Disney's SPLASH MOUNTAIN Attraction Is Officially Getting a PRINCESS AND THE FROG Makeover
Disney has officially announced that its Disneyland and Magic Kingdom park Splash Mountain attraction is getting a major overhaul. The attraction, which was previously inspired by the Disney film Song of the South, will have a new theme based on the animated film The Princess and the Frog.
The attraction will “pick up this story after the final kiss, and join Princess Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure – featuring some of the powerful music from the film – as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance.”
A lot of fans have been asking for Splash Mountian to get revamped for a long time as the themes are out of date and tied to a film that is considered by many to be racist. I remember when Splash Mountain first opened up in 1989, I loved it as a kid. But, it’s time for a change, and Princess and the Frog will fit right in with it.
DisneyParks has shared a first look at what the new Splash Mountain attraction will look like and they share the following information:
Tiana is a modern, courageous, and empowered woman, who pursues her dreams and never loses sight of what’s really important. It’s a great story with a strong lead character, set against the backdrop of New Orleans and the Louisiana bayou. In 1966, Walt himself opened New Orleans Square when it became the first new “land” added to Disneyland park, so it feels natural to link the story and the incredible music of “The Princess and the Frog” to our parks.
The voice of Princess Tiana, Anika Noni Rose, said in a statement:
“It is really exciting to know that Princess Tiana’s presence in both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom will finally be fully realized! As passionate as I am about what we created, I know the fans are going to be over the moon. The Imagineers are giving us ‘The Princess and the Frog’ Mardi Gras celebration we’ve been waiting for, and I’m here for it!”
Charita Carter, the senior creative producer leading the project at Walt Disney Imagineering, shared:
“Like Princess Tiana, I believe that courage and love are the key ingredients for wonderful adventures. I am delighted to be a part of bringing this fun-filled experience to our guests.”
As you know, Disney and the Imagineers have a long history updating the theme park attractions and changing things up:
The approach to retheming or “plussing” attractions (as Walt Disney referred to it) begins with Imagineers asking the question, how can we build upon or elevate the experience and tell a fresh, relevant story? It’s a continuous process that Imagineers are deeply passionate about. And with this longstanding history of updating attractions and adding new magic, the retheming of Splash Mountain is of particular importance today. The new concept is inclusive – one that all of our guests can connect with and be inspired by, and it speaks to the diversity of the millions of people who visit our parks each year.
For Imagineers, change is rooted in a tradition set by Walt Disney who encouraged new innovations, new ideas, new scenes and current storytelling. And the experiences they create can be enjoyed by guests who visit our parks from all over the world.
My kids grew up with Princess and the Frog in their lives. That’s the film that they would watch over and over again when they were younger, so the change is exciting for them along with all the other kids who grew up on the movie.
The conceptual design work is underway, and Imagineers will develop a timeline for when the change can start to take shape.
Source: DisneyParks
