The beloved ride within Magic Kingdom and Disneyland, Splash
Mountain, is getting a makeover.
"We 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," the Disney Parks Blog said.
The original Splash Mountain ride featured characters from
the 1946 film The Song of the South. The movie has been criticized for
its racist depiction of black people and relays a false narrative of the
culture of the South.
The plans for re-theming have been in place since last year:
"We continually evaluate opportunities to enhance and elevate experiences
for all our guests," Carmen Smith, Creative Development and Inclusive
Strategies executive with Walt Disney Imagineering, said.
Disney has not released a timeframe for the reconstruction,
and both Disney parks will reopen with the existing Splash Mountain.
"It is important that our guests be able to see themselves in the experiences we create," Smith said. Because we consider ourselves constant learners, we go to great lengths to research and engage cultural advisors and other experts to help guide us along the way. I am incredibly proud to see this work continue to move forward with great support from leadership across Disney."
