now, should Brer Rabbit be excised from Disney because he's from a movie that's morally objectionable? Maybe, but that's not necessarily what they're doing. All we've heard is that they say they're replacing his ride with Tiana's. There may still be Brer Rabbit plush for sale and Zip-a-dee-doo-da blaring over the Main Street BGM speakers; we'll just have to see.

The only way Disney is abandoning Mickey Mouse is if he (finally) slips into the public domain.

 

[Tony Perkis]

Look I get it, the source material is very problematic. But the virtue signalling is out of control over this. "Oh, you like (classic and beloved Disney ride) Splash Mountain? What are you, raaciiiist?"

Please, everyone, separate that I can love a ride about a singing rabbit being chased by a hungry fox and bear without also saying "I see nothing wrong with the depiction of black people in the film 'Song of the South".

Nobody is saying that people who like Splash Mountain are racist.

 

[Tony Perkis]

Not many hills in New Orleans, much less mountains. They built a hill in the N.O. Zoo just so area kids would be able to experience one.

There are no mountains in space either.

 

[Tom Morrow]

Nobody is saying that people who like Splash Mountain are racist.

People on my Facebook feed are saying precisely that.