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Credit: ITMSplash Mountain is set to shut down on January 23, 2023 to make room for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and Disney fans have been divided ever since the announcement was officially made. The attraction has been a fan favorite for decades, and it’s understandable that many fans are sad to see it go, but some are outright mourning it as if it’s being torn down right before Christmas.
To say that the removal of Br’er Rabbit and his friends from Splash Mountain hasn’t been taken well would be a gross understatement. With fans torn amongst themselves and a whole host of them gathering together to form a petition to try and save the ride and another camp of them claiming that B’rer Rabbit is racist and problematic, the future doesn’t bode well for the Briar Patch. What’s even more depressing his how many fans are already mourning the loss of an attraction that still has a little life left before it officially gives up the ghost. Many have already taken to social media with videos and posts of their “last rides” on the attraction, and some range from simply bittersweet to outright depressing.
Related: Cast Member Loses Phone While Desperately Trying to Dislodge Stuck Splash Mountain Log
u/TedTheoL0gan posted their video of the attraction, reaching the apex of the drop as fireworks ignite in the background.
Last trip on Splash Mtn. was as it should be: Magical from disneyparks
Naturally, other users added their two-cents to the post. Surprisingly, most of them were far more nostalgic and sweet compared to some others on the subject. U/hannahoff13 states,
“It sucks that they are changing it, but I’m so excited that Tiana is finally getting her own ride. One of the best Disney movies of the 21st century.”
To which the original poster replies,
“Splash is one of my favorite rides. And, like you, I think Tiana deserves a ride. This overlay makes sense for all the reasons. I just hope they put imagineering muscle into it. The worst thing they could do would be to ‘Chapek’ it. It needs to be plussed.”
Of course, not all commenters are of the same mindset. Some are calling out the upcoming re-theming as needless, such as u/HeffalumpWoozle who writes,
” Such an iconic ride. It truly is a crime against humanity that they’re getting rid of this for a ride that nobody wanted or asked for.”
An understandable point of view, but u/ansleyzigzag offers a rebuttal that brilliantly counteracts their statement.
“I mean, the ride has lost most of its charm over the years as it continously falls into disrepair. I’m glad that they’re giving it a complete overhaul because something drastic needed to be done purely from the stance of “half the features of this ride don’t work anymore.”
At the end of the day, these fans are simply reacting to the inevitable. Splash Mountain is indeed a classic Disney attraction, but it’s also on its way out. Whether fans accept it or not is their choice, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t be missed. Fans can still experience the ride until next month, so there is still time to take one last plunge down into the Briar Patch.
Will you miss Splash Mountain, or are you ready for Tiana’s arrival? Tell us in the comments below!