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

[Gran Fiesta]

My biggest problem is that PATF does not match the theme of Frontierland at all. It being next to BTMR and Tom Sawyer island and being considered in the same land is problematic to me. I mean it doesn't really fit in Adventureland either but it would fit there better than Frontierland. Then again, the Speedway has no business being in Tomorrowland so I guess I'm just screaming at clouds here.

 

[The Mom]

My biggest problem is that PATF does not match the theme of Frontierland at all. It being next to BTMR and Tom Sawyer island and being considered in the same land is problematic to me. I mean it doesn't really fit in Adventureland either but it would fit there better than Frontierland. Then again, the Speedway has no business being in Tomorrowland so I guess I'm just screaming at clouds here.

Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn tales are set on the Mississippi River. NOLA is on the Mississippi. I don't see a problem with both attractions being in the same land.

 

[Roger_the_pianist]

Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn tales are set on the Mississippi River. NOLA is on the Mississippi. I don't see a problem with both attractions being in the same land.

Right on

Anyone arguing that Tiana doesn't fit along the Rivers of America just doesn't want her there in the first place.

This will be basically right across from the docks to Tom Sawyer Island and makes more sense than Song of the South which is not in a riverfront location.

 

[EagleScout610]

Right on

Anyone arguing that Tiana doesn't fit along the Rivers of America just doesn't want her there in the first place.

This will be basically right across from the docks to Tom Sawyer Island and makes more sense than Song of the South which is not in a riverfront location.

Big Thunder 4 feet away: Am I a joke to you?

 

[Roger_the_pianist]

Big Thunder doesn't fit in anymore. Maybe time to make it Olaf's Runaway Snow Train Through Big Rock Candy Mountain

 

[RSoxNo1]

Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn tales are set on the Mississippi River. NOLA is on the Mississippi. I don't see a problem with both attractions being in the same land.

I'd like to see them re-theme and re-name the area to Riverfront Square with that area stetching from Mansion to Princess and the Frog.

 

[LittleBuford]

Big Thunder 4 feet away: Am I a joke to you?

What specifically do you think will render the rethemed Splash Mountain incongruous from the exterior?

 

[DisneyHead123]

This is a common fear about the retheme that I just truly don't understand. Disney is maaaaaany things, but they're not stupid. They know that retheming one of their most popular rides of all times is a huge risk, and their audience is already very split on this decision. I can't see Disney cutting corners on this project for that reason alone. SO many eyes are going to be on this project, and there is a huge segment of their audience that is actively hoping it fails so that they have something they can complain about. Disney could kidnap Anika Noni Rose, put her in the lilypad dress, and have her singing live for every single boat that rolls past her, and people will still find something to complain about. I truly think Disney is going to sprinkle as much pixie dust on this to quiet as many of the naysayers as possible. Especially with all of the other attractions that were cut to push this budget further. Call me naive, but I really think the finished product is going to be something super special.

I think it is safe to assume that there will be a big drop in animatronics, which will be replaced by screen projections. Simply because this is the route Disney has gone with other rides in fairly recent history. So I think it's a fair assumption.

The question is whether this represents a decline in quality. I think that aspect is subjective.

FWIW, my take is that it doesn't necessarily have to mean this, so long as the ride is emotionally compelling. But I feel Disney has done "thrill" (quotes because they are bunny slope thrills, but that's what they're meant to be) / action rides much better than narrative based rides in the past decade and a half or so. I think rides like Soarin, Test Track, Flight of Passage, Slinky Dog Dash, Toy Story / Buzz Lightyear, Mine Train, Expedition Everest, and probably Dinosaur (haven't been on it) are great rides. Rides like Nemo, Little Mermaid, Runaway Railroad (have Youtubed but not ridden) and Frozen I would rank as more "ok" rides. (Pooh is something of an exception but I suspect that is because it was built on the preexisting structures of Mr. Toad.) Contrast that to the era when classics like Peter Pan, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Small World, and Jungle Cruise came into being.

 

[Karakasa]

I think it is safe to assume that there will be a big drop in animatronics, which will be replaced by screen projections. Simply because this is the route Disney has gone with other rides in fairly recent history. So I think it's a fair assumption.

The question is whether this represents a decline in quality. I think that aspect is subjective.

FWIW, my take is that it doesn't necessarily have to mean this, so long as the ride is emotionally compelling. But I feel Disney has done "thrill" (quotes because they are bunny slope thrills, but that's what they're meant to be) / action rides much better than narrative based rides in the past decade and a half or so. I think rides like Soarin, Test Track, Flight of Passage, Slinky Dog Dash, Toy Story / Buzz Lightyear, Mine Train, Expedition Everest, and probably Dinosaur (haven't been on it) are great rides. Rides like Nemo, Little Mermaid, Runaway Railroad (have Youtubed but not ridden) and Frozen I would rank as more "ok" rides. (Pooh is something of an exception but I suspect that is because it was built on the preexisting structures of Mr. Toad.) Contrast that to the era when classics like Peter Pan, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Small World, and Jungle Cruise came into being.

I would like to say in response to this that MMRR is actually a really good ride, probably the best non-thrill ride at Disney World since Midway Mania and easily the best use of "screens" (projections, really) in any ride. I had my doubts too, but video really doesn't do it justice, imo. It's really beautiful and fun.

If this retheme uses projections in that manner, or even like RotR, it'll be great. If it's more like Frozen or Nemo, that'll be a problem. However, I wouldn't be surprised if we get a good number of AAs here; after all, if the ride track and all is kept, more money can be spent on the show elements.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Big Thunder 4 feet away: Am I a joke to you?​

Big Thunder is currently 4 feet away from a Mississippi Riverboat with Mark Twain commenting upon it...

Look off to the port side, there. Every now and then, the water under that crest of rock comes to a natural boil and spurts out all over the place like a teakettle left on the fire too long. Indians ’round here used to tell me these geysers were actually unfriendly spirits, upset by uninvited trespassers traipsin’ all over their sacred huntin’ grounds. Be that as it may, that’s Big Thunder Mountain pokin’ up in the sky over there. The Indians named it that because of the sound the falls used to make when the big rains came. Then the miners and prospectors and get-rich-quick speculators showed up — and the name stuck because of the sound of blastin’ powder goin’ off every few minutes. There’s not so much blastin’ these days — just ghost stories about a runaway mine train loaded down with simple-hearted, terror-filled folks like you.​

​

From HM all the way around to BTMR, Liberty Square/Frontierland has had truly irreconcilable thematic issues with neither chronology nor geography being respected.

 

[DisneyHead123]

I would like to say in response to this that MMRR is actually a really good ride, probably the best non-thrill ride at Disney World since Midway Mania and easily the best use of "screens" (projections, really) in any ride. I had my doubts too, but video really doesn't do it justice, imo. It's really beautiful and fun.

If this retheme uses projections in that manner, or even like RotR, it'll be great. If it's more like Frozen or Nemo, that'll be a problem. However, I wouldn't be surprised if we get a good number of AAs here; after all, if the ride track and all is kept, more money can be spent on the show elements.

Regarding MMRR... good to know, I should reserve judgement until I've seen it in person.

 

[Bocabear]

I'd like to see them re-theme and re-name the area to Riverfront Square with that area stetching from Mansion to Princess and the Frog.

Then everyone would want to know WHICH River? and then there would be all kinds of discussion how the particular river did not have a Hudson Valley Gothic mansion anywhere on it... lol
The theming for what it is, flows nicely and still more or less works fine. Having Tiana attraction in the middle will not kill anything, perhaps maybe just look a little odd...but it all has looked fine for decades. Maybe they could add some theming to the short corridor between the Caribbean Plaza archway to the Splash Mountain bridge to suggest a New Orleans atmosphere... Add decorative architectural features to that side of Tall Tale Cafe.. Perhaps add a beautifully designed Beignet Kiosk..It could all be done fairly easily and give the new version of Splash a little more placemaking. Hopefully the entire inner courtyard and train station at Splash will get a Southern New Orleans inspired makeover that will also help make it feel a natural part of the area.

 

[EagleScout610]

Does anyone know if Splash will update to Lightning Lane?

 

[Kirby86]

Does anyone know if Splash will update to Lightning Lane?

I wouldn't be surprised if it did since it's still a popular attraction that has a lot of guest traffic.

 

[Dear Prudence]

Im just afraid of getting some value engineering here. Im not sure disney is willing to spend the kind of money to do this right.

IE my fear is we get the retheme because "feelings" but its sub par because "money" i dont want it to FEEL like an overlay.

Half of the attractions in Disneyland are dilapidated. The budget that they quoted isn't nearly enough for the kind of work they'll have to do on a solid cement structure, especially when you consider they use union workers (or, at least, I hope they still do? ). I would like for them to do a good job, but it's not an off-base assumption that they won't. I don't understand why everyone is acting like the valid skepticism automatically makes people instantly into malicious haters.

 

[matt9112]

Half of the attractions in Disneyland are dilapidated. The budget that they quoted isn't nearly enough for the kind of work they'll have to do on a solid cement structure, especially when you consider they use union workers (or, at least, I hope they still do? ). I would like for them to do a good job, but it's not an off-base assumption that they won't. I don't understand why everyone is acting like the valid skepticism automatically makes people instantly into malicious haters.

Ps union work isn't some gold standard. I used to work in boston in the refrigeration industry and they do some dumb things...like any contractor ever. You just pay them more to do it.

 

[Dear Prudence]

Ps union work isn't some gold standard. I used to work in boston in the refrigeration industry and they do some dumb things...like any contractor ever. You just pay them more to do it.

I was only referring to potential costs compared to the proposed budget, not quality of work.

 

[Roger_the_pianist]

And just like that the Splash Mountain thread is where people go to be anti-union

 

[Dear Prudence]

And just like that the Splash Mountain thread is where people go to be anti-union

I am not anti-Union. My original comment mentioned that I hoped Disney was still using union workers, but mostly referring to union costs versus their proposed budget, which isn't anywhere near the amount it should be for such an undertaking. Having personally known quite a few people who worked in/ for/on the Anaheim parks, who were/are union employees, I am concerned that they don't have enough money to not only pay people appropriately, but produce a quality product. It's just disrespectful to all parties involved.

 

[tanc]

Sad that Japan got merch like this while America never did.