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Fans keen to return to Disney Parks after the COVID-19 pandemic have yet another reason to be excited: The Imagineers have unveiled The Princess and the Frog’s new renovation of the beloved Splash Mountain ride.
Entertainment Weekly reports that the redesign of the ride will incorporate elements of New Orleans – the setting from the movie – into the existing ride, as well as an all-new plot. Now the Riders will follow the film’s Princess Tiana (played by Anika Noni Rose) leading a group through a swamp to a big party.
Disney ordered the redesign after a bit of soul searching last summer. The original Splash Mountain attraction borrowed from the Disney movie Song of the South – a film now considered so race-insensitive, the company pulled it from circulation. With the #BlackLivesMatter protests in full swing, Disney announced the redesign of the ride in the summer of 2020.
The new designs, however, inspired by the work of New Orleans artist Sharika Mahdi, have sparked division on social media. Twitter users both praised the new concept and used it as ammunition to further attack Disney and its company policies.
This is going to be amazing, I love the scenes in the movie with all the fireflies and crossing the water. The only thing I’m not sure is this second image. It doesn’t look like the princess and the frog, it looks like Candyland
– Hayz Nicole (@HayzNicole) August 23, 2021
“It’s going to be amazing, I love the scenes in the movie with all the fireflies and crossing the water. The only thing I’m not sure is this second picture. It doesn’t look like the princess and the frog this looks like Candyland, ”user @HayzNicole said.
I understand why they want to distance themselves from Song of the South, but it is still a mistake in my opinion. The Princess and the Frog is a European story in which a black woman plays the princess. Br’er Rabbit and co are oral traditions kept alive by slaves for centuries.
– BlamKaboom (@BlamKaboom) August 23, 2021
“I understand why they want to distance themselves from Song of the South, but that’s still a mistake in my opinion. The Princess and the Frog is a European story in which a black woman plays the princess. Br’er Rabbit and co are oral traditions kept alive by slaves for centuries, ”user @BlamKaboom wrote.
I might care that Disney didn’t cost much more than the visit was worth.
Disney isn’t magic, that’s for sure. The last trip took 3 hours to find a princess for my daughter, but the actress was going to take a break soon and the escorts didn’t even let us within 20 feet of the lady.
– Vyvian07 (@ Vyvian07) August 23, 2021
“I might care that Disney didn’t cost much more than the visit was worth. Disney isn’t magic, that’s for sure. The last trip took 3 hours to find a princess for my daughter, but the actress was going to take a break soon and the escorts didn’t even let us within 20 feet of the lady, ”@ Vyvian07 complained.
This is so cool! The Princess and the Frog is my favorite Disney movie. Great story and I love The Big Easy (New Orleans). It is a perfect turn to have converted. The area where the film is based is the Swamp Center.
– Diana Dee Light ???? (@ DianaDee16) August 23, 2021
“That’s so cool! The Princess and the Frog is my favorite Disney movie. Great story and I love The Big Easy (New Orleans). It’s a perfect turn to convert. The area where the movie is based is the swamp center, ”gushed @ DianaDee16.
Sources claim that Splash Mountain will lose the majority of its AAs with the Princess and the Frog reimagining because Disney is unwilling to spend even close to the amount needed to properly revamp the attraction.
– Brayden (@SirBrayden) August 23, 2021
“Sources say Splash Mountain will lose the majority of its
with the Princess and the Frog reinventing because Disney is unwilling to spend even close to the amount of money needed to properly revamp the attraction, ”@SirBrayden lamented.
What a surprise! Will it just be a cheap overlay that takes most of the ride away? What! I could never have guessed that the modern Disney company would do this!
– Liam ???? (@JeffingTatum) August 23, 2021
“What a surprise! It’ll just be a cheap overlay that takes most of the ride away? What! I never could have guessed modern Disney Co. would do that,” raged @JeffingTatum.
Splash Mountain attractions at Disneyland and Walt Disney World will undergo a princess and frog-themed renovation. Disney has yet to announce the opening of either attraction.
I understand why they want to distance themselves from Song of the South, but it is still a mistake in my opinion. The Princess and the Frog is a European story in which a black woman plays the princess. Br’er Rabbit and co are oral traditions kept alive by slaves for centuries.
– BlamKaboom (@BlamKaboom) August 23, 2021
