Disney has announced that Splash Mountain at both Disneyland in California and Magic Kingdom in Florida will soon be reimagined to the animated Disney film, “The Princess and the Frog.”
With a backstory based on the controversial 1946 classic Disney movie "Song of the South," there have been strong calls for Disney to make changes to the hugely popular flume ride.
Disney says that "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."
According to Disney, "We pick up this story after the final kiss, and join Princess Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure – featuring some of the powerful music from the film – as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance. Tiana is a modern, courageous, and empowered woman, who pursues her dreams and never loses sight of what’s really important. It’s a great story with a strong lead character, set against the backdrop of New Orleans and the Louisiana bayou. In 1966, Walt himself opened New Orleans Square when it became the first new “land” added to Disneyland park, so it feels natural to link the story and the incredible music of “The Princess and the Frog” to our parks."
The voice of Princess Tiana and Tony Award-winning actress, Anika Noni Rose, shared, “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 ‘The Princess and the Frog’ Mardi Gras celebration we’ve been waiting for, and I’m here for it!”
The project will be led by Charita Carter, who most recently worked on Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway. Splash Mountain creater Tony Baxter will serve as a creative adviser for the makeover.
A timeline for the closure and reopening has yet to be announced, but Splash Mountain will reopen from the COVID-19 shutdown in its original form.
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