Splash Mountain re-theme announced

[PeoplemoverTTA]

I was referring to your words:

"To those who refuse to see the connections to SotS and problematic material, smart people like Magic Feather have eloquently explained them"

There is more hateful subtext in that then many are going to find in Song of the South's story.

By your point, if someone thinks the ride or movie is not racist they are emotionally immature?

Calling Magic Feather smart in no way implied anything about anyone other than Magic Feather.

If someone, when it is clearly pointed out the historically difficult elements in the ride that come from the movie, still refuses to even acknowledge why it should be changed, and refuses to accept the facts presented, then yes, it shows a lack of emotional maturity.

It’s one thing to acknowledge the (well documented) connections to the ride as racist, yet argue that they don’t matter and you like the ride anyway.

It’s another altogether to ignore those connections and not be open minded about why those very real connections are problematic.

Say you acknowledge the problematic elements and why Disney would want to abandon the ride because of them, yet they’re not problematic to you so you’re upset. I will disagree with you, but I’ll respect you.

Deny the racist elements exist altogether because you “don’t see them?” Claim people are calling the ride “racist” and other false statements? Well, no, I don’t respect those arguments at all. I find them incredibly sad and self serving

 

[RoysCabin]

FWIW, I have seen several people advocate that preserved plantations should absolutely, not be used as wedding and event facilities.

Good point, and I'm inclined to agree with that feeling due to it coming across as romanticizing (quite literally, in this case) the plantation setting. Preserve them as historical sites, use them to educate and inform, but a wedding at real life-Tara is the kind of thing I'd be pretty creeped out receiving an invitation to.

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

I you look far back enough into many things you will find problematic issues and that creates a slippery slope.

Does Thomas Jefferson get removed from the American Adventure? George Washington from the HOP? Morocco and China from World Showcase? Pirates from POTC? Tom Sawyer Island? Main Street USA?

Rather than have a conversation about the merits and context of why things were created, the immediate rush to cancel them is very problematic. Canceling the past by judging it based on today's standards is extremely destructive.

I don’t deny that it’s a slippery slope. But updating a 30-year old ride to include a beloved princess by millions of people isn’t “canceling” anything. In fact, it’s opening up important conversations, if only some would listen.

 

[Giss Neric]

I'm certainly gonna miss singing
"pretty good, show us your balls."

 

[MrMcDuck]

Okay, I just woke up to find this thread having 100+ pages more than when i went to sleep last night.

Can anyone bring me up to speed? Or is it just 100+ pages of everyones opinion?

It's 100+ pages of opinion.

 

[lebeau]

Nope. I'm asking what specifically about the ride elements are connected to racism.

The IP! Song of the South has a long and problematic history. There are reasons Disney banned the movie when I was in high school, Google it if you're unfamiliar although the topic has been covered in great depth in the previous 137 pages which suggests to me you're not actually curious.

 

[thomas998]

More evidence that the so called social justice warriors are completely clueless. If they understood the characters of Uncle Remus they would have realized that the only group that should have been insulted by them was the whites, the stories were black folktales, and while the rabbit was the representative of a black man, the rabbit was always outsmarting the representatives of the white slave owners. I understand people might not like Song of the South, but you didn't see Uncle Remus anywhere on the ride nor any of the other live action character from the movie. Maybe if Disney had simply educated the people a bit about the background they wouldn't have had such hate for the ride to begin with....

But now they will be removing a ride that was truly celebrating blacks by putting the black folktales center stage to Princess and the Frog which was nothing more than a re-imagined white story from Europe where they didn't even bother to make the princess look truly black, I mean look at the hair it might have been plucked from any other white princess and stuck on Tiana.

 

[monothingie]

I don’t deny that it’s a slippery slope. But updating a 30-year old ride to include a beloved princess by millions of people isn’t “canceling” anything. In fact, it’s opening up important conversations, if only some would listen.

Then Disney should be consistent with their message. If it’s about inserting a more profitable IP then fine, but if they use the occasion to trumpet their wokeness, be consistent with all the other glaring “problems” they have throughout the rest of their parks. Also they should be consistent about addressing the terrible record of the Chicoms who they’ve gotten in bed with for the $$$.

Disney doesn’t care about anything other than the $$$.

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

Nope. I'm asking what specifically about the ride elements are connected to racism.

You must have missed Magic Feather’s post. I highly recommend searching for it.

 

[ryguy]

I guess the sad part is that most people haven't seen or care about the movie. My kids have no clue who the heck Brer Rabbit is. Nor do they ask when they get off the ride. They do however giggle and laugh and have a good time. That's the point when on vacation. Changing it doesn't solve any social problems, it only helps Disney get this "Song of the South" issue off their back. And now is the perfect time to do so.

This was a long time coming, truthfully the Dixie Landings name change was more irritating to me.

 

[DryerLintFan]

Did they give a timeline at all? I didn't read through all 138 pages, but didn't see this addressed in the article unless I missed it? Splash just had such a long refurbishment. Is it an immediate reno like it's not opening up until it's done, or is it planned for next year, or what?

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

Then Disney should be consistent with their message. If it’s about inserting a more profitable IP then fine, but if they use the occasion to trumpet their wokeness, be consistent with all the other glaring “problems” they have throughout the rest of their parks. Also they should be consistent about addressing the terrible record of the Chicoms who they’ve gotten in bed with for the $$$.

Disney doesn’t care about anything other than the $$$.

Only yourself and others here flailing in their arguments are claiming the “woke” garbage. By accounts of insiders, they knew the problematic elements of the ride for years, hence having artwork and a loose plan in place. It was fast tracked due to recent events.

Of course they care about money; they’re a business. I wouldn’t expect less.

As a business that holds these IPs, they can decided to change what and when they want. In this instance, they chose Splash. As mentioned, it’s likely other changes will come. That is their right.

 

[lebeau]

Then Disney should be consistent with their message. If it’s about inserting a more profitable IP then fine, but if they use the occasion to trumpet their wokeness, be consistent with all the other glaring “problems” they have throughout the rest of their parks. Also they should be consistent about addressing the terrible record of the Chicoms who they’ve gotten in bed with for the $$$.

Disney doesn’t care about anything other than the $$$.

Show me where Disney trumpeted their wokeness.

I'll wait.

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

I guess the sad part is that most people haven't seen or care about the movie. My kids have no clue who the heck Brer Rabbit is. Nor do they ask when they get off the ride. They do however giggle and laugh and have a good time. That's the point when on vacation. Changing it doesn't solve any social problems, it only helps Disney get this "Song of the South" issue off their back. And now is the perfect time to do so.

This was a long time coming, truthfully the Dixie Landings name change was more irritating to me.

Nobody is saying it’s solving society’s ills. It is, though, removing problematic elements that the company has known for years, to use a popular IP that will sell more merch.

It’s not complicated. Disagree with their decision, fine, but please stop trying to claim Disney is trying to do more than they actually are doing.

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

Did they give a timeline at all? I didn't read through all 138 pages, but didn't see this addressed in the article unless I missed it? Splash just had such a long refurbishment. Is it an immediate reno like it's not opening up until it's done, or is it planned for next year, or what?

No, it’s in super early stages from the sound of it.

 

[lebeau]

Nobody is saying it’s solving society’s ills. It is, though, removing problematic elements that the company has known for years, to use a popular IP that will sell more merch.

It’s not complicated. Disagree with their decision, fine, but please stop trying to claim Disney is trying to do more than they actually are doing.

I find it ironic when the rage machine kicks in over the perception of manufactured rage.

 

[ryguy]

The climax of the ride is based on one of the more controversial of the “Uncle Remus” stories.
Just do a google search for the line:
"Do anything you want with me – roas' me, hang me, skin me, drown me – but please, Br'er Fox, don't fling me in dat brier-patch"

to understand why it’s considered controversial by many.

I would argue that most people are not thinking or contemplating what Brer Fox is saying when they are going up that hill. I have been on that ride 100 times and wouldn't be able to quote that line.

If its problematic rewrite the line. No one is listening to it anyway.

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

I find it ironic when the rage machine kicks in over the perception of manufactured rage.

The “angry mob” here is conflating this terribly, and it’s extremely sad. Also at times, disturbing.

 

[DryerLintFan]

I guess the sad part is that most people haven't seen or care about the movie. My kids have no clue who the heck Brer Rabbit is. Nor do they ask when they get off the ride. They do however giggle and laugh and have a good time. That's the point when on vacation. Changing it doesn't solve any social problems, it only helps Disney get this "Song of the South" issue off their back. And now is the perfect time to do so.

This was a long time coming, truthfully the Dixie Landings name change was more irritating to me.

Your kids can giggle and have a fun time on the Tiana ride. There's a whole demographic of children who's race has been turned into a caricature for the ride, and this will solve that problem for them.

 

[monothingie]

Only yourself and others here flailing in their arguments are claiming the “woke” garbage. By accounts of insiders, they knew the problematic elements of the ride for years, hence having artwork and a loose plan in place. It was fast tracked due to recent events.

Of course they care about money; they’re a business. I wouldn’t expect less.

As a business that holds these IPs, they can decided to change what and when they want. In this instance, they chose Splash. As mentioned, it’s likely other changes will come. That is their right.

They knew there were problematic elements in the ride from the day it was built. Disney tolerated and profited it for almost 30 years knowing full well the history.