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

[tanc]

it's probably more likely Tokyo wasn't impressed with the retheme. If someone comes to you and presents a retheme for a top of the line attraction and presumably wants you to pay for it without existing version, would you want to spend the money? You'd be literally running on a proof on concept. I could easily imagine OLC being asked to spend $200 million on the new retheme.

I mean it's fiscally a disaster, they have to work with the hand sculpted structure of Tokyo's Splash mountain. It isn't just rethemeing a few buildings and a little bit of rock work. It's a custom hand sculpted work of art that sounds like an unfathomable nightmare to redo. From the beginning of the queue to the end of the ride is pretty much completely indoors.

At least the US parks have buildings outside that make the queue probably much easier to work with.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Isn't that more of an apology/dismissal than a solution? Saying it doesn't fit because these other things don't fit doesn't really address the concern about how Disney will better integrate Tiana into WDW's Frontierland. Even though cronologically it's a bit of a mess, visually they Old-Westified everything so it's kosher. They won't be able to do the same here, or will they?

Definitely not a solution. But, it was a problem... that should have been solved. But wasn't. So... why is it just now in need of a solution?

But, if people insist that the replacement fit "Frontierland," then where is their eagerness to get rid of a Deep South ride that is Splash Mountain, which didn't fit "the Frontier"? Or the outcry that Country Bears continue to exist destroying the theme of "Frontierland." Or the outcry that a Mississippi Riverboat of the Mark Twain era doesn't fit "the Frontier"?

Either "the frontier" has a specific time and place as most people would think of it, making three attractions within Frontierland non-thematic, and the term "Frontierland" a joke, OR... "Frontierland" has a much broader definition would could embrace the Mississippi of Mark Twain and the Deep South of Bears, SotS, and Tiana's Bayou.

I for, one would like to see a broader reimagining of the land. Perhaps unite the Caribbean of Adventure land with Tiana's Bayou and put Tiana's restaurant in place of Pecos Bill. Call the whole area "Mississippi Gulf." Then, the only attraction that's an outlier is BTMR.

Or, unite Main Street with Liberty Square all the way to BTMR and call it "The Journey of America" which has the mini-lands of Mainstreet, Liberty Square, Old New England (Harbor House and Haunted Mansion), Mississippi Valley, and The Old Southwest.

This way, Frontierland (and Liberty Square) wouldn't have glaringly misthemed attractions in their thematic lands.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

well adventureland was never supposed to be a place, it was the land of adventure.....

So all the stories about adventure from around the world come together in an amalgamation. When Disneyland was started anything that wasnt american was exotic. Its only with cable tv, air travel being more prevalent and the internet that the world has gotten smaller. National geographic magazine was peoples window to the world for decades. Heck even world showcase was exciting and educational as most people hadnt traveled and that was the early 80s.

I'm waiting for the part that doesn't also apply to Frontierland . . .

As has been said many times, putting Princess and the Frog in Frontierland doesn't break any rules that Song of the South in Frontierland hasn't already broken.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

The replacement in mk should have been coco…

Honestly? That's not a bad idea. And not just in a "well at least it's not Zootopia..." kind of way.

Lots of music, geographically/culturally closer to the American south west, popular IP, PoC cast, it checks off a lot of boxes.

Going indoors and outdoors could be the transitions between the worlds of the living and dead.

We know a Coco boat ride (both as overlay and new build) has been given serious consideration within WDI already. I know the proposal for Florida was to change Gran Fiesta Tour, but Splash would have made a more exciting/impressive version.

 

[ppete1975]

I'm waiting for the part that doesn't also apply to Frontierland . . .

As has been said many times, putting Princess and the Frog in Frontierland doesn't break any rules that Song of the South in Frontierland hasn't already broken.

well my comment was directed at someone elses comment... is why it was talking about adventureland.

But since you asked.

My biggest issue is that we should have gotten a new ride with princess and the frog with a restaurant ala disneyland and pirates. Instead of a retheme that could have been absolutely anything. We need capacity and more attractions, Not a retheme just to satisfy a group and get PR.

Tianas place- get food just like the movie and look over the new princess and the frog attraction (like blue bayou and poc).

Add that with a cheap retheme of splash that basically removes the song of the south elements with anything... doesnt even have to be IP, although a classic mickey and friends in western wear could have been fun and fit into the "kid" vision of magic kingdom.

 

[Disney Analyst]

We will just wait to see how they tie this into the MK. Perhaps that corner becomes a new mini land with Big Thunder also lightly rethemed?

 

[ppete1975]

End of the day, if its a well done ride everyone will love it and not care where its placed.

If its poorly done this is going to be figment level anger lol

 

[Unbanshee]

If its poorly done this is going to be figment level anger lol

Everyone has to take a breath after screaming and when they do, there will be plenty of pixie dust to inhale

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

well my comment was directed at someone elses comment... is why it was talking about adventureland.

But since you asked.

My biggest issue is that we should have gotten a new ride with princess and the frog with a restaurant ala disneyland and pirates. Instead of a retheme that could have been absolutely anything. We need capacity and more attractions, Not a retheme just to satisfy a group and get PR.

Tianas place- get food just like the movie and look over the new princess and the frog attraction (like blue bayou and poc).

Add that with a cheap retheme of splash that basically removes the song of the south elements with anything... doesnt even have to be IP, although a classic mickey and friends in western wear could have been fun and fit into the "kid" vision of magic kingdom.

I understand why it was talking about Adventureland - but the poster you were responding to was making the point that the Lands of Magic Kingdom cover a lot of ground, and that the concern about PATF in Frontierland is pretty baseless when you consider how much latitude exists in the other MK lands. To which I added the point that Splash Mountain already bends the "rules" of Frontierland, and Tiana won't do so any more than Splash already does.

I still think they could and should move the Splash Mountain Exit Restrooms and build a Tiana's Palace Restaurant back there, I did a sketch that I posted somewhere further back in the thread. But people talk as if there's something inherently wrong with Tiana taking up residence in the attraction or in Frontierland overall, and, like, the extent to which that's true is no greater than the extent to which the Brer's were already a poor fit for the ride, land, and park.

At this point anyone who says the point of the retheme is to "satisfy a group and get PR" is either trying to stir up trouble or admitting to absolute ignorance. Either be an adult and find some actual understanding of the situation or just quit pushing that nonsense.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

I understand why it was talking about Adventureland - but the poster you were responding to was making the point that the Lands of Magic Kingdom cover a lot of ground, and that the concern about PATF in Frontierland is pretty baseless when you consider how much latitude exists in other lands. To which I added the point that Splash Mountain already bends the "rules" of Frontierland, and Tiana won't do so any more than Splash already does.

Precisely. The Rivers of America are also technically meant to represent several rivers in different parts of the US, including the Mississippi which flows through New Orleans if people need to make sense of its placement in Frontierland. Just think of that part of the flume that runs alongside the river as a bayou along the Lower Mississippi in Louisiana and the rest of the ride as travelling further into the bayou if that helps. Once you get to Big Thunder, you can imagine you're on the Rio Grande.

I really don't think it's necessary given the conventions of the Magic Kingdom, but that logic would work better than the current version of Splash's placement.

I still think they could and should move the Splash Mountain Exit Restrooms and build a Tiana's Palace Restaurant back there, I did a sketch that I posted somewhere further back in the thread. But people talk as if there's something inherently wrong with Tiana taking up residence in the attraction or in Frontierland overall, and, like, the extent to which that's true is no greater than the extent to which the Brer's were already a poor fit for the ride, land, and park.

Honestly, that sketch and idea are a perfect way of handling the whole area. I do think they should leave Pecos Bill's alone!

 

[Incomudro]

I think the easiest would have just been change a few characters to mickey mouse and friends replacing the song of the south characters. Make some background story and change the dialogue and songs. Even make the first few scenes involve disney villains, and you are being chased then you escape over the falls.

or finally tie alot of your rides together including splash with SEA and come up with all new ip and characters for the ride.. AND MERCHANDISE

But this was never why this is happening.

I'm glad they didn't do that.

 

[crazy4disney]

well my comment was directed at someone elses comment... is why it was talking about adventureland.

But since you asked.

My biggest issue is that we should have gotten a new ride with princess and the frog with a restaurant ala disneyland and pirates. Instead of a retheme that could have been absolutely anything. We need capacity and more attractions, Not a retheme just to satisfy a group and get PR.

Tianas place- get food just like the movie and look over the new princess and the frog attraction (like blue bayou and poc).

Add that with a cheap retheme of splash that basically removes the song of the south elements with anything... doesnt even have to be IP, although a classic mickey and friends in western wear could have been fun and fit into the "kid" vision of magic kingdom.

Well said.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

In our lifetimes a lot of things Disney are going to go public domain, starting with Mickey in 2024 (although I suspect Disney will be able to retain his trademark as well as the fab 5 due to the “intresinically linked to the company clause” movie characters start falling out 10 years after that, and perhaps with the exception of Tink they are going to have a hard time blocking those. The world is about to change, Disney fought tooth and nail to extend trademarks in the past but there is a big public resistance to do so again.

Trademarks never expire. Copyright does. Someone will be able to use steamboat willie in his original form (but not for merchandising and etc) because the character itself is trademarked

 

[EagleScout610]

@The Mom

 

[Ghost93]

Trademarks never expire. Copyright does. Someone will be able to use steamboat willie in his original form (but not for merchandising and etc) because the character itself is trademarked

Yeah, anything that Disney still uses for merchandising will be trademarked, so I think Mickey and the Disney Princesses are protected.

Although I guess the Song of the South fans on this thread should be happy because I don't see Disney trademarking that film, Uncle Remus, Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah or Brer Rabbit — so those may be repurposed in the 2040s.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Yeah, anything that Disney still uses for merchandising will be trademarked, so I think Mickey and the Disney Princesses are protected.

Although I guess the Song of the South fans on this thread should be happy because I don't see Disney trademarking that film, Uncle Remus, Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah or Brer Rabbit — so those may be repurposed in the 2040s.

Yea I believe Disney has all if not almost all of its characters trademarked

 

[Ghost93]

Yea I believe Disney has all if not almost all of its characters trademarked

Here is a link to the trademarks Disney has: Disney Trademarks

Splash Mountain is trademarked, but I couldn't find any trademarks for Song of the South.

 

[UNCgolf]

I believe you. I had my mom buy me a WDW picture book when I was a kid decades ago and a lot of what’s there now was not in that book. It’s not a good thing.

Same, I don’t have plans either. My sister wants to go to France and Italy next summer for her 30th birthday. She wants to go to DLP, so of course I would go, but that’s the only reason why. If I was planning my own first trip to France, DLP would never be on my radar.

Yeah, I spent nearly a week in Paris a few years ago and the thought of going to DLP never even crossed my mind.

It looks beautiful and I would like to potentially visit it some day, but there are so, so many things I'd rather see/do in and around Paris first (not to mention France as a whole) that it's hard for me to imagine I'll ever make it.

 

[UNCgolf]

Personal opinion, 3 parks are better / moving in the right direction. 1 Park is significantly worse.

I could see that argument in terms of attractions. As I said above, DHS has more/better attractions overall now than it did in the mid-1990s, even with the massive hit it took from the loss of GMR. They've just given up on so much theme in other areas, though, especially the shops. They used to have significant theming and unique merchandise that is now close to homogenous across all parks.

Losing stuff like Sid Cahuenga's at DHS was a blow to the whole theme of that park. It was a more interesting place to explore then than now, at least for me.

Animal Kingdom is the only park that I think is clearly the best it's ever been right now. EPCOT is clearly worse. Magic Kingdom and DHS are arguable, and probably depends on how much someone cares about attractions versus everything else.

EDIT: For EPCOT, it's still hard to believe how little we are getting for what they spent. Guardians seems like a fine attraction, and Ratatouille is nice as a net add, but neither will be a top 10 attraction at WDW for me and EPCOT used to have several. Even if someone thinks Guardians and Rat are among the best rides at WDW, though, EPCOT as a whole will still have nowhere near as much to do as it did 30 years ago.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Yeah, I spent nearly a week in Paris a few years ago and the thought of going to DLP never even crossed my mind.

It looks beautiful and I would like to potentially visit it some day, but there are so, so many things I'd rather see/do in and around Paris first (not to mention Paris as a whole) that it's hard for me to imagine I'll ever make it.

Amen. I’m in the same boat. I’m a very cultural person and love exploring other cultures, historical monuments, museums, etc. I only went to MK because I was in town for a friend’s bachelorette party and thought I might as well stop by for a day. I’m not a Disney theme park fan, nor am I a theme park fan. For these reasons, I would never, ever travel to a different country to specifically visit a theme park, especially if it’s a first-time visit. You’ll find me at Versailles, Louvre, and even a random alleyway in a quaint French town before you’ll catch me at DLP.

For the record, I’m not bashing Disney theme parks. Like you, I just value so many other things. If I eventually get to the other theme parks, great. If not, great.