Splash Mountain to become Princess and the Frog ride

[Eric Smith]

You probably should. What makes your cause better than someone elses?

Walt was not a good person many a time, so why should we enshrine him and overlook his transgressions?

What on Earth are you even babbling about? There’s no person who is perfect. Just because people make mistakes doesn’t mean everything they do has to be burned to the ground. We have to deal in some level of nuance.

The basis of this ride is the ugliest part of this country’s history and the whitewashed happy story that tries to make it all better. There’s a reason that SoTS is not on Disney+ and it’s because that movie is no longer acceptable to show. The people who made it probably had good intentions and the people who made the ride probably had good intentions as well. We know better now and it’s time to make a change.

It’s only a theme park ride for goodness sakes.

 

[DougLovesYou]

While I think PatF will it serve itself very wonderfully as an add on to New Orleans Sq in DL, I'll be intrigued to see how they marry it into Frontierland in WDW...would've liked to have seen a brand new idea for Splash there and have PatF represented originally in either a new ride or signature dining experience. My only caveat I guess, I wish they wouldn't change the name, as the name is not linked to the problematic source material (isn't actually tied to the Tom Hanks mermaid movie of all things??) It's an icon in and of itself, and "the mountain" rides in general are deeply rooted in both DL and WDW's kingdoms. Absolutely update it, long time coming, just hopefully keep it a mountain!

 

[Rory607]

Mine are older and we had a discussion about the ride change this morning (full disclosure, my kids have been over Disney for quite a few years and have issues with them as a company even though their mom loves it there). I told them they were changing Splash and the response was “annnndddddddd.” After razzing me, they reminded me of our great memories and that those will never fade and it’s true. We will likely have more great memories with whatever Disney chooses to put in it’s place some day (if we can ever get them to go again).

That said, in all the years vacationing to Disney we never once spoke about Splash Mountain in a racist sense. We got in line, went on the ride, and then enjoyed the rest of our vacation. I have a hard time understanding why a parent would feel the need to even discuss a theme park ride with plastic animals as a teaching moment about racism. There are far more appropriate forums for that kind of dialogue. Both my children are extremely bright, well adjusted humans and one is going to be a Dr. Neither of them have a racist bone in their body, but they still enjoyed the ride. This entire thing is so overblown and frankly makes me question my sanity in why I continue to respond to the topic.

I don’t disagree with you. I have not stood in line for this ride and talked to my kids about the history of it. I was speaking more to people who say this ride was important to their family and their kids are sobbing that it’s being changed. To me, that’s when the conversation would be happening.

I completely agree that the magic of Disney for me is making family memories, no matter what rides or things we do there. Some of my best childhood memories are from Disney. My parents later divorced and things were not so rosy for a while. Disney memories are special to me. And I love taking my kids there now. We’ve made our own memories. But things have changed even in the 10 years we’ve been taking our kids and life goes on. I’m not crying about any of it

 

[New Mouse]

I don’t disagree with you. I have not stood in line for this ride and talked to my kids about the history of it. I was speaking more to people who say this ride was important to their family and their kids are sobbing that it’s being changed. To me, that’s when the conversation would be happening.

I completely agree that the magic of Disney for me is making family memories, no matter what rides or things we do there. Some of my best childhood memories are from Disney. My parents later divorced and things were not so rosy for a while. Disney memories are special to me. And I love taking my kids there now. We’ve made our own memories. But things have changed even in the 10 years we’ve been taking our kids and life goes on. I’m not crying about any of it

Ok well while you are at it, take all the slave owners and racists out of the hall of presidents. At least those are actual real world examples of the issue at hand.

Sorry you guys dont get it.

 

[SierraT]

Ok well while you are at it, take all the slave owners and racists out of the hall of presidents. At least those are actual real world examples of the issue at hand.

Sorry you guys dont get it.

This is actually a good point and not one I had previously thought about. I think eventually Hall of Presidents will probably be removed and it’s sad. Just my opinion of course.

I just don’t know where it would end and there is history with a lot of things we do every day. We can’t possibly ban everything but I don’t know the answer anymore.

 

[Moliphino]

The basis of this ride is the ugliest part of this country’s history and the whitewashed happy story that tries to make it all better. There’s a reason that SoTS is not on Disney+ and it’s because that movie is no longer acceptable to show. The people who made it probably had good intentions and the people who made the ride probably had good intentions as well. We know better now and it’s time to make a change.

It’s only a theme park ride for goodness sakes.

EXACTLY. They're not changing it because the ride is horribly offensive. They're changing it because the source material has always been questionable and they can do better. What's so wrong with trying to be better?

 

[Along For The Ride]

I read as many of these posts as I could handle. Wow, so many people are making everything about race and having conversations with small kids about how awful racism seems crazy! In our house we had black friends and gay friends and I never had any talk with my child about how they were different, because in my house they weren't. My son is well adjusted and has many friends. is active in his church and he and his gf cook for the homeless once a month. I'm starting to realize the people who enjoy Splash Mountain are the ones who aren't looking to be offended over everything and just enjoy a really wonderful ride for what it is.

 

[Aeralie]

I read as many of these posts as I could handle. Wow, so many people are making everything about race and having conversations with small kids about how awful racism seems crazy! In our house we had black friends and gay friends and I never had any talk with my child about how they were different, because in my house they weren't. My son is well adjusted and has many friends. is active in his church and he and his gf cook for the homeless once a month. I'm starting to realize the people who enjoy Splash Mountain are the ones who aren't looking to be offended over everything and just enjoy a really wonderful ride for what it is.

I feel I can point my (someday) daughter to sentiments like this when she asks me what everyone means by "systemic."

 

[DGsAtBLT]

So many posts in here make me feel serious second hand embarrassment. My face when reading through =

 

[SaintsManiac]

So many posts in here make me feel serious second hand embarrassment. My face when reading through =

I haven’t cringed this much in a long time.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I haven’t cringed this much in a long time.

I’m full on Chrissy Teigen at this point

 

[SaintsManiac]

I’m full on Chrissy Teigen at this point View attachment 504695

yup

When the DIS reminds me of Facebook it’s time to leave the thread. I’m out of this one.

 

[disneycampingdad]

Witless virtue signaling. Why not take down the statue of Walt? He made the movie. Better yet, change the name of Walt Disney World.

Wake up, nothing will appease the perpetually outraged.

 

[fitzperry]

EXACTLY. They're not changing it because the ride is horribly offensive. They're changing it because the source material has always been questionable and they can do better. What's so wrong with trying to be better?

Agreed. I’m just not confident they’ll do better in part because, despite the claims that this has been in the works for awhile, it seems too much like trying to shoehorn some IP that doesn’t fit into the ride.

I saw it described as a “musical journey” for Tiana and Louis, which seems so bland. The thing that makes Splash great is the way the tension builds as you move up through the ride with each scene being a bit darker as Br’er Rabbit is in more danger until you get to the drop and realize he’s outsmarted everyone. The story is so important. And I’ll reserve judgment until I see the new ride, but what I’ve read so far doesn’t make me optimistic they’re focused on that.

 

[TommyJK]

That said, in all the years vacationing to Disney we never once spoke about Splash Mountain in a racist sense. We got in line, went on the ride, and then enjoyed the rest of our vacation. I have a hard time understanding why a parent would feel the need to even discuss a theme park ride with plastic animals as a teaching moment about racism.

I fully agree. Disney should be a place of fun and fantasy for everyone, where you can leave your troubles behind and just enjoy a fun vacation and not have to dive into talks about racism. And then I read posts like this and it gives some perspective of what it can be like for others (from another theme park message board I read):

I've been hoping for this since 2014 when I rode with a Black family - two young boys with their parents. As we went along I heard the boys ask their parents what movie the ride was based on. The way the parents looked at each other, at a loss on how to answer, really broke my heart. Imagine them having to have that conversation in the middle of a Disney vacation...

 

[Krandor]

So many posts in here make me feel serious second hand embarrassment. My face when reading through =

Same here.... and on a related note, mississippi has basically voted to change their state flag as well (still a few more votes needed but the hard ones are done). Splash is not the only thing changing but both are changing for similar reasons.

 

[Marthasor]

I read as many of these posts as I could handle. Wow, so many people are making everything about race and having conversations with small kids about how awful racism seems crazy! In our house we had black friends and gay friends and I never had any talk with my child about how they were different, because in my house they weren't. My son is well adjusted and has many friends. is active in his church and he and his gf cook for the homeless once a month. I'm starting to realize the people who enjoy Splash Mountain are the ones who aren't looking to be offended over everything and just enjoy a really wonderful ride for what it is.

Perhaps ask your black and gay friends how they were treated when they were outside your house? Racism IS awful. Just because you didn't talk about racism in your house doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

 

[Marthasor]

Agreed. I’m just not confident they’ll do better in part because, despite the claims that this has been in the works for awhile, it seems too much like trying to shoehorn some IP that doesn’t fit into the ride.

I saw it described as a “musical journey” for Tiana and Louis, which seems so bland. The thing that makes Splash great is the way the tension builds as you move up through the ride with each scene being a bit darker as Br’er Rabbit is in more danger until you get to the drop and realize he’s outsmarted everyone. The story is so important. And I’ll reserve judgment until I see the new ride, but what I’ve read so far doesn’t make me optimistic they’re focused on that.

I feel like Disney does that a lot though (shoehorn IP into an existing ride track). I'm sure it's for cost-cutting measures. I feel like they certainly did it for FEA. Every time I'm on that ride I think about how it makes no sense that our boats are going backwards and I think to myself "you'll disappear!" and chuckle a little bit. I think they did their best though (it's quite climactic with the music!) and I'm pretty confident they will figure something out to make the drop make sense. They are pretty masterful storytellers after all.

 

[Krandor]

I read as many of these posts as I could handle. Wow, so many people are making everything about race and having conversations with small kids about how awful racism seems crazy! In our house we had black friends and gay friends and I never had any talk with my child about how they were different, because in my house they weren't. My son is well adjusted and has many friends. is active in his church and he and his gf cook for the homeless once a month. I'm starting to realize the people who enjoy Splash Mountain are the ones who aren't looking to be offended over everything and just enjoy a really wonderful ride for what it is.

PoC have had very different experiences then you have. So to you what looks like somebody trying to be offended to them is something they do find offensive. Next time you have your black friends over maybe have a conversation about some of this with them. You might learn something.

 

[New Mouse]

PoC have had very different experiences then you have. So to you what looks like somebody trying to be offended to them is something they do find offensive. Next time you have your black friends over maybe have a conversation about some of this with them. You might learn something.

Mine are not offended by Splash Mountain at all. They know the story behind the movie. They realize the ride has 0 to do with racism.