Credit: DisneyDisney’s controversial Splash Mountain ride lives on in Disneyland.
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The Walt Disney Company recently announced that Disneyland would be getting two brand new locations along with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which opens later this year. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure takes over the former location of Splash Mountain, a log flume ride that’s found inside Critter Country. In order to ensure Tiana’s Bayou Adventure fits within this land, Disney is planning on opening not one but two new stores themed to The Princess and the Frog (2009).
The first new storefront is called Ray’s Berets, named after one of the main characters of the film. Ray’s Berets will replace The Briar Patch, which acted as the gift shop for Splash Mountain. Disney announced its decision to close Splash Mountain forever back in 2020, after decades of controversy surrounding the ride’s source material, Song of the South (1946). The controversial film has been a plague on Disney’s reputation since it was originally released, prompting outrage over its handling of African Americans. The film is unavailable to buy or rent online, and it’s not available to stream on Disney+.
In its continued attempts at erasing the film, Disney decided to close Splash Mountain, which features multiple characters, songs, and settings from the film. However, with these new Critter Country enhancements, Song of the South lives on in a surprising way.
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Fans were quick to notice that the signs for Ray’s Berets and The Briar Patch are nearly identical. While the image used for Ray’s Berets is simply concept art, it’s likely that Disney will simply reuse the sign from The Briar Patch. The font and color pallet used for Ray’s Berets are also incredibly similar to Splash Mountain. On top of all of these things, Ray’s Berets sign seems to feature a few hats, some of which look similar to ones worn by characters from Song of the South.
Guests shared their thoughts online regarding the similarities, noting it was strange that Disney would not try and make the two locations distinct.
It seems so strange that they would choose to retain the shape AND the basic typographic style of the old Splash Mountain-themed store sign if they’re trying to move away from it.
It seems so strange that they would choose to retain the shape AND the basic typographic style of the old Splash Mountain-themed store sign if they’re trying to move away from it.
(Briar Patch photo by @WDWNT) pic.twitter.com/bygVKvlPkB— How Bowers (@GoAwayGreen) March 18, 2024
Only time will tell what the new storefront actually looks like, but it seems Disney is not quite done with the Splash Mountain aesthetic. Critter Country will close on May 1, 2024, to make way for these new locations.
Splash Mountain closed permanently at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts in 2023, with work quickly starting on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Over the last few months, guests visiting either resort have seen the once-iconic Chick-A-Pin Hill transform into a Louisiana swamp-inspired bayou, complete with murky water and immense patches of grass and moss. While each ride uses the same track and ride systems, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is incredibly different visually from Splash Mountain.
Are you excited about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure? Will you miss Splash Mountain?