Splash Mountain to become Princess and the Frog ride

[The Foolish Mortal]

Here are my two cents:

SM is my favorite ride at Disney. Has been for years. One of my fav Disney memories from the past few years was one temperate March evening when SM was just cool enough to become a walk on ride and my partner and I rode it continuously for half an hour, including seeing the fireworks show form the top of the hill before the drop! I really enjoy the theme too. We are both animal people, so any theme with a bunch of cute talking and singing animals is going to make us smile (love that possum family!)

Will I miss the current version when its gone? Probably. At least a little. But its just a ride!!!! As much as I love Disney, I am never going to lose my mind over things changing. I have no doubt my memories of Maelstrom are better than the actual ride. I preferred HM before they added the Escher room. I preferred the AK Safari back when they had a poacher storyline as part of the attraction. I would like to have those things back, but I still enjoy the attractions. The changes just aren't that big a deal. Are they still going to have some fun drops? Yes! So now its a singing frog rather than a rabbit and some other critters, that's fine. I feel confident that I will like it for new reasons. In fact, anticipating the changes can often be part of the fun. Maybe it will be better!!

And as for the critics who are bemoaning that this change is because of politics, or political correctness, or whatever .... get over it!!! Your complaints say more about your insistence on clinging to the past or your general anger/dissatisfaction with life (which is sad). If the changes make other children feel more included, then I am all for it. After all, as much as many of us adults love Disney, the true magic of the place is for children first. Disappointment at a favorite ride being changed is fine. I feel a little bit of that. But outrage and anger? Its just a ride! If you need WDW to remain frozen in time for your life to be good, then I feel for you because you're not experiencing the new things life has to offer

 

[kmorlock]

Disney is going to do whatever they want under any reason they choose to publicize. Customers will love it, hate it, or be indifferent but, they probably won’t let it deter them from visiting the parks. I do however think there are better options than Tiana for this one. The movie just wasn’t that great. Tangled was better IMO and she got a stone bathroom and cheap garden lights strung in the trees.

 

[TreAntDeu]

They may as well shut the whole park down and strip every ride of it's theming. No matter what, someone will be butt hurt and claim to be offended. I think I will protest 7 Dwarfs Mine train. I have a friend who is a Dwarf. This ride offends me because they have Dwarfs working in a dark mine. Do they get breaks? fair wages? I think I will write Disney and let them know how offended I am.

Well, considering that (as far as we know) the 7 Dwarfs own and operate that mine, it means that is their own business. They are working for themselves, they own property, and have a successful business. They set their own hours and break time.

To be honest, its a pretty good role model situation.

A group of men owning a business with equal ownership and being successful at it. To the point where they have a beautiful home in the Forest. Stable property ownership.

Admirable honestly.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

The source material for Splash is clearly problematic and has been for years as shown by Disney’s own choice to prevent people from watching. This is not something they’ve recently been alerted to. It naturally follows that they may choose to change the ride someday. Someday is today. That certainly doesn’t scream pandering to recent events (unless they’ve been preparing for this day for decades) but okay.

 

[sethschroeder]

Tiana is the best primary Disney movie to put in the space to keep a very similar feel and goes with the Steam Boat across the street. It is strange though to not have Tiana over in Fantasyland but stuck over in an area with less of a Disney property feel. I wonder if this spells the end for the Bears and Big Thunder as they connect Fantasyland with Frontierland.

I only have daughters so another Princess ride will go well with them.

Still nothing really for Moana, Mulan, Jasmin, or Pocahontas. Although I am not sure something with Pocahontas would ever come because I think there is likely more sensitivity there that people see vs the underlying unknown side of Splash Mountain for most.

 

[The Foolish Mortal]

Well, considering that (as far as we know) the 7 Dwarfs own and operate that mine, it means that is their own business. They are working for themselves, they own property, and have a successful business. They set their own hours and break time.

To be honest, its a pretty good role model situation.

A group of men owning a business with equal ownership and being successful at it. To the point where they have a beautiful home in the Forest. Stable property ownership.

Admirable honestly.

Those darn socialist dwarfs! Sharing all their gems! What are they, smurfs????

 

[jen7233]

Now, if people never realized that they stacked the Middle East on top of the Caribbean and instead just thought of it all as Adventureland, then maybe calm down about this much less egregious theming clash.

I've noticed and never liked it, like the random magic carpet ride. But, sure, rides have got to somehow go somewhere.....

 

[WorldOfPooh]

Tiana is the best primary Disney movie to put in the space to keep a very similar feel and goes with the Steam Boat across the street. It is strange though to not have Tiana over in Fantasyland but stuck over in an area with less of a Disney property feel. I wonder if this spells the end for the Bears and Big Thunder as they connect Fantasyland with Frontierland.

I only have daughters so another Princess ride will go well with them.

Still nothing really for Moana, Mulan, Jasmin, or Pocahontas. Although I am not sure something with Pocahontas would ever come because I think there is likely more sensitivity there that people see vs the underlying unknown side of Splash Mountain for most.

I though they were gonna having something for Moana at Epcot

 

[TreAntDeu]

I've noticed and never liked it, like the random magic carpet ride. But, sure, rides have got to somehow go somewhere.....

i dont like it either, all im saying is that middle east and carribean are a lot more different than a bayou is to the riverboat and tom sawyer island. And even the southwestern parts for that matter. At least the bayou, tom sawyer island, riverboat, and western town are all on the same continent and in the same country.

 

[Disneytrippin']

And some Zydeco music in there with Ray would be so fun!

And shaky Grandma with her walker.

 

[intertile]

My DD, 12, was really upset about this announcement. This is her favorite ride, and to hear they are changing it brought her to tears. When I explained why to her, she said but Dad what do the characters and songs have that is racist?
I personally love the ride, but will get over them changing it. End of the day its a theme park ride. I guess the frustrating thing for most is this is such a cop out on Disney's part. Its obviously done to bring attention to the brand during a huge social movement. Ok, thats fine..but just say what it is and be done with it. For the record I have no problem with Tiana and the frog prince getting an attraction or even this one.

 

[Chuck S]

I think the storyline will fit the ride just fine. And the artwork looks stunning. My concern is the music. I remember liking the movie, but none of the music runs through your head like Zip A Dee Doo Dah. I hope they will be able to incorporate Zip A Dee Doo Dah into the Tiana version, and the end scene with the chicken and foxes from the old America Sings ride, I hope they salvage that. My other concern is...when will this be done? With so much of EPCOT torn up, and the TRON coaster under construction, I hope this new theme for Splash waits until this is all finished so they don't take that ride down while so many other things are down, even with lower tourism, people will expect rides at Disney, not just walking around and saying, "Oh, look what's coming there, look what they're doing over here." People don't want to spend the kind of money it takes for a theme park trip to have everything down at the same time..

BTW, for those that never saw America Sings, the song that the chickens and foxes sang in that attraction was an old Gospel song, "I'm gonna lay down my burden, down by the riverside."

 

[SaintsManiac]

I think the storyline will fit the ride just fine. And the artwork looks stunning. My concern is the music. I remember liking the movie, but none of the music runs through your head like Zip A Dee Doo Dah. I hope they will be able to incorporate Zip A Dee Doo Dah into the Tiana version, and the end scene with the chicken and foxes from the old America Sings ride, I hope they salvage that.

I sing “Almost There” all the time.
Zip will not be in that ride. The song has a really problematic history.

 

[kmorlock]

I think the storyline will fit the ride just fine. And the artwork looks stunning. My concern is the music. I remember liking the movie, but none of the music runs through your head like Zip A Dee Doo Dah. I hope they will be able to incorporate Zip A Dee Doo Dah into the Tiana version, and the end scene with the chicken and foxes from the old America Sings ride, I hope they salvage that. My other concern is...when will this be done? With so much of EPCOT torn up, and the TRON coaster under construction, I hope this new theme for Splash waits until this is all finished so they don't take that ride down while so many other things are down, even with lower tourism, people will expect rides at Disney, not just walking around and saying, "Oh, look what's coming there, look what they're doing over here." People don't want to spend the kind of money it takes for a theme park trip to have everything down at the same time..

BTW, for those that never saw America Sings, the song that the chickens and foxes sang in that attraction was an old Gospel song, "I'm gonna lay down my burden, down by the riverside."

Disney might forgo “Zip” But that doesn’t mean riders can’t hum it or belt it out if they feel so inclined.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Disney might forgo “Zip” But that doesn’t mean riders can’t hum it or belt it out if they feel so inclined.

I hope they don’t in my log.

 

[JacknSally]

I hope they don’t in my log.

Gonna have to push them out in the bayou

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I just saw this shared and I skipped forward to the big drop. Lots of legitimate questions to wonder about with this refurb, but the music is NOT one of them. So awesome!

 

[rteetz]

Ive loved Disney by whole life...been there close to 100 times in my 46 years...made so many memories with my parents and kids....the ultimate escape...like nowhere else on earth...we all know the feeling.

many of us dreaded this moment...that politics and messaging would invade the parks and everything would become about a "statement"...well here it is...be prepared. It's a very sad day as this is just the beginning...for some they'll welcome the introduction...I'm just sad....the snowball is small and is just going to grow as it rolls down hill

I suggest maybe a break from these boards or the internet. Everything will be okay.

 

[rteetz]

I think the storyline will fit the ride just fine. And the artwork looks stunning. My concern is the music. I remember liking the movie, but none of the music runs through your head like Zip A Dee Doo Dah. I hope they will be able to incorporate Zip A Dee Doo Dah into the Tiana version, and the end scene with the chicken and foxes from the old America Sings ride, I hope they salvage that. My other concern is...when will this be done? With so much of EPCOT torn up, and the TRON coaster under construction, I hope this new theme for Splash waits until this is all finished so they don't take that ride down while so many other things are down, even with lower tourism, people will expect rides at Disney, not just walking around and saying, "Oh, look what's coming there, look what they're doing over here." People don't want to spend the kind of money it takes for a theme park trip to have everything down at the same time..

BTW, for those that never saw America Sings, the song that the chickens and foxes sang in that attraction was an old Gospel song, "I'm gonna lay down my burden, down by the riverside."

I watched the film today, and it has plenty of great music. Zip is one of the problems with this ride. Don't get me wrong I sing the song to myself all the time and its had some awesome versions through the years but its history is not good.

 

[rteetz]

Just thought I would mention Martin on wdwmagic said Country Bear Jamboree could very well see changes.