News Round Up 2020

[rteetz]

WDW ambassadors extended another year amid pandemic

https://www.wdwmagic.com/other/walt...mbassadors-term-extended-for-another-year.htm

 

[rteetz]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1276184049959292929

 

[merry_nbright]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1276184049959292929

BRB AS I CRY!!! This is SOOOOO exciting!!!!! Splash is great but it needed some major love and this is just....

 

[Farro]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1276184049959292929

That will look cool.

But please don't let it start until after May 15, 2021.

 

[Bay Max]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1276184049959292929

Is this legit?

 

[rteetz]

Is this legit?

Very

 

[SaintsManiac]

That will look cool.

But please don't let it start until after May 7, 2021.

May 15!

 

[JETSDAD]

I'm not opposed to change (I generally invite it) I'm just not sure how this fits into Frontierland.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I'm not opposed to change (I generally invite it) I'm just not sure how this fits into Frontierland.

I can see the land name changing at some point.

 

[tlmadden73]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1276184049959292929

Boo .. but at least it sounds like it isn't a quick reaction to the recent protests. But it definitely felt inevitable.

Taking Br'er Rabbit and Br'er Fox/Bear out of the context of Song of the South (which the attraction does not reference except the Zip A Dee Doo Da song) ... I don't feel they are any more stereotypical than Raymond or Louis is from Princess and the Frog.

From strictly a "Disney" perspective, Br'er Rabbit, while a fun character just isn't in the current Disney ethos --- since the movie isn't available anywhere and they've never just pulled the cartoon parts out to show on video or streaming platforms, and they don't really do any books/merchandising (besides the rid itself) of those characters. So most people 0-30 nowadays don't know that story (while someone of my generation (45+) does -- I grew up on it. My dad still has Br'er Rabbit Disney books we read to the kids when visiting (so they know them a bit).

It seems like a natural fit .. just traveling through the swamp instead of a river -- though not sure what the big drop will turn into since there is no "briar patch" in Princess and the Frog.

I hope they don't make it too scary or non-kid friendly by incorporating the Voodoo elements of Princess and the Frog into it.

Zip a dee do dah .. is just such a classic song!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Is this legit?

Here is Disney Parks Blog story on it:
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...ng-to-disneyland-park-and-magic-kingdom-park/

 

[Bay Max]

I'm not opposed to change (I generally invite it) I'm just not sure how this fits into Frontierland.

Splash Mountain really didn't fit the theme either I guess.

 

[LoganBrown1990]

I cannot wait for the new Splash Mountain! I was obsessed with all of the recent fan mock-up art of the redo and am glad Disney is giving Tiana and co. some love!

 

[tlmadden73]

I'm not opposed to change (I generally invite it) I'm just not sure how this fits into Frontierland.

Splash Mountain never really fit either ... - Splash Mountain isn't the Western frontier based. It is Reconstruction-era South based.

 

[Gusey]

Official Disney Blog Post
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...ng-to-disneyland-park-and-magic-kingdom-park/

 

[JETSDAD]

Splash Mountain never really fit either ... - Splash Mountain isn't the Western frontier based. It is Reconstruction-era South based.

Fair enough. I am a fan of The Princess & the Frog (don't tell anyone but I watched it just last week on my own....if anyone questions it I'll claim my daughter watched it with me) so I'll reserve judgment until I see how it's done.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I'm not opposed to change (I generally invite it) I'm just not sure how this fits into Frontierland.

Splash Mountain really didn't fit the theme either I guess.

Splash Mountain never really fit either ... - Splash Mountain isn't the Western frontier based. It is Reconstruction-era South based.

It isn't too big of a stretch to fit it in that area ... Liberty Sq through Frotneirland are meshed together into one journey

You go East to West from Upstate NY to Philly to the mid west frontier and then Western frontier with BTMRR (with Splash sort of in the middle being in the South - I guess bit west from the starting point)

Time period wise you go from the late 1700s through about 1880 with BTMRR and Splash in the middle being like 1870 or so

So there is a time period challenge with PatF in that it takes place in the 1920s or so - that being said, it isn't *that* far off to stretch the set up

 

[Gusey]

I'm guessing that at DL, the Splash section will be rethemed to New Orleans Square, wonder what will happen to Critter Country, as that will just be Winnie the Pooh and Hungry Bear Restaurant, right?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Zip a dee do dah .. is just such a classic song!

Not to go too far down that rabbit hole, but that song is problematic too as it references Zip Coon, a minstrel show performance featuring black face. So Disney has tried to associate the song with other things as well but it's not just a fun song with no context

 

[chicagoshannon]

Are they changing the name?