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"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."
Disney added that its Imagineers are already at work on the redesign, beginning with conceptual artwork and "will soon be able to conduct preliminary reviews and develop a timeline for when the transformation can start to take shape."
Our original report from June 12 follows. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Fans are petitioning Disney to rename -- but not to close -- its popular Disneyland and Disney World theme park attraction Splash Mountain because it was inspired by and still features imagery from the studio's notorious 1946 film Song of the South, a movie featuring racially insensitive depictions that have caused it to remain locked away for decades. Some fans are petitioning to turn Splash Mountain into a Princess and the Frog attraction instead. 2009's The Princess and the Frog featured the first black Disney Princess in Tiana. As Yahoo! points out, other fans would like to see Splash Mountain turned into a Moana attraction instead, a sentiment echoed by Minions and The Secret Life of Pets screenwriter Brian Lynch.
The live-action/animated musical Song of the South has long been criticized for its depiction of the Reconstruction era South and for its stereotypical portrayal of African-Americans, particularly Uncle Remus, the plantation laborer who recounts his interactions with animated animal characters such as Br'er Rabbit. The film's classic song "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" won an Oscar, while Uncle Remus actor James Baskett received an honorary Oscar. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/11/disney-still-has-no-plans-to-release-song-of-the-south-not-even-with-disclaimer"] Lest you think Splash Mountain is a holdover attraction from the Disney parks' early days, the log flume opened at Disneyland in 1989, well after Song of the South had been deemed problematic and Disney had already pulled it from circulation. Indeed, in the '80s then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner announced that Song of the South would not receive a domestic home video release and the full film remains off of official Disney platforms to this day. (It was, however, released on video in some Asian and European countries decades ago.) But animated sequences and other portions of the movie have been repackaged into various home video offerings and even on Disney TV series over the decades. And while the full movie itself may not be available to consumers, Song of the South has remained part of Disney merchandising through the years, including book-and-record sets, audio usage, and, of course, Splash Mountain. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-best-disney-animated-movies&captions=true"] While there have been calls over time to re-release Song of the South -- including from Disney Legends inductee Whoopi Goldberg in 2017 -- Disney reaffirmed its position to keep Song of the South in the vault earlier this year, with then-Disney CEO Bob Iger calling the film "not appropriate in today’s world." Do you want to see Splash Mountain retooled to remove its Song of the South elements? And, if so, would you rather see it turned into a Moana or a Princess and the Frog-themed attraction? Let us know in the comments.Turn Splash Mountain into a MOANA ride.
— Brian Lynch (@BrianLynch) June 10, 2020
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