Well, we all heard the rumors. We knew this was coming. It was only a matter of time. And we all know that anytime you here a rumor like this, there is a 50/50 chance it is true. Disney has announced that Splash Mountain at both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom in Florida will be reimagined to “The Princess and the Frog”. If you are like us and you put a lot of sentimental value on certain attractions and events at Disney Parks, it can be heartbreaking to find out that a favorite is being removed or re-themed. You may feel like a part of your childhood or family memories are being taken away. Splash Mountain is part animatronic stage show, part log flume ride. The music is catchy and the scenery is colorful and imaginative. You spend most of the ride preparing for that 50 foot drop as you hide all your electronics, and yourself, from the splash. There is no doubt, this ride is a classic and a fan favorite. So how can it be removed and rethemed? If The Great Movie Ride has taught us anything, it’s that nothing is safe in the wonderful world of Disney.
The recent events of racial unrest and the Black Lives Matter movement surely have put more focus on the rides troubled past. But let’s “dig a little deeper”. Hey, you knew the puns were coming! It’s connection to the 1946 film “Song of the South” has forever been a source of controversy and one Disney knew it would have to deal with eventually. Similar to the unrest over human trafficking that led to the retheming of the auction scene in Pirates of the Caribbean, this attractions link to a movie that lacks sensitivity and historical appropriateness required a change. Most fans of Splash Mountain don’t even know about its relationship to the movie, but merely view it as fun characters, catchy songs and a big drop on top. This may be due to the fact that the movie has been locked away in the Disney vault for over thirty years. If you are wondering what kind of Disney movie would be hidden away for all this time, the answer is “a pretty offensive one”. Despite this, Disney was able to remove the characters and music from the controversial film and create an iconic ride with a large appeal.
So let’s take a step back and try not to focus on the loss of such an iconic ride. Disney is going to re-imagine this ride into something amazing.The ride system will remain the same. The 50 foot drop will still exist. The fact that “you may get wet” is still a definite possibility. There will be catchy music and lovable characters. The scenery is going to be beautiful. On the outside, Chick-a-pin Hill will be transformed into Mama Odies house and the iconic log flume will descend down into the bayou. Per Disney Parks Blog, it is not a retelling of the original film, but picks up after the final kiss. Princess Tiana and Louis take you on a musical adventure, featuring music from the film, as they prepare for their first Mardi Gras performance. The concept art (shown above) is absolutely stunning and helps you see how wonderful this new attraction could be. The design of the ride will be a perfect fit for telling a story that takes you through the bayou.
Of course there are concerns. This attraction makes more sense for Disneyland, as it fits in as an extension of New Orleans Square. In the Magic Kingdom, Splash Mountain is in the center of Frontierland and a Bayou themed ride hardly makes sense. It leads one to believe Disney imagineers have plans to retheme the surrounding area to make a better transition. We could see a transformation of Pecos Bills into Tiana’s Place, as well more New Orleans theming throughout. We will hear more about the retheming in the next few months, and as it unfolds we will surely fall in love with it. Although bittersweet, it is wonderful to see such an underrated film and Princess finally get some well deserved attention.