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Credit: Disney/Chelsea Zo ArtLast week’s announcement that Splash Mountain at Magic Kingdom in Orlando and Disneyland Park in Anaheim will soon be re-themed to celebrate The Princess and the Frog (2009) left Disney Parks fans feeling a wide range of emotions.
While some are excited about journeying to the bayou next time they ride the Splash Mountain attraction, others think that the original Song of the South theme should have been left intact. No matter what your thoughts are on the Splash Mountain redesign, this fan art will get you excited about the potential that a Princess Tiana theme has.
Instagram user ChelseaZoArt has created this gorgeous graphic of Tiana riding Splash Mountain while Ray and Evangeline look on.
We love the details in this Disney fan art, including the boat in the tree at the top of Splash Mountain, which is a nod to the concept art officially released by the Walt Disney Company.
Zo’s caption reads:
“I love everything about Splash Mountain getting a Princess and the Frog update ????? I love the sequence in the movie where Tiana dreams about her restaurant, the animation style is so cool. I replicated that here, and referenced an old Splash Mountain poster too. I had so much fun with this one!”
Zo, a Raleigh-based graphic artist, regularly shares retro-inspired images and typography to her Instagram page.
What do we know about the Splash Mountain re-theme?
Few actual details have been released about the retheme of Splash Mountain. Disney officials have not announced a timeline for the project at either U.S. Disney theme park, nor do we know which specific Princess and the Frog-inspired scenes will be featured throughout the ride.
We do know that the project is being led by Walt Disney Imagineering Senior Creative Producer Charita Carter, who is known for her work on Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Additionally, Splash Mountain’s original Imagineer Tony Baxter will be involved in the redesign, and the events in the attraction will be after Princess Tiana and Naveen turn human again, so Tiana will not be a frog throughout the ride.
Presumably, other characters, such as Louis the alligator and will also appear as animatronics when undergoes it’s transformation.
What do you think about Chelsea Zo’s ? Share your opinion about this artwork and the retheme in the comments!