Splash Mountain to become Princess and the Frog ride

[IamBrerBear]

You joined today? Why? To post this rant?

I'm not entirely sure you know what a "rant" is. I was responding to posts. You seem to be upset that people are upset they're losing their favorite ride which is odd.

 

[Clockwork]

Actually the "Song of the South characters" are not IP-- most of them from the ride were reused from a previous attraction. That's why they chose Song of the South.

They are definitely IP just because they were reused from a previous attraction doesn’t remove them from being IP. They are intellectual property owned by Disney the very definition of IP.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I'm not entirely sure you know what a "rant" is. I was responding to posts. You seem to be upset that people are upset they're losing their favorite ride which is odd.

Nope. What’s odd is your sudden appearance and assumptions. I don’t have patience for certain attitudes. There are 47 pages in this thread. Did you take the time to read them?

I couldn’t care less about anyone being upset over this ride change. What I do care about is the why of it.

 

[Clockwork]

Well, not really lol.

Mr/Ms. Maniac, it depends on the area in which you reside, mine is covered in swamp!

 

[muffyn]

So, if we are going to re-theme things based on a connection to a movie, are we getting rid of Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah? It has a connection to the same movie?

heard on last nights news the song will no longer be played anywhere at Disney.

 

[DisneyDad1736]

I’m actually really excited for the change, it’s time for something different and PatF has an amazing soundtrack. Splash is 30 years old and it’ll be exciting for something new. It’s my favorite ride too

 

[Krandor]

has there been any information regarding when they will close down Splash to make the change?
I assume it will go down for many months. I sure hope they don't do it when half the attractions are already closed because of covid.

When are half the attractions closed due to covid? The list of what will be open July 11 shows most things will be open. What "half of the attractions" are going to be closed?

 

[fabfemmeboy]

Once again this is not true.

Brer Rabbit and his story comes from Africa. It long precedes white guy Joel Chandler Harris' Uncle Remus stories.
There is no reason to erase Brer Rabbit and African culture.

If you want to add a Tiana, Princess and the Frog ride fine. But there's no reason to get rid of the Brer Rabbit ride. Why not have two rides based on African cultures instead of keeping a quota of one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Br'er_Rabbit

...kind of. There were a wide variety of "trickster animal" stories throughout African and Afro-Caribbean culture and history, with a rabbit being one of them (not even the most common). But that's not what the ride was based on. The ride was based on the book written by a white guy based on stories he'd heard, put them in a plantation context and in dialect (that amounted to "look how funny those people talk!"), signed his name to, and got paid for. And then another Disney turned those into a movie that was considered racist even at the time by the Black community. This ride has as much to do with African culture as "Polly Wolly Doodle" or "O Susanna" do; just because they involve banjos (which were brought and adapted from Africa) doesn't mean they haven't gone through 18 rounds and 4 centuries of racist history in the meantime that leave them a world away from the original folk tradition.

 

[Krandor]

I think it's fair to listen to everybody.

I am not saying majority rules. I am just tired of being told that I am not allowed to have an opinion/be upset about this because of x, y, z reason.

Nobody has ever said you are not allowed to have an opinion.

You opinion though isn't always going to be the one that wins though but just because you don't win doesn't mean you are not allowed to have an opinion and it doesn't mean people are not allowed to say they think your opinion is wrong.

I'm on both sides. I love the ride as it is and it doesn't offend me personally and I'd prefer it stay as it is. However, I also know there are people who have a lot of issues with the ride for a lot of reasons which I can't personally relate to. However even if that is 10-20% of the people who come to WDW it makes sense to change it so that for those people as well WDW is the happiest place on earth. So if a change is needed to be more inclusive of everybody I am not going to object.

 

[DisneyDad1736]

Is this thread more civil than the one over at wdwmagic? lol

 

[IamBrerBear]

Nobody has ever said you are not allowed to have an opinion.

You opinion though isn't always going to be the one that wins though but just because you don't win doesn't mean you are not allowed to have an opinion and it doesn't mean people are not allowed to say they think your opinion is wrong.

I'm on both sides. I love the ride as it is and it doesn't offend me personally and I'd prefer it stay as it is. However, I also know there are people who have a lot of issues with the ride for a lot of reasons which I can't personally relate to. However even if that is 10-20% of the people who come to WDW it makes sense to change it so that for those people as well WDW is the happiest place on earth. So if a change is needed to be more inclusive of everybody I am not going to object.

So make a change to appease 10% of patrons at the expense of the other 90%? And the other 90% just need to accept it? I guess that makes sense in a sort of alternate universe type of way.

You say DIsney is the happiest place on earth but there are a lot of people who aren't very happy right now.

 

[cakebaker]

So make a change to appease 10% of patrons at the expense of the other 90%? And the other 90% just need to accept it? I guess that makes sense in a sort of alternate universe type of way.

Whether or not to continue promoting a racist storyline is not subject to popular opinion. But I seriously question your statistic that only 10% find it offensive. But even if it were sadly true, yes you just need to accept it.

And yes, there are other attractions that have problems, Peter Pan's Flight is one of them. PPF is the first ride I ever rode at WDW, decades ago. It is the first ride we ride every trip we have ever made. I had tears in my eyes the first time I got to take my grandson on the ride with me. It is my favorite of all rides at WDW and I would challenge anyone that claims to love it more than I do. Despite all that, I see the issue with it and I will accept any changes they make to correct it. My personal pleasure is not so important that others should be hurt by it. Seriously, re-examine your priorities.

 

[jarestel]

I like Splash and I'm sure I'll like PATF as well. And maybe someday PATF will be re-themed and the next generations of fans will be just as disappointed as some of us are today. I understand and can empathize but nothing stays the same forever.

 

[iamfathom]

For those deriding that it is only a ride, to many it's more than that, people form connections to memories and the joy something has brought to them. Disney more than any other park attracts people on nostalgia, certainly for Magic Kingdom.

This doesn't mean rides shouldn't be changed or updated, but on a technical level I can think of a dozen rides in more need of being refreshed or changed before SM did.

It does worry me that Disney could pander more and more to the Twitter outrage mobs, especially since most of those campaigning for these changes likely aren't even regular guests to the parks. To me it feels like they are pandering to people that aren't their customers, they should listen to their fans more and less to a vocal minority on Twitter, their money comes from one not the other.

As for myself I will be sad to see SM go, but will admit the concept art looks really nice, so if the end product is as good as the artwork maybe it won't be all bad, but I'm concerned this is the first domino to fall.

 

[superme80]

Haven't read all the comments. I am not happy about this. My middle son was too scared to go on the ride when we went in 2018. Afterwards he discovered the cartoon and got obsessed. My best friend bought him a Brer Rabbit. He goes into the "Briar Patch" in our yard. I hope it hangs on long enough for him to experience when we go in 2022. I love Tiana and what she stands for, but I HATE the Princess and the Frog. The music was terrible. I love the voice actors, but it was a completely forgettable film. She really deserved better.

 

[RufusCat]

Thematically and from a imagineering viewpoint Splash Mountain is a work of art. Next will be Jungle Cruise, Frontierland, the Enchanted Tiki Room & half the theming in the MK (mainly the left side), it could be argued a lot of it is based on outdated stereotypes/tropes. Visit MK whilst you can folks 'cause it might be getting quite a makeover over the next few years...

 

[TheMaxRebo]

And this is part of the problem. Only one narrative is allowed to be pushed. Anyone that disagrees with it is the problem and are the ones that should stay away.

I don’t mind different opinions, and think many of those opinions opposite of mine are valid. But if you brought this exact same topic up as a hypothetical months ago, like it had been done countless times before, the responses were vastly different than today, which I believe to be because no actual Disney fans wanted this.

It is just a ride, as everyone is so quick to point out. And it was just a ride before too. It brought far more people joy than it offended. Disney can do what they deem best for the brand. But we are allowed to be outraged, and I don’t think trying to shame/silence via making people out as crazy because they are passionately opposed to something is productive. Especially since people being upset is what led to the change in the first place. One upset group gets what they want, the other is told to be quiet and stop being upset.

I am ok with the change and actually excited looking at the concept art - I would consider myself a "real Disney fan" though I guess everyone's qualifications for that are different

I like be Splash Mountain, it is one of my absolute favorite attractions ... I have tons of great memories of riding it as a kid and riding it withy kids.

But I think being said that something you lived is going away (at least in its current form) and reflecting in the positive nostolgic feelings isn't mutually exclusive from understanding why and agree with this changes.

I know a lot of people were brought pain by this ride and will now feel more included and cared about with the new version. To me that is worth taking away elements of something I enjoyed in my past - those memories don't go away. Plus, a ride I love will get modern animatronics and some other updating and TLC - I think there are a lot of positive elements to this in the long run

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I like Splash and I'm sure I'll like PATF as well. And maybe someday PATF will be re-themed and the next generations of fans will be just as disappointed as some of us are today. I understand and can empathize but nothing stays the same forever.

That is what I try to keep in mind when things change - that things will always change and what is new can create new memories

I remember when HEA came and a lot of people were upset that it wasn't as good as Wishes and had so many memories of watching Wishes, etc. But guess what? People said the same thing when Wishes replaced Fantasy in the Sky, that they had so many memories from that and will never enjoy Wishes as much.

Nothing wrong with holding tight to positive memories but this is a chance to make new memories. And at least for some people the first chance to make positive ones associated with this specific attraction

 

[TheMaxRebo]

So make a change to appease 10% of patrons at the expense of the other 90%? And the other 90% just need to accept it? I guess that makes sense in a sort of alternate universe type of way.

You say DIsney is the happiest place on earth but there are a lot of people who aren't very happy right now.

But is it really 90% that are against this? Or is it like most things you have 5-10% that are super vocal for the change and 5-10% that are super vocal against it and then the majority in the middle that are ok with it and can see both sides and maybe not the specific choice they made but won't let it ruin their vacations and just roll with it?

 

[New Mouse]

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.

Meanings do change over time. Find me 1 child or even someone from the 80s who associates that song (or ride) with anything but a positive message.