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

[Kirby86]

I thought this was a joke.

Yikes.

They really are leaning in to the salt dome conceit, completely oblivious to its use of slave labor, in the first ride devoted to an African American princess.

Ever since the Essance Festival they mentioned salt domes starting with the research video. Since they want to be authentic to New Orleans they felt like they have to explain the drop since Louisiana has no mountains and the closest thing they have to use for elevation are salt mines. Even though New Orleans dosent have salt mines near it but suspension of disbelief is needed. Honestly I think the Laughing Place kind of forced their hand it's an underground cave where the rockwork is done.

 

[drizgirl]

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.

Snow White was replaced by 7DMT.

 

[JohnD]

Ever since the Essance Festival they mentioned salt domes starting with the research video. Since they want to be authentic to New Orleans they felt like they have to explain the drop since Louisiana has no mountains and the closest thing they have to use for elevation are salt mines. Even though New Orleans dosent have salt mines near it but suspension of disbelief is needed. Honestly I think the Laughing Place kind of forced their hand it's an underground cave where the rockwork is done.

Isn't there a tall tree in the movie? You could pretend to be inside the tall tree where it's dark. Then there's, say, a hurricane where the inside of the tree floods causing you to "ascend". As the flood "recedes" you "fall" out of the tree. All it takes is a little "imagineering".

 

[ToTBellHop]

What child hits 40 inches at 2? That would be an extreme percentile. For boys or girls, even more extreme, and I have tall kids.

Peter is a Na’vi.

 

[gerarar]

Pressed Penny souvenirs is still available for guests to use:

 

[Tha Realest]

What child hits 40 inches at 2? That would be an extreme percentile. For boys or girls, even more extreme, and I have tall kids.

If my child was 40” at 2 I’d be taking him to basketball camps, not Disney.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Two hours later and it's already been scrubbed clean. Wish they moved this fast on other stuff

It was over 2.5 years between the initial announcement and the actual closing of Splash.

This has been anything but fast.

 

[ToTBellHop]

It was over 2.5 years between the initial announcement and the actual closing of Splash.

This has been anything but fast.

To be fair, Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear were causin’ some kinda commotion downstream for 2 years, so…

 

[Touchdown]

My not quite 3 year old nephew is 40 inches, but he’s a giant. My niece will not match that feat.

 

[ToTBellHop]

My not quite 2 year old nephew is 40 inches, but he’s a giant. My niece will not match that feat.

That’s like 4” above the 95th percentile. We will need to independently verify your claims before alerting Guinness.

 

[matt9112]

Shew those imagineers have some pressure on them when redoing this popular attraction. They have to make it better and that isn’t going to be easy

Let’s hope there’s a blank check policy on this one. Lord knows it’s the one ride that should get it.

 

[Kirby86]

I’m aware of the history and their convoluted explanation. it’s very incongruent that a project that has as one of its driving goals to eradicate the use of a problematic part of Disney’s cultural history would use as a basis the locale and industry that relied on slave labor.

A little bit of work beyond Googling “highest elevation point in Louisana” would have made this clear.

Oh I agree it was definitely am odd choice but they seemed dead set on it.

Isn't there a tall tree in the movie? You could pretend to be inside the tall tree where it's dark. Then there's, say, a hurricane where the inside of the tree floods causing you to "ascend". As the flood "recedes" you "fall" out of the tree. All it takes is a little "imagineering".

I don't think having a hurricane as a plot point would be a good idea because God forbid a major one hits New Orleans again like Katrina did. The PR would be a nightmare.

 

[JohnD]

Oh I agree it was definitely am odd choice but they seemed dead set on it.

I don't think having a hurricane as a plot point would be a good idea because God forbid a major one hits New Orleans again like Katrina did. The PR would be a nightmare.

Okay, borrow from Winnie the Pooh: "a blustery day". We're talking Louisiana where its sea level or below and easily floods.

 

[matt9112]

There is no good reason for supposed leaders to be riding the ride during the day. Just none. They should either be doing these sort of ride throughs before or after the operating day.

Pandering….

 

[Touchdown]

That’s like 4” above the 95th percentile. We will need to independently verify your claims before alerting Guinness.

I know, but I did do a typo he’s almost 3, but he’s still ridiculously big for his age. Been that way since birth, despite my suggestions, my brother and sister in law did not name him Maximus. He’s got 18 more months till he goes to DLR for the first time, loves anything mechanical and was very upset when he couldn’t ride a roller coaster at the Mall of America last month. He goes to Dollywood later this year, which means he’ll be able to challenge Firechaser Express, Big Bear Mtn, and Dragonflyer. If he gets to 42 he gets to ride Blazing Fury and the log flume. Can’t wait to be there with him.

 

[Casper Gutman]

The idiotic salt mine idea seems to be THE central point in the PR surrounding this makeover.

If Disney has any idea what they’re doing with Splash, they’re trying real hard to hide that fact.

 

[Incomudro]

It’s not going to “fail”. They’re going to end up with a super-popular log flume ride just as before, no matter what.

No one’s going to say, “No singing bunny? No bear butts? I’m never going to ride this excellent log flume ever, ever again!”

Ten years from now, there will be a new generation that’s grown up with and grown to love the new version of Splash.

The only way they could make this fail would be to put trim brakes all the way down the big drop.

The ride redone as Tiana's and still drawing massive crowds - as it will because yes, it's a log flume - can still be a failure in terms of execution, quality, music, how memorable it is, and on and on.
Many popular things are terrible.
McDonald's is terrible.
I hope Tiana's is both popular and very well done.

 

[WorldExplorer]

I thought this was a joke.

Yikes.

They really are leaning in to the salt dome conceit, completely oblivious to its use of slave labor, in the first ride devoted to an African American princess.

And remember; this is what they're going with when they have someone whose entire job is supposedly making sure the ride (and other stuff) isn't offensive.

 

[montyz81]

A sad day to be sure. Let's close a ride that gathers over 95% favorability with guests so the select few who find a movie that no one has seen for 30 or 40 years, offensive can feel better.. Especially since there is not one offensive part of the ride itself. Disney should be ashamed for closing this ride. I bet the new ride will be as successful as Harmonious. I am so disappointed in Disney!

 

[JohnD]

I hope Tiana's is both popular and very well done.

That's all we can hope for as Splash Mountain is now history.