Tiana's Bayou Adventure: Disneyland Watch & Discussion

[BuzzedPotatoHead89]

I think to many people 40 and under Splash Mountain is pretty much on the same level as POTC and HM as being the quintessential, classic Disney attraction. More classic than even Space and BTMRR due to the music, theming, AAs, ride time etc that obviously make it a richer experience than a 2 minute simple themed coaster.

In fairness though we know both BTMRR and Space Mountain now have also been rumored to be privy to retheme. So I wouldn’t say they were untouchable either.

As an under-40 myself, I think POTC and HM are more untouchable because they’re considered “Walt-era modern E-tickets” though they’ve certainly been “jacked up” (by Sparrow and Skellington) to some extent too.

 

[mickEblu]

In fairness though we know both BTMRR and Space Mountain now have also been rumored to be privy to retheme. So I wouldn’t say they were untouchable either.

As an under-40 myself, I think POTC and HM are more untouchable because they’re considered “Walt-era modern E-tickets” though they’ve certainly been “jacked up” (by Sparrow and Skellington) to some extent too.

Haven’t heard any rumors regarding BTMRR but I wasn’t insinuating that either were untouchable to Disney. I don’t think anything really is. I mean, I’m sure POTC and HM will always be around in some form. I could see Jungle Cruise becoming a Jungle Book ride. Space Mountain becoming (insert Space IP) ride. Matterhorn getting a Frozen retheme. I guess it depends on what our definition of “untouchable” is.

 

[LittleBuford]

Lol no sorry. What I had in quotes is a summation of what I think he’s trying to say. Yes I completely misused quotation marks.

Sorry, should have been able to work that out! I’m having a slow day.

 

[BrianLo]

which in turn contradicts @WDW Pro's claim that Disney decided to do the retheme out of fear of a Disney Plus boycott.

This person is not an insider. They seemed to have access to bits and pieces of CM or event contractor level Florida knowledge. Then conflate others rumours or hearsay through their own extremely obtuse agenda. In the worst possible self-congratulatory way where they provide their own 'report card' on their accuracy, the majority of which is stolen from people whom have given us actual valuable information.

They claim to be a box office expert / savant and literally did not even understand the difference between Domestic and Worldwide Talleys.

There are really only four people who are somewhat unimpeachable as knowing things regularly. Many others whom at one time had 'a contact' that they stretch further than reality. Of those four, they all disappeared, have lost interest or are long gone. But Givemethemusic is one and the only person I'll bother listening to.

 

[Brer Panther]

Only one of those is actually an insider. There's a lot of assumptions being made by others.

Tell me, which one?

I’m a little confused by him saying Splash Mountain “fell short.” That’s not giving him much credibility in my book. How could someone get off Splash Mountain in 1989 and think it fell short? How could you get off that ride with that soundtrack, plethora of AAs, thrills etc and think that it fell short? In 1989. Not to mention everything on the attraction was working properly back then.

He’s just trying to insinuate that Splash Mountain, even in its 1989 glory had room for improvement and the way he casually mentions it almost implies that this was a common opinion amongst theme park heads/fans. He goes on to praise what he’s seen from the PatF redo plans which is basically saying that this is the improvement there was room for.

Like I said, he's probably one of those "the retheme will be an improvement 'cause current Splash Mountain is a racist ride" people.

Even if the retheme turns out to be crap, there'll probably be a lot of people claiming it's an improvement over Splash Mountain because it's not "racist".

 

[Too Many Hats]

Disneyland’s Splash does fall short of POTC and HM. It attempts to tell a story, but even many hardcore fans will admit not really being clear on the plot points.

 

[Too Many Hats]

Even if the retheme turns out to be crap, there'll probably be a lot of people claiming it's an improvement over Splash Mountain because it's not "racist".

This will almost certainly happen, but not on the WDWMagic Disneyland board. I don’t think I’ve seen one poster on here who is on track to sink to this level of intellectual dishonesty. If Tiana opens with one AA that breaks immediately, I don’t think anyone here will praise the ride as an improvement.

Here’s my point — I think your efforts may be more effectual elsewhere (perhaps over on the Disneyland subreddit?). You’re sort of arguing against a straw man over here.

 

[Too Many Hats]

I think to many people 40 and under Splash Mountain is pretty much on the same level as POTC and HM as being the quintessential, classic Disney attraction. More classic than even Space and BTMRR due to the music, theming, AAs, ride time etc that obviously make it a richer experience than a 2 minute simple themed coaster.

This is subjective, but I’m under 40 and grew up on the East Coast going to WDW, and my sense is that Splash at MK is absolutely as well-regarded as MK’s Pirates or Mansion. It’s crazy popular to this day.

At Disneyland, Splash feels a bit less prominent. DL’s Pirates is iconic and Mansion has such a dedicated local fan base — Splash feels like maybe it’s in the next highest tier of attractions out here.

But again, my sense of things could be skewed.

 

[Rich T]

I think to many people 40 and under Splash Mountain is pretty much on the same level as POTC and HM as being the quintessential, classic Disney attraction. More classic than even Space and BTMRR due to the music, theming, AAs, ride time etc that obviously make it a richer experience than a 2 minute simple themed coaster.

As a way-over-40, I will always think of Splash Mountain as the America Sings Retirement Home.

And for me, the robust and epic atmosphere of Big Thunder beats out the log flume with the bratty bunny. And it doesn’t ruin people’s day by drenching them.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Pirates and Mansion are in their own category. I would rank Splash below those two, but would still rank it high.

 

[PiratesMansion]

This is subjective, but I’m under 40 and grew up on the East Coast going to WDW, and my sense is that Splash at MK is absolutely as well-regarded as MK’s Pirates or Mansion. It’s crazy popular to this day.

At Disneyland, Splash feels a bit less prominent. DL’s Pirates is iconic and Mansion has such a dedicated local fan base — Splash feels like maybe it’s in the next highest tier of attractions out here.

But again, my sense of things could be skewed.

No, I 100% agree with you.

Perhaps it's because Disneyland has so many attractions, perhaps it's a result of DL's Splash being very much (IMO) a 1.0 effort that was improved on in both Florida and Tokyo, but Splash has always felt second-tier in California to me. Whereas at the other parks it's treated as more of a showcase attraction, though the more intense weather conditions in the other parks, the included land around it in Tokyo, and the smaller number of attractions elsewhere also contribute to it being more beloved in addition to the subsequent Splash rides being a more polished experience vs. the original.

Of course, we have our fair share of DL Splash superfans here who will vehemently disagree, and they're entitled to their feelings on the matter, but your impression matches mine. I actually prefer Knott's flume to DL's Splash, and maybe even Ripsaw Falls as well. DL's Splash has just never done much for me, and all of those reasons above (and the excessive wetness) contribute to my feeling that way.

 

[Californian Elitist]

No, I 100% agree with you.

Perhaps it's because Disneyland has so many attractions, perhaps it's a result of DL's Splash being very much (IMO) a 1.0 effort that was improved on in both Florida and Tokyo, but Splash has always felt second-tier in California to me. Whereas at the other parks it's treated as more of a showcase attraction, though the more intense weather conditions in the other parks, the included land around it in Tokyo, and the smaller number of attractions elsewhere also contribute to it being more beloved in addition to the subsequent Splash rides being a more polished experience vs. the original.

Of course, we have our fair share of DL Splash superfans here who will vehemently disagree, and they're entitled to their feelings on the matter, but your impression matches mine. I actually prefer Knott's flume to DL's Splash, and maybe even Ripsaw Falls as well. DL's Splash has just never done much for me, and all of those reasons above (and the excessive wetness) contribute to my feeling that way.

I also prefer Timber Mountain at Knott’s.

Splash isn’t one of my favorites, I can admit that. Still, I don’t want to see it go. But oh well.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Like putting the Matterhorn next to a submarine lagoon and running a monorail around it. For Walt, fun took precedence over theming.

Splash Mtn. was originally going to be called Zip-A-Dee River Run. Michael Eisner insisted it be called Splash Mtn. to promote the upcoming movie Splash. The Imagineers hated the name. Even in the ride’s lore, that “Mountain” is just a small hill the fox lives in.

And, as someone who was there, I can say that, while Splash Mtn. was a good ride, it ruined Bear Country, one of the most beautiful and relaxing locations in any Disney park.

So now the hill is a bayou. In a theme park. Where Pooh lives in the American backwoods and grown adults ask college students in cartoon costumes for their characters’ pretend autographs.

The Matterhorn actually forms a beautiful transition from real-life TL to the fantastical Central European-ish FL.

Splash is Chickapin Hill, in the movie and the ride:

Tiana frogs it out in the Louisiana bayou, by necessity without elevation:

Perhaps they'll manage to solve this slightly uneasy discrepancy through clever storytelling, or a new setting. Perhaps they'll just accept the hill as a necessity of a log flume ride, and aim for suspension of disbelief. That's not forbidden, there are more egrerious examples of that in Disney parks.

 

[mickEblu]

This is subjective, but I’m under 40 and grew up on the East Coast going to WDW, and my sense is that Splash at MK is absolutely as well-regarded as MK’s Pirates or Mansion. It’s crazy popular to this day.

At Disneyland, Splash feels a bit less prominent. DL’s Pirates is iconic and Mansion has such a dedicated local fan base — Splash feels like maybe it’s in the next highest tier of attractions out here.

But again, my sense of things could be skewed.

I was born and raised here in Southern California. I think it’s the same way at DL. You could argue that Splash is maybe not quite on the same level as POTC/ HM amongst Super fans under 40 for a couple reasons being how great/ classic our POTC is and just the sheer cult following of HM. Not to mention super fans are more likely to value something worked on by WED/ Walt more. But it’s more like POTC/ HM are 1a and Splash is 1b.

Now if we’re talking more casual fans 40 and under it’s definitely viewed as an equal to POTC/ HM and I may go as far to say more of them prefer Splash as this group doesn’t value the Walt factor as much so the thrills to go along with “classic” Disney attraction touches probably puts Splash over the top.

 

[Brer Panther]

Here’s my point — I think your efforts may be more effectual elsewhere (perhaps over on the Disneyland subreddit?).

Thank you for the advice. Alas, there are a bunch of pro-rethemers on other sites, too (most of them far more blatant in their hatred of Splash Mountain) so I doubt I'll have better luck on a site like Reddit than I would on here.

 

[Rich T]

The Matterhorn actually forms a beautiful transition from real-life TL to the fantastical Central European-ish FL.

I agree it’s beautiful. And it doesn’t make a lick of sense. Walt didn’t put it there because he thought it would make a logical transition between FL and TL; he put it there because he wanted the Matterhorn in his park and needed something to replace the big dirt hill that had been left over from DL’s construction.

It’s beautiful to us and doesn’t seem out of place to us… because to us, that’s Disneyland.

Disneyland is full of incongruities and weirdness that, all together, create the unique “salad” (was it John Hench who first used that metaphor for DL?) that is Disneyland.

A bayou next to Haunted Mansion is gonna fit in just fine.

 

[Rich T]

How do you do
Glad you look so happy
Not gonna last
You’re gonna get a soaking
We apologize
For what’s about to happen
Hope you brought some spare clothes

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I agree it’s beautiful. And it doesn’t make a lick of sense. Walt didn’t put it there because he thought it would make a logical transition between FL and TL; he put it there because he wanted the Matterhorn in his park and needed something to replace the big dirt hill that had been left over from DL’s construction.

It’s beautiful to us and doesn’t seem out of place to us… because to us, that’s Disneyland.

Disneyland is full of incongruities and weirdness that, all together, create the unique “salad” (was it John Hench who first used that metaphor for DL?) that is Disneyland.

A bayou next to Haunted Mansion is gonna fit in just fine.

DL doesn't do modern full thematic immersion such as found in GE, Cars Land or Potter. But that doesn't mean that anything goes. The Matterhorn wasn't put on Main Street and the Jungle Cruise not in Frontierland.

A bayou next to the HM is awesome. A hill identifying as a bayou is a bit unfortunate.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

And, as someone who was there, I can say that, while Splash Mtn. was a good ride, it ruined Bear Country, one of the most beautiful and relaxing locations in any Disney park.

Returning to this, yes, I too resent Splash Bayou, for cartoonifying the river areas of both US castle parks. Splash Bayou was the first attraction to cross the Rubicon: toon attractions outside of Fantasyland, where they belong. A much worse transgression than swapping one IP for another.

 

[LittleBuford]

A bayou next to the HM is awesome. A hill identifying as a bayou is a bit unfortunate.

As I noted earlier, the ride in its current form is already described by Disney as a bayou.