Tiana's Bayou Adventure: Disneyland Watch & Discussion

[SuddenStorm]

At least we always have Sinatra's rendition.

Zip a Dee Doo Dah's impact on American culture is hard to overstate. I mean who didn't cover the song. Sinatra and Louis Armstrong- two of the greatest musicians ever decided it was worth covering. Few songs that came from a film have that honor. Heck, Disney used it in almost all of the Firework shows. It has been referenced in countless places- Heck even Calvin and Hobbes references it in a strip.

I've always though it's grown beyond it's Song of the South origin- though I would never want to downplay Baskett's version of the song which is a personal favorite. Just a delightfully charming piece of music.

To ubruptly remove it from the parks in its entirety seems like a short sighted decision, as many have a ton of fondness for the song and to remove it will further weaken the public's emotional connection to Disneyland. Sometimes it's the familiarity and the pieces of music that take you back to fond memories that are essential for Disneyland.

 

[CaptinEO]

Zip a Dee Doo Dah's impact on American culture is hard to overstate. I mean who didn't cover the song. Sinatra and Louis Armstrong- two of the greatest musicians ever decided it was worth covering. Few songs that came from a film have that honor. Heck, Disney used it in almost all of the Firework shows. It has been referenced in countless places- Heck even Calvin and Hobbes references it in a strip.

View attachment 695310

I've always though it's grown beyond it's Song of the South origin- though I would never want to downplay Baskett's version of the song which is a personal favorite. Just a delightfully charming piece of music.

To ubruptly remove it from the parks in its entirety seems like a short sighted decision, as many have a ton of fondness for the song and to remove it will further weaken the public's emotional connection to Disneyland. Sometimes it's the familiarity and the pieces of music that take you back to fond memories that are essential for Disneyland.

I also think removing the song is nonsensical. The song was loved by so many people. The song is only second to When You Wish Upon a Star when it comes to songs that represent their brand.

In addition to Louis Armstrong the Jackson 5 also did a nice soulful version of the track.

Did they remove the bluebird chirp when tickets are scanned too? That Bluebird sound is also from Zip.

 

[Sharon&Susan]

I laughed.

View attachment 695303

Thought this was real until I saw the year was right.

 

[Californian Elitist]

To ubruptly remove it from the parks in its entirety seems like a short sighted decision, as many have a ton of fondness for the song and to remove it will further weaken the public's emotional connection to Disneyland.

No, it won’t.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Thought this was real until I saw the year was right.

And people say English majors are useless.

Disney could use a handful of us. Their spelling, grammar, and general facts about the park’s history have all needed work recently.

 

[SuddenStorm]

No, it won’t.

Thank you for this thoughtful and insightful reply.

I know for me it has. I'd bet there's a few others on this forum alone who would agree.

 

[Rich T]

Thank you for this thoughtful and insightful reply.

I know for me it has. I'd bet there's a few others on this forum alone who would agree.

Look at it this way: Imagine if Zip had not been from SotS and was free of any connection to anything controversial and was just a great classic Disney song from, say, Bambi.

Now imagine Disney, without telling anyone or maybe even completely unintentionally, updated all the music loops at all the parks and left out Zip a Dee Doo Dah.

No one would notice. Because there are dozens and dozens and dozens of fantastic Disney songs.

Disney’s made and continues to make horrible decisions that worsen the park experience and diminish people’s emotional attachment to the place, but their music library is so vast—even if one just sticks to park attraction tunes—that this aspect can easily withstand the removal of a classic.

Heck, they could remove When You Wish Upon a Star and, if they didn’t say anything about it, no one would notice.

 

[TP2000]

Thank you for this thoughtful and insightful reply.

I know for me it has. I'd bet there's a few others on this forum alone who would agree.

Don't worry, you'll still have this...

 

[Rich T]

Now this is a topic I love.

Sadly, Disney has never released Disneyland's Splash Mountain's audio in it's entirety.

They released the area loop as part of the Disneyland Forever kiosks- which have been meticulously compiled and are available online if you know where to look. To this day the Disneyland Forever project is a treasure trove of high quality audio and some really rare pieces. BUT they omitted one version of Zip a Dee Doo Dah that plays in the queue/area loop. So it's impossible to have the entire queue loop in high quality audio.

For the actual attraction- they've released a few versions of 'Splash Mountain Medley'. They're all sort of a blend of Disneyland and WDW audio- even for Disneyland specific releases. There is no high quality 'complete attraction' ridethrough released like Pirates and Mansion have gotten. And it's a shame.

There is a really low quality 'complete attraction ride through' that was leaked in like 2000 that's super low quality- and even it is missing the 'I'm glad I thought of that' bit of audio that plays just before the final drop.

So you can piece together parts of the attraction but it's impossible to throw on some headphones and listen to the entire attraction like you can with Pirates and Mansion, which got anniversary releases about 20 years ago with complete ride throughs that have basically all of the audio present.

Okay, but I am quite certain that, for 99.99 percent (give or take a bit) of Disney fans, those two eight minute Randy Thornton Splash Mixes on the Official Park Albums are pretty amazing and do a fine job of capturing the spirit of the ride.

Using HM as another example: Given a choice between the mix of HM that includes every single graveyard character’s full performance of GGG, and the snappier mix that gives you the full song just three times in a curated blend that aims to be plenty representative without being way too long… I’ll take snappier one that more accurately captures what the ride *feels* like.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Heck, they could remove When You Wish Upon a Star and, if they didn’t say anything about it, no one would notice.

I really, really doubt this.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Look at it this way: Imagine if Zip had not been from SotS and was free of any connection to anything controversial and was just a great classic Disney song from, say, Bambi.

Now imagine Disney, without telling anyone or maybe even completely unintentionally, updated all the music loops at all the parks and left out Zip a Dee Doo Dah.

No one would notice. Because there are dozens and dozens and dozens of fantastic Disney songs.

Disney’s made and continues to make horrible decisions that worsen the park experience and diminish people’s emotional attachment to the place, but their music library is so vast—even if one just sticks to park attraction tunes—that this aspect can easily withstand the removal of a classic.

Heck, they could remove When You Wish Upon a Star and, if they didn’t say anything about it, no one would notice.

I think this post downplays Zip's significance in Disney's music library. Sure- that library is vast and has many phenomenal songs- but there are two songs that have transcended the films they came from and stand above the rest- When You Wish Upon a Star and Zip a Dee Doo Dah. Those two are so powerful they're often used completely separate from their source material- you see both used in situation completely removed from Pinocchio and Song of the South in shows, advertisements, etc.- not many Disney songs have reached that level of autonomy.

Heck, it's been used so much in the last 50 years across the parks that it really has separated itself from Song of the South.

If your point is that Disney's brand is so powerful, and so vast that they choose to chuck beloved parts of it and be fine- that is true, in the short term at least. But you'd be hard pressed to find a Disneyland fan that thinks the park is actually improving right now, and I imagine that sentiment will continue. Or a Disney animation fan that thinks their recent offerings hold up to their best work.

 

[Rich T]

I really, really doubt this.

Think about it: If no one was expecting its removal, and Disney didn’t mention it, and the song was just replaced by another popular classic… only someone specifically hanging around to listen to the entire loop for that one song is going to notice. And no one except the most die hard of die hard Disney park music fans is going to spend an hour doing that.

Going back to Zip; it’s always been one of my favorite entry songs to hear on a visit. But If I didn’t already know it’s been removed, I wouldn’t notice its absence on my next trip. I’d be casually listening as I walk up and enter the gates and think, “March of the Cards! Awesome!” or “Supercalifragilistic! Yay!” not “Where’s Zip a Dee Do Dah?!? I’m hanging around until I hear it!”

 

[SuddenStorm]

Think about it: If no one was expecting its removal, and Disney didn’t mention it, and the song was just replaced by another popular classic… only someone specifically hanging around to listen to the entire loop for that one song is going to notice. And no one except the most die hard of die hard Disney park music fans is going to spend an hour doing that.

I thought you meant in the castle- where it has been playing nonstop since opening day. If Disney gave When you Wish the Zip treatment and pulled it everywhere, people would certainly notice.

Going back to Zip; it’s always been one of my favorite entry songs to hear on a visit. But If I didn’t already know it’s been removed, I wouldn’t notice its absence on my next trip. I’d be casually listening as I walk up and enter the gates and think, “March of the Cards! Awesome!” or “Supercalifragilistic! Yay!” not “Where’s Zip a Dee Do Dah?!? I’m hanging around until I hear it!”

This is a fair point- but people will notice that it's not used in Fireworks or parades anymore (didn't they remix Fantasy in the Sky to not have it?). And the people who do genuinely love the song will notice that they didn't hear it at all during a day at Disneyland, when it used to be tough to avoid.

 

[Rich T]

…people will notice that it's not used in Fireworks or parades anymore (didn't they remix Fantasy in the Sky to not have it?). And the people who do genuinely love the song will notice that they didn't hear it at all during a day at Disneyland, when it used to be tough to avoid.

I honestly think, in both cases, the only people who’ll notice (who weren’t already aware of its removal) are the people actively searching for it. I think, after a day at DL or Mk, the major negative thoughts about the day are gonna be “Man, the place was mobbed,” or “I spent HOW much?!?” not the fact that any particular tune went unheard.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Using HM as another example: Given a choice between the mix of HM that includes every single graveyard character’s full performance of GGG, and the snappier mix that gives you the full song just three times in a curated blend that aims to be plenty representative without being way too long… I’ll take snappier one that more accurately captures what the ride *feels* like.

It's funny you say that, because there is an official Haunted Mansion album that I bought off if iTunes that includes both every graveyard character's full performance of GGG and a snappier mix where it all plays together as you hear it in the ride (perhaps you have that album)! Pirates has a similar album.

I can't blame anyone for wanting a full and proper Splash mix, and I don't personally care for the mix that made it onto the official Disneyland album years ago (to my memory, the one on the 50th album wasn't any better either). Splash's soundtrack doesn't have the same meaning for me as the aforementioned rides do, but if there was a full WDW version soundtrack that basically sounded exactly as the ride was, I'd probably buy it.

Would you say the album you described in a previous post fits that criteria?

 

[mlayton144]

Zip a Dee Doo Dah's impact on American culture is hard to overstate. I mean who didn't cover the song. Sinatra and Louis Armstrong- two of the greatest musicians ever decided it was worth covering. Few songs that came from a film have that honor. Heck, Disney used it in almost all of the Firework shows. It has been referenced in countless places- Heck even Calvin and Hobbes references it in a strip.

View attachment 695310

I've always though it's grown beyond it's Song of the South origin- though I would never want to downplay Baskett's version of the song which is a personal favorite. Just a delightfully charming piece of music.

To ubruptly remove it from the parks in its entirety seems like a short sighted decision, as many have a ton of fondness for the song and to remove it will further weaken the public's emotional connection to Disneyland. Sometimes it's the familiarity and the pieces of music that take you back to fond memories that are essential for Disneyland.

This - times a thousand.

This song is the first thing I hear in my head when I think of disney parks, Such a shame !

 

[Californian Elitist]

Thank you for this thoughtful and insightful reply.

I know for me it has. I'd bet there's a few others on this forum alone who would agree.

You’re welcome.

I know it has for you. You are projecting how you’re feeling and your own personal reaction to this on the entire public. Removing ZADDD from the park will only affect a teeny, tiny minority of Disneyland’s guests. Teeny, tiny. It’s not going “weaken the public’s emotional connection to Disneyland.” Think about that. You’re putting a lot of weight and power into one song that really doesn’t exist to the extent that you think it does. Most people likely haven’t noticed. Not only have they likely not noticed, but they likely don’t care either. It didn’t even make national news. Why would it, though?

If they were demolishing the castle, then I would agree with you. Removing one song from a music loop, though?

 

[mlayton144]

Don't worry, you'll still have this...

LOL LOL LOL - could it be more ironic ????

 

[Rich T]

I think this post downplays Zip's significance in Disney's music library. Sure- that library is vast and has many phenomenal songs- but there are two songs that have transcended the films they came from and stand above the rest- When You Wish Upon a Star and Zip a Dee Doo Dah. Those two are so powerful they're often used completely separate from their source material- you see both used in situation completely removed from Pinocchio and Song of the South in shows, advertisements, etc.- not many Disney songs have reached that level of autonomy.

Heck, it's been used so much in the last 50 years across the parks that it really has separated itself from Song of the South.

If your point is that Disney's brand is so powerful, and so vast that they choose to chuck beloved parts of it and be fine- that is true, in the short term at least. But you'd be hard pressed to find a Disneyland fan that thinks the park is actually improving right now, and I imagine that sentiment will continue. Or a Disney animation fan that thinks their recent offerings hold up to their best work.

I wasn’t arguing at all against the iconic, classic status of the song, or the opinion that Disney’s quality is going downhill like Goofy on skis, about to smash a Goofy-shaped hole though the side of the lodge at the bottom.

I just said nearly all guests will not notice the absence of one song enough for it to impact their love of the park; there are many more obvious negatives potentially lowering guest satisfaction right now.

 

[Rich T]

It's funny you say that, because there is an official Haunted Mansion album that I bought off if iTunes that includes both every graveyard character's full performance of GGG and a snappier mix where it all plays together as you hear it in the ride (perhaps you have that album)! Pirates has a similar album.

I can't blame anyone for wanting a full and proper Splash mix, and I don't personally care for the mix that made it onto the official Disneyland album years ago (to my memory, the one on the 50th album wasn't any better either). Splash's soundtrack doesn't have the same meaning for me as the aforementioned rides do, but if there was a full WDW version soundtrack that basically sounded exactly as the ride was, I'd probably buy it.

Would you say the album you described in a previous post fits that criteria?

I’ve been collecting park music since I was a kid in the 60’s; I’ve got nearly every official Disneyland/WDW music release that’s been available on LP, cassette, CD and digital download including the 1970s MSEP picture disk and the 1988 DL/WDWEpcot CD and a slew of DL Forever and WDW Forever CDs.

And all the HM and Pirates anniversary CDs. The day The Musical History of Disneyland boxed set arrived in the mail at my workplace was the happiest geek-out day of my life.

Tracks are more important to me than collecting the physical media, so I don’t buy rereleases or repackagings unless they have a significant addition.

I’ve got a lot of CDs and albums from the Paris and Tokyo parks. And most of the albums from Efteling, Europa Park, Phantasialand and Toverland. I’m a total park music geek.

Personally. I love the Thornton mixes of the 2 U.S. Splash Mtns. (There’s what… three different mixes of DL’s?) My favorite is the one that includes Burro’s Lament, although the MHoD mix with the original Sooner or Later section is fascinating).

For me, a good mix that captures the fun and spirit of an attraction—and nicely presents all the important songs/themes is what I’ll listen to most often.

It’s a shame Splash didn’t get a comprehensive anniversary CD set. That could have been amazing. I do hope that you eventually get the 100% exactly-like-being-there mix you’re looking for. More music is always a good thing!