I don't know how to quite explain it and I am not sure if others feel the same way but to me, Splash Mountain feels like the "most disneyland-esque" ride. The combined elements of darkness, magic, music, animatronics, and fantasy make it so appealing
It’s a shame it had to be a racist song :(( unfortunately this country was built upon racism and we need new creators to take away all the bad and come up with something new! the problem is the creativity is being held down due to money being the priority at all costs
@@scottytechNmore1 I am gonna disagree that the song itself is inherently racist although it has ties to a controversial movie. However, there are perceptions that that word might have originated from in the song “Zip Coon” although it is NOT confirmed. The song, itself, is beloved by many. Many people are saying Mickey Mouse is “racist” simply because he actually had a complex history too. That is just not true.
@@applianceman6009 if it wasn’t racist it would still be playing when you walk into the magic Kingdom why would they get rid of such a popular song for no reason we all loved it I swear it’s one of my favorite Disney songs it’s the cloth of Disney but it had to go
The reason that Disney has stopped playing that song is because it comes from a film that is problematic without a doubt. I still don’t think the actual song is racist itself, but it is a reminder of that film, so Disney has decided to stop playing it. Disney wants to forget anything related to this film because it is indeed problematic. It is quite sad honestly, but it is what it is.
The Brer tales were African folk tales brought over by slaves, compiled by Joel Chandler Harris, and released as a series of books in the 1880’s. Instead of erasing the attraction, a display in the long exit corridor could have highlighted the history and contributions of Africans to American literature.
STOLEN by Joel Chandler. Just another way African enslaved individuals were unjustly and painfully subjugated. Then he compiled the many stolen stories riddled with biased rhetoric. It has no place at any Disney park!
Guess what? Song of the South never had slavery. It took place after the civil war and the ride never had any slave reference. Tiana’s ride is the one that had slavery references, due to the salt dome.
@@NickyHelp That’s true. It takes place during the Reconstruction Era. Guess it’s close enough to still be controversial for those that are still seeking to be offended.
@@NickyHelp that's the crazy part. i went back and watched clips from the movie and it's like people are offended that characters in the movie are getting along too well. So now they've put in a black princess in the south 100 years ago. yeah that's real historically accurate.
Flying to Tokyo on Oct 25 and spending seven days there. Riding Splash Mountain again was a BIG goal of mine! I used my entire 2024 WDW budget to spend it ALL in Tokyo!
Was just there back in September, you’re going to have a great time! Just know, the Lapbars are not great for tall people haha… I sat down and they only reached a bit past my knees 😂😂😂 best version of splash by far though, I’d say it deserves the title of the last on earth.
In the context, Disney got a buncha backlash on Twitter after they did a generic "let's be peaceful" tweet on a black background following the death of George Floyd, and while it is in fact icky for a corporation to do that, it led to weirdos posting about how Splash Mountain's existence is a symbol of where Disney's true interests lie. After this, Disney went into damage control mode and were like "HEY WE'RE GONNA CHANGE THIS RIDE TO BE BASED ON THIS MOVIE WE FORGOT ABOUT" (shame too, it's a pretty good movie). And then they remembered that The Princess and The Frog portrays voodoo as evil and they're like "oh crap" and had to axe Dr. Facilier (Friends on the Other Side playing for the drop would've been HYPE AF) and recanonize Mama Odie into a "fairy godmother" Tl;dr don't make multi-million dollar decisions based on weirdos on twitter
@@KetsubanSolo My theory is that Disney wanted to go through with a retheme for a while, but needed a convenient excuse to do so in order to limit public backlash. They jumped on the events of the summer of 2020 as that excuse, astroturfing campaigns about how awful Splash was and getting media attention on them so that they could announce the new retheme (that they were already planning) in "response" so they could pretend to listen to the feedback and pat themselves on the back...before they figured out their excuse of "we're fixing racism" completely handcuffed them and left them scrambling to figure out how to deliver without looking like shameless hypocrites in the process.
Splash Mountain was the combination of everything that made Disney parks stand out. Immersive show scenes, many animatronics, and its simplistic folklore story. This combined with a drop just large enough to be scary but too scary makes it a contender for one of the best dark ride of all time. Tearing Song of the South out wasn't just "getting rid of a problematic story," but represented the drastic decline of the Disney parks. Tiana's Bayou Adventure is everything wrong with modern day Imagineering. While the technical creatures are incredible feats of engineering, they are spaced few and far between. Where there once was over 100 animatronics filling the scenes with life, you get 1 figure every 30-60 seconds or so (While there are about 30 animatronics on the 10 min ride, most are in the finale scene. This makes it so an animate figures appear very infrequently). The story is lackluster, and the finale song is from a completely different scrapped storyline. Most of the animatronics will have numerous technical issues for the rest of their life span because of the switch from hydraulic to electric figures. According to one Imagineer, Splash Mountain is a large, humid bowl of water, algae, and mold. This naturally doesn't bode well for these immense technical figures. Because these animatronics are not on a constant loop, there are multiple moments of awkward stares or empty blackness. I have found a copy of Song of the South and watched it, and there are some instances of racism in the movie. What people leave out, is that it is time period accurate as most of these farmers are sharecroppers (not slaves, even though being a sharecropper was almost as bad). Saying racism shouldn't be allowed in a movie is like saying that the Holocaust shouldn't belong in movies. The only way to not repeat history is to study it, and there is no PG-13 content in sharecropping to keep it out of a kids movie. Song of the South does not support racism, but condemns it. Even though the parents try and stop their son from hanging out with black people like Uncle Remus, the end shows that the kid loves Uncle Remus because he is a kind-hearted man (ie judging others by the content of their character instead of the color of their skin). It also shows that the racist parents are wrong as they slowly learn to realize the true character of Uncle Remus. James Baskett (the actor who played Uncle Remus) was the first black actor to win an Oscar, and Disney erasing this fact destroys all of the "inclusive" things they are trying to do. While there are some problematic elements in the film, Disney's erasure of this time in American history is not only wrong but evil. Instead of uplifting one of the first inclusive movies and celebrating an amazing black actor, Disney has destroyed an important piece of black American history. I have no problem with a Tiana ride because she needs her own unique ride. But destroying one of the best dark rides of all time will not please anyone. Proponents of the retheme say that the ride is mediocre at best but needed to happen, while adversaries say the ride tarnishes the legacy of Splash Mountain and the entire park. For this, I can never forgive them. I guess I'll just have to buy a plane ticket to Tokyo. If someone is actually reading all of this, thank you for hearing my opinion. I would love to hear your thoughts whether you agree with me or not.
Read and heard! And so agree! History erased is dangerous! It's how we learn and grow forward to be better. But if it's erased, there's nothing to grow from! 💙
Mama odie shrinks you down so you can see the small creatures in the band which is why all the frogs are playing instruments. And then she casts a spell again to make you big so when you get to the top of the lift, you are now the same size as her. it's not that complicated.
@@tjtennisicmroll2k You said "we get shrunk down for no reason." There is a reason...it's to find the small frogs that play the instruments...they are in the final scene playing with the rest of the band. It also helps demonstrate mama Odie's powers. It's a cute scene. It's not that big of a deal...weird to be so upset and worked up about it.
The next ceo needs to be open to fresh and thrilling rides like eisner was. Eisner knew teens would find the disney parks boring and more for little kids. That's how we got a ride like tower of terror. We even got alien encounter back in the day and who remembers how terrifying that was?
I still stand by this attraction being one of the best and most unique rides Disney have had in the Orlando parks. The moment it got the inevitable (awful) IP retheme with stitch the writing was on the wall for it and it's such a shame. That whole walk through with the laugh floor and Buzz to an extent is very forgettable and needs something doing with it, so much wasted potential. Maybe it is just a future land thing in general but there was already the prefect setting for the Tron gift shop. You already had an arcade there, why not have it as a Flynns arcade style shop rather than a soulless empty box? other than the fact it was obviously cheaper
@@funkydino I think the originality for Alien Encounter was a double edged sword because it was a unique experience that hadn't been seen before, but because of that, people weren't expecting a genuine horror experience at Disney's most G rated park where the next scariest ride was Haunted Mansion. If they redid the concept with a more "adult" IP attached to it (Star Wars, Marvel, etc), I think they could get away with having a scarier version that would also have that built-in parental control.
@@A_A610 Oh I 100% get why it didn't survive, I always thought it was the wrong park for the ride, even teh wrong copany as it seems like something that would fit alot better at the Universal parks. I think it is best to just leave it dead tbh. Any kind of IP rebrand is just going to dilute what it should be so I think it's best to just leave it in the history books and forget the stitch part!
No offense, but your last few comments about Splash Mountain (one of the best rides EVER) fading and being forgotten by future Disney fans… pisses me off. And I’m sure I’m not the only one.
As long as I am alive, I won’t ever forget it. As long as Tokyo still has one (rumors say it might still close although hopefully false), it will NOT be forgotten.
It didn’t piss me off, because it’s true. He said “for the next generation and the future citizens of Disneyland.” My great grandkids will never know Tiana’s used to be Splash Mountain, unless they dive into Disney history and find out about it. Just like I don’t know about many Tomorrowland rides that aren’t there anymore. Or opening day attraction rides that are no longer there. Unless I watch channels like this and learn more about Disney history. He’s not talking to us Disney adults, he’s talking about future generations. He’s not wrong. Of course WE will not forget, but just like rides in the past, they will eventually be forgotten.
Even though Splash Mountain is gone (in the US), it will go down as one of the most beloved and iconic Disney attractions to ever exist. Disney cannot make any new attraction that will ever surpass it.
The fact that half of the B-roll you used for Tiana's showed the animatronics broken or not moving is just a perfect encapsulation of Disney's level of quality in 2024. The ride is less than 6 months old and they still can't even get it to work properly. Splash had it's moments too. But thanks to it having 100+ animatronics, it wasn't as big of a deal when one of them wasn't working
Changing Splash was one of the biggest mistakes Disney ever made but I think getting rid of the river in Magic Kingdom will somehow be an even worse mistake
I really think this is the biggest issue: a really well done Fantasyland style dark ride was forced onto the skeleton of a thrill ride. Had "Tiana's Bayou Adventure" opened as a separate thing entirely and been a regular dark ride, people would probably be praising it.
They never should have ruined Splash Mountain, they could have easily kept it and made Tiana's Place in New Orleans Square and most people would be completely happy with that
34:22 Splash Mountain and Song of the South will not fade into obscurity. Disney's attempts to hide it haven't worked so far, and curiosity is growing. There's also Tokyo Disneyland and lots of RUclips content to preserve this ride. If Disney doesn't release this movie before 2041, the public domain will have a field day.
Disney does not own Tokyo Disney, that is owned by the Oriental Land Company and pays Disney a license fee. OLC is bigger than Disney and not to be messed with. Japanese Guest want the Original Disneyland experience and so Splash Mountain is not going any where in Japan.
I agree, considering things like horizons are still remembered and missed. The fact they’ve tried to hide all the real opinions, gaslighting people into thinking how they want them to is pretty scary.
@@johnharris6655 Disney is messing with the ride though. It's blocking merchandice of the characters. They really want to erase the final Splash Mountain.
The part of the movie used for the ride is based on uncle Remus reading stories to the children about the brer characters. That’s what people loved those stories. I own the movie bought it years ago up in the Georgia mountains. I will miss that ride a lot.
Splash Mountain wasn't a ride based on some story from Song of the South. It was a ride that celebrated an african folklore that was carried over by slaves. An important part of history that should never be forgotten.
Splash mountain was a favorite for so many Disney fans. It had it all. It was cute funny scary and happy. They have done a disservice to both splash and also Tiana. This new version has a dull storyline. Its almost is as if they made it up as they went along unsure of what they were doing. They could have built a much better ride for Tiana and thought of a different way to handle the controversy. I think this new version will loose its appeal quickly.
Exactly. The old Motor Boat Cruise ride located across from the Matterhorn would be the perfect place to build a purpose-built bayou ride for Tiana, and place her in Fantasyland with the other princesses. The current Tiana’s Bayou is an unmitigated disaster that makes no sense. I sincerely pray that Disneyland will be taken over by wiser management (the Tokyo Disney execs would be ideal), and Splash Mountain will soon be restored to its former glory!!😊🙏
There is a second part to the story with the company. Some key imagineers and animators believed that the time the company was working on Song of the South was the happiest the company ever felt, and the company wanted to collectively back to that time under Walt. Eisner wanted changes but the economy ever fought that change in the 80’s. The employees wanted to push Eisner to being the next Walt. We know how this story ends. But this project was an effort to bring back the Disney Renaissance at WDI. Didn’t quite work because the underperformance of park design was always tied to geopolitics and the world economy. It is one of the reasons why they recycled anamatronics… they at somepoint needed to cut costs as financing dried up to ever higher interest rates.
1988-90, I worked as a busboy, then as a host at the Monorail Cafe and Chef's Kitchen (now known as Goofy's Kitchen) at the Disneyland Hotel, which is purchased from the Wrather corporation by the Walt Disney Company in that time. When Splash Mountain opened up in 1989 they brought the newly acquired Disneyland hotel employees over 3 weeks ahead of the public to experience the ride. I can remember being so excited to see the animatronics used from America Sings, which has always been one reason Splash Mountain has been my favorite ride at Disneyland aside from Space Mountain. Side note, Brickey, I have a show suggestion for you. I would love to see a historical look back at the America Sings/Innoventions building, covering the multitude of thematic versions it has taken on over the years.
To be honest, what Disney change it to is much more controversial than the ride it was. Not throwing shade on Tiana because I tend to like the characters of Princess and the Frog. Tiana feels really special to me because of hard work can make dreams come true. However, the idea from Tiana’s Bayou Adventure technically doesn’t feel like something Tiana will do. It feels like they never actually watched Princess and the Frog. Tiana is a hardworker and also is her own problem solver, so something ridiculous like what we got is something completely opposite to the Tiana that we know. If the message of diversity and inclusion is to not to be who you are supposed to be then I’m thinking they misunderstanding the meaning of the words. I mean Princess Tiana will actually find band mates from New Orleans unless for some mysterious reason all musicians change into animals that will make sense for them to search for animal musicians. This Tiana’s Bayou Adventure just feels more like a nightmare rather than showing people that hard work can become a dream.
They washed Tiana's unique character and made her a cookie cutter princess presenter. That doesn't look good for Disneyland, conformity and restraint is no-no for vibes.
My theory is that Disney jumped on the sociopolitical situation of 2020 to justify the retheme because they would have an easier time selling it to the public by wrapping it up in language about racial justice and inclusivity...before figuring out they creatively handcuffed themselves with that language since Princess and the Frog wasn't entirely sinless itself. A lot of the dumb decisions about the retheme (such as not using Facilier) seem to stem from Disney committing more to the talking points they used in the announcement, rather than actually delivering an attraction worthy of its predecessor or the movie it's adapting.
This is a great video on the history of the attraction. My uncle is John Stone and this was his passion project while working at Imagineering. I was happy to see videos of him in it as he passed away many years ago. Thank you for doing this.
Great in-depth video! Thank you for taking the time to dive into all aspects of Splash's history. Researched, edited, and beautifully narrated as always Brickey!
Brickey, excellent video and congrats on telling this story with thoughtfulness and balance. I am a big fan of PatF and Tiana, and I just wish we got to see her overcome a more worthy challenge.
No matter what anyone thinks about changing Splash to Tiana - The “story” (and I use that term very loosely) is lame. I loved Princess and the Frog and just recently watched it again (3rd or 4th time). Disney had the story right in front of them! They had all the characters. They had the perfect villain. And they had the songs. They did not need to re-invent a great story. They should have just based it on the movie with a few extra touches. The animatronics look fantastic but it lacks the fun, the suspense, the sense of foreboding and then the relief at the end as Splash did.
@@FunAtDisney True. Disney is famous for its "book report" dark rides, where guests get to experience the magic of the movies they love. Look at Toad's Wild Ride, Pooh's Hunny Hunt, Peter Pan's Flight, Pinnochio's Daring Adventure, Snow White's Enchanted Tale, Ariel's Undersea Adventure, Frozen Ever After, Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel's Lantern Festival, etc. Then Disney gets to retheming Splash Mountain with Princess and the Frog, and they're just like, "Nah...we don't need to use the winning formula. Our guests must be as shallow, stupid, and simple-minded as we are. We'll just slap a couple of characters with black skin color on the ride, and no one will dare criticize the lack of quality!" Please note that I'm not blaming individual Imagineers, or even Imagineering in general. We've seen Imagineering pull off incredible feats recently (such as Tokyo's Fantasy Springs), so we know they are fully capable of delivering an exceptional guest experience when the money and executive direction exist. Clearly, the "reimagining" of Splash Mountain was mostly a directive that came down from up top and that most Imagineers had to swallow in order to keep their jobs.
This is what I had been saying from the start. The story in the PatF is great, and had one of the best and well loved villains Disney has created in a long time and they didn't use any of it. Instead you ended up with a really loose story about creating a band which is just forgettable and pretty uninteresting, totally feels like such a huge storytelling miss.
@@funkydino And that is my main point: Tiana would not have been a frog without Dr. Facilier!!! They “shoe-horned” Tiana into an existing layout that did not match the movie, and certainly not the lame story they came up with. In both, there is no reason to have a huge drop - right? But they were so desperate to replace Splash this is what they came up with! It would have been so much better to keep Splash (alter it if needed)and then give Princess and the Frog a brand new boat or dark ride that fit the “calming” story they had. Again, how do you base a ride off a movie but leave out one of the main characters!
Only by your delusions and lies the original was lame when the fact is it never was. Besides, from where the Tiana ride is standing, it would predictably not last or stay around forever.
Hey Bricky! Stop calling Splash and Song of The South, controversial. It’s a convenient story, Disney has spun to make Guests go along with their latest DEI failure. No one was calling for Splash to be replaced by anything, much-less, the least watched Princess IP. On the other hand, Splash Mountain was the most “Walt Disney” of any attraction built, since his passing. Tony Baxter understood Walt, more than most other Imagineers. His creation of Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain transformed both Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Transforming the adjacent Frontierland / Rivers of America into the most thematic part every Disney Theme Park. Michael Eisner, Disney’s greatest CEO, without the name Disney, understood the magic as well, giving us the “Disney” we think of and enjoy the most, today.
I'm still going with the theory that the campaign against Splash was largely astroturfed by Disney themselves to give cover for a retheme they knew would be unpopular, but by giving cover to remove Splash, they inadvertently handcuffed themselves with the lofty language they used in their announcements because Princess and the Frog wasn't exactly sinless on the same fronts Song of the South was deemed unacceptable for (most notably its depictions of voodoo). If they went through with a "book report" take of PatF, it would technically be just as guilty of the issues that Splash was getting actively demonized for, which was why they ended up sanitizing the hell out of the story in a desperate attempt to save face on the virtue signaling. Because they jumped in ideology first before properly fleshing everything else out, the retheme is full of contradictions and hypocrisy that make it obvious it was never about an authentic desire to be more inclusive as much as it was about justifying yet another shallow pointless IP pump and dump. -If Splash Mountain was unacceptable for adapting a movie with insensitive depictions and overly romanticizing a racist time period, why does TBA get a pass for the same thing? -Why is an adaptation of a German fairy tale a better representation of black culture than an adaptation of actual black folklore? -Why does a ride about being inclusive and welcoming of everyone have big drops and a height requirement that _aren't_ inclusive of everyone? -Why does a retheme done because "Stories Matter" somehow _not_ have a good story foundation?
Song of the South definitely was controversial, even when it was released. There are plenty of photos of the NAACP protesting it. Then factor in James Baskett, who played Uncle Reamus couldn't even attend the Atlanta premier because of recreation laws, everything surrounding it was a stark reminder of a shameful time in history.
@@MCastleberry1980 1. The negative press from the NAACP surrounding the original film came from a release from executive secretary Walter White (no, not that one), claiming "in an effort neither to offend audiences in the north or south, the production helps to perpetuate a dangerously glorified picture of slavery"...despite the film being set during Reconstruction after the abolition of slavery. White had not actually seen the movie, relying instead on secondhand testimony from staffers who had (one of which actually said that despite the hokey stereotypes, it was "so artistically beautiful that it [was] difficult to be provoked over the clichés"). Further, when the ride was in development, Disney reached out for input from the NAACP knowing they would provide informed input on how to properly adapt the movie without the same issues they faced in the 40s. Their input led them to solely adapt the animated portions (altering the story flow to not directly depict the Tar Baby sequence), but they also insisted on retaining the dialect from the original animation (which ironically is one of the criticisms the "Splash was racist" crowd points to, despite literally being requested to do so). The idea that the ride itself is horribly racist when they literally consulted with the NAACP on how to avoid doing that is utterly ridiculous. 2. Disney did not distribute their own movies at the time, and thus had no say over the choice of premier venue (that decision was at the hand of RKO Pictures). Not only did Walt Disney stand by James Baskett's performance to such a level he was able to convince the Academy to give him an honorary Oscar for it (making him the first black man to do so), further fallout with RKO as a distributor would cause their relationship to fall apart a few years later, leading Disney to start distributing their own films under their own subsidiary. Baskett's poor treatment was due to RKO being insensitive, not Disney.
I shouldn’t have to say this but thank you for making this knowing that you would catch a lot of heat for it. Brilliant breakdown, history and analysis. Love your work
This was when imagineers cared and put so much love and devotion into Disney rides!!!!! Unlike today. It’s shameful that Tiana’s bayou adventure is such a flop
A John D. Stone name drop! Hell Yeah! The imagineering series on D+ never gave him the proper credit. My mom went to high school with Mr. Stone. I spent so much time at his house growing up. He was so nice and would always let us into park! We got to see all the concepts for Splash Mountain before it was built. Such a great memory.
I wish they built tiana’s adventure at Disneyland but not Disney World. This would not only allow for a better thematic fit for each land but give each resort another unique aspect
Well, the fact is we now have both Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Disneyland and Disney World. I'm not happy they went with the Jungle Cruise or Autopia setting ride with so much empty spaces. I hope they'll at least add Spoonbill birds, lady butterflies, and 2 more songs "When We're Human" maybe for the Dropoff and "Ma Belle Evangeline" for the dark areas.
I would actually say the reverse. The one in Disneyland used the original America Sings animatronics. Were as the Disney World version was built new for the ride. Other than that, Splash Mountain exists in the Disneyland unique critter country which was almost entirely built around the ride. Meanwhile at Disney World Splash is in an isolated area within Frontierland. Overall, I think Disneyland would have been the better one to keep, not that it matters now.
I rode Splash Mountain at least once a year from 1989 to 2023. I loved the whole "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" experience. It was the first ride that we'd hit every morning once the park opened before Star Wars Land came about & we'd ride it a few times before the park closed. I do understand the controversy with its theme & why they redesigned it, but it will be missed by the grand majority of people that grew up riding it. I do welcome the change, but I do have a feeling that it's not going to give me any type of nostalgia. Hopefully future generations have fun with it.
This video highlights the difference between classic Disney and modern day Disney. Classic Disney put so much thought and ingenuity into their attractions. Modern day Disney doesn’t seem to make the same effort or to have the talent to do so.
Thanks for the information on Splash Mountain! As a life long learner, I truly appreciate your acumen to Disney’s history, current and future values. Keep the great contents coming!!
Great video! I'd love to see you talk about the predecessor idea to Splash Mountain, Moonshine Express- a Country Bear themed log flume that had a shooting component to it like Buzz Lightyear has now! Definitely not quite enough history on it for a full-length video like this, but it could be a fun part of a "Never-built Disneyland Attractions" video!
I love Splash Mountain with a passion, I even made my own version of it in my cartoon world Ericland. The ride is a perfect attraction in my eyes, amazing set design and theming, great music, and a story that works so well. Tony Baxter is one of my top 5 favorite Imagineers, and I love how he took classic Disney design and added new elements to them. The history of this ride is so amazing to learn, and I love everything about the ride. I'll always have memories on Splash Mountain that'll last for the rest of my life, especially since I videoed most of it on my channel LOL. However, I'll never forgive Disney for replacing it, at least Splash Mountain is still around in my memories. Thanks for all the Zip a Dee Doo Dag days Splash Mountain...
Guys, back in the day, NOTHING was controversial about this ride. The “controversy” was artificially created in only the last few years by a generation DESPERATELY in need of a cause.
Tony Baxter, himself, said that we are overboard on these sensitivities today, and even the NAACP liked Splash Mountain. Not just them, but he also got support from several other African American organizations when it was being made. They understood the complex past, but they valued the Brer Rabbit stories.
I think you nailed it 100%...That's also true with their hatred of the USA. If they don't face the truth in histiry, they'll repeat it as surely as was done the first time. I'm 78 years old and a long time Disney fan. I'll be outta here, but it's a shame these perceived stances will prevent so many potential future Disney fans from experiencing the Magic...
@@Magnum-wo9ub I’m in my early 20’s, and I 100% agree with you. Not everyone in my generation is this stubborn and sensitive. Those people need to get a grip or get out of here.
I'm surprised you didn't mention another crucial design of splash mountains drop that made it iconic, From where you walk up to the mountain, you can't see the drop, which serves as a storytelling and ride experience purpose. You are actually going/hiding into the briar patch. Even on the log, the fog covers up the drop into the patch. Better than Tiana's magic mist. (Really what the hell was that selling point?)
I think that’s actually part of the genius of this video. Splash Mountain was controversial in more ways than we knew. The imagineers overcame some incredible challenges to design a now classic ride. Times change and rides come and go; imagineering continues to fascinate.
Easy answer. Yes, they ruined it, and it was a mistake. No offense, at the end, you sound like Disney marketing when trying to sell the idea that it was a good thing to do. With that said, I appreciate the depth you go into for your videos and your good nature.
If Imagineering truly felt like the music was a “character” then they failed spectacularly. Songs just haphazardly play in the background not being acknowledged by the characters at all. Who is singing the music and where is it coming from? In Splash Mountain, literally the entire ride had the animals sing along to the songs as they told the story. It really bothers me that Tiana’s just essentially has a playlist going on in the background. It’s lazy and a step behind what Splash was doing.
I feel so bad for him. Cause they're going after Dinosaur next! Baxter's rides were all amazing, I don't know why they see a need to rip all of his creations out. He's a legendary Imagineer.
Disney ruined a perfectly good ride because some woke people got offended... Through the decades, people of all races., colors rode the ride without one ounce of complaining
@@Kyle_The_Mighty People also voiced complaints about the depictions in PatF being insensitive when that came out, so it's not exactly sinless on the fronts that SotS was deemed unacceptable for. I think fundamentally my biggest issue with the overhaul is that it seems more like Disney was using the whole "Stories Matter" initiative to get cover for what they knew was going to be an unpopular retheme, and didn't actually care about delivering on the values they were throwing Splash Mountain under the bus for. It's little things like the previous observation that show things that make it clear things don't really add up.
Keep WALT Disney, and ELIMINATE of WOKE Disney. Sadly Iger did just the opposite, he's not telling the TRUTH about Walt. They need to tell the TRUTH that WALT supported and promoted for an academy award for James Baskett, and Zip a Dee Doo Dah also an Academy Away winner. SONG of THE SOUTH should continue to be d PROMOTED by ALL Disney CEOs, and tell the WHOLE TRUTH, no CEO should be calling it an embarassment. THAT IS AN INSULT TO JAMES BASKETT, WALT DISNEY, and shows a lack of understanding of how Walt promoted rights WAY BACK in the 1940's THAT Demands CELEBRATION, NOT CONSTERNATION and CRITICISM.
Great job on the production quality of this video. You showed footage I've never seen of the model, and the audio and editing were on point. Best of luck on your channel. I just subscribed.
I think Splash Mountain could have been updated but kept alive. This ride looks nice enough but caters a certain group of people while others are left out once again by Disney.
@@NorthernUtahDashcam Anyone who was “bothered” by Splash Mountain has serious problems. It is a beloved children’s Disney attraction that has been around for decades and was arguably the most popular Disney attraction ever.
Another banger of an episode. Man I loved that model of Splash Mountain that was on display in the Disney Showcase building on Main Street for a long time. What will we rename the mountain? Beignet Mountain? Jazz Mountain? We need to keep the mountain range.
The new ride could've been so much more ... they could've literally just retold the story of Princess & The Frog and it would've literally been 👩🏾🍳💋 ... no story, no soul, only 3 characters - not even Ray, Lottie, Tiana's Mom or Naveen ... it sucks, it SUCKS REALLY BAD
The story of Splash had history, tension, drama, and joy, just like life itself! This new ride has none of that, and leaves one empty with nothing but singing animals who convey no real purpose "Woke-ism" ideology allowed the change and weve lost an iconic piece of story-telling history forever! RIP Splash! ❤️
The original version was added due to Michael Eisner's initiative to add more thrilling attractions to the parks, surveys of which indicated a water ride was of particular interest to guests. Plans started developing around filling the vacant space between Haunted Mansion and Bear Country, using a Song of the South theme to ensure the ride would be a natural thematic fit for that corner of the park. That said, one of the creative leads had attended the opening day of the Knott's version years prior, and can actually be seen in press videos looking over the queue at the mechanics of the first lift hill. There was most definitely creative inspiration from the Knott's version, but more in the way of "Knott's showed this kind of ride would work really well for telling a story with a thrill" rather than "we have to compete with Knott's, quick, make a log ride!"
32:00 from what I seen, it doesn't really? Lets not kid ourselves, splash was always designed for its story and ever since the announcement I was doubtful they can actually improve the attraction for what they have to work with. Music was already an important part of splash and tiana's doesn't really do that good in telling it's story. Like genuinely I was hopeful for it to be better, but as time went on and I saw more, I just didn't think it looked good. It felt like a cheap experience that kids will grow out of, and that's a big no-no for Disney, especially for what might come culturally, in the future, both in and out of Disneyland.
Using the original ticket system of A through E tickets as an example, a Disney park needs all these levels of attractions to work. Not every attraction can be an E Ticket, and I think today's audiences expect everything new to be an E Ticket. Tiana is at least a solid D Ticket. Was Splash Mountain an E Ticket? Most would say yes, and I think this "downgrade" from E to D is what makes most people upset. So now it's a D, oh well. As I said, Disney parks need A,B,C, and D attractions (and of course E) to make them work. I would never spend my time waiting for a "spinner" attraction like Dumbo or Tea Cups, yet there is always a line for them. Everyone has different likes and tastes, that's why there needs to be all levels in the parks. If I sound like I'm defending Tiana, I'm not. I don't think it should have been changed, but what's done is done. We just have to move on.
Hey Brickey! Thank you for your balanced storytelling. In my opinion you do a great job of telling the whole story, not just the story some want to hear.
Tiana's would be fine if the animatronics actually worked properly and consistently, and if there was some sense of conflict... It just comes across shallow to me without any sense of urgency involved. I sadly feel like it missed the mark. Hopefully it works better and feels less empty in the Disneyland version than WDW's. I do like the new song at the end scene though. Quite catchy.
Here’s the thing when it comes to Splash Mountain: How many of the average guest (that is, people who like Disney but are not all into i the history) even knew the basis of Splash Mtn? Like maybe 1% at most? Certainly at WDW where they get far more international guests it was probably less than that! But here’s the most egregious thing by the current crop of Imagineers in wanting to cancel this all out: Floyd Norman, a black animator for Disne, years later later wanted Disney to re-release it. That is well documented. By eliminating (cancelling) Splash Mountain these current Imagineers have wiped out both the animators that worked on the film, but also the black cast that was in Song of the South - including James Baskett who played Uncle Remus! The original Uncle Remus tales originated in Africa and were brought over by slaves and to Laura Plantation outside of New Orleans - A French-Creole plantation. I have been there and they tell the history of all of this. These were NOT some tales made up by “white folk” - they were stories and tales passed down by enslaved Africans. What Disney should have done, in my opinion, is celebrate all of this and have a “conversation” and tribute about the history of Uncle Remus, the cast of Song of the South and Floyd Norman that could have been sort of a museum at the exit or nearby shop. If anyone wants to look this up on your own, search “Floyd Norman Song of the South” on Google, and then “Laura Plantation” on Wikipedia. You’ll see for yourself all of this! My final point is this: Cancelling out something is never good! History cannot be changed - But what can change is shedding light on the subject. There were very few people that were bothered by Splash - and because of them it is now gone when it could have honored those who were part of that film.
Stolen tales from African enslaved individuals! Yes history cannot and should not be erased! However, does such a painful part of history have a place at the happiest place on earth! I am one of the first few people to have signed the petition and many followed me. Which goes to show many people found fault in it! Those same black actors you speak about weren’t even allowed to go to the premiere of the movie because the color of their skin!
@@more2me100 "Yes history cannot and should not be erased!" So then Song of the South should be made available for release so we can see it and talk about it honestly, rather than hiding it away and having people who have never seen it act like it's the Disney version of Birth of a Nation. "I am one of the first few people to have signed the petition and many followed me." Yeah, the same kind of people who probably think non-Asians eating sushi is racist too... "Those same black actors you speak about weren’t even allowed to go to the premiere of the movie because the color of their skin!" Due to stipulations from the distributor, RKO Radio Pictures, a decision Walt wasn't too happy with either. Disney would later part with RKO due to further disputes on distribution, leading to Disney setting up their own subsidiary to handle distribution themselves. If Walt Disney truly didn't care about the black cast, why was he so adamant about getting James Baskett an Oscar for his work on the film (making him the first black man to win one)?
Hey Brickey! - I think the building of Splash Mountain had true elements that you've covered well, but one thing that is missing is Knotts' Timber Mountain Log Ride that opened 20 years before Splash Mountain. There is no doubt Disney took ideas from that ride down to the logs themselves. Sure, Splash Mountain was a better ride in every way, but let's give a bit of credit where it's due.
I wish them much success for the new ride...that being said I will never get on the ride again I have no desire to see the new look for it.........once Splash Mountain closed that was the end for me....anytime I go to Disneyland I will just skip the ride.
Disney needs more thrill rides not fewer. Why dilute the thrill just as the scary was removed from Snow White's Scary Adventures. Great deep dive into the develop of the Splash Mountain attraction and design contributions of Tony Baxter and the rest of the Team.
The music on splash was the best. We would sing along to most of it. And all the cute animatronics. I even miss the vultures. Tianas is underwhelming except for the one good scene of the riverboat and that is not enough.
I saw Song of the South when it was rereleased in theaters in 86. As a kid I loved the film. As an adult I understand the controversy but I have never seen it like that. I just see people an amazing story and a very catchy song. I think if people would actually see that film they will see its a masterpiece of storytelling. I really don’t think it would have as much controversy around it. Sad to see the ride go but super excited about Tiana.
Well’ due to the bad receptions to the Tiana ride, you’re only going to be sadly disappointed. For it failed and was proved racist due to the salt dome that had real slavery, which the original never had.
@@NickyHelp There is a redeeming quality that an ADOS has bought a place where their ancestors were unjustly treated and started a thriving business. That my friend is redemption and it’s beautiful in this aspect. Theres actually a movement for other ADOS to do this exact thing. So that we can tell our own stories!
disney doesnt rly care tho, thats been obvious for so long now at this point, the ride was literally just about a buncha cute animals, huge drops and a lotta water (not my favorite part but hey thats the point)
I never did get my last ride with "Splash Mountain." On the flip side of that, I did get to say goodbye to an old friend as you so eloquently stated in your video about its last day of operation when I visited the park just a mere 2 weeks before it's closure where I, like those on its last day cheered those going down, I stood there for about 15 minutes alone and remenecing of the many fun times my best bud Chris and I had on that ride durring our summers of fun in high school. Oh, the stories I could share! I understand the controversial surrounding the closure, as well as the re-theming of the ride, I just hope though through the new adventure partying with Tianna, the old guard will embrace its new features and still enjoy the drop with out the build up of the old theming in it's place. For me, it never was about the story, I just wanted to get wet. Let me tell you, Chris and I did, in our own way. Those are the memories I will carry with me as the anticipation of the new theming and opening for Disneyland draws closer.
Appreciate your ability as a designer to research and explain the beyond belief aspects of this amazing attraction. !… Is still a thrill water ride, but feel that the adventure is less satisfying..:
I don't know how to quite explain it and I am not sure if others feel the same way but to me, Splash Mountain feels like the "most disneyland-esque" ride. The combined elements of darkness, magic, music, animatronics, and fantasy make it so appealing
Good ride, loved by ALL. Until 2020...
True. Even the smell of the dampness immediately makes me think of Disneyland. Takes me back to those memories whenever concrete get wets.
Indeed!
Animals singing and fun, but not scary drop into the Columbia River? YES, it is DISNEYLAND
@@toshibavoodoo Oh I never thought of it that way. That the ride was a continuation of the Rivers of America. That's cool.
What i miss the most about Splash is hearing and singing Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah as i get off the ride with a smile.
@@marcelmazpule2287 that describes the whole Disney park experience at this point.
It’s a shame it had to be a racist song
:(( unfortunately this country was built upon racism and we need new creators to take away all the bad and come up with something new! the problem is the creativity is being held down due to money being the priority at all costs
@@scottytechNmore1 I am gonna disagree that the song itself is inherently racist although it has ties to a controversial movie. However, there are perceptions that that word might have originated from in the song “Zip Coon” although it is NOT confirmed. The song, itself, is beloved by many. Many people are saying Mickey Mouse is “racist” simply because he actually had a complex history too. That is just not true.
@@applianceman6009 if it wasn’t racist it would still be playing when you walk into the magic Kingdom why would they get rid of such a popular song for no reason we all loved it I swear it’s one of my favorite Disney songs it’s the cloth of Disney but it had to go
The reason that Disney has stopped playing that song is because it comes from a film that is problematic without a doubt. I still don’t think the actual song is racist itself, but it is a reminder of that film, so Disney has decided to stop playing it. Disney wants to forget anything related to this film because it is indeed problematic. It is quite sad honestly, but it is what it is.
The Brer tales were African folk tales brought over by slaves, compiled by Joel Chandler Harris, and released as a series of books in the 1880’s.
Instead of erasing the attraction, a display in the long exit corridor could have highlighted the history and contributions of Africans to American literature.
STOLEN by Joel Chandler. Just another way African enslaved individuals were unjustly and painfully subjugated. Then he compiled the many stolen stories riddled with biased rhetoric. It has no place at any Disney park!
Guess what? Song of the South never had slavery. It took place after the civil war and the ride never had any slave reference. Tiana’s ride is the one that had slavery references, due to the salt dome.
@@NickyHelp That’s true. It takes place during the Reconstruction Era. Guess it’s close enough to still be controversial for those that are still seeking to be offended.
@@NickyHelp that's the crazy part. i went back and watched clips from the movie and it's like people are offended that characters in the movie are getting along too well. So now they've put in a black princess in the south 100 years ago. yeah that's real historically accurate.
@@NickyHelp they are on a plantation!!!! Sure they may be sharecroppers but if you know the history behind sharecropping you know it was slavery 2.0
No, destroying Splash Mountain was the biggest mistake
I miss splash mountain so much
Flying to Tokyo on Oct 25 and spending seven days there. Riding Splash Mountain again was a BIG goal of mine! I used my entire 2024 WDW budget to spend it ALL in Tokyo!
Was just there back in September, you’re going to have a great time! Just know, the Lapbars are not great for tall people haha… I sat down and they only reached a bit past my knees 😂😂😂 best version of splash by far though, I’d say it deserves the title of the last on earth.
Make sure to ride it as many times as you can cause even Tokyo will be closing it in the future 😊
@@more2me100 Why is Tokyo closing Slash Mountain? Did they say?🤔
We plan to do international parks also
@@more2me100 - It's a shame but that's also what I heave heard. I really hope that OLC finds some way to PROTECT this classic Tony Baxter masterpiece.
Only the BEST Disney attraction ever built! I’m sorry - but zipadeedoodah will always be my “Disney” song, no matter how hard they try to erase it! ❤
Oh man, this makes me miss Splash Mountain soooo much!
Splash mountain is so far removed from the source material it was shocking Disney decided to change it
In the context, Disney got a buncha backlash on Twitter after they did a generic "let's be peaceful" tweet on a black background following the death of George Floyd, and while it is in fact icky for a corporation to do that, it led to weirdos posting about how Splash Mountain's existence is a symbol of where Disney's true interests lie. After this, Disney went into damage control mode and were like "HEY WE'RE GONNA CHANGE THIS RIDE TO BE BASED ON THIS MOVIE WE FORGOT ABOUT" (shame too, it's a pretty good movie).
And then they remembered that The Princess and The Frog portrays voodoo as evil and they're like "oh crap" and had to axe Dr. Facilier (Friends on the Other Side playing for the drop would've been HYPE AF) and recanonize Mama Odie into a "fairy godmother"
Tl;dr don't make multi-million dollar decisions based on weirdos on twitter
@@KetsubanSolo My theory is that Disney wanted to go through with a retheme for a while, but needed a convenient excuse to do so in order to limit public backlash. They jumped on the events of the summer of 2020 as that excuse, astroturfing campaigns about how awful Splash was and getting media attention on them so that they could announce the new retheme (that they were already planning) in "response" so they could pretend to listen to the feedback and pat themselves on the back...before they figured out their excuse of "we're fixing racism" completely handcuffed them and left them scrambling to figure out how to deliver without looking like shameless hypocrites in the process.
Splash Mountain was the combination of everything that made Disney parks stand out. Immersive show scenes, many animatronics, and its simplistic folklore story. This combined with a drop just large enough to be scary but too scary makes it a contender for one of the best dark ride of all time. Tearing Song of the South out wasn't just "getting rid of a problematic story," but represented the drastic decline of the Disney parks. Tiana's Bayou Adventure is everything wrong with modern day Imagineering. While the technical creatures are incredible feats of engineering, they are spaced few and far between. Where there once was over 100 animatronics filling the scenes with life, you get 1 figure every 30-60 seconds or so (While there are about 30 animatronics on the 10 min ride, most are in the finale scene. This makes it so an animate figures appear very infrequently). The story is lackluster, and the finale song is from a completely different scrapped storyline.
Most of the animatronics will have numerous technical issues for the rest of their life span because of the switch from hydraulic to electric figures. According to one Imagineer, Splash Mountain is a large, humid bowl of water, algae, and mold. This naturally doesn't bode well for these immense technical figures. Because these animatronics are not on a constant loop, there are multiple moments of awkward stares or empty blackness.
I have found a copy of Song of the South and watched it, and there are some instances of racism in the movie. What people leave out, is that it is time period accurate as most of these farmers are sharecroppers (not slaves, even though being a sharecropper was almost as bad). Saying racism shouldn't be allowed in a movie is like saying that the Holocaust shouldn't belong in movies. The only way to not repeat history is to study it, and there is no PG-13 content in sharecropping to keep it out of a kids movie. Song of the South does not support racism, but condemns it. Even though the parents try and stop their son from hanging out with black people like Uncle Remus, the end shows that the kid loves Uncle Remus because he is a kind-hearted man (ie judging others by the content of their character instead of the color of their skin). It also shows that the racist parents are wrong as they slowly learn to realize the true character of Uncle Remus.
James Baskett (the actor who played Uncle Remus) was the first black actor to win an Oscar, and Disney erasing this fact destroys all of the "inclusive" things they are trying to do. While there are some problematic elements in the film, Disney's erasure of this time in American history is not only wrong but evil. Instead of uplifting one of the first inclusive movies and celebrating an amazing black actor, Disney has destroyed an important piece of black American history. I have no problem with a Tiana ride because she needs her own unique ride. But destroying one of the best dark rides of all time will not please anyone. Proponents of the retheme say that the ride is mediocre at best but needed to happen, while adversaries say the ride tarnishes the legacy of Splash Mountain and the entire park.
For this, I can never forgive them. I guess I'll just have to buy a plane ticket to Tokyo. If someone is actually reading all of this, thank you for hearing my opinion. I would love to hear your thoughts whether you agree with me or not.
Excellent write up. Thank you.
Very well said!
Completely agree!
Read and heard!
And so agree!
History erased is dangerous! It's how we learn and grow forward to be better. But if it's erased, there's nothing to grow from!
💙
@LeftCoastDrones They made a lot off of the Br’er plushies when they sold them. That is true.
I also highly preferred the Tower of Terror over Guardians of Galaxy do-over :(
There’s no story to the new version. We are looking for a band, we get shrunk for no reason? Hey look a drop, now we are full size again. The end.
Sure because everyone wants a story that Black Folk protested at the time, and was the screenplay was written by a Jewish person. 🙄
Mama odie shrinks you down so you can see the small creatures in the band which is why all the frogs are playing instruments. And then she casts a spell again to make you big so when you get to the top of the lift, you are now the same size as her. it's not that complicated.
@@DevlinORyan no one said it was complicated, just that the story sucks, lets find a band for a party, not the most compelling story
@@DevlinORyan also you realize that you don't have to be shrunk down to see a frog right?
@@tjtennisicmroll2k You said "we get shrunk down for no reason." There is a reason...it's to find the small frogs that play the instruments...they are in the final
scene playing with the rest of the band. It also helps demonstrate mama Odie's powers. It's a cute scene. It's not that big of a deal...weird to be so upset and worked up about it.
We miss Splash so much, its a literal chest ache. Didnt even know how important that ride was to my happiness.
The next ceo needs to be open to fresh and thrilling rides like eisner was. Eisner knew teens would find the disney parks boring and more for little kids. That's how we got a ride like tower of terror. We even got alien encounter back in the day and who remembers how terrifying that was?
Alien Encounter was the first ride that I went on when I went to WDW as a young adult. I was so confused 😂
I still stand by this attraction being one of the best and most unique rides Disney have had in the Orlando parks. The moment it got the inevitable (awful) IP retheme with stitch the writing was on the wall for it and it's such a shame. That whole walk through with the laugh floor and Buzz to an extent is very forgettable and needs something doing with it, so much wasted potential. Maybe it is just a future land thing in general but there was already the prefect setting for the Tron gift shop. You already had an arcade there, why not have it as a Flynns arcade style shop rather than a soulless empty box? other than the fact it was obviously cheaper
@@funkydino I think the originality for Alien Encounter was a double edged sword because it was a unique experience that hadn't been seen before, but because of that, people weren't expecting a genuine horror experience at Disney's most G rated park where the next scariest ride was Haunted Mansion.
If they redid the concept with a more "adult" IP attached to it (Star Wars, Marvel, etc), I think they could get away with having a scarier version that would also have that built-in parental control.
@@A_A610 Oh I 100% get why it didn't survive, I always thought it was the wrong park for the ride, even teh wrong copany as it seems like something that would fit alot better at the Universal parks.
I think it is best to just leave it dead tbh. Any kind of IP rebrand is just going to dilute what it should be so I think it's best to just leave it in the history books and forget the stitch part!
No offense, but your last few comments about Splash Mountain (one of the best rides EVER) fading and being forgotten by future Disney fans… pisses me off. And I’m sure I’m not the only one.
I hope he was talking about the "Disney adult" side of the fandom.
As long as I am alive, I won’t ever forget it. As long as Tokyo still has one (rumors say it might still close although hopefully false), it will NOT be forgotten.
It didn’t piss me off, because it’s true. He said “for the next generation and the future citizens of Disneyland.” My great grandkids will never know Tiana’s used to be Splash Mountain, unless they dive into Disney history and find out about it. Just like I don’t know about many Tomorrowland rides that aren’t there anymore. Or opening day attraction rides that are no longer there. Unless I watch channels like this and learn more about Disney history. He’s not talking to us Disney adults, he’s talking about future generations. He’s not wrong. Of course WE will not forget, but just like rides in the past, they will eventually be forgotten.
I think it's gonna go down like Imagination, which was ironically enough another Tony Baxter masterpiece gutted and ruined by corporate incompetence.
Even though Splash Mountain is gone (in the US), it will go down as one of the most beloved and iconic Disney attractions to ever exist. Disney cannot make any new attraction that will ever surpass it.
The fact that half of the B-roll you used for Tiana's showed the animatronics broken or not moving is just a perfect encapsulation of Disney's level of quality in 2024. The ride is less than 6 months old and they still can't even get it to work properly. Splash had it's moments too. But thanks to it having 100+ animatronics, it wasn't as big of a deal when one of them wasn't working
Changing Splash was one of the biggest mistakes Disney ever made but I think getting rid of the river in Magic Kingdom will somehow be an even worse mistake
Splash was so expertly themed. The replacement is a fantasyland dark ride in too big of a space. Beyond underwhelming. No desire to even ride it
Its not even that, at least the fantasyland dark rides have a cohesive story based on the movie. Tianas has none of that
I really think this is the biggest issue: a really well done Fantasyland style dark ride was forced onto the skeleton of a thrill ride. Had "Tiana's Bayou Adventure" opened as a separate thing entirely and been a regular dark ride, people would probably be praising it.
They never should have ruined Splash Mountain, they could have easily kept it and made Tiana's Place in New Orleans Square and most people would be completely happy with that
34:22 Splash Mountain and Song of the South will not fade into obscurity. Disney's attempts to hide it haven't worked so far, and curiosity is growing. There's also Tokyo Disneyland and lots of RUclips content to preserve this ride. If Disney doesn't release this movie before 2041, the public domain will have a field day.
Disney does not own Tokyo Disney, that is owned by the Oriental Land Company and pays Disney a license fee. OLC is bigger than Disney and not to be messed with. Japanese Guest want the Original Disneyland experience and so Splash Mountain is not going any where in Japan.
I agree, considering things like horizons are still remembered and missed. The fact they’ve tried to hide all the real opinions, gaslighting people into thinking how they want them to is pretty scary.
@@johnharris6655 Disney is messing with the ride though. It's blocking merchandice of the characters. They really want to erase the final Splash Mountain.
You know you've been terminally online for too long when you think Splash Mountain is "controversial"
The part of the movie used for the ride is based on uncle Remus reading stories to the children about the brer characters. That’s what people loved those stories. I own the movie bought it years ago up in the Georgia mountains. I will miss that ride a lot.
My favorite attraction and an inspiration to be an artist and designer. Great vid.
Splash Mountain wasn't a ride based on some story from Song of the South. It was a ride that celebrated an african folklore that was carried over by slaves. An important part of history that should never be forgotten.
… that was carried over and STOLEN by enslaved individuals. That history shouldn’t be showcased in this way at any Disney park
@miquon4717 Splash Moutain combined stories from Song of the South, switching out what caught brer rabbit.
Song of the South was literally written by a white man
@@monorail4252 Yes, he's caught in a beehive instead of tar from tar baby which was the right move.
@miquon4717 it was for the ride, the movie still exists
Splash mountain was a favorite for so many Disney fans. It had it all. It was cute funny scary and happy. They have done a disservice to both splash and also Tiana. This new version has a dull storyline. Its almost is as if they made it up as they went along unsure of what they were doing. They could have built a much better ride for Tiana and thought of a different way to handle the controversy. I think this new version will loose its appeal quickly.
Exactly. The old Motor Boat Cruise ride located across from the Matterhorn would be the perfect place to build a purpose-built bayou ride for Tiana, and place her in Fantasyland with the other princesses.
The current Tiana’s Bayou is an unmitigated disaster that makes no sense.
I sincerely pray that Disneyland will be taken over by wiser management (the Tokyo Disney execs would be ideal), and Splash Mountain will soon be restored to its former glory!!😊🙏
DEI SUKS
There is a second part to the story with the company. Some key imagineers and animators believed that the time the company was working on Song of the South was the happiest the company ever felt, and the company wanted to collectively back to that time under Walt. Eisner wanted changes but the economy ever fought that change in the 80’s. The employees wanted to push Eisner to being the next Walt. We know how this story ends. But this project was an effort to bring back the Disney Renaissance at WDI. Didn’t quite work because the underperformance of park design was always tied to geopolitics and the world economy. It is one of the reasons why they recycled anamatronics… they at somepoint needed to cut costs as financing dried up to ever higher interest rates.
Good guess, but no.
1988-90, I worked as a busboy, then as a host at the Monorail Cafe and Chef's Kitchen (now known as Goofy's Kitchen) at the Disneyland Hotel, which is purchased from the Wrather corporation by the Walt Disney Company in that time. When Splash Mountain opened up in 1989 they brought the newly acquired Disneyland hotel employees over 3 weeks ahead of the public to experience the ride.
I can remember being so excited to see the animatronics used from America Sings, which has always been one reason Splash Mountain has been my favorite ride at Disneyland aside from Space Mountain.
Side note, Brickey, I have a show suggestion for you. I would love to see a historical look back at the America Sings/Innoventions building, covering the multitude of thematic versions it has taken on over the years.
To be honest, what Disney change it to is much more controversial than the ride it was. Not throwing shade on Tiana because I tend to like the characters of Princess and the Frog. Tiana feels really special to me because of hard work can make dreams come true. However, the idea from Tiana’s Bayou Adventure technically doesn’t feel like something Tiana will do. It feels like they never actually watched Princess and the Frog. Tiana is a hardworker and also is her own problem solver, so something ridiculous like what we got is something completely opposite to the Tiana that we know. If the message of diversity and inclusion is to not to be who you are supposed to be then I’m thinking they misunderstanding the meaning of the words. I mean Princess Tiana will actually find band mates from New Orleans unless for some mysterious reason all musicians change into animals that will make sense for them to search for animal musicians. This Tiana’s Bayou Adventure just feels more like a nightmare rather than showing people that hard work can become a dream.
They washed Tiana's unique character and made her a cookie cutter princess presenter. That doesn't look good for Disneyland, conformity and restraint is no-no for vibes.
My theory is that Disney jumped on the sociopolitical situation of 2020 to justify the retheme because they would have an easier time selling it to the public by wrapping it up in language about racial justice and inclusivity...before figuring out they creatively handcuffed themselves with that language since Princess and the Frog wasn't entirely sinless itself. A lot of the dumb decisions about the retheme (such as not using Facilier) seem to stem from Disney committing more to the talking points they used in the announcement, rather than actually delivering an attraction worthy of its predecessor or the movie it's adapting.
It's not controversial.
This is a great video on the history of the attraction. My uncle is John Stone and this was his passion project while working at Imagineering. I was happy to see videos of him in it as he passed away many years ago. Thank you for doing this.
Great in-depth video! Thank you for taking the time to dive into all aspects of Splash's history. Researched, edited, and beautifully narrated as always Brickey!
Thanks ❤️
I don’t like Tianas Bijou. The story line is stupid. I hope it fails and they bring back Splash mountain.
Ever since they killed the brer’s Disney has never been the same.
One of your best episodes yet. Thank you!
Thanks buddy ❤️
Thanks!
Thanks for supporting the content
Brickey, excellent video and congrats on telling this story with thoughtfulness and balance. I am a big fan of PatF and Tiana, and I just wish we got to see her overcome a more worthy challenge.
No matter what anyone thinks about changing Splash to Tiana - The “story” (and I use that term very loosely) is lame. I loved Princess and the Frog and just recently watched it again (3rd or 4th time). Disney had the story right in front of them! They had all the characters. They had the perfect villain. And they had the songs. They did not need to re-invent a great story. They should have just based it on the movie with a few extra touches. The animatronics look fantastic but it lacks the fun, the suspense, the sense of foreboding and then the relief at the end as Splash did.
Exactly 🤦♂️they had the perfect opportunity to create a modern world class log ride and threw it all away
@@FunAtDisney True. Disney is famous for its "book report" dark rides, where guests get to experience the magic of the movies they love. Look at Toad's Wild Ride, Pooh's Hunny Hunt, Peter Pan's Flight, Pinnochio's Daring Adventure, Snow White's Enchanted Tale, Ariel's Undersea Adventure, Frozen Ever After, Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel's Lantern Festival, etc. Then Disney gets to retheming Splash Mountain with Princess and the Frog, and they're just like, "Nah...we don't need to use the winning formula. Our guests must be as shallow, stupid, and simple-minded as we are. We'll just slap a couple of characters with black skin color on the ride, and no one will dare criticize the lack of quality!" Please note that I'm not blaming individual Imagineers, or even Imagineering in general. We've seen Imagineering pull off incredible feats recently (such as Tokyo's Fantasy Springs), so we know they are fully capable of delivering an exceptional guest experience when the money and executive direction exist. Clearly, the "reimagining" of Splash Mountain was mostly a directive that came down from up top and that most Imagineers had to swallow in order to keep their jobs.
This is what I had been saying from the start. The story in the PatF is great, and had one of the best and well loved villains Disney has created in a long time and they didn't use any of it. Instead you ended up with a really loose story about creating a band which is just forgettable and pretty uninteresting, totally feels like such a huge storytelling miss.
@@funkydino And that is my main point: Tiana would not have been a frog without Dr. Facilier!!! They “shoe-horned” Tiana into an existing layout that did not match the movie, and certainly not the lame story they came up with. In both, there is no reason to have a huge drop - right? But they were so desperate to replace Splash this is what they came up with! It would have been so much better to keep Splash (alter it if needed)and then give Princess and the Frog a brand new boat or dark ride that fit the “calming” story they had. Again, how do you base a ride off a movie but leave out one of the main characters!
Only by your delusions and lies the original was lame when the fact is it never was. Besides, from where the Tiana ride is standing, it would predictably not last or stay around forever.
I don’t understand why the logs don’t have seatbelts ????
Hey Bricky! Stop calling Splash and Song of The South, controversial. It’s a convenient story, Disney has spun to make Guests go along with their latest DEI failure. No one was calling for Splash to be replaced by anything, much-less, the least watched Princess IP. On the other hand, Splash Mountain was the most “Walt Disney” of any attraction built, since his passing. Tony Baxter understood Walt, more than most other Imagineers. His creation of Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain transformed both Disneyland and Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Transforming the adjacent Frontierland / Rivers of America into the most thematic part every Disney Theme Park. Michael Eisner, Disney’s greatest CEO, without the name Disney, understood the magic as well, giving us the “Disney” we think of and enjoy the most, today.
I'm still going with the theory that the campaign against Splash was largely astroturfed by Disney themselves to give cover for a retheme they knew would be unpopular, but by giving cover to remove Splash, they inadvertently handcuffed themselves with the lofty language they used in their announcements because Princess and the Frog wasn't exactly sinless on the same fronts Song of the South was deemed unacceptable for (most notably its depictions of voodoo). If they went through with a "book report" take of PatF, it would technically be just as guilty of the issues that Splash was getting actively demonized for, which was why they ended up sanitizing the hell out of the story in a desperate attempt to save face on the virtue signaling.
Because they jumped in ideology first before properly fleshing everything else out, the retheme is full of contradictions and hypocrisy that make it obvious it was never about an authentic desire to be more inclusive as much as it was about justifying yet another shallow pointless IP pump and dump.
-If Splash Mountain was unacceptable for adapting a movie with insensitive depictions and overly romanticizing a racist time period, why does TBA get a pass for the same thing?
-Why is an adaptation of a German fairy tale a better representation of black culture than an adaptation of actual black folklore?
-Why does a ride about being inclusive and welcoming of everyone have big drops and a height requirement that _aren't_ inclusive of everyone?
-Why does a retheme done because "Stories Matter" somehow _not_ have a good story foundation?
Song of the South definitely was controversial, even when it was released. There are plenty of photos of the NAACP protesting it. Then factor in James Baskett, who played Uncle Reamus couldn't even attend the Atlanta premier because of recreation laws, everything surrounding it was a stark reminder of a shameful time in history.
@@MCastleberry1980 1. The negative press from the NAACP surrounding the original film came from a release from executive secretary Walter White (no, not that one), claiming "in an effort neither to offend audiences in the north or south, the production helps to perpetuate a dangerously glorified picture of slavery"...despite the film being set during Reconstruction after the abolition of slavery. White had not actually seen the movie, relying instead on secondhand testimony from staffers who had (one of which actually said that despite the hokey stereotypes, it was "so artistically beautiful that it [was] difficult to be provoked over the clichés").
Further, when the ride was in development, Disney reached out for input from the NAACP knowing they would provide informed input on how to properly adapt the movie without the same issues they faced in the 40s. Their input led them to solely adapt the animated portions (altering the story flow to not directly depict the Tar Baby sequence), but they also insisted on retaining the dialect from the original animation (which ironically is one of the criticisms the "Splash was racist" crowd points to, despite literally being requested to do so). The idea that the ride itself is horribly racist when they literally consulted with the NAACP on how to avoid doing that is utterly ridiculous.
2. Disney did not distribute their own movies at the time, and thus had no say over the choice of premier venue (that decision was at the hand of RKO Pictures). Not only did Walt Disney stand by James Baskett's performance to such a level he was able to convince the Academy to give him an honorary Oscar for it (making him the first black man to do so), further fallout with RKO as a distributor would cause their relationship to fall apart a few years later, leading Disney to start distributing their own films under their own subsidiary. Baskett's poor treatment was due to RKO being insensitive, not Disney.
I shouldn’t have to say this but thank you for making this knowing that you would catch a lot of heat for it.
Brilliant breakdown, history and analysis. Love your work
Damn. That’s a great video essay, Brickey. Well, done, brother. Best video on Splash Mountain I’ve seen.
Amazing documentary Brickey, thank you for making this!
This was when imagineers cared and put so much love and devotion into Disney rides!!!!! Unlike today. It’s shameful that Tiana’s bayou adventure is such a flop
A John D. Stone name drop! Hell Yeah! The imagineering series on D+ never gave him the proper credit. My mom went to high school with Mr. Stone. I spent so much time at his house growing up. He was so nice and would always let us into park! We got to see all the concepts for Splash Mountain before it was built. Such a great memory.
I wish they built tiana’s adventure at Disneyland but not Disney World. This would not only allow for a better thematic fit for each land but give each resort another unique aspect
Well, the fact is we now have both Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Disneyland and Disney World. I'm not happy they went with the Jungle Cruise or Autopia setting ride with so much empty spaces. I hope they'll at least add Spoonbill birds, lady butterflies, and 2 more songs "When We're Human" maybe for the Dropoff and "Ma Belle Evangeline" for the dark areas.
I would actually say the reverse. The one in Disneyland used the original America Sings animatronics. Were as the Disney World version was built new for the ride. Other than that, Splash Mountain exists in the Disneyland unique critter country which was almost entirely built around the ride. Meanwhile at Disney World Splash is in an isolated area within Frontierland. Overall, I think Disneyland would have been the better one to keep, not that it matters now.
Looking forward to seeing your content when you ride Tianna at Disneyland. My family loves Tianna. Your WDW Tianna content was great.
I rode Splash Mountain at least once a year from 1989 to 2023. I loved the whole "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" experience. It was the first ride that we'd hit every morning once the park opened before Star Wars Land came about & we'd ride it a few times before the park closed.
I do understand the controversy with its theme & why they redesigned it, but it will be missed by the grand majority of people that grew up riding it. I do welcome the change, but I do have a feeling that it's not going to give me any type of nostalgia. Hopefully future generations have fun with it.
You’re a brave man, Godspeed Brickey 🫡
This video highlights the difference between classic Disney and modern day Disney. Classic Disney put so much thought and ingenuity into their attractions. Modern day Disney doesn’t seem to make the same effort or to have the talent to do so.
Or the executives don't give their talent the freedom to make art.
Thanks for the information on Splash Mountain! As a life long learner, I truly appreciate your acumen to Disney’s history, current and future values. Keep the great contents coming!!
Wish it was still there tk show my kids, what a great story and another great video. Thank you
Great video! I'd love to see you talk about the predecessor idea to Splash Mountain, Moonshine Express- a Country Bear themed log flume that had a shooting component to it like Buzz Lightyear has now! Definitely not quite enough history on it for a full-length video like this, but it could be a fun part of a "Never-built Disneyland Attractions" video!
I love Splash Mountain with a passion, I even made my own version of it in my cartoon world Ericland.
The ride is a perfect attraction in my eyes, amazing set design and theming, great music, and a story that works so well. Tony Baxter is one of my top 5 favorite Imagineers, and I love how he took classic Disney design and added new elements to them. The history of this ride is so amazing to learn, and I love everything about the ride.
I'll always have memories on Splash Mountain that'll last for the rest of my life, especially since I videoed most of it on my channel LOL. However, I'll never forgive Disney for replacing it, at least Splash Mountain is still around in my memories.
Thanks for all the Zip a Dee Doo Dag days Splash Mountain...
Guys, back in the day, NOTHING was controversial about this ride. The “controversy” was artificially created in only the last few years by a generation DESPERATELY in need of a cause.
Tony Baxter, himself, said that we are overboard on these sensitivities today, and even the NAACP liked Splash Mountain. Not just them, but he also got support from several other African American organizations when it was being made. They understood the complex past, but they valued the Brer Rabbit stories.
Exactly!
I think you nailed it 100%...That's also true with their hatred of the USA. If they don't face the truth in histiry, they'll repeat it as surely as was done the first time. I'm 78 years old and a long time Disney fan. I'll be outta here, but it's a shame these perceived stances will prevent so many potential future Disney fans from experiencing the Magic...
@@Magnum-wo9ub I’m in my early 20’s, and I 100% agree with you. Not everyone in my generation is this stubborn and sensitive. Those people need to get a grip or get out of here.
I'm surprised you didn't mention another crucial design of splash mountains drop that made it iconic,
From where you walk up to the mountain, you can't see the drop, which serves as a storytelling and ride experience purpose. You are actually going/hiding into the briar patch.
Even on the log, the fog covers up the drop into the patch. Better than Tiana's magic mist. (Really what the hell was that selling point?)
Disney wants us to think that Splash Mountain is "controversial," but it really isn't. Splash Mountain is beloved.
And missed by the majority
@@sky0kast0 100% AGREED!
To some of us it has always been a problem. Im glad they made the change.
I think that’s actually part of the genius of this video. Splash Mountain was controversial in more ways than we knew. The imagineers overcame some incredible challenges to design a now classic ride. Times change and rides come and go; imagineering continues to fascinate.
It was based on a very controversial story, making it controversial.
Easy answer. Yes, they ruined it, and it was a mistake. No offense, at the end, you sound like Disney marketing when trying to sell the idea that it was a good thing to do. With that said, I appreciate the depth you go into for your videos and your good nature.
I hope Disney has saved the brer rabbit and several other character animatronics for the archives.
It has been reported that young imagineers gleefully took the time to physically shred the character costumes (see that park place site).
If Imagineering truly felt like the music was a “character” then they failed spectacularly. Songs just haphazardly play in the background not being acknowledged by the characters at all. Who is singing the music and where is it coming from? In Splash Mountain, literally the entire ride had the animals sing along to the songs as they told the story. It really bothers me that Tiana’s just essentially has a playlist going on in the background. It’s lazy and a step behind what Splash was doing.
a Tony Baxter masterpiece that should never have been destroyed and disappointed you paint the re-do so positively
I feel so bad for him. Cause they're going after Dinosaur next! Baxter's rides were all amazing, I don't know why they see a need to rip all of his creations out. He's a legendary Imagineer.
Disney ruined a perfectly good ride because some woke people got offended... Through the decades, people of all races., colors rode the ride without one ounce of complaining
lol people protested Soung of the South the day the movie opened, but yeah, it's the "wokes"
@@Kyle_The_Mighty People also voiced complaints about the depictions in PatF being insensitive when that came out, so it's not exactly sinless on the fronts that SotS was deemed unacceptable for.
I think fundamentally my biggest issue with the overhaul is that it seems more like Disney was using the whole "Stories Matter" initiative to get cover for what they knew was going to be an unpopular retheme, and didn't actually care about delivering on the values they were throwing Splash Mountain under the bus for. It's little things like the previous observation that show things that make it clear things don't really add up.
Keep WALT Disney, and ELIMINATE of WOKE Disney. Sadly Iger did just the opposite, he's not telling the TRUTH about Walt. They need to tell the TRUTH that WALT supported and promoted for an academy award for James Baskett, and Zip a Dee Doo Dah also an Academy Away winner. SONG of THE SOUTH should continue to be d PROMOTED by ALL Disney CEOs, and tell the WHOLE TRUTH, no CEO should be calling it an embarassment. THAT IS AN INSULT TO JAMES BASKETT, WALT DISNEY, and shows a lack of understanding of how Walt promoted rights WAY BACK in the 1940's THAT Demands CELEBRATION, NOT CONSTERNATION and CRITICISM.
Great job on the production quality of this video. You showed footage I've never seen of the model, and the audio and editing were on point. Best of luck on your channel. I just subscribed.
We all liked splash more right? I rode Tianas and had no desire to ride it again
I think Splash Mountain could have been updated but kept alive. This ride looks nice enough but caters a certain group of people while others are left out once again by Disney.
@@NorthernUtahDashcam Anyone who was “bothered” by Splash Mountain has serious problems. It is a beloved children’s Disney attraction that has been around for decades and was arguably the most popular Disney attraction ever.
The thumbnail is so incredibly correct, the completely ruined the best thing in the park
Another banger of an episode.
Man I loved that model of Splash Mountain that was on display in the Disney Showcase building on Main Street for a long time.
What will we rename the mountain? Beignet Mountain? Jazz Mountain? We need to keep the mountain range.
That model looks so sick. I agree should keep some sort of mountain name
I think Captain EO would be considered the most controversial 😅
Only deluded liars would think it is controversial.
So true. There's no such thing as space travel.
@@eddiebranden1 Not yet anyway. Cause if I remember correctly, it was said that scientists are making potential plans.
Now that was a lame storyline!
I will never forgive Disney for destroying my favorite ride before I could even ride it.
Dana Walden will destroy the brand even further
The new ride could've been so much more ... they could've literally just retold the story of Princess & The Frog and it would've literally been 👩🏾🍳💋 ... no story, no soul, only 3 characters - not even Ray, Lottie, Tiana's Mom or Naveen ... it sucks, it SUCKS REALLY BAD
The story of Splash had history, tension, drama, and joy, just like life itself!
This new ride has none of that, and leaves one empty with nothing but singing animals who convey no real purpose
"Woke-ism" ideology allowed the change and weve lost an iconic piece of story-telling history forever!
RIP Splash! ❤️
@@LJC123 Amen
While I don't mind the retheming to PatF in WDW, I think Splash Mountain should've been kept for Disneyland, since that is the classic Disney park.
So are Mules. Should they come back?
@@climateanxiety2825 Don’t be stubborn. 😁 JK.
@@climateanxiety2825 I mean, I'm not asking for it, but if they wanted to bring them back, I wouldn't mind.
I always felt that Splash Mountain was just Disney's way of competing with The Log Ride at Knotts
The original version was added due to Michael Eisner's initiative to add more thrilling attractions to the parks, surveys of which indicated a water ride was of particular interest to guests. Plans started developing around filling the vacant space between Haunted Mansion and Bear Country, using a Song of the South theme to ensure the ride would be a natural thematic fit for that corner of the park.
That said, one of the creative leads had attended the opening day of the Knott's version years prior, and can actually be seen in press videos looking over the queue at the mechanics of the first lift hill. There was most definitely creative inspiration from the Knott's version, but more in the way of "Knott's showed this kind of ride would work really well for telling a story with a thrill" rather than "we have to compete with Knott's, quick, make a log ride!"
32:00 from what I seen, it doesn't really? Lets not kid ourselves, splash was always designed for its story and ever since the announcement I was doubtful they can actually improve the attraction for what they have to work with. Music was already an important part of splash and tiana's doesn't really do that good in telling it's story.
Like genuinely I was hopeful for it to be better, but as time went on and I saw more, I just didn't think it looked good. It felt like a cheap experience that kids will grow out of, and that's a big no-no for Disney, especially for what might come culturally, in the future, both in and out of Disneyland.
Using the original ticket system of A through E tickets as an example, a Disney park needs all these levels of attractions to work. Not every attraction can be an E Ticket, and I think today's audiences expect everything new to be an E Ticket. Tiana is at least a solid D Ticket. Was Splash Mountain an E Ticket? Most would say yes, and I think this "downgrade" from E to D is what makes most people upset. So now it's a D, oh well. As I said, Disney parks need A,B,C, and D attractions (and of course E) to make them work. I would never spend my time waiting for a "spinner" attraction like Dumbo or Tea Cups, yet there is always a line for them. Everyone has different likes and tastes, that's why there needs to be all levels in the parks. If I sound like I'm defending Tiana, I'm not. I don't think it should have been changed, but what's done is done. We just have to move on.
Hey Brickey!
Thank you for your balanced storytelling. In my opinion you do a great job of telling the whole story, not just the story some want to hear.
I appreciate that!
Tiana's would be fine if the animatronics actually worked properly and consistently, and if there was some sense of conflict... It just comes across shallow to me without any sense of urgency involved. I sadly feel like it missed the mark. Hopefully it works better and feels less empty in the Disneyland version than WDW's. I do like the new song at the end scene though. Quite catchy.
Failures never lasts so don’t expect both versions of racist ride in both parks to last forever, especially when Iger is kicked out forever.
This is more of a question for society as a whole, when is progress not actually progress.
Here’s the thing when it comes to Splash Mountain: How many of the average guest (that is, people who like Disney but are not all into i the history) even knew the basis of Splash Mtn? Like maybe 1% at most? Certainly at WDW where they get far more international guests it was probably less than that!
But here’s the most egregious thing by the current crop of Imagineers in wanting to cancel this all out: Floyd Norman, a black animator for Disne, years later later wanted Disney to re-release it. That is well documented. By eliminating (cancelling) Splash Mountain these current Imagineers have wiped out both the animators that worked on the film, but also the black cast that was in Song of the South - including James Baskett who played Uncle Remus!
The original Uncle Remus tales originated in Africa and were brought over by slaves and to Laura Plantation outside of New Orleans - A French-Creole plantation. I have been there and they tell the history of all of this. These were NOT some tales made up by “white folk” - they were stories and tales passed down by enslaved Africans.
What Disney should have done, in my opinion, is celebrate all of this and have a “conversation” and tribute about the history of Uncle Remus, the cast of Song of the South and Floyd Norman that could have been sort of a museum at the exit or nearby shop.
If anyone wants to look this up on your own, search “Floyd Norman Song of the South” on Google, and then “Laura Plantation” on Wikipedia. You’ll see for yourself all of this!
My final point is this: Cancelling out something is never good! History cannot be changed - But what can change is shedding light on the subject. There were very few people that were bothered by Splash - and because of them it is now gone when it could have honored those who were part of that film.
I did. Everyone I know did.
Stolen tales from African enslaved individuals! Yes history cannot and should not be erased! However, does such a painful part of history have a place at the happiest place on earth! I am one of the first few people to have signed the petition and many followed me. Which goes to show many people found fault in it!
Those same black actors you speak about weren’t even allowed to go to the premiere of the movie because the color of their skin!
@@climateanxiety2825 But I bet you went on Splash Mountain, and probably many times, and enjoyed it!
Weird how it's the white people gatekeeping it hermm.....
@@more2me100 "Yes history cannot and should not be erased!"
So then Song of the South should be made available for release so we can see it and talk about it honestly, rather than hiding it away and having people who have never seen it act like it's the Disney version of Birth of a Nation.
"I am one of the first few people to have signed the petition and many followed me."
Yeah, the same kind of people who probably think non-Asians eating sushi is racist too...
"Those same black actors you speak about weren’t even allowed to go to the premiere of the movie because the color of their skin!"
Due to stipulations from the distributor, RKO Radio Pictures, a decision Walt wasn't too happy with either. Disney would later part with RKO due to further disputes on distribution, leading to Disney setting up their own subsidiary to handle distribution themselves. If Walt Disney truly didn't care about the black cast, why was he so adamant about getting James Baskett an Oscar for his work on the film (making him the first black man to win one)?
11:11 is such a beautiful shot. Sad I'll never get to see that view again :'(
Hey Brickey! - I think the building of Splash Mountain had true elements that you've covered well, but one thing that is missing is Knotts' Timber Mountain Log Ride that opened 20 years before Splash Mountain. There is no doubt Disney took ideas from that ride down to the logs themselves. Sure, Splash Mountain was a better ride in every way, but let's give a bit of credit where it's due.
I have never been to Knots so I’m unfamiliar with the attraction.
I wish them much success for the new ride...that being said I will never get on the ride again I have no desire to see the new look for it.........once Splash Mountain closed that was the end for me....anytime I go to Disneyland I will just skip the ride.
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it
Keep up the good work
Thanks Ed!
#restoresplashmountain at Disneyland #tianasbayouadventureisracist
Disney needs more thrill rides not fewer. Why dilute the thrill just as the scary was removed from Snow White's Scary Adventures.
Great deep dive into the develop of the Splash Mountain attraction and design contributions of Tony Baxter and the rest of the Team.
The music on splash was the best. We would sing along to most of it. And all the cute animatronics. I even miss the vultures. Tianas is underwhelming except for the one good scene of the riverboat and that is not enough.
Splash Mountain is controversial only because Disney decided to say it was controversial
I saw Song of the South when it was rereleased in theaters in 86. As a kid I loved the film. As an adult I understand the controversy but I have never seen it like that. I just see people an amazing story and a very catchy song. I think if people would actually see that film they will see its a masterpiece of storytelling. I really don’t think it would have as much controversy around it. Sad to see the ride go but super excited about Tiana.
I’ve seen the entire film and it was painful to watch. I’m excited for Tiana’s ride as well 😊
Well’ due to the bad receptions to the Tiana ride, you’re only going to be sadly disappointed. For it failed and was proved racist due to the salt dome that had real slavery, which the original never had.
You’re only calling Song of the South Painful because you are deluded and lying to yourself without bothering to know the true nature of it.
@@NickyHelp There is a redeeming quality that an ADOS has bought a place where their ancestors were unjustly treated and started a thriving business. That my friend is redemption and it’s beautiful in this aspect. Theres actually a movement for other ADOS to do this exact thing. So that we can tell our own stories!
@@more2me100 Redemption, or hypocrisy?
Splash Mountain wasn't Controversial until "certain" people made it controversial. The "people" that made it controversial rhyme with the word JOKE.
Great! Thanks Brickey!
Awesome video! Love the hat, is it on your website to purchase?
Not yet. Coming soon. Thanks!
disney doesnt rly care tho, thats been obvious for so long now at this point, the ride was literally just about a buncha cute animals, huge drops and a lotta water (not my favorite part but hey thats the point)
Well done Brickey👏👏👏
FYI California Screamin (Incredicoaster) is launched at 55 mph, putting Splash Mountain at second. Guardians is 39mph.
I never did get my last ride with "Splash Mountain." On the flip side of that, I did get to say goodbye to an old friend as you so eloquently stated in your video about its last day of operation when I visited the park just a mere 2 weeks before it's closure where I, like those on its last day cheered those going down, I stood there for about 15 minutes alone and remenecing of the many fun times my best bud Chris and I had on that ride durring our summers of fun in high school. Oh, the stories I could share!
I understand the controversial surrounding the closure, as well as the re-theming of the ride, I just hope though through the new adventure partying with Tianna, the old guard will embrace its new features and still enjoy the drop with out the build up of the old theming in it's place. For me, it never was about the story, I just wanted to get wet. Let me tell you, Chris and I did, in our own way. Those are the memories I will carry with me as the anticipation of the new theming and opening for Disneyland draws closer.
Downloaded for my flight home. Thanks, Brickey.
Good seeing you ❤️
@@HeyBrickey Likewise, Sir! 😉🥰🤪
Appreciate your ability as a designer to research and explain the beyond belief aspects of this amazing attraction. !… Is still a thrill water ride, but feel that the adventure is less satisfying..:
They need a Villain and an Escape to make it a perfect Attraction!!
0:33 i rly love this vintage vhs footage