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

[Disney Analyst]

you’re entitled to your own opinion, as is your prerogative.

Let’s stick to Splash. What is the reason for the refurbishment?

Because Disney said so .

 

[Disney Analyst]

Disney does not have the ability to simply close Splash Mountain in Tokyo Disneyland because they do not own or run that park. They license their properties to a company that owns and operates the parks in Tokyo, and Disney has vested interest in closing all of the Splash Mountains. That the Tokyo version isn't closing suggests that they do not have the ability to just close that one - perhaps there's some contractual peculiarity there with the OLC.

I have been thinking about this lately. As Disney licenses to OLC, could they not pull the license for the Splash / SOTS Characters and music, forcing OLC to redo the attraction?

 

[Disstevefan1]

Disney does not have the ability to simply close Splash Mountain in Tokyo Disneyland because they do not own or run that park. They license their properties to a company that owns and operates the parks in Tokyo, and Disney has vested interest in closing all of the Splash Mountains. That the Tokyo version isn't closing suggests that they do not have the ability to just close that one - perhaps there's some contractual peculiarity there with the OLC. But they want the ride dead and buried worldwide, and they could have saved money on Tiana's Bayou Adventure by sharing costs with Tokyo had they said yes to turning their Splash into it, so this doesn't seem to be an example of them picking and choosing. They would break through that wall if they could because they know it would make them money and that it would help them look better in this situation.

I wonder if Disney can jack up the license fees for only the Song of the south elements thereby forcing Tokyo to close and re theme?

 

[Tha Realest]

Because Disney said so .

What is the purpose for the refurbishment?

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

I have been thinking about this lately. As Disney licenses to OLC, could they not pull the license for the Splash / SOTS Characters and music, forcing OLC to redo the attraction?

The fact that they aren't doing that seems to suggest they can't - because like I said, they they have no vested interest in keeping Splash Mountain open anywhere, since the characters make them basically no money, and they would have saved money on the refurbishment by doing Tiana's Bayou Adventure as a joint project with OLC. We have it on good authority that OLC shot down Disney's proposal to turn Splash into Tiana in Tokuo, which would indicate that OLC can do that regardless of what Disney wants.

Perhaps they've licensed the Brer's for x amount of years and that number isn't up yet.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

The fact that they aren't doing that seems to suggest they can't - because like I said, they they have no vested interest in keeping Splash Mountain open anywhere, since the characters make them basically no money, and they would have saved money on the refurbishment by doing Tiana's Bayou Adventure as a joint project with OLC. We have it on good authority that OLC shot down Disney's proposal to turn Splash into Tiana in Tokuo, which would indicate that OLC can do that regardless of what Disney wants.

Perhaps they've licensed the Brer's for x amount of years and that number isn't up yet.

It would seem like an unnecessarily hostile move by Disney to force OLC to subsidise this by withdrawing permission for licensing the characters for Splash Mountain even if they could. Insiders have already suggested there was some annoyance from OLC that they were being used to fund R&D for Disney's other parks, so presumably this would have turned relations toxic.

 

[Midwest Elitist]

It would seem like an unnecessarily hostile move by Disney to force OLC to subsidise this by withdrawing permission for licensing the characters for Splash Mountain even if they could. Insiders have already suggested there was some annoyance from OLC that they were being used to fund R&D for Disney's other parks, so presumably this would have turned relations toxic.

Also, SotS may be public domain in Japan.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

> Saying the park will "sometimes" be "a museum of living facts" is not the same as saying "we should choose selectively to keep things the way they are, even when we recognize the problems with them". Splash Mountain and Song of the South are not "living facts".

Ok, but... did I say this? The second sentence is incredibly uncalled for and childish. Ironic.

I already said no.

Since you need your hand held - Walt saying that the park will "sometimes" be "a museum of living facts" is not tantamount to HIM saying "we're gonna keep some stuff just for the purpose of filling the museum quota of Disneyland". His reference to Disneyland being a "museum of living facts" does not relate to Splash Mountain, a ride based on an animated feature based on stories that are not based in fact, and is certainly not an example of the "living facts" he specifically referred to.

But feel free to keep telling on yourself. I'm sure the mods will have fun with your posts when the time comes.

 

[tanc]

The rumor was Disney wanted OLC to pay for it. OLC presumably of course shot it down and there's a lot to take into consideration with Tokyo Splash.

I would argue it is by far the most unique entity of the ride. The entire queue is indoors, so rethemeing that is probably nightmare material. Not to mention Critter Country was specifically designed for Splash and has nothing else to replace it, it's like one of two rides there. Lastly, there is a quick service restaurant built into the mountain and so presumably that quick service would have to be changed.

Basically my guess is that it easily could be the hardest one to retheme because it's totally unique. It's not like DL and WDW how they are relatively the same with the queues. It could very well be twice the price as the other rethemes.

Tokyo's splash is relatively close to WDW. So you have the best version of Splash ever made with an entirely indoor queue and restaurant attached to it. Japan isnt dumb for not wanting to spend the money. If anything I have a feeling that maybe one day it will be rethemed, but I would be shocked if it's PATF and I think it would have quite a lot of backlash in Japan.

 

[BuddyThomas]

But anyway, this planned retheme should not be problematic for anyone. They can retheme the Haunted Mansion, Pirates, and the Haunted Mansion while they're at it. How many times does someone need to ride the exact same thing?

 

[erasure fan1]

Disney has vested interest in closing all of the Splash Mountains. That the Tokyo version isn't closing suggests that they do not have the ability to just close that one - perhaps there's some contractual peculiarity there with the OLC. But they want the ride dead and buried worldwide, and they could have saved money on Tiana's Bayou Adventure by sharing costs with Tokyo had they said yes to turning their Splash into it,

The fact that the OLC isn't changing their splash tells me one thing. Obviously Disney went to them and made some sort of presentation about what the new ride would be. And since the OLC said no, they obviously weren't impressed enough to consider it. And that doesn't instill any confidence in this redo for me.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

The fact that the OLC isn't changing their splash tells me one thing. Obviously Disney went to them and made some sort of presentation about what the new ride would be. And since the OLC said no, they obviously weren't impressed enough to consider it. And that doesn't instill any confidence in this redo for me.

OLC has a number of places they're spending their money these days, and lots of it - it's entirely possible they just didn't want to close and pour more money into an attraction that is, in their eyes, already very successful.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

OLC has a number of places they're spending their money these days, and lots of it - it's entirely possible they just didn't want to close and pour more money into an attraction that is, in their eyes, already very successful.

I don't think we can deny that Splash Mountain in every park has been a "very successful" attraction. Disney is choosing to retheme one of their most successful, if not one of the highest rated, attractions in their US Parks. They are also choosing to spend a ton of money to do so. I tend to think there was a contingent within the company that was wishing they could backtrack out of this. Unfortunately, they can't.

 

[BuddyThomas]

My main issue is that Splash has been around for more than 30 years, and there is really absolutely no reason whatsoever that it cannot be rethemed at this point.

 

[Kirby86]

The fact that the OLC isn't changing their splash tells me one thing. Obviously Disney went to them and made some sort of presentation about what the new ride would be. And since the OLC said no, they obviously weren't impressed enough to consider it. And that doesn't instill any confidence in this redo for me.

That may have something to do with it but also Princess and the Frog isn't popular in Japan. Granted it wasn't exactly a hit Here but Tiana is a princess so I'm sure merchandise with her on it sells well.

 

[eliza61nyc]

is the ride changing or just the story? I mean that frozen ride itself is the same thing as malestrom. now YOU say it wasn't needed but obviously others felt differently, exactly why is it a problem. the ride is "gone"

 

[crazy4disney]

Disney sees $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ with the newly redesigned princess gift shop

I truly dont remember but was PaTF even a big hit for Disney? Did it draw numbers like some of the other classics that received rides/attractions right away or as close to it as Disney possible….

 

[BuddyThomas]

You have no idea what a ride that debuts in 2024 is going to include, so i don't even know why this is being discussed.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

You have no idea what a ride that debuts in 2024 is going to include, so i don't even know why this is being discussed.

The whole point of this thread is to discuss what *might* be in the ride. I'd much rather do that than witness political bickering. Unfortunately, that seems to be rather impossible in this thread...and Disney is to blame for that, because politics did play a role in this retheme. But whatever, like I said, I'm here to discuss what's going to be in this ride.

 

[Figgy1]

I truly dont remember but was PaTF even a big hit for Disney? Did it draw numbers like some of the other classics that received rides/attractions right away or as close to it as Disney possible….

Princess merch sells period. Princess stuff associated with a ride any ride will sell