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

[Disney Glimpses]

Horizons
Original Imagination
World of Motion
Maelstrom
The Great Movie Ride


To name a few...

And all were operating in 1989.

Not that it really matters but none of these were considered "E-ticket" at the time of their closure and were walk ons prior to the closure announcements. I still maintain that the decision to close/re-theme Splash is unprecedented; at least at Walt Disney World. Whether or not it was necessary or was the right decision, that's a matter of opinion at this point.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

I think the most trouble I am having with today (at least on social media) is people using other people's sadness/goodbyes as an excuse to call them something they are not. And the reason I find it troubling is those very people spent the better part of the last 30 years riding and enjoying Splash Mountain just as much as anyone. The whole thing is so tired.

It's done, let people enjoy it for the last time. Then let's redirect our attention to the new attraction.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I'm sadder today than I thought I'd be. I was able to ride a few times this week and I didn't realize how much it would hit me that I feel like I grew up on this ride. I remember my first trip being terrified of that hill like it was yesterday. And then taking my kids through that same feeling until the magic moment when they hit 40 inches and I could bring them on what had been my favorite for 20 years.

 

[UNCgolf]

Not that it really matters but none of these were considered "E-ticket" at the time of their closure and were walk ons prior to the closure announcements. I still maintain that the decision to close/re-theme Splash is unprecedented; at least at Walt Disney World. Whether or not it was necessary or was the right decision, that's a matter of opinion at this point.

I don't think that's true. I never saw Imagination even close to a walk-on in the late 90s, and I'm pretty sure Touring Plans showed Great Movie Ride as still getting 45+ minute waits in the last couple of years of operation.

I don't think 20K was ever a walk-on either, although that's going back even further and it had technical problems (a bit like Jaws at Universal).

 

[WaltsTreasureChest]

I think the most trouble I am having with today (at least on social media) is people using other people's sadness/goodbyes as an excuse to call them something they are not. And the reason I find it troubling is those very people spent the better part of the last 30 years riding and enjoying Splash Mountain just as much as anyone. The whole thing is so tired.

It's done, let people enjoy it for the last time. Then let's redirect our attention to the new attraction.

It’s definitely a social media thing. If people really wanted Splash Mountain out, no one would be riding the ride and it wouldn’t be having the most waited time in the whole park. I swear, people are much more normal than the crazy’s who make broad statements on social media to act better than someone else

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Not that it really matters but none of these were considered "E-ticket" at the time of their closure and were walk ons prior to the closure announcements. I still maintain that the decision to close/re-theme Splash is unprecedented; at least at Walt Disney World. Whether or not it was necessary or was the right decision, that's a matter of opinion at this point.

Properly maintained, it's the best ride they've ever built. The exact perfect blend of story, thrill, and family-friendly-ness.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

I don't think that's true. I never saw Imagination even close to a walk-on in the late 90s, and I'm pretty sure Touring Plans showed Great Movie Ride as still getting 45+ minute waits in the last couple of years of operation.

I don't think 20K was ever a walk-on either, although that's going back even further and it had technical problems (a bit like Jaws at Universal).

Imagination is a bit different (for obvious reasons). 20k may have been the exception and I was considering that. Nonetheless, it's a pretty big deal and unlike something the community has dealt with in a very long time. There are so many angles to this discussion and I think the reason debate struggles to be productive is that all angles, to a degree, have valid arguments and counterpoints. Everyone's kind of right in a way. Whatever, at this point I just hope those beautiful southern vibes are maintained in that area of the park.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I don't think 20K was ever a walk-on either, although that's going back even further and it had technical problems (a bit like Jaws at Universal).

Unless you were among the first 40 people to ride it in the morning, 20K was never a walk-on.

It's slow loading process and capacity issues guaranteed that.

EDIT: the submarines travelled in packs of 2 or 3, so I guess the first 80 would still count

 

[Touchdown]

Imagination, Horizons, Great Movie Ride, World of Motion, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea were all closed post-1989.

I’m aware and standby it. Splash has better animatronics, a better story, and has physical thrills those rides lack. The melding of a thrill ride with a dark ride is so rarely done well. Splash did it. But to be fair, I did not ride Horizons or WoM as they were both down for refurbishment when I went.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I'm sadder today than I thought I'd be. I was able to ride a few times this week and I didn't realize how much it would hit me that I feel like I grew up on this ride. I remember my first trip being terrified of that hill like it was yesterday. And then taking my kids through that same feeling until the magic moment when they hit 40 inches and I could bring them on what had been my favorite for 20 years.

I was sad about other closures (most recently GMR) but it is unique that Splash (as a concept and with its maintenance state notwithstanding) has enjoyed near-universal acclaim since the day it opened.

This is akin to closing Big Thunder or Space Mtn.

Time will tell if we enjoyed the fantastic ride system or the story more. I certainly hope we enjoy TBA, even if I am skeptical. I wasn’t honestly married to SotS.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Splash isn't the first great attraction WDW has closed/replaced, and some other losses (especially at EPCOT) were probably worse. Of course it's still disappointing and I'm sad to see it go, but it's not the most important thing that's ever happened.

Aren't we blessed to have so many bad Disney theme park decisions to choose from when deciding which is the worst?

Or that they have exponentially grown in the last 5-10 years alone?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

This is akin to closing Big Thunder or Space Mtn.

Or 20K. The only other time MK closed an E-ticket and the only thing comparable to today (even if, say, closing Snow White for a meet and greet was a worse decision).

Many of the parks rides have come and gone, but the park was blessed not to loose any of those headliners besides the submarines.

And now it's happened again with Splash...though it's not a total replacement.

 

[UNCgolf]

I’m aware and standby it. Splash has better animatronics, a better story, and has physical thrills those rides lack. The melding of a thrill ride with a dark ride is so rarely done well. Splash did it. But to be fair, I did not ride Horizons or WoM as they were both down for refurbishment when I went.

Oh I have no problem with thinking Splash is better than all of those attractions. I think they're all pretty comparable overall, but the drop in Splash definitely differentiates it. They're all among the best attractions Disney has built at WDW, though. There are only a handful of other rides that have been around more than 10 years that would group with them in that top category.

 

[ppete1975]

I guess we will see if it was the ride or the system in 2028 when it reopens….

Based on disneys recent construction timelines

Come on we all need a laugh today

 

[Disney Glimpses]

I guess we will see if it was the ride or the system in 2028 when it reopens….

Based on disneys recent construction timelines

Come on we all need a laugh today

Haha real talk, I do think this attraction opens late-Spring 2025.

 

[DisneyDean97]

View attachment 694141

Glad to see people showing Splash Mountain a lot of love on its final day. Truly a shame, this is a quintessential Disney attraction- great storytelling, a large cast of animatronics, iconic songs, long ride length and a beautiful facade... Disney just doesn't build rides like Splash Mountain, truly an end of an era.
Don't even get me started on losing Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah in the parks forever

 

[DisneyDean97]

I was sad about other closures (most recently GMR) but it is unique that Splash (as a concept and with its maintenance state notwithstanding) has enjoyed near-universal acclaim since the day it opened.

This is akin to closing Big Thunder or Space Mtn.

Time will tell if we enjoyed the fantastic ride system or the story more. I certainly hope we enjoy TBA, even if I am skeptical. I wasn’t honestly married to SotS.

This is true, in the sense that closing something as universally loved and popular as Splash is something that would be unthinkable five or ten years ago.

 

[Kirby86]

So how much money do you think they made in pressed pennies? If you buy one Disney makes 99 cents. There were lines at the penny machine in the gift shop yeasterday.

 

[aladdin2007]

Glad to see people showing Splash Mountain a lot of love on its final day. Truly a shame, this is a quintessential Disney attraction- great storytelling, a large cast of animatronics, iconic songs, long ride length and a beautiful facade... Disney just doesn't build rides like Splash Mountain, truly an end of an era.
Don't even get me started on losing Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah in the parks forever

Agreed. Farewell to the Laughin Place. Over 30 years of imagination and unforgettable timeless music, colors, storyline, theme, and atmosphere of artistic perfection. Next to the Haunted Mansion, it was probably the best theme park attraction ever designed. Don't ever forget that Mr. Baxter, its yours to always keep and treasure even if no longer there as such. It was an iconic structure in the Magic Kingdom map and was just so quintessential Disney, the crown jewel of the park for many years. Now we lose a mountain for.. a bayou......going to leave it at that.... Zipadeedoodah Brer Rabbit and friends, its time to be movin along, unfortunately.

 

[UNCgolf]

In thinking about it more, 20K has to be the worst -- mainly because they didn't actually replace it with anything. They just shut it down and left the space mostly unused for decades; it only became an actual attraction again when they built New Fantasyland.

Can you imagine if they shut down Splash Mountain and left the building there in plain sight unused for a decade?