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

[brb1006]

Also, let’s be honest—it’s a bad movie

The only good thing was the Yodel-Adle-Eedle-Idle-Oo sequence.

 

[jt04]

I'll try to later this week with permission from a source.



Note the difference in when I say something is going to happen (like when I announced the Mary Poppins attraction and midday discounted tickets) and when I announce talks occurring behind the scenes. One features a decision having absolutely been made, the other is given in order to let people see into the decision making process.

So the Weird Al rumor could have been one of a hundred blue sky ideas written on a white board during a brainstorming session?

Got it.

 

[LittleBuford]

The only good thing was the Yodel-Adle-Eedle-Idle-Oo sequence.

I can't tell if you're joking or not. That's the moment that had me cringing the most.

 

[brb1006]

I can't tell if you're joking or not. That's the moment that had me cringing the most.

Only for the lighting and animation.

 

[drizgirl]

Just a heads up - there's now an actual push at high levels to pause changing Splash in Florida indefinitely (without officially canceling). Part of this is internal polls they've seen after the announcement, but a larger part is they're increasingly strapped for cash. I'll be able to hopefully discuss why they're more financially harmed right now than a week ago, but that will be its own thread later this week (if I can).

The DL version will absolutely be changing though. Japan will not change as their political and cultural atmosphere is decidedly different than California in the present.

My eyes can't roll any farther back into my head.

Is it racially insensitive? Or isn't it?

Has Disney's financial situation changed THAT much in the last couple of weeks?

 

[Surferboy567]

Has Disney's financial situation changed THAT much in the last couple of weeks?

Sure I’m forgetting many things but Hamilton just released on Disney Plus probably bringing in tons of new subs and by extension revenue.

Many parks have opened by then and while are not pulling anything like they used to are pulling in revenue again.

Maybe, they are trying to cover their losses? Even that doesn’t make sense since they wouldn’t of announced it. I still think it’s happening unless Pro comes up with a reason (which their very well maybe) something doesn’t add up.

 

[LittleBuford]

Is it racially insensitive? Or isn't it?

Disney's own statements have been very circumspect in this regard. Their announcement of the retheme made no mention of the (arguably) problematic nature of Splash Mountain.

 

[RSoxNo1]

On the latest Disney Dish podcast with Jim Hill and @lentesta, they discussed possible scenes...

• The attraction will largely follow Louis the alligator trying to find his missing trumpet case on his way to a Mardi Gras celebration
• Tiana is expected to appear in the current "How do you Do" scene as well as the attraction's finale
• Some of the animal animatronics may be repurposed
• Some of the visual gags may have similar scenes in the new version of the attraction. An example given was Br'er Bear with his nose stuck in a beehive may be replaced with Louis covered in prickers
• The fireflies are expected to appears in the current black light scene
• Dr. Facilier's Friends form the Otherside are expected to make an appearance on the final lift hill before being cast off by Mama Odie at the top. Her spell to do away with Dr. Facilier will also send us down the waterfall.
• The time frame for the new attraction to open may not be until 2024-2025 with a closure not until 2022.

 

[Surferboy567]

On the latest Disney Dish podcast with Jim Hill and @lentesta, they discussed possible scenes...

• The attraction will largely follow Louis the alligator trying to find his missing trumpet case on his way to a Mardi Gras celebration
• Tiana is expected to appear in the current "How do you Do" scene as well as the attraction's finale
• Some of the animal animatronics may be repurposed
• Some of the visual gags may have similar scenes in the new version of the attraction. An example given was Br'er Bear with his nose stuck in a beehive may be replaced with Louis covered in prickers
• The fireflies are expected to appears in the current black light scene
• Dr. Facilier's Friends form the Otherside are expected to make an appearance on the final lift hill before being cast off by Mama Odie at the top. Her spell to do away with Dr. Facilier will also send us down the waterfall.
• The time frame for the new attraction to open may not be until 2024-2025 with a closure not until 2022.

This has been posted a few times but now it got me thinking about the last point:

”The time frame for the new attraction to open may not be until 2024-2025 with a closure not until 2022”

Why would they cancel a redo if this is the timetable that doesn’t make any sense. Either Pro is wrong or Hill is wrong both sources aren’t adding up.

 

[GoofGoof]

On the latest Disney Dish podcast with Jim Hill and @lentesta, they discussed possible scenes...

• The attraction will largely follow Louis the alligator trying to find his missing trumpet case on his way to a Mardi Gras celebration
• Tiana is expected to appear in the current "How do you Do" scene as well as the attraction's finale
• Some of the animal animatronics may be repurposed
• Some of the visual gags may have similar scenes in the new version of the attraction. An example given was Br'er Bear with his nose stuck in a beehive may be replaced with Louis covered in prickers
• The fireflies are expected to appears in the current black light scene
• Dr. Facilier's Friends form the Otherside are expected to make an appearance on the final lift hill before being cast off by Mama Odie at the top. Her spell to do away with Dr. Facilier will also send us down the waterfall.
• The time frame for the new attraction to open may not be until 2024-2025 with a closure not until 2022.

Sounds pretty decent. I would be good if I got a last ride in on the old version next summer. If they wait that long maybe they can actually increase the budget and do a more extensive project like we have talked about here.

 

[Touchdown]

Disney Plus brings in $6.99 per subscriber. People drop thousands on a Disney World vacation they are not at all in the same league.

Disney has now realized that:
-Covid is not going away and will be suppressing interstate travel for at least the rest of the year
-International travel will be nonexistent for the rest of 2020
-They’ve already given up on Halloween, MVMCP and the CP 2020 is on its deathbed and will die unless something dramatic happens in the next month
-Demand is going to be soft through Oct 2021, and possibly after
-Movie Theatres are likely going to remain closed for the entire summer, and potentially the rest of the year

This is disastrous for the company.

 

[Brer Oswald]

Very fascinated to see how they pull this off in terms of the set design. At Disneyland, it’s pretty easy. The How Do You Do section is already in a dark swampy area.

But in Florida, that scene is filled with orange rockwork, cartoony grass, flowers & trees, rustic picket fences, rolling green hills, blue skies, bird houses, water troughs, beaver dams, etc.

Maybe that’s why they might be “holding it off for the time being” in Florida. It isn’t just a matter of swapping a few animatronics and adding some screens. The first two minutes of the interior scenes need a full set rebuild, lest they want it to be “Tiana in Brer Rabbit Land”.

 

[Brer Oswald]

This has been posted a few times but now it got me thinking about the last point:

”The time frame for the new attraction to open may not be until 2024-2025 with a closure not until 2022”

Why would they cancel a redo if this is the timetable that doesn’t make any sense. Either Pro is wrong or Hill is wrong both sources aren’t adding up.

It’s important to remember that the internal politics of Disney is very complicated. Different parties will do things without telling everyone. There are some parties who really want this to happen, and there are other parties that understand that it’s not the most feasible thing to do right at this moment in time.

The choice of timing of this announcement is very clear. The idea was in flux, and like most projects during this trying time, at risk. Someone (or a group) within the company wanted it out now so that they would be guaranteed to move ahead with the idea.

 

[lazyboy97o]

This has been posted a few times but now it got me thinking about the last point:

”The time frame for the new attraction to open may not be until 2024-2025 with a closure not until 2022”

Why would they cancel a redo if this is the timetable that doesn’t make any sense. Either Pro is wrong or Hill is wrong both sources aren’t adding up.

Projects are usually given what should be final approval after Concept Design leaving at least a year of Schematic Design, Design Development and Construction Documentation (the actual “blueprints”). There is some overlap in the start of construction as Disney often utilized aspects of fast track project delivery where construction will start before design work is complete. Based on Disney’s own statements that they still need to really assess the Splash Mountain facilities this project appears to have been approved earlier in the process than other projects.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Projects are usually given what should be final approval after Concept Design leaving at least a year of Schematic Design, Design Development and Construction Documentation (the actual “blueprints”). There is some overlap in the start of construction as Disney often utilized aspects of fast track project delivery where construction will start before design work is complete. Based on Disney’s own statements that they still need to really assess the Splash Mountain facilities this project appears to have been approved earlier in the process than other projects.

Reminds me of when they announced they got the rights to build Avatar, years before construction actually started.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Reminds me of when they announced they got the rights to build Avatar, years before construction actually started.

This does seem to be a similar situation. It seems they had a Blue Sky design that was sort of bobbing around and it was given a very sudden commitment without the typical due diligence regarding feasibility. That Disney themselves stated they haven’t really dug into the facilities is astounding and something I think is a huge risk as modernizing the facilities could be a huge cost that would otherwise not make it financially viable to reuse the attractions.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

This does seem to be a similar situation. It seems they had a Blue Sky design that was sort of bobbing around and it was given a very sudden commitment without the typical due diligence regarding feasibility. That Disney themselves stated they haven’t really dug into the facilities is astounding and something I think is a huge risk as modernizing the facilities could be a huge cost that would otherwise not make it financially viable to reuse the attractions.

I guess they wanted to strike while the iron was hot in the middle of a major cultural movement.

 

[WDW Pro]

My eyes can't roll any farther back into my head.

Is it racially insensitive? Or isn't it?

Has Disney's financial situation changed THAT much in the last couple of weeks?

Yes.

On the latest Disney Dish podcast with Jim Hill and @lentesta, they discussed possible scenes...

• The attraction will largely follow Louis the alligator trying to find his missing trumpet case on his way to a Mardi Gras celebration
• Tiana is expected to appear in the current "How do you Do" scene as well as the attraction's finale
• Some of the animal animatronics may be repurposed
• Some of the visual gags may have similar scenes in the new version of the attraction. An example given was Br'er Bear with his nose stuck in a beehive may be replaced with Louis covered in prickers
• The fireflies are expected to appears in the current black light scene
• Dr. Facilier's Friends form the Otherside are expected to make an appearance on the final lift hill before being cast off by Mama Odie at the top. Her spell to do away with Dr. Facilier will also send us down the waterfall.
• The time frame for the new attraction to open may not be until 2024-2025 with a closure not until 2022.

2022 for MK was the plan, but even that seems difficult. Disney flat out committed to a project they can't currently afford.

 

[_caleb]

Based on Disney’s own statements that they still need to really assess the Splash Mountain facilities this project appears to have been approved earlier in the process than other projects.

Do you mean *announced earlier in the process than other projects or approved? How far into the process do projects usually get before Disney gives the official green light to spend the money and built the attraction?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Do you mean *announced earlier in the process than other projects or approved? How far into the process do projects usually get before Disney gives the official green light to spend the money and built the attraction?

See Slide 6 for the phases of design and construction.

https://network.aia.org/HigherLogic/System/DownloadDocumentFile.ashx?DocumentFileKey=25eadd48-6fff-4a2f-ae26-cef8a77d4f6d&forceDialog=0

I mean approved. Projects are approved at the end of Feasibility and it’s not unusual for them to be announced shortly thereafter. The D23 Expo will now push that back but Disney announces projects rather early in development which is why construction usually starts so long after the announcement, because they haven’t done enough to be able to start construction.