Splash Mountain re-theme announced

[BigDlover]

I've taken some time to think about this retheme. I've also skimmed through hundreds of posts in this thread and I think some contributors need to reflect on their own position too. Splash Mountain is the ride that holds the dearest place in my heart, ever since it first opened at Disneyland in 1989.

I always knew about Song Of The South, but even though it was available on VHS when I was a child I had no desire to watch it. My parents actively discouraged it because of its blatant racist themes. Yet Splash was my favourite ride, and I think in my mind I'd disconnected the attraction from the source material.

When the petition came about a few weeks ago the Black Lives Matter movement was weighing on my mind. It was an uncomfortable reminder that, despite my absolute hatred of racism in any form, it's possible to indirectly normalise it. It's not something I'd ever invested a great deal of time pondering, but I'm glad I have. Splash Mountain is an exceptional attraction. The theming, the storytelling, the music, the entire experience - outstanding. Unless you make the mental connection with the fact it wouldn't exist (in its current form) if it weren't for that movie.

Princess and the Frog is a exceptional film, well deserving of a long overdue proud position in Disney parks. Baxter, Carter and Trowbridge are all linked to this project, and they're all incredible Imagineers. I have faith that this will be triumphant. And there will be many, like me, who've learned a lot about the effect racism can have, especially if it wasn't intended.

I may change my mind if when I ride the new attraction I hate it! But I'm going to focus on optimism until then.

Nicely said.

 

[manmythlegend]

Tower of Terror.

Well they already did that. So how did you draw the line?

 

[Tony Perkis]

Well they already did that. So how did you draw the line?

With a pen.

 

[EpcotCentre1982]

We Now know what ride is going to have the longest line at MK this year.

And “We’ve been working on this for over a year”. Riiiiiight.

grain of salt but a old co-worker that's still in the parks posted on FB that he's known about this project since April of last year and he was finally relieved he can now say something about it.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Baxter, Carter and Trowbridge are all linked to this project, and they're all incredible Imagineers. I have faith that this will be triumphant.

Tony Baxter is described as a "creative advisor" on the project. That tells us literally nothing and could mean as little as "oh yeah he knows about the project and he had an opinion". Baxter is apparently not well liked by a number of high ranking people currently at WDI (including Tom Fitzgerald). Or by executive leaders, including Bob Iger in particular who he has made not-so-subtle public jabs at regarding Imagination/Dreamfinder. I seriously doubt he is being given any substantive involvement or creative control.

Trowbridge has done some good work especially with scenery, especially regarding Harry Potter. But i'm not sure his skillset is optimized for the type of ride Splash Mtn is. A lot of his ride projects have been heavy on video projection and light on animatronics. Also not sure what capacity he's involved.

Charita Carter... I'm sorry but i'm absolutely not impressed with the Mickey ride whatsoever. I'm not familiar with her involvement in prior rides, but if Mickey is her biggest and best work, then i'm very worried. At best, it serves as a nice template for upgrading a ride like Mr Toad. But it was a massive disappointment as a Mickey Mouse ride and is an especially spectacular flop as a replacement for Great Movie Ride (which stands alongside some of the absolute best Disney rides). If the Mickey ride is any indication of how Princess and the Log will turn out, then there are no words for the disappointment.

 

[IMDREW]

Fighting, complaining, trolls, "new members", etc.

Thanks Bob. And now there's another 50 pages again in 2 hours, but I'm guessing more of the same. Maybe we should start another thread for real news and insider knowledge on the project..

 

[Father Robinson]

Neither is Disney. It's close-minded to think they are.

Yup!

 

[Kev1982]

Great IP, great, great music but i feel Splash Mountain should stay as is. Just release the shorts its based on on Disney+, even dvd and blu ray and get detached of the link to Song Of the South. Princess and the frog does deserve an attraction, but give it its own? Really think this theme would lend itself to a great dark boat ride (but not Splash)...
Think it’s a shame. One of the reasons I like Splash is a chance to see rare charachters.

 

[champdisney]

Understood. I have always felt that the telling by Joel and SOTS were mistakes that could have been moved away from and rectified by amplifying the stories' history in Black culture. perhaps getting genuine black storytellers to reintroduce them in a way that is tasteful and respectful.

I appreciate your response

I like this idea. Get the right minds for it involved, gold can possibly be struck. May even spawn into multiple films. The 2006 direct-to-video version that Universal made was a film adaption to the books and had its stereotypes despite its black director and cast.

 

[Otamin]

As my favourite ride I’m bummed about it, but honestly I can see why it’s changing and I’ve made peace with it happening. It helps having Tony Baxter involved as well, even if we don’t know how much he’ll be contributing.

Whilst I’d love nods to the original (like Louis playing a bit of Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah), more than anything I just hope the name stays the same. Has there been any word regarding that?

 

[Sam Magic]

Gutted at this news.

The ride was designed to specifically avoid the problematic elements of the 1949 film, focusing instead on the actual Remus stories. Sad to see this final depiction of a true/uniquely American folktale disappear

Tiana deserves her own attraction, and given Louisiana was once the actual frontier of America, I got no issues with land placement. That said, I think she deserves her own attraction and restaurant, perhaps her own mini-land.

I’d bet good darn money too that Baxter’s “advisory position” is a fake role meant to placate fans. Word on the street is that he's not too popular with WDI and WDC Leadership.

Splash Mt. Didn’t deserve this kind of treatment. Then again, when they’re taking down statues of Lincoln and Roosevelt, I suppose I’m not too surprised Splash Mt. didn’t make it out of this either.

 

[Kev1982]

I’m really offended by the price increases over the last years...Disney, change it!!!!

 

[richiejv]

What with this being announced and Liverpool winning the Premier League, yesterday will go down as one of my personal worst days in history. Can't wait for pubs to open over here again.

 

[Den Carter]

Is there any point at which you would draw the line regarding Disney re-designing any rides that offend a small group of people? Or are you okay with everything they do?

Absolutely. If you're asking if I'm one of those fans that simply applauds every move Disney makes, no I am not. But there's no simple explanation of where to draw the line because every situation is different.

I'll always reserve final judgement on an attraction until I've experienced it myself, but the sentiment and logic behind this retheme is sound. And I prefer to attempt to feel optimistic about change. There are more than enough horrific things in the world right now to feel sad and/or angry about. This isn't one of them.

Also, by virtue of its link to Song of the South, Splash Mountain has the potential to offend much more than 'a small group of people'. I don't know if the entire Black community and its allies would find it offensive, but in terms of scope, it's huge. Even more so now that the BLM movement has helped people (like me) view it through a fresh lens.

 

[DubyooDeeDubyoo]

I have a few thoughts.

Despite my handle here, I'm a Californian by birth and have spent probably more hours at Disneyland than Magic Kingdom (and I've only ever been on two trips to Orlando total.) I think this renovation could be very good in Disneyland. DL is a park that occasionally resorts to awkward visual barriers to keep lands from clashing TOO much, and while they don't do too much to separate the Mansion from Chickapin Hill they do use some obstructive trees when the exteriors could look closer to a match. Being able to extend New Orleans Square's design from the city to the bayou adjacent to the Columbia landing is a thing that makes me happy to think about.

Splash felt like a square peg in a round hole at MK, and it's going to require even more atmospheric work as part of the old south. I would actually hold off on changing MK's ride until the money is found for more extensive work. It's not like the whole mountain needs to come down, but the area looks a little too rustic.

I have never seen Song of the South or Princess and the Frog, but as my west-coast upbringing leaves me with no feels for Horizons or Journey Into Imagination except envy, this one hurts like few closures do. Most people's reactions seem to be cut along whether one is more interested in booking a visit around the old theme's closure, or the new theme's open. I'll admit I'm of the former, but mostly due to my increasing cynicism around the company's leadership. It's nice to see Tony Baxter get one last rodeo to fix his most problematic legacy ride, even if he's not super-involved, but Disneyland lost a fantastic Tomorrowland on an underfunded mandate to change that had Tony's name affixed to it. He's an excellent Imagineer but even he was not a miracle worker, and Splash is a concrete behemoth that will give that masoleum vibe if all the physical props and AAs are replaced with projections and screens.

 

[SJN1279]

I....

I don't even have words. This was my favorite ride at the entire resort. I don't mind PatF, but I felt Splash was just a perfect ride...

agreed 100

 

[Artemicon]

I never watched Song of the South. I know it exists now. I never once thought this ride had racial connotations. I think people go looking for reasons to be offended. The change to this ride will upset more loyal guests than it will attract new ones. This is my childhood Disney, please don't take it away like you did the Great Movie Ride.

 

[Father Robinson]

And..with less than half the votes, the people who cried for change got it.

 

[xdan0920]

Apparently the ride will get a rename (or, like DHS, won't).

The best response in this Twitter thread: The Princess and the Log

That’s pretty low brow, and fairly offensive honestly.

 

[Artemicon]

I don't think I've ever been so disgusted by something I've read on here. You should be ashamed of yourself and you owe @Brer Oswald an apology.

Honestly, a CEO from a company calling for a user to be permanently banned on an internet forum is pretty unbecoming, considering the context (A person pointing out a the contradictions of another). You might not like his name choice (your like on Merlin's post) but that doesn't mean he needs to be banned.