Social Media Erupts Over Disney Closing Splash Mountain Ride
Thousands of angry fans have lashed out against Walt Disney Studios for caving to “woke” culture as the company’s theme parks have transitioned the iconic—but racially controversial—ride Splash Mountain into a new adventure from The Princess and the Frog.
The Splash Mountain ride was based off a movie called Song of the South, which featured Disney’s first Black character, and to date is the only Disney movie to be retired from the studio’s catalog due to criticisms about the depiction of Black Americans in the post-slavery era.
The movie is a culmination of books about a character called Uncle Remus telling African American folktales and based off books written by Joel Chandler Harris, a white author, in the 19th century. (Harris’ stories were so popular at the time that he became friends with Mark Twain and was invited to the White House by President Theodore Roosevelt). Harris admitted being inspired by the stories told by enslaved Black people he encountered while working as a printer’s apprentice on a plantation in Georgia.
In the place of Splash Mountain will be an attraction called Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which will open to the public on June 28 in Orlando, Florida, and at a later undisclosed date at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. (Visitors to Tokyo Disneyland will still be able to enjoy the famed ride though with no plans yet to tear it down).
Disney earned praise upon making the decision to close the ride after a conversation was sparked about its appropriateness following the racial reckoning of 2020 with the murder of George Floyd.
The sun sets on Splash Mountain in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2022.
“‘Good riddance,’” said Jim Auchmutey, the co-chair of The Wren’s Nest, the home of author Joel Chandler Harris that was later turned into a museum. “Our attitude is that Walt Disney is the best and worst thing that ever happened to Joel Chandler Harris’ reputation.”
In a public Facebook group boasting nearly 28,000 enthusiasts of Splash Mountain, members of the group have not shied away about their feelings at the ride being transformed into an attraction inspired by the Disney film The Princess and the Frog.
Tiana in The Princess and the Frog.
“Now… why again did Disney erase the Splash Mountain ride??” a member of the group wrote.
“Because a bunch of people raised on Disney became all in their feelings and offended by everything. And Disney not only accepted it but encouraged it,” another member of the group chimed in. “So splash mountain [sic] was canceled along with aunt Jemima, uncle Ben and the cream of wheat guy. What an accomplishment that group of people have made! Erasing black history in the name of anti-racism.”
One member of the group made a rallying cry for others to financially boycott Disney.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure concept art.
“Never should have removed that classic ride,” another chimed in.
“They’re not going to admit it, but the Disney company succumbed to a very loud minority of people claiming the film the attraction was based on was rac*st. What they didn’t understand was that Walt made Song of the South partially to help mend race relations,” a group member wrote without providing details as to how they concluded the movie’s purpose was allegedly to fix race relations. “Some people may perceive insensitive racial elements in the film, but there is absolutely nothing wrong at all with Uncle Remus fables themselves.”
Other members lodged an attack on The Princess and the Frog.
“How about the fact that the Princess and the frog sucked by itself,” wrote a member of the group. “WTF did we need a ride based on it?”
Construction continues at Tiana's Bayou Adventure at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World on Feb. 16, 2024, in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
“Just watched a pov of Tina's [sic] nightmare. WTF did I just watch!!!!” someone else commented. “Someone honestly thought this was better than splash mountain!!!. Worst ride ever.”
“IT SUCKS!!! BRING BACK SPLASH MOUNTAIN!!!!!” wrote another user among dozens of others who made disparaging comments about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
Laura Harris, the great-great granddaughter of author Joel Chandler Harris, said she was shocked to see “so many people are so passionate” about Splash Mountain.
“It’s really amazing to me how many people were so passionate,” she told The Daily Beast. “Some of them are even going to Japan to ride on Splash Mountain there.”
However, she defended the new ride saying that people shouldn’t be attacking it.
“I don’t see the point of trashing the new ride,” she said. “I mean, Tiana’s Adventure. I’m sure it’s fine.”
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