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

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HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
OK, I know this is a stretch, but to make it work in my mind...I'm going to think about rivers that feed into the Mississippi. The Yellowstone River's tributaries flow into the Missouri River, which in turn flows into the Mississippi River and accounts for something like 45% of the water flowing in the Mississippi. I remember hearing it from a park ranger and feeling a little bit better about all of the Mississippi's silt that makes Galveston's water so murky. Either way, some of that water flowing through the river that you'd associate with New Orleans/the southern US came from western areas of the US that have some strong historic associations with rustic old west themes. Now I'll agree that something New Orleans themed against something inspired by Bryce Canyon (i.e. BTMRR) in UT would still feel off without the right treatments. Plus, those parts of WY/MT I'm thinking of are still a good 9-10 hour drive from the south entrance of Yellowstone. Still, I guess this logic could tie into a Rivers of American thought I recall being posted.

I know, it's a stretch ;)
 

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
I think we are overthinking it... Beasts Castle next to Eric's Seaside Castle next to Snow White's mountain forest... None of that goes together...
I think if they add a little New Orlans theming to the Adventurland Corrider and leave everything as is, it will work just fine. They could retheme the whole of Pecos Bill to a New Orleans, Tiana's Place theme... I honestly think if it is well done it will not matter at all... Until they figure out a way to open the dead end of the park there, they are sort of stuck with it as is...
Usually I am such a purist about these things, but they just don't seem to care anymore...And with Cinderella's Sunburn Castle in the distance.... why does it matter?
 

jt04

Well-Known Member
OK, I know this is a stretch, but to make it work in my mind...I'm going to think about rivers that feed into the Mississippi. The Yellowstone River's tributaries flow into the Missouri River, which in turn flows into the Mississippi River and accounts for something like 45% of the water flowing in the Mississippi. I remember hearing it from a park ranger and feeling a little bit better about all of the Mississippi's silt that makes Galveston's water so murky. Either way, some of that water flowing through the river that you'd associate with New Orleans/the southern US came from western areas of the US that have some strong historic associations with rustic old west themes. Now I'll agree that something New Orleans themed against something inspired by Bryce Canyon (i.e. BTMRR) in UT would still feel off without the right treatments. Plus, those parts of WY/MT I'm thinking of are still a good 9-10 hour drive from the south entrance of Yellowstone. Still, I guess this logic could tie into a Rivers of American thought I recall being posted.

I know, it's a stretch ;)

 

fuentesalex

Active Member
It will never happen, but I think it will be awesome if they retheme the current Frontierland to a mix of the South / New Orleans. Then they can build a path under the railroad to the left of Thunder Mountain, and build a new Frontierland back there and have access to more expansion land. How cool for the Frontierland buildings to be right next to Big Thunder? See photo attached for an idea of what I mean... Red will be the new Frontierland, yellow and beyond can be future expansion. They can even eventually connect around the river. There is a building back there but I’m sure that can be relocated.
 

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Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Even with my limited knowledge of the Princess and the Frog, I think it could make a great change for splash mountain. I like what we have now, but, it is time for a change. If they keep the same track it is the same physical attraction with different scenes. Change can be good and I can see that working in there.
 

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
Here's Walt Disney's original dedication of Frontierland:
"It is here that we experience the story of our country's past. The color, romance and drama of frontier America as it developed from wilderness trails to roads, riverboats, railroads and civilization. A tribute to the faith, courage and ingenuity of our hearty pioneers who blaze the trails and made this progress possible."

I don't think an attraction with more or less the same facade as the existing Splash Mountain but housing an attraction set a century ago in New Orleans is going to read as jarring. Particularly as it sits alongside what might as well be and partially is a representation of the Mississippi River with a riverboat going past at regular intervals.

People are being far more literal about this theming than Walt Disney ever was.



It might stick out, but we don't know based on that one piece of very vague, nighttime artwork. Certainly not enough to be talking about the color palette. I doubt even Disney has much idea about what the exterior is going to look like when this is all finished. Who knows, maybe toning down the orange color will work better?

For the record, I don't love this announcement and Splash is my favourite ride. I'm just not getting all the hand-wringing about the location, though.
Agreed, I'm softening on the thematic break. It's really no different than Splash. The biggest thing is the original concept of Liberty Square into Frontierland had a chronology taking place (not necessarily a specific location) and that chronology was disrupted as soon as Splash opened.
 

doctornick

Well-Known Member
Where are people’s priorities? I’d rather them spend the money on the attraction than on any sort of mini land, and so wound they. It’ll fit fine enough.

I tend to agree, but feel there's a good "why not both?" here. Even with our current economic environment, Disney is full capable of making a great replacement right while also creating a little New Orleans area.

And, personally, I've been hoping for a long time to see them use the area on the far side of the RR station - and eventially build to the north around RoA like they did in DL - and could see this as a potential way to start to do so.

That's a fantastic idea! All that back area is gonna have to be rethemed anyway, so . . .

I think that's the thing. They'll have to change the Briar Patch themed area anyway, might as well create a New Orleans theme for there to go along with the ride.

Unlike things like Peco's that has no reason to be touched.
 
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WDW862

Well-Known Member
It will never happen, but I think it will be awesome if they retheme the current Frontierland to a mix of the South / New Orleans. Then they can build a path under the railroad to the left of Thunder Mountain, and build a new Frontierland back there and have access to more expansion land. How cool for the Frontierland buildings to be right next to Big Thunder? See photo attached for an idea of what I mean... Red will be the new Frontierland, yellow and beyond can be future expansion. They can even eventually connect around the river. There is a building back there but I’m sure that can be relocated.
That's what I was thinking. Turn the majority of the current Frontierland into a New Orleans Square, and utilize the expansion plot to make something similar to Western River Expedition (Make the IP Brother Bear or something).

A man can dream.
 

SpaceMountain77

Well-Known Member
In last week's New York Times article (see link below), the author states that Disney will retire the name Splash Mountain. The working name for the reimagined attraction is New Adventures with Princess Tiana. Given the merchandising around conquering Big Thunder, Space, and Splash, I had wondered if "Mountain" would be kept, but, it seems, there will be no reference to the former attraction.

 

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
That's what I was thinking. Turn the majority of the current Frontierland into a New Orleans Square, and utilize the expansion plot to make something similar to Western River Expedition (Make the IP Brother Bear or something).

A man can dream.

tl;dr -- Disney's not likely to add more 'frontier' themed attractions... ever.


Sorry to be bearer of bad news, but, without getting too much into politics, the whole 'frontier' paradigm is going to be more and more... problematic.

The sanitized notion of 'the frontier' which is of one of conquering wild nature -- while ignoring what happened to the Indians, or, making the Indians the bad guys -- isn't going to fly anymore.

The popular genre of The Western which had its heyday from pulp novels to silent films to talkies to television lasted almost a century, but has fallen out of favor with the exception of modern films dealing with very adult themes that would be out of place for Disney parks. The old Wild West stories of Hollywood no longer take place in the Wild West, they take place in such places like a galaxy far, far away (The Mandalorian).

Attempts to make G-Rated frontier movies popular fizzle (Disney's Lone Ranger and Call of the Wild). How many avid Daniel Boone or Davy Crockett fans are left? There are no Disney IPs based in 'the frontier' that are both popular and family-friendly (and avoid problematic stereotypes). And if they create their own brand new story and leave out the warts of history... Disney will be pilloried.

Disney itself has de-Wild-Westernized and de-Frontierized the land over the decades.

BTMR works in that it's set in "The West" at a certain time and deals solely with the events at one particular mine without getting into Manifest Destiny, Expansionism, or Colonialism. In the "more Disney" era, there isn't going to be another attraction like that without an IP attached to justify a budget... and there are no popular IPs available which aren't problematic. Perhaps something purely geographical like a Yellowstone attraction might work... but, where's the IP for it?

I've suggested that the whole area from HM to Liberty Square to BTMR to PotC be renamed to "The American Experience." A more encompassing theme makes disparate element 'fit' better, IMO.
 
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