Splash Mountain – at both Disneyland park in California and Magic Kingdom park in Florida, are in for some big changes, and are soon to be completely reimagined.
The new theme is inspired by an all-time favorite animated Disney film, “The Princess and the Frog.” The story on the ride will pick up 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.
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.
According to the Disney Parks Blog, the re-theming of Splash Mountain started over a year ago but the change is happening at a time when racial tensions are at a high throughout the nation.
Splash Mountain is currently based on the 1946 Disney film “Song of the South,” which features Disney’s iconic tune “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah. The film has been criticized for its stereotypes of Black people.
Conceptual design work is said to be well underway and Imagineers will soon be able to conduct preliminary reviews and develop a timeline for when the transformation can start to take shape. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no date has been announced for the actual construction.
