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Credit: DisneyWhat goes up is sure to come down, and so the final location of Disney’s iconic Splash Mountain is nearing its shutdown.
Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort have been staples of family fun in America since the Disney Resorts opened in 1955 in Anaheim, California, and 1971 in Orlando, Florida, respectively. Home to countless magical experiences and birthplace to long-lasting memories, it’s no wonder why millions of families visit the happiest and most magical places on earth every year.
Disneyland and Disney World are home to some of the earliest rides to open at Walt Disney’s original theme park and its Orlando counterpart, brought to life by Walt’s brother, Roy O. Disney, including icons like Peter Pan’s Flight, Mad Tea Party, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, and Autopia (known as the Tomorrowland Speedway at Magic Kingdom).
From Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge — inspired by George Lucas and Disney’s Star Wars franchise, which recently went under a massive change — to Avengers Campus — bringing the heroes and villains of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to life — and including new experiences, rides, immersive lands, and expansions inspired by some of Disney’s most successful movies including Big Hero 6 (2014), Frozen (2013), Tangled (2010), Peter Pan (1953), and Encanto (2021), it is evident that Disneyland and Disney World continue to change and improve to provide the best experience for all guests.
Related: Move Over Orlando, Disney Ready to Set Multi-Million-Dollar Project in Motion
Unfortunately, one of the latest projects at the American Disney Parks sparked outrage among fans and strongly polarized opinions surrounding the controversial theming of a Disney Parks icon ahead of its permanent closure.
Splash Mountain and its permanent shutdown in America
With perhaps one of the catchiest songs in all of Disney’s theme parks, Splash Mountain closed its gates permanently on January 23, 2023, at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and on May 31, 2023, at Disneyland Park, surrounded by controversy, farfetched efforts to try and save the attraction, and a heated debate around the ride’s racist background, inspired by one of Disney’s most divisive movies, Song of the South (1946).
Related: Op-Ed: Yes, It’s Racist That You Want to Save Splash Mountain
Fans of the iconic thrill ride campaigned to save Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Bear, Br’er Fox, and the residents of the Briar Patch, begging Disney to revoke the decision to reimagine the attraction at the California and Florida Disney Resorts. Of course, their firm stance stirred heated arguments online between fans of the Disney Parks icon and those who criticized the story it is based upon, Song of the South, arguing that allowing Splash Mountain to remain open would continue to promote racism at Disneyland Park and Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Despite online campaigns, Disney decided to move forward with shutting the Briar Patch and the Laughing Place down to make way for Princess Tiana, Prince Naveen, Louis, Mama Odie, and their friends in an all-new reimagining of the beloved attraction, scheduled to reopen at Disneyland Park and Magic Kingdom Park in Walt Disney World Resort in 2024 as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
Construction work is currently underway at Disneyland Park and Magic Kingdom in Disney World, but the departure of Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Bear, and Br’er Fox continues to stir conversation.
Almost there at Magic Kingdom
Following rumors of a change to the schedule of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom, the first Splash Mountain location to shut its gates permanently is on track to welcome guests next year. However, Disney officials have not announced an official opening date for the long-awaited attraction.
Since work started at Magic Kingdom’s Splash Mountain at the beginning of 2023, construction and progress for the new attraction are more evident at the Orlando Disney Resort. However, this is not necessarily positive, as the latest update released by Disney officials angered audiences, including a former Disney Imagineer.
Disneyland’s complete transformation
At Disneyland Park, the reimagining of Splash Mountain to turn the ride into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is set to complete a massive transformation at Walt Disney’s original theme park, inspired by The Princess and the Frog (2009) and aiming to bring better representation of Black culture in New Orleans.
New Orleans Square began its transformation in 2022, shortly after the Disney D23 Expo, with the opening of a Princess and the Frog-inspired shop, Eudora’s Chic Boutique Featuring Tiana’s Gourmet Secrets.
Continuing with this massive transformation, Disney Imagineers worked to bring Tiana’s restaurant from the animated movie to life, as Tiana’s Palace opened in New Orleans Square at Disneyland Park earlier this year.
And it would appear that Disney officials have added the final nail in Splash Mountain’s coffin at Disneyland Park, as an all-new nighttime show debuted at the theme park featuring a frog as its main character.
The new show, The Heartbeat of New Orleans – A Living Mural, may not be directly inspired by The Princess and the Frog. Still, by featuring a frog as its main character, it’s inevitable to see the new nighttime spectacular’s relation to the current transformation of Critter Country and New Orleans Square at Disneyland Park.
You can take a peek at this new nighttime spectacular in the video below, shared by Disneyland Resort:
Related: Farewell, Fantasmic! — Disney Reveals Plans for Fan-Favorite Nighttime Show
Splash Mountain, revived by Disney
Following the eventful development of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Disneyland and Disney World, The Walt Disney Company inadvertently reignited the debate surrounding Splash Mountain, Song of the South, and its racist background earlier this year after the company revealed plans to use the divisive movie as inspiration for an all-new immersive project.
The announcement evidently triggered a wave of backlash that pushed Disney to backtrack on this complicated decision, immediately removing any references to Splash Mountain and Song of the South from the project.
Related: Former Imagineer Selling Divisive Piece of Disney History
Regardless of the changes and heated discussion surrounding Splash Mountain at Disneyland and Disney World, there is still one location of the divisive ride operational and asking guests, “How do you do?” as they near venture into the Laughing Place. But not for long.
And then there was one
Not all Disney Parks are created equal. It is true that while some iconic Disney rides can be found at almost every resort around the world, the little — or not-so-little — variations are what make each Disney Park a unique and magical experience. What would be the fun of traveling to a different Disney Park if they were all the same?
For example, Disneyland Paris is home to exclusive rides like Phantom Manor, an extended version of Big Thunder Mountain, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, and Crush’s Coaster. Additionally, the Parisian Disney Resort is currently developing its own immersive land inspired by Disney’s hit movie Frozen (2013).
Part of what makes these differences are the audiences for each park and their culture, as well as the partners who helped bring the Disney Resort to life.
Such is the case for The Oriental Land Company, which owns and operates Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea under a license from The Walt Disney Company.
Disney’s final Splash Mountain location
Tokyo Disney Resort’s independence from The Walt Disney Company gives the resort some freedom regarding its attractions’ operations, including the decision to maintain Splash Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland as the last operating location of the divisive attraction.
Tokyo Disney Resort sets out for Splash Mountain shutdown
While Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Bear, Br’er Fox, and the residents of Splash Mountain continue to welcome guests into the Laughing Place, Tokyo Disneyland officials have announced that Splash Mountain is nearing its shutdown, as the official Disney Resort’s website marks November 27, 2023, as the ride’s final operating day before closing its doors on November 28.
Related: How Long Will Fans Cling to Splash Mountain After Its ‘Princess and the Frog’ Retheme?
Fortunately — and differing from its counterparts in Disneyland Park and Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom — Splash Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland is scheduled to reopen its doors on December 28, 2023, following a “Temporary Closure of Park Facilities.”
It is essential to mention that this information is available on the official Tokyo Disney Resort website as of this article’s publishing. Closing and reopening dates can be modified by Disney officials anytime and without warning. Inside the Magic will keep you updated should any changes to this schedule be announced.
What do you think about Disney shutting down Splash Mountain at Disneyland and Disney World? Should the company also close the iconic attraction permanently at Tokyo Disney Resort? Share your opinion with Inside the Magic in the comments below!