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

[Kate F]

Why is my main point being ignored? Disney could make an incredible Moana ride if they wanted to, but I don’t think anyone wants it to be a replacement for Pirates. It’s the principle.

 

[Kirby86]

The Expedition/“expotition” song’s from Piglet’s Big Movie, not the 2011 film.

But in all honesty, the darkride as it exists (along with TDL’s Pooh’s Hunny Hunt) basically got the story down fine in that it’s basically the 3 sections of the “Blustery Day” featurette. So essentially it starts out with the main Blustery Day section & song.., the second section is Meeting Tigger “Wonderful Thing About Tiggers” and then “Heffalumps & Woozles”, then there’s the Flood scene which features “The Rain Rain Rain Came Down, Down Down”, and then to end it all, the finale song “Hip-Hip-Pooh-ray!” (For the Hero Party in saving Piglet and his friends in the flood “The Rain came down down down”).

Now personally being a big Pooh fan. I certainly wouldn’t mind a flume ride with the characters.. ‘however’, even that I wouldn’t exactly be the happiest about considering how much I genuinely enjoy the Br’er Rabbit stories, songs, and characters within Splash Mountain as it currently exists. I thought it was extremely well executed and fixed all the issues they may have had in Song of the South. So there ya have it

I'm a big fan of Winnie the Pooh that's the reason I thought of how a flume ride would work. Don't get me wrong I love the ride as is and if it was up to me the Br'er characters and stories would stay.

 

[Inspired Figment]

Disney could make an incredible Moana ride if they wanted to, but I don’t think anyone wants it to be a replacement for Pirates. It’s the principle.

I for one, totally agree with you on that principle.

 

[Inspired Figment]

Why is my main point being ignored? Disney could make an incredible Moana ride if they wanted to, but I don’t think anyone wants it to be a replacement for Pirates. It’s the principle.

I could make the very same argument regarding an Inside Out attraction for example. I personally really enjoyed the film, music, & characters myself and honestly think it’d be fun to see a multimedia show (a theatre show with a mixture of animatronics, spfx, and screens. (Think something along the lines of Cranium Command & Muppet*Vision 3D) but absolutely ‘despise’, no, ‘LOATHE’ the idea of it being a retheme of Journey Into Imagination (the first 2 attempts at a film IP retheme have sucked. So why the heck would they go that direction a third time? Just ludicrous..). The original was a beloved timeless classic that nearly ‘everyone’ enjoyed. So it seems really stupid they wouldn’t try to restore back its former glory instead with enhanced spfx & tech. But yeah.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

What a bizarre "update". I was expecting at least some kind of time frame for when it was going to close.

I guess they're starting to realize announcing it so far in advance was a mistake.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I guess they're worried that the longer they don't say/do anything the more it's gonna look like the original announcement was a PR stunt they had no intention of following through with, even if that isn't the case.

 

[Inspired Figment]

What a bizarre "update". I was expecting at least some kind of time frame for when it was going to close.

I guess they're starting to realize announcing it so far in advance was a mistake.

That or perhaps they’re starting to realize this entire retheme idea was a mistake…

Should’ve just built Tiana her own stand-out attraction and left Splash Mountain mostly as-is with some enhancements done to the tech & spfx within the show scenes.

 

[Kirby86]

Why is my main point being ignored? Disney could make an incredible Moana ride if they wanted to, but I don’t think anyone wants it to be a replacement for Pirates. It’s the principle.

I agree with the Principle. In a perfect world Tiana would get an awesome original ride and Splash would stay.

 

[DisneyDodo]

If we're being honest the current theme isn't a perfect match since the setting of the original stories is the south particularly Georgia not the frontier but creative liberties and what not. Also The Muppets can fit anywhere they're adaptable. The biggest issue they are going to have with the retheme in WDW with Princess and the Frog is it's going to be weird going from a Louisiana Style decor to the wold west right next to it.

It's true that SotS technically takes place in Georgia, but there's nothing about Splash Mountain that's explicitly southern. Just from looking at it/riding it, you wouldn't conclude that it's decidedly not western.

With PatF, on the other hand, the location is integral to the theme of the movie, and given the emphasis on Mardi Gras, it sounds like they'll be leaning heavily into that for the ride as well. Therefore, I think the fit in Frontierland will be considerably worse than before.

But I still don't think it would be the end of the world if they decided that NOLA was "west enough" and just left it as part of Fronteirland. From the outside, it the mountain will always look more western than it does New Orleans.

 

[Kirby86]

It's true that SotS technically takes place in Georgia, but there's nothing about Splash Mountain that's explicitly southern. Just from looking at it/riding it, you wouldn't conclude that it's decidedly not western.

With PatF, on the other hand, the location is integral to the theme of the movie, and given the emphasis on Mardi Gras, it sounds like they'll be leaning heavily into that for the ride as well. Therefore, I think the fit in Frontierland will be considerably worse than before.

But I still don't think it would be the end of the world if they decided that NOLA was "west enough" and just left it as part of Fronteirland. From the outside, it the mountain will always look more western than it does New Orleans.

Like I said creative liberties. I just brought the setting of the stories to say if the ride is good it dosen't have to 100٪ fit the theme of the land it's in. The Matterhorn bobsleds are a Tomorrow Land ride in Disneyland. I do think they will just say New Orleans is west enough and yeah I think the mountain will look fine.

 

[Roger_the_pianist]

The Disneyworld Splash soundtrack is decidedly more *country western* sounding than Disneyland, likely to relate to the Country Bears and the fact that it's in Frontierland. And let's be real: Critter Country/Bear Country has always been an extension of Frontierland, basically a corner, which may be why it never had Land in the name.

I saw some ideas for Disneyworld to get a Western River Expedition inside Splash, but imagine if that ride as it was in concept were around today. I seem to remember lots of Peter Pan like portrayals of Native Americans in concept art for that ride.

With people even questioning the future of Frontierland, I don't think anyone in Imagineering is too worried about Tiana feeling *out of place*

I'm thinking Disneyworld and Land will see new gift shops and possibly a restaurant to create a mini-land for Tiana.

 

[brb1006]

Magic Kingdom Vice President Melissa Valiquette comments on the progress being made on the reimagining of Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World​

Magic Kingdom Vice President Melissa Valiquette comments on the progress being made on the reimagining of Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World

Magic Kingdom Vice President says "we promise not to let you down, we're going to deliver a wonderful attraction"

www.wdwmagic.com

The Podcast for those curious.

 

[skypilot2922]

I realize this is rhetorical, but I like to hear myself talk.

1. Rise of the Resistance
2. Shanghai PotC
3. Radiator Springs Racers
4. The Great Movie Ride
5. Kilimanjaro Safari
6. Indiana Jones Adventure
7. Mystic Manor
8. Splash Mountain
9. Flight of Passage
10. Paris Space Mountain

50% ain't bad.

There are many issues with the retheme, but a lack of potential is not one of them. Both WDI and PatF can combine to make something incredible, or they can make another Frozen. The ball is in their court, I hope it's the former.

My bet is on another Frozen

 

[Kirby86]

The Disneyworld Splash soundtrack is decidedly more *country western* sounding than Disneyland, likely to relate to the Country Bears and the fact that it's in Frontierland. And let's be real: Critter Country/Bear Country has always been an extension of Frontierland, basically a corner, which may be why it never had Land in the name.

I saw some ideas for Disneyworld to get a Western River Expedition inside Splash, but imagine if that ride as it was in concept were around today. I seem to remember lots of Peter Pan like portrayals of Native Americans in concept art for that ride.

With people even questioning the future of Frontierland, I don't think anyone in Imagineering is too worried about Tiana feeling *out of place*

I'm thinking Disneyworld and Land will see new gift shops and possibly a restaurant to create a mini-land for Tiana.

If Disney decided to go the Western River Expedtion route It would be in name only as a wink and nod to diehard fans. It would be substantially different from what the plan was in the 60s. I still think they'd try to attach an IP it though since under the Bob's snergy is key.

 

[CJR]

The problem here is that your tweet is saying that.

There are plenty of reasons to be reluctant about the changes they are making, and you can use Frozen and other reasons as examples. However, saying Imagineers haven't created anything up to par within the last decade is strange, especially when you haven't ridden the quality offerings they have created!

I could argue that they haven't done much for MK since Splash Mountain itself opened up. New Fantasyland was a chance, but they kind of blew it, although I'll admit Mine Train did get close and could have hit the mark had they made it a tad longer.

Especially if you narrow it down to just WDW though, the last decade hasn't been kind to WDW. You really have Star Wars (which was mostly an addition to DL, where in Florida it replaced stuff at DHS - not great stuff, but still), MMRR (addition at DL, replaced GMR at DHS), and Pandora (a rare for WDW, true win for DAK), which only hit two out of four parks in a decade.

 

[Roger_the_pianist]

If Disney decided to go the Western River Expedtion route It would be in name only as a wink and nod to diehard fans. It would be substantially different from what the plan was in the 60s. I still think they'd try to attach an IP it though since under the Bob's snergy is key.

Yeah I'm not saying that would ever be on the table. Mostly my point is that had WRE been built back in the day it would likely be a problem now.

But I do like to imagine an alternate timeline where Splash Mountain was originally Robin Hood.

 

[James Alucobond]

It's true that SotS technically takes place in Georgia, but there's nothing about Splash Mountain that's explicitly southern. Just from looking at it/riding it, you wouldn't conclude that it's decidedly not western.

With PatF, on the other hand, the location is integral to the theme of the movie, and given the emphasis on Mardi Gras, it sounds like they'll be leaning heavily into that for the ride as well. Therefore, I think the fit in Frontierland will be considerably worse than before.

But I still don't think it would be the end of the world if they decided that NOLA was "west enough" and just left it as part of Fronteirland. From the outside, it the mountain will always look more western than it does New Orleans.

There's always been a mélange of different states and regions surrounding the Rivers of America, so I don't think it's especially problematic even if the particulars of Louisiana spill out into the exterior. The Haunted Mansion and Sleepy Hollow are New York, the southern part of Liberty Square is Pennsylvania, Tom Sawyer Island is Missouri and (more broadly) the Mississippi River, the Diamond Horseshoe and Jamboree are the far west, Pecos Bill and Big Thunder are the southwest, and Splash is Georgia. I actually think it could be an even nicer transition if Pecos Bill becomes a New Orleans-style eatery since it was always weird to me that it was disconnected from Big Thunder in the first place, plus it might be able to more elegantly flow into the Tortuga Tavern area as a port town that would reasonably have access to the Caribbean.

 

[Kirby86]

Yeah I'm not saying that would ever be on the table. Mostly my point is that had WRE been built back in the day it would likely be a problem now.

But I do like to imagine an alternate timeline where Splash Mountain was originally Robin Hood.

Oh I'm not saying you did but I've seen some people say they should do Western River Expedition since it would be a throwback to the original plan. However yeah it be an issue today absolutely.
They changed the backstory on Tom Sawyer Island for the burning cabin for similar reasons.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Like I said, it’s the principle of it that angers me. I don’t care how well done it is, that’s not the point.

You seem to be missing the point that the entire basis of the refurb is to get rid of what is currently there, not their desperate interest in adding something new.

The assignment they're acting on here is not to add a new attraction to Magic Kingdom, but rather to take the racially problematic attraction and do away with it. They could built a massive, brand new Tiana ride right next door and they would still feel the need to get rid of Splash Mountain as it currently exists.

 

[wdwmagic]

The Podcast for those curious.

I had linked to it in the article.