Tiana's Bayou Adventure: Disneyland Watch & Discussion

[The Peanut Gallery]

So I have a feeling it's only a matter of time before the ride in Tokyo gets removed as well.

It's not gonna happen.

 

[SuddenStorm]

My guess is most guests think Splash Mountain is original.

I imagine this was true for the stateside parks as well.

 

[BrerFoxesBayouAdventure]

Never met any Japanese person here who has any remote clue what Song of the South is or the controversy surrounding it. My guess is most guests think Splash Mountain is original.

From what I was able to find, Song of the South is decently known in Japan considering it was one of the few countries to get a physical release of the movie. I know people were very upset when Zip got removed from music loops and thought the reasoning for doing so was dumb. Keep in mind these same loops kept in the song that directly mentions Uncle Remus by name.

Otherwise, I just think they see it as a ride with cute animal characters because it's so far divorced from what the original source material was that it may as well be a park-exclusive IP. That and the controversy surrounding it is nearly nonexistent because cultural differences.

 

[Rich T]

It's not gonna happen.

Heard that before.

 

[Rich T]

From what I was able to find, Song of the South is decently known in Japan considering it was one of the few countries to get a physical release of the movie. I know people were very upset when Zip got removed from music loops and thought the reasoning for doing so was dumb. Keep in mind these same loops kept in the song that directly mentions Uncle Remus by name.

Otherwise, I just think they see it as a ride with cute animal characters because it's so far divorced from what the original source material was that it may as well be a park-exclusive IP. That and the controversy surrounding it is nearly nonexistent because cultural differences.

Zip a Dee Doo Dah being removed from the music loops says a lot. I think they’re just waiting for the right IP: one that readily fits in with their elaborate Critter Country.

 

[Ghost93]

Zip a Dee Doo Dah being removed from the music loops says a lot. I think they’re just waiting for the right IP: one that readily fits in with their elaborate Critter Country.

Avatar: The Way of Water?

 

[MisterPenguin]

Zip a Dee Doo Dah being removed from the music loops says a lot. I think they’re just waiting for the right IP: one that readily fits in with their elaborate Critter Country.

Avatar: The Way of Water?

Ice Age: Meltdown?

 

[Rich T]

Avatar: The Way of Water?

Oh, heavens no! I’m think something that can keep the possum restaurant, which is a much-loved masterpiece of design. Maybe “Zootopia Undercover Backwoods Stakeout River Chase.”

Heck, maybe they’ll just theme it to Duffy.
(Edit)
Duffy Country!

 

[Ghost93]

Oh, heavens no! I’m think something that can keep the possum restaurant, which is a much-loved masterpiece of design. Maybe “Zootopia Undercover Backwoods Stakeout River Chase.”

Heck, maybe they’ll just theme it to Duffy.
(Edit)
Duffy Country!

Lol, I was just kidding about Avatar. If they wanted to save money, Robin Hood would be the easiest retheme as the character design of the Robin Hood characters are very similar to those in Song of the South. Just swap out Brer Fox and Brer Bear with Robin Hood and Little John, change the drop to Robin Hood getting thrown off of Prince John's castle and swap out "Zip a Dee Doo Dah Zip a Dee Day" with "Ooh De Lally Ooh De Lally Golly what a day" and you've got yourself a retheme!

If they are willing to spend the money, a Moana retheme of Splash could work out well.

 

[Rich T]

Lol, I was just kidding about Avatar. If they wanted to save money, Robin Hood would be the easiest retheme as the character design of the Robin Hood characters are very similar to those in Song of the South. Just swap out Brer Fox and Brer Bear with Robin Hood and Little John, change the drop to Robin Hood getting thrown off of Prince John's castle and swap out "Zip a Dee Doo Dah Zip a Dee Day" with "Ooh De Lally Ooh De Lally Golly what a day" and you've got yourself a retheme!

If they are willing to spend the money, a Moana retheme of Splash could work out well.

I like the Robin Hood idea. A lot.

 

[brb1006]

That was nearly seven years ago. What’s the current status of the Brer characters over there?

Currently present for Tokyo's current Easter daytime parade "Usatama on the Run" alongside other famous Disney Bunnies.

 

[DrAlice]

Just caught up on the thread. Wow. That was an interesting few minutes that I won't get back.

I've got to say that I'm disappointed in the lot of you. Pages and pages arguing about beloved theme park attractions that were removed and NO ONE mentioned the PeopleMover, Rocket Rods, and the decades of rotting tracks? For shame....

 

[BrerFoxesBayouAdventure]

Lol, I was just kidding about Avatar. If they wanted to save money, Robin Hood would be the easiest retheme as the character design of the Robin Hood characters are very similar to those in Song of the South. Just swap out Brer Fox and Brer Bear with Robin Hood and Little John, change the drop to Robin Hood getting thrown off of Prince John's castle and swap out "Zip a Dee Doo Dah Zip a Dee Day" with "Ooh De Lally Ooh De Lally Golly what a day" and you've got yourself a retheme!

If they are willing to spend the money, a Moana retheme of Splash could work out well.

Robin Hood and Little John aren't villains though, so you'd need to change the story completely to fit that change.

 

[mickEblu]

My thoughts on this retheme have always been all over the place. Don’t want Splash to go but believe PatF is the best IP to replace SotS. Yet also don’t like the direction they are going by excluding the villain and perhaps the songs from the movie.

 

[celluloid]

Splash has an entire mini land in Tokyo. Song of the South is well known in Japan and the type of Americana that is appreciated. Tokyo's Splash area is all inspired by the Song of The South and has two food and beverage establishments.

 

[Rich T]

Splash has an entire mini land in Tokyo. Song of the South is well known in Japan and the type of Americana that is appreciated. Tokyo's Splash area is all inspired by the Song of The South and has two food and beverage establishments.

That’s why I believe they’re going to retheme Splash, but not until they decide on a theme that can still make use of the possum restaurant and all the rest of the land’s Critter Country. They didn’t erase Zip a Dee Doo Dah from the music loops for no reason.

Heck, if they changed it into an Aristocats ride, the line would probably reach all the way to the park gate.

 

[celluloid]

They didn’t erase Zip a Dee Doo Dah from the music loops for no reason.

So you think erasing a song from a loop equates to a clue that the attraction and its entire money making surrounding area will be changing soon?

 

[Rich T]

So you think erasing a song from a loop equates to a clue that the attraction and its entire money making surrounding area will be changing soon?

Not very soon, but certainly within the next several years. Japan might have a bit more time before the negativity surrounding Song the South makes an impact there, but I am certain the executives there are aware of it and are planning for the future.

The entire money making area will continue to make money without the Song of the South IP. As I said, they could change it to Aristocats or Duffy and it probably be more popular than ever.

Times change. Everywhere. And since Zip a Dee Doo Dah—probably the most inoffensive element of Song the South—has been erased, yes, I’d say the canary in the coal mine is belly up.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

OLC bending to Disney on removing Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah is a sign of something, but there's still a big difference between removing a song from a music loop and spending tons of time and money to overhaul a signature attraction and entire mini-land. Not saying that Splash is safe forever at TDL, I have no idea. But I think the reasons for OLC being resistant to re-theming the ride (It's popular with guests, American racial issues are irrelevant in Japan and PatF is not popular in Japan) have not changed.

Also I still have no clue where this idea is coming from that SotS the film is popular or well known in Japan...

 

[Rich T]

OLC bending to Disney on removing Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah is a sign of something, but there's still a big difference between removing a song from a music loop and spending tons of time and money to overhaul a signature attraction and entire mini-land. Not saying that Splash is safe forever at TDL, I have no idea. But I think the reasons for OLC being resistant to re-theming the ride (It's popular with guests, American racial issues are irrelevant in Japan and PatF is not popular in Japan) have not changed.

Also I still have no clue where this idea is coming from that SotS the film is popular or well known in Japan...

My belief is that the gears are turning, and when they find just the right idea for retheming Splash in an imaginative, exciting way that can still use most of the area infrastructure, it’ll happen.