News Splash Mountain retheme to Princess and the Frog - Tiana's Bayou Adventure

[Wolfoup]

I don't think they will close the WDW attraction before the end of the 50th Anniversary Celebration... That's just my opinion.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

Just trying to clarify, you say that the project is moving swiftly but the timeline remains to be seen and we will see what happens in January. Are you saying that at the moment, nothing will be closing until at least 2022?

I’m saying Bob Iger leaves in January.

 

[FantasiaMickey2000]

I’m saying Bob Iger leaves in January.

But if they close the ride and start the project of renovating the attraction before then, Iger leaving is meaningless. They can’t reverse course once actual work starts. So any guesses on your end based on what you’re hearing as to when this will actually get put into action?

 

[The Visionary Soul]

Any insight into which attractions will receive this treatment next?

Yeah, but some of the things I’ve seen are so depressing that I don’t want to talk about them. I’d rather hope that this is all just all a bad dream. But seriously, I’m hoping that some things can fly under the radar, so I’m just planning to remain silent about them until announcements are made. And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll do the same.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

But if they close the ride and start the project of renovating the attraction before then, Iger leaving is meaningless. They can’t reverse course once actual work starts. So any guesses on your end based on what you’re hearing as to when this will actually get put into action?

I disagree.

 

[FantasiaMickey2000]

I disagree.

I’m trying to imagine the PR of them closing an attraction because it’s source material is offensive to African Americans and announcing they are replacing it with a ride starring their only African American princess, starting actual work on that ride drawing more attention it, removing pieces of the attraction, then reversing course and having to pay to put the pieces removed back into the attraction. They’d have the “diversity police” breathing down their neck in a microsecond. Have they ever closed a ride and begun dismantling it only to reverse course and restore it?

 

[LittleBuford]

Truth is we all want WDW to keep Splash Mountain Br'erified.

Not all of us do. Some are genuinely looking forward to the retheme. (I myself am sad to see the current theme go but am keeping an open mind.)

 

[The Visionary Soul]

I’m trying to imagine the PR of them closing an attraction because it’s source material is offensive to African Americans and announcing they are replacing it with a ride starring their only African American princess, starting actual work on that ride drawing more attention it, removing pieces of the attraction, then reversing course and having to pay to put the pieces removed back into the attraction. They’d have the “diversity police” breathing down their neck in a microsecond. Have they ever closed a ride and begun dismantling it only to reverse course and restore it?

You make a lot of assumptions about construction timelines that are frankly, unrealistic.

 

[FantasiaMickey2000]

You make a lot of assumptions about construction timelines that are frankly, unrealistic.

My very first post was asking you to help clarify your post. I wasn’t trying to make any assumptions. All I was asking is when you’d expect to see the attraction closed. All you’ve said since is Bob Iger is leaving in January and you disagree they can’t reverse course. I’m trying to ask for a rough ballpark of when to expect the attraction to close if the current plan goes according to plan. If nothing else changes, do you see them closing the attraction by the end of 2021?

 

[BaconPancakes]

I got suckered into watching a YouTube video on how the retheme won’t happen. It was 90% a history of the movie and ride and at the end the guy just spouts off his opinion on why it will never happen and tries to pass it off as fact.

 

[Homemade Imagineering]

Yeah, but some of the things I’ve seen are so depressing that I don’t want to talk about them. I’d rather hope that this is all just all a bad dream. But seriously, I’m hoping that some things can fly under the radar, so I’m just planning to remain silent about them until announcements are made. And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll do the same.

Geez... that doesn't sound good. The JC changes seem like they'll at least be tasteful, and the concept art produced looks nice. Hopefully the execution is the same, and any other alterations to other attractions follow suit in similar fashion. Besides JC, there isn't anything else screaming major alterations to my knowledge (maybe HoP? It's already getting the anual refurb though.) (Peter Pan is an easy fix). Even JC isn't being altered beyond recognition, unlike Splash. What could they possibly be looking to dramatically alter in other attractions, that makes the situation so depressing? I'll stop there and take your word for it, though waiting around for the worst isn't fun at all... thanks for the additional insight.

 

[BuzzedPotatoHead89]

Geez... that doesn't sound good. The JC changes seem like they'll at least be tasteful, and the concept art produced looks nice. Hopefully the execution is the same, and any other alterations to other attractions follow suit in similar fashion. Besides JC, there isn't anything else screaming major alterations to my knowledge (maybe HoP? It's already getting the anual refurb though.) (Peter Pan is an easy fix). Even JC isn't being altered beyond recognition, unlike Splash. What could they possibly be looking to dramatically alter in other attractions, that makes the situation so depressing? I'll stop there and take your word for it, though waiting around for the worst isn't fun... thanks for the additional insight.

This is my take as well. Besides a few “pin-prick” changes here and there (like the “Injun” scene in Pan, “Native” depictions in JC, etc.) I can’t imagine what else can/could be done without decimating the theme of the park.

At some point I am wondering if perhaps a general warning sign (a la D+) would suffice. While I don’t agree with all their choices, I am at least pleased that some folks like Bob Weiss, Kim Irvine and even Kevin Lively are around WDI since they at least *seem* to favor a scalpel over a sledgehammer approach even if the execution on some of these *enhancements* is somewhat uneven.

 

[FantasiaMickey2000]

I got suckered into watching a YouTube video on how the retheme won’t happen. It was 90% a history of the movie and ride and at the end the guy just spouts off his opinion on why it will never happen and tries to pass it off as fact.

I can’t help but feel I’m being suckered by this thread lol.

 

[EagleScout610]

My my how things are a changin’. Looks like this project is moving swiftly in California. The Japanese still aren’t on-board, so that means there was no money for the project at WDW, just Disneyland’s... until they delayed / cancelled 3 other projects. That’s right, I’m sorry to report that there now is money for this project on both coasts.

An internal inclusion group at Disney is rapidly becoming known as “the diversity police” and they are quite well supported by Bob Iger. This group is able to outweigh any and all budget shortcomings by re-directing funds. They can basically touch anything that could be construed as outdated or racially insensitive. I foresee this as a short lived group, but they will clean up almost everything while they’re around. If it is even remotely offensive to any population, it will get looked at and most likely changed. (except in Japan’s OLC, where they have no power)

As for Splash Mountain, the timeline remains to be seen, but multiple groups inside and outside of WDI have already begun the long process of actually creating content for the attraction. (Content = Final product to end up in the ride) So, despite Japan’s best efforts, this is happening now. The only thing that could stop it in its tracks is the departure of Bob Iger... as it seems Bob Chapek isn’t nearly onboard with this as much as Iger is. We’ll see what happens in January.

Proof?

 

[FantasiaMickey2000]

Proof?

Good luck with that. He or she wouldn’t directly answer any of my questions either.

 

[EagleScout610]

Good luck with that. He or she wouldn’t directly answer any of my questions either.

Because from what's been rumored as of late Tokyo was still not on board. @marni1971 Any feedback? it coud've changed, I haven't been paying attention.

 

[UNCgolf]

Because from what's been rumored as of late Tokyo was still not on board. @marni1971 Any feedback? it coud've changed, I haven't been paying attention.

He said Tokyo still wasn't on-board, but that Disney had cancelled or delayed other projects to free up money for Splash Mountain.

Doesn't mean it's true, of course.

 

[drnilescrane]

Everybody in this thread does understand that if the CEO says “do something, the impact on our brand is too high” and the Board of Directors approves that capital expenditure, then that something has a high likelihood of happening and money appears?

 

[FantasiaMickey2000]

He said Tokyo still wasn't on-board, but that Disney had cancelled or delayed other projects to free up money for Splash Mountain.

Doesn't mean it's true, of course.

Considering he’s refusing to answer with any rough timeline of when the ride would close and also refused to answer someone else’s question on what other rides Disney is looking at, I’d take it with a glass of salt.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

Diverting funds for Splash Mountain would be a good thing; even for those who don't want this to happen.

Let's be clear: This re-theme is going to happen. If it's not this year, it will happen in five years or ten years. Point is, it will absolutely happen. If they are going to do it now, I'd prefer they pull money from Tron temporarily rather than doing it insufficiently.

Disney could've taken several routes with Song of the South. They could've addressed it head on, potentially 'righting a wrong' by creating a brand new feature film with Brer Rabbit and friends. Use it as a spring board for their fifth key rather than pretending it simply never happened. Instead, they decided not to do this and instead banish the IP entirely. Thus, there is no escaping a re-themed Splash Mountain forever.

Question is, what happens to Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah? A song that's second to only Wish Upon A Star in Disney history (and widely used in instrumentals throughout the parks).