Splash Mountain Will Change to Princess and the Frog--WILL OPEN 7/11 as Splash

[mjlass11]

This is my favorite ride in Disney. I love the theming and characters. I’ve never seen the song of the south, so to me this is a ride based on brer rabbit. I also love the songs throughout the ride.
I’m also a fan of The Princess and the frog. I wish they could somehow use parts of both the existing ride and it’s music with the new Princess and the frog theming.

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

I just hate the timing. We are mentally exhausted.

Do it two years ago or two years from now, that’s fine. Then we can go around with first world problems, believing it’s a big deal. Its also terrible timing for people to travel for one last ride which I do think fans deserve even if the change is warranted.

But stop. Just stop. We are all exhausted and many have no idea when we can or will want to return at all. And that’s not even our biggest worry right now, not even close.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I love Splash but totally understand this change. 100% fine by me.

My kids will absolutely love this. Neither one has been on Splash yet due to height requirements then it being closed on our last trip. Princess & the Frog theming is what they will grow up knowing in that space and I think it will be beautiful. They won’t know any different and it will feel classic to them.

 

[goodeats]

I’m extremely concerned about this - the music is so iconic. They can’t just get rid of it.

I think we’re going to see a big backlash.

 

[RanDIZ]

Good thing I was able to experience this classic. Won’t be wasting any FP or time for the new ride.

 

[yulilin3]

I’m extremely concerned about this - the music is so iconic. They can’t just get rid of it.

I think we’re going to see a big backlash.

You can still hear the music at home, in your car, anywhere, they are not erasing the music from ever having existed

 

[3DisneyBuggs]

Splash Mountain won’t be the same without The Laughing Place, Brier Rabbit and Zippity Doo Dah! Why can’t they give Tiana a meet n greet or a character dining? Or a whole new ride? Who even thinks offensive thoughts when riding or looking at Splash?

 

[SMRT-1]

Splash Mountain was built on repurposed animatronics, so re-theming is already part of its history. As a ride, I don't really mind this idea - as long as they use Dr. Facilier to keep the creepy tonal shift right before the drop. How it fits into the theming of surrounding lands has potential issues, though. At Disneyland, it's right next to New Orleans Square (and Critter Country has pretty much become just "the walkway to Galaxy's Edge"), so you could just annex Splash Mountain into New Orleans Square and the re-theming would still fit. It's a bit more of a problem in WDW, since a New Orleans-themed ride doesn't really fit in Frontierland.

For those who haven't seen PatF, I'd recommend it. The first time I watched, I was a little perplexed since it felt like Disney, but at the same time didn't feel like Disney. Finally I realized that we'd become used to post-Mermaid films as what "Disney" is, but PatF feels more like a classic late 60's / early 70s Disney film like Robin Hood or Jungle Book, so that's why it felt familiar, but still not.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I’m extremely concerned about this - the music is so iconic. They can’t just get rid of it.

I think we’re going to see a big backlash.

Guarantee that the line will be longer than it was for Splash. Will be extremely popular.

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

Tiana made great Beignets I hear. Maybe they will offer them in the gift shop.

Yes, as soon as I heard rumors of this change last month, I started thinking that WDW would finally catch up to DL and have beignets available in the park. Ooh, think of the pumpkin-spice ones (Halloween) or the gingerbread ones (Christmas)!

As for people decrying "another" princess thing, I'm glad to see a princess *RIDE*. My DH pointed out that despite how large they loom in Disney's mythos and pop-cultural impact, only Ariel, Anna & Elsa, and Snow White have rides--and the dwarves are really the focus of SDMT, not Snow. Everything else is meals, experiences (Enchanted Tales), or M&G.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

We need a beignet and daiquiri stand at the exit.

... and gumbo! (That's stirring the gumbo pot, not the political pot)

 

[Tonyz]

Princess and the Frog is a terrible movie, IMO.

 

[Delirium]

Guarantee that the line will be longer than it was for Splash. Will be extremely popular.

How do you figure. People that were scared of the drop or just did not want to get wet are now going to set aside those reservations and jump aboard? The theme of Splash Mountain kept absolutely no one off the ride.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

It's a bit more of a problem in WDW, since a New Orleans-themed ride doesn't really fit in Frontierland.

When you think about it, Splash Mountain has never really fit the theme of Frontierland. They made the look of the exterior compliment the style of BTMRR because that was the real estate they had available. But the theme of the actual ride has no real Frontierland connection.

 

[Karin1984]

How do you figure. People that were scared of the drop or just did not want to get wet are now going to set aside those reservations and jump aboard? The theme of Splash Mountain kept absolutely no one off the ride.

Because children will be more willing to try it when it has a familiar element.

I’m extremely concerned about this - the music is so iconic. They can’t just get rid of it.

I think we’re going to see a big backlash.

I think the music will end up in a loop around the area and might still be used in firework shows or parades etc.

And I think the backlash will be manageable. When you look at the responses on Facebook people are thrilled. In another thread on the DL board people are positive.

 

[gharter]

Just hoping they do a good job with the retheme and not a Journey into Imagination retheme.
I think the timing is bad. It looks like this is a knee jerk, PC move. Reading the Disney announcement, they have been working on this for over a year.
While I'll miss the music, PaTF has some great music and could work well.
I wonder when they'll start?
With revenue down, I can't imagine it will be soon. Maybe after Tron opens, or after the 50th?

 

[FCDub]

Princess and the Frog is a terrible movie, IMO.

Now you're just laying into the act, huh?

 

[igrsod]

Maybe I’ve been living under a rock, but I had no idea this was a possibility. So I’m completely surprised and disappointed. I love Splash, been one of my favs for years. I will be really sad to see it go.

I haven’t seen Princess & the Frog but am interested to see what they come up with for the new ride.

You need to see the movie.... it is great. Fun music, artful animation... comedy, suspense, tears... all the makings of a great Disney film.

 

[Tonyz]

Now you're just laying into the act, huh?

The act?

Because I don't like a movie?

 

[ClapYourHands]

Well to be fair, I'm not sure there are many people under 35-ish who are aware of Song of the South (even if they've never seen it). It always seemed odd that there was a ride based on IP that nobody under a certain age has seen.

To be fair, MK has a number of rides not based on any particular IP, so the lack of film recognition probably doesn’t matter to most riders.

The ride was originally done on the cheap with mostly recycled animatronics from closed projects (“America Sings” primarily). It seems the theme choice grew out of figuring out how to reimagine the animatronics they had at their disposal.