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Disney World Bans Splash Mountain Clothing, Merchandise From Parks

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Posted on by Jess Colopy 10 Comments
Left: Splash Mountain before it closed. Right: Mr. & Mrs. Incredible walk down Hollywood Blvd at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

Credit: Inside the Magic

A Disney cast member stands accused of attacking a guest for wearing a Splash Mountain t-shirt at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort closed their Splash Mountain attractions in 2023 after years of backlash over the ride’s offensive source material.

Splash Mountain included characters and music from Song of the South (1946), the worst Disney movie you’ve never heard about. Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Bear, and Br’er Fox seemed innocent in their animatronic forms, but the combination live-action-animation film is widely banned for its whitewashing of post-Civil War life for Black Americans.

James Baskett and Bobby Driscoll in Song of the South
Credit: Disney

Song of the South centers on Uncle Remus (James Baskett), a sharecropper working on a Southern plantation. The movie intentionally avoids addressing Uncle Remus’s place on the farm, making it hard to tell if he’s free or enslaved. The character embodies the “Happy Slave” stereotype, insisting he doesn’t want to leave the plantation that mistreats and takes advantage of him.

At one point, the film’s animated animal characters act out a “Tar Baby” scene. The iconic tune “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” is said to originate from the offensive term “Zip Coon” and also idealizes Black life in the post-Civil War South. NAACP activists boycotted Song of the South upon its 1946 premiere.

An image of a lush, green landscape with a tall water tower labeled "Tiana's Foods" prominently standing amidst the foliage. The sky is clear with a few scattered clouds, adding to the vibrant and scenic environment.
Credit: Disney

Walt Disney World Resort debuted The Princess and the Frog (2009) retheme of Splash Mountain, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, on June 28. Last weekend, Disneyland Resort announced that its version of the Princess Tiana ride would open on November 15, 2024. The Disney parks no longer sell Splash Mountain merchandise.

Despite its racist past, a small contingent of Disney Parks fans advocates for the return of the Magic Kingdom Park and Disneyland Park rides. This month, one fan of the Walt Disney Imagineering attraction wore a Splash Mountain shirt to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and accused a Disney cast member of discrimination.

A colorful and detailed rock formation resembling a mountain, with rugged terrain, patches of greenery, and a distinct peak. The sky is overcast, adding contrast to the vibrant hues of the rocks. At its base, a wooden structure with a peaked roof hints at the Magic Kingdom's newest attraction launching next month.
Credit: Disney

On August 7, X (formerly Twitter) user @SteGrims claimed that a Walt Disney World Resort employee “screamed” at them over their Splash Mountain shirt at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. They felt like the clothing item banned them from having a positive Disney Park experience:

I’m currently at Hollywood Studios (yes, wearing my Splash shirt) and some minutes ago a cast member treated me in such a way that I’m literally holding myself not to cry I’m super embarrassed with the situation My family saw everything I just wanted to buy popsicles in peace…
I’m in line to take pictures with Mickey and Minnie in the red carpet, and I’m holding myself not to cry fuck, we are from a country that we have to work our asses off to be able to afford a single park and this is what happens I want to go back to my hotel tbh…

The Disney Park guest said their father wore a Splash Mountain shirt and alleged that a Disney cast member looked at him “weirdly.” They didn’t clarify or share photos of what was on either shirt:

The entire line from that little store heard everything, because the cast member made sure to almost SCREAM what she was saying, while making some super exaggerated gests and facial expression Basically treated me like some kind of dumbass or something

My dad is wearing the Splash shirt with my art that I did for my university project, and she also looked at him super weirdly too He doesn’t understand a single word in english besides the basic and even he felt super uncomfortable with the way she looked at him

The Disney Park guest continued:

Last time I’ve been here was 11 years ago I’m here to celebrate my university graduation My dad worked his ass off to be able to gift me this trip to celebrate and this is what happens… just because I like some fucking animal characters

My dad told me that I shouldn’t care about what people think of me (he’s angry at me bc of the fact that this situation affected me a lot) but man…It’s impossible not to care I’m here to have fun, not be mistreated and made fun of

The Disney Park guest didn’t specify what the Disney cast member allegedly said to them over their Splash Mountain shirt. However, it impacted the rest of their day at Walt Disney World Resort.

“I feel horrible,” they wrote. “I’m not having fun anymore.”

Should Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort ban Splash Mountain apparel? Share your thoughts with Inside the Magic in the comments. 

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