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Credit: tewphotography / FlickrFor a ride that was reportedly fueled by outdated effects and “racist” caricatures, Splash Mountain still maintains a shocking sense of relevance long after its closure in 2023. As Tiana gets her variation of the log-flume ride ready for opening day, Br’er Rabbit himself shares an update in the video below from @waltdisneyworldparks.
@waltdisneyworldparks Progress is coming along fast for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Walt Disney World which opens Summer 2024. #tianasbayouadventure #princessandthefrog #distok #disneyimagineering #magickingdom #splashmountain #disneyrides #foryou
Despite the ride’s reputation, Splash Mountain still has a major cult following, and one that still persists even after the hype of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. It might simply be a fan impression, but having Br’er Rabbit do the updates on his former home is certainly a unique way of passing the torch between attractions.
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Splash Mountain was an iconic fixture at Disneyland, the Walt Disney World Resort, and even had a presence in the international Disney properties as well. While Song of the South (1946) might be a dark mark on Disney’s history, the argument can be made that its characters have long since outlived their association with the controversial film thanks to the attraction.
That said, the difference between the two is night and day. While Tiana’s ride is still in its constructional phases, the former Briar Patch is starting to look more and more swamp like, and that might not be a good thing.
Splash Mountain Gets Swamped
To be fair, the riverbank Br’er Rabbit and all his friends called home is a completely different biome from the swamps of Louisiana. However, many fans in the comments are pointing out how murky and disappointing the progress on the ride looks.
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In the comments, users like @steele share their disappointment with claims like,
“Everyone: we love Splash Mtn it’s our favorite ride. Disney: let’s shut it down for a year and bring back a worse version with muddy water.”
Further down, @crashingclips adds,
“They couldn’t tear down Tom Sawyer island or the tree house? They had to take a national treasure?”
But @tgguitarguy goes right for the point when they write,
“It’s a problem when the before looks leaps and bounds better than the after.”
While the fans are arguably right in their descriptors to a certain point, this is still a work in progress. Even Princess Tiana points out in the video that the experience won’t truly be ready until summer 2024, and things will more than likely clear up before then.
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Be that as it may, there is clearly still a vocal audience for the original Splash Mountain attraction. While all the wishing, hoping, and praying in the world won’t change Disney’s mind after sinking so much money into the retheme, Tiana is far from “almost there” in the eyes of the Disney fandom.
Will Disney live to regret shutting down one of their most prolific and controversial theme park attractions? Tell Inside the Magic what you think in the comments down below!