Disney Ride In "Terrible" State Ahead of Permanent Closure

Though the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida has many rides and attractions to offer, few compare to the iconic nature of Splash Mountain.

Splash Mountain is one of the most beloved attractions in all of Disney Park history and is currently located at both Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, as well as Tokyo Disneyland.

Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom — Credit: Disney

The attraction is based on the film, Song of the South, which is extremely controversial as many deem it racist. Because of how controversial this film is, a retheme was announced for the attraction a few years ago which would turn it into a ride based on Princess and the Frog (2009). In fact, the movie is considered by many the most controversial and notorious film in Disney’s history.

Song of the South is a mix of live-action and animation and features an older African-American plantation laborer named Uncle Remus who tells stories to a young white boy. Groups including the NAACP protested the film’s initial release.

Within Splash Mountain, you can spot many of the characters from Song of the South, including Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Fox, and Br’er Bear. At the end of the ride, Guests plummet down a 50-foot drop straight into a briar patch.

In a post shared online, the main character of the attraction is apparently going through a rough patch, and no, we aren’t talking about the briars. See the post below from u/Top-Equuivalent1102:

Br’er Rabbit is currently missing an ear. Not sure how long it’s been missing but this is terrible show regardless

Br’er Rabbit is currently missing an ear. Not sure how long it’s been missing but this is terrible show regardless 😕 from WaltDisneyWorld

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As you can see, one of the Br’er Rabbit animatronics is apparently missing an ear. The Guest who took this picture says that this is a “terrible show” for Guests riding the iconic attraction. In Disney terms, a good or bad “show” refers to how immersive and successful the theming is on a certain ride or attraction.

An example of a “good show” within the Disney Parks community could be the moment on Expedition Everest where the Yeti rips apart the tracks, resulting in you barreling down the huge drop. An example of a “bad show” could be actually encountering the Yeti toward the end of the ride, as the humongous animatronic has been left in a sad state, often called “disco Yeti”.

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In the comment section of the original post, one user noted everything that was currently not working on Splash Mountain. The list is as follows:

Water Jets do not work when ride goes down big drop (by second lift hill after turnaround)
Every frog in the first scene after Slippin Falls was not working at all (no movement)
Some of the geese were not moving in that scene as well
The jumping scene mentioned above has not been working for over 3 months (time between my recent trip and trip before that)
Some of the animals hanging above the boat before the laughing place drop are completely off and not moving.
Brer Rabbit was missing an ear (What OP posted about)
The Laughing Place lighting is very reduced, and it is kinda creepy how dark it is.
The water jumping over the boat in the scene before the lift to the big drop is off.
The turtles in that scene that bounce on water no longer bounce, with the water still spewing out from under them.

splash mountain zip a dee doo dah riverboat — Credit: Disney

One Twitter user, Disney Glimpses (@disneyglimpses) compiled an even bigger list which you can see below:

Everything that’s broken on Splash Mountain right now:

Everything that's broken on Splash Mountain right now: pic.twitter.com/UFBIzRJfhR

— Disney Glimpses (@disneyglimpses) May 31, 2022

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With a major retheme for the ride coming very soon, we wouldn’t be surprised if most of these issues are left in the state they’re in until the attraction closes for good.

More on Splash Mountain

A Hare-Raising Ride

Gently drift through a colorful Southern bayou along with happy-go-lucky Br’er Rabbit as he looks for his “laughing place.” But be warned: Br’er Bear and Br’er Fox are in hot pursuit of this wayward hare.

Glide by over 100 adorable Audio-Animatronics geese, frogs, raccoons, possums, bees, alligators and other down-home critters as they sing classic Disney ditties, including “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” and “Ev’rybody’s Got a Laughing Place.”

Then hang on to your hats—this delightful musical cruise ends in an exciting 5-story splashdown into a thorny Briar Patch!

You Will Get Wet

This attraction includes 950,000 gallons of water, 3 dips and a 5-story drop. Where you’re seated will determine how wet you’ll get. Riders in the back may experience a sudden splash or spray; those who opt for the front can expect to get soaked.

For Guests looking to ensure their personal items remain dry, lockers are available to rent near the Main Entrance.

Do you enjoy Splash Mountain?

At Magic Kingdom there is so much to see and do! Cinderella Castle is decked out for the 50th anniversary and soon Festival of Fantasy and Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire will return. You can ride the three big mountains: Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, and Big Thunder Mountain, or calm things down on Peter Pan’s Flight. Rope drop the Park to get on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and then enjoy a mid-day snack with some Dole Whip. Be sure to meet Mickey Mouse and enjoy the firework show, Disney Enchantment!