Disney’s Splash Mountain Will Be Redone With 'Princess and the Frog' Theme

Splash Mountain in Walt Disney World is getting a major overhaul.

Petitions calling for Disney to re-theme Splash Mountain due to its ties to the1946 film Song of the South recently gained popularity online. If you've never heard of this film, you're not alone. Song of the South has been widely criticized for its racist themes, which is why Disney did not include the movie in the Disney Plus library when the streaming service launched. Disney chief officer even told fans not to expect to see the movie available anywhere "for at least a while—if ever."

It seems Disney listened to the concerns about Splash Mountain—a popular log flume ride in Magic Kingdom and Disneyland—and has decided to give the ride a whole new theme. Just as the petitions suggest, Splash Mountain's new theme will be based on the animated film The Princess and the Frog. Those familiar with the Disney canon will know The Princess and the Frog featured Disney's first Black princess.

In a press release shared with People, Disney said this is a “a project Imagineers have been working on since last year" and did not mention the popular online petitions. According to Disney, the ride’s storyline will pick up “after the final kiss, and join Princess Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure – featuring some of the powerful music from the film – as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance.”

“The re-theming of Splash Mountain is of particular importance today,” the press release continued. “The new concept is inclusive – one that all of our guests can connect with and be inspired by, and it speaks to the diversity of the millions of people who visit our parks each year.”

Fans of the Disney parks and the animated film aren't the ones excited about this move, either. Anika Noni Rose, who voiced Princess Tiana in The Princess and the Frog, shared her own excitement about ride's reimagining. “It is really exciting to know that Princess Tiana's presence in both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom will finally be fully realized! As passionate as I am about what we created, I know the fans are going to be over the moon. The Imagineers are giving us thePrincess and The Frog Mardi Gras celebration we've been waiting for, and I'm here for it," she told People.

Disney's press release did not give a timeline for when Splash Mountain's re-theming will be complete, however, the press release states that “conceptual design work is well underway and Imagineers will soon be able to conduct preliminary reviews and develop a timeline for when the transformation can start to take shape.” 

Photo: Disney