Splash Mountain re-theme announced

[Brer Oswald]

You should try going to Disneyland. It still has that “classic” feel, and it’s less stressful. It’s not a “resort” style vacation like Disney or Universal in Florida - but I say so what?

I have. Being on the eastern side of the continent, it’s hard to make it out there. I’ve only been once, but I loved it. Retheming Splash there has little impact on my experience. While I did enjoy their version, it wasn’t my favourite thing to do there, and like you said, plenty of classic things to do there.

WDW’s Splash, to me, was their best ride. I loved the story, the animatronics, and the music.

 

[lebeau]

That’s why I’m considering switching too. Splash Mountain isn’t a political statement for me. It’s a classic dark ride with Classic Disney charm and classic animatronics. It’s WDW’s equivalent to Disneyland’s Pirates. The retheme will most definitely get rid of the America Sings animatronics, And with it, the Classic Disney charm. It’s just going to be another screen heavy movie ride. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong. But there’s little evidence to suggest otherwise given the $50 million budget thrown around and the recent trends with the company’s newer rides.

The one thing Disney has over Universal was their classic rides. With Splash gone, Spaceship Earth getting the storytelling redo, and Small World due for a change, what’s left? Mansion? It was my least favourite of the classics, and that won’t change.

All Disney wants to do is make rides based on their recent IP. But their recent IP is weaker than what Universal has access to. Universal has the cheaper price, the better IP, and the less stressful experience. Why go to WDW if the one thing enticing me to go there, my favourite ride, is gone?

If PatF tops Splash, and I’d hope it would, that’s great. But it has to be the best ride they’ve ever made. It has to have all the charm of Splash and then some. I’ll probably test it at Disneyland and make the call if I want to return to Disney World. Till then, I’ll be spending my time elsewhere, where things aren’t as stressful.

That's a whole different discussion. Drop on by the Universal subforum. We go into the relative merits of each resort there.

 

[The_Jobu]

No. You don't.

You don't have a vote in whether or not other people are offended and you don't have a vote in what Disney does with its parks (aside from voting with your wallet).

You're free to express your opinion all day long. But you don't get a vote.

Do you need an explanation on how sarcasm works? My whole point is that there is no vote, there is no deferring to the majority. Of course we dont get a vote, we're not supposed to.

All of this is just opinion, that's the joke.

 

[Bairstow]

Has it been announced when the transformation will take place? How long of a shut down?

Nope. No specifics whatsoever.

 

[The March Hare]

You should try going to Disneyland. It still has that “classic” feel, and it’s less stressful. It’s not a “resort” style vacation like Disney or Universal in Florida - but I say so what?

Universal Orlando has better, more affordable hotels, easier touring experience, and improving theme parks. Yeah there are too many screens, but soon, compared to what other product?

 

[The_Jobu]

Has it been announced when the transformation will take place? How long of a shut down?

Not even slightly. I doubt they want to put their money where their mouth is publicly like that and be held to a date.

They'll likely get around to it after the 50th, if they still feel like it.

 

[lebeau]

You have a very high opinion of yourself. We are all duly impressed, I'm sure.

You don't know me, dude. And I couldn't care less what you think.

 

[The_Jobu]

All I know is, if me, xdan, Jobu, and ImperfectPixie are all in agreement on the same subject, then... we must have the correct opinion.
I don’t think that has ever happened before.

...or it’s just another crazy day in the year 2020.

I'm waiting for FordExploder to show up.

 

[orlandogal22]

It's interesting to me that some who have shouted the loudest in agreement with this change cannot answer a simple yes / no question if they ever stood in the hot Florida sun to ride the ride on their many visits to WDW.

 

[lebeau]

So if we can't use logic to evaluate the complaints of others, what can we use?

Why are you evaluating other people's feelings at all? Why is that a thing? Let people feel however they want to feel.

 

[bryanfze55]

Universal Orlando has better, more affordable hotels, easier touring experience, and improving theme parks. Yeah there are too many screens, but soon, compared to what other product?

A lot of people think Universal is getting worse, particularly the Studio Park that gutted most of its physical rides and replaced them with screens.

In many ways, WDW and Universal are on fairly equal footing now. But neither of them come close to Disneyland.

 

[monothingie]

Now, this is probably projecting, but I have to assume I was in the majority here. Never saw Song of the South, will never see it, don't care about it. I just took the ride on it's own merits and LOVED every second of it. I believe we should be separating source material, it's so dang slippery to do otherwise.

I guess it doesn't really matter though, Splash Mountain has been #cancelled

So when people go into the German Pavilion do people immediately think about that period from 1933-1945 and get offended or do they look at entirety of German culture and enjoy it for what has been presented?

 

[DisneyCane]

Messages of inclusion really ruffle your feathers, huh?

In general, no they don't. The messaging in this case announcing a sudden re-theme of SM does because the messaging is there to tell the people who were offended (or were told to be offended), "we hear you and we're getting rid of that racist theme."

The population is not made up of completely ignorant people. I think we can figure out that "The Princess and the Frog" is inclusive without being told so putting it in the statement was to send a message to the offended who mostly probably have not seen either movie.

 

[Bill in Atlanta]

The source material is a big part of the equation.

If we apply this logic to everything, we would not be able to function as a society.

As an example...Epcot's World Showcase has 11 countries. How many of those have a checkered past (or present)?

If I wrote a heartfelt tweet about the horrors of Chinese sweat shop labor or Germany's Holocaust would you support Disney's decision to remove the World Showcase?

Magic Kingdom... do you know the history of kings and castles?

Hall of Presidents... lifelike depictions of slave owners? Wow.

Now apply all of the above to the rest of society. Starting to see our point now?

 

[Chris767]

If only.

But that's unlikely to happen. Why reskin when a mass culling of AAs will save Disney money? Same goes for set design, etc. Why bother with new set design when you can mostly rework existing ones and using screens whenever possible. This will be value-engineered of that I have no doubt. It's smart really. Give the people what they want (HA!) and save money in the process. But it's not all bad, limitations breed creativity. So it could hypothetically be a great refresh. Only time will tell!

Does anyone here actually think it'll be anything more than a "Where's Louis?" concept with a sprinkling of mood lighting?
(I pray I'm wrong. I ask forgiveness for being myopic and pessimistic lol )

The only hope really then is that Baxter can help convince them to leave those AAs and just add projections behind them. That would be an enhancement on what is there now. Brer Bear is almost the exact same shape as Louie so I feel a reskin works there. I’d just spend money changing the lighting, exterior a bit, and add Tiana AA’s. The only area that really needs to be reskinned a little is the Laughing Place, which again makes perfect sense as Dr. Faciliers Lair. Everything else looks pretty much like swamp as it is.

 

[Speedy71]

A lot of people think Universal is getting worse, particularly the Studio Park that gutted most of its physical rides and replaced them with screens.

In many ways, WDW and Universal are on fairly equal footing now. But neither of them come close to Disneyland.

I beg to differ but I for one am hype for this. with this re-theme Disney announced this can't open soon enough

 

[WondersOfLife]

How long until Thunder Mountain becomes a Home on the Range attraction, Country Bears becomes Brother Bear, and Tom Sawyer Island becomes a bridge to a restaurant?

 

[lebeau]

Do you need an explanation on how sarcasm works? My whole point is that there is no vote, there is no deferring to the majority. Of course we dont get a vote, we're not supposed to.

All of this is just opinion, that's the joke.

 

[lebeau]

It's interesting to me that some who have shouted the loudest in agreement with this change cannot answer a simple yes / no question if they ever stood in the hot Florida sun to ride the ride on their many visits to WDW.

I answered your question but I'm not sure I understand its relevance. What point are you trying to make?

 

[The_Jobu]

How long until Thunder Mountain becomes a Home on the Range attraction, Country Bears becomes Brother Bear, and Tom Sawyer Island becomes a bridge to a restaurant?

I hope they do, then I can complain about Canadian stereotypes.