Splash Mountain Officially Reopening at Disney Park

Splash Mountain officially reopens at one Disney park today.

For decades, Splash Mountain was a staple of Disney’s theme park lineup, blending a log flume thrill ride with characters and music from Song of the South. That legacy, however, became increasingly controversial as criticism grew around the film’s depiction of race and its place within Disney’s modern brand.

In the U.S., Disney ultimately chose to act. Splash Mountain permanently closed at Disneyland Park and Magic Kingdom, later reopening as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. While Disney positioned the retheme as a necessary evolution, the decision sparked significant backlash from fans who viewed the original attraction as a classic and felt the replacement lacked the same narrative weight or musical identity.

Criticism of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has persisted since its debut. While some fans were resistant to any kind of replacement for Splash Mountain, the attraction has also faced repeated operational issues, from malfunctioning animatronics to sinking ride vehicles.

However, guests can still experience Splash Mountain at one Disney park – effective today.

Splash Mountain Returns at Tokyo Disneyland

Splash Mountain has officially reopened at Tokyo Disneyland following a month-long closure that began on January 14.

The ride was taken offline for its routine winter refurbishment, a standard practice at the Japanese resort, particularly for water attractions during colder months. Whether or not guests will flock to experience the attraction is up for debate, with local temperatures set to sink as low as the early 30s.

The reopening comes amid years of speculation that Tokyo Disneyland’s version of Splash Mountain could eventually meet the same fate as its U.S. counterparts. Rumors of a permanent closure or retheme have circulated consistently, especially after Disney announced its plans to overhaul the attraction elsewhere.

Fueling those rumors further was the quiet exit of Kao Corporation, a longtime sponsor of Splash Mountain, which ended its partnership with the ride in November. While Kao continues to sponsor Toy Story Mania! at Tokyo DisneySea and the resort’s hand-washing stations, its name was removed from Splash Mountain listings on the Tokyo Disney Resort website, prompting questions about why the attraction was singled out.

For years, reports have suggested Disney has wanted to retheme Splash Mountain in Japan as well. Those plans have reportedly stalled due to disagreements between Oriental Land Company (which owns the park via a licensing deal) and The Walt Disney Company over who would shoulder the cost. As the licensing partner, Disney is said to be pushing for the ride’s retirement, even limiting the use of Splash Mountain’s music around the park and scaling back merchandise tied to the attraction.

Tokyo Disneyland has historically resisted certain “sensitivity” updates seen in other parks.

Its version of Pirates of the Caribbean still includes the original “we wants the redhead” scene, a moment that was reworked years ago at Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, and Disneyland Paris due to the fact that it previously saw male pirates auctioning off women as brides.

Despite the uncertainty, Splash Mountain remains one of Tokyo Disney Resort’s most popular rides. Merchandise tied to the attraction – ranging from plush toys to themed snacks – is still sold at the theme park, and its seasonal “extra-wet” summer overlays are a major draw during Tokyo’s humid months.

Have you experienced Tokyo Disneyland’s Splash Mountain?