Disney first introduced plans to shut one among its signature Disneyland and Walt Disney World points of interest, Splash Mountain, again in the summertime of 2020. The plan all alongside has been to not a lot change it as replace it — to keep up the fundamental structure and construction however to exchange the characters and theming that had been from Disney’s controversial 1946 movie Track of the South with ones from the favored 2009 movie The Princess and the Frog.
There have been occasional updates since then; the announcement of the brand new journey’s identify (Tiana’s Bayou Journey) and a tentative opening date of 2024. However with the intention to open Tiana’s Bayou Journey, Splash Mountain wants to shut, and till at present Disney had given no indication when that is perhaps.
Lastly, Disney Parks Weblog has given a concrete date: Walt Disney World’s Splash Mountain will shut on January 23, 2023. (A time limit for Disneyland’s model of the journey will probably be given “at a later date.”)
Splash Mountain first opened in 1989, some 40 years after the discharge of Track of the South, and properly after its content material had already turn out to be a supply of controversy for Disney. (Following one final re-release in 1986, Disney basically locked Track of the South away and has by no means made it commercially accessible on residence video — for extra on why learn this text.) Regardless of its questionable content material, the movie additionally accommodates a few of Disney’s hottest songs, together with “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah.”
Disney additionally unveiled some new particulars in regards to the revised journey, together with some idea artwork of a scene that comes as “you first drop into the bayou and encounter some associates each new and acquainted … you’ll be a part of Princess Tiana and jazz-loving alligator Louis throughout Mardi Gras season as they put together to host a one-of-a-kind celebration for the individuals of New Orleans.”
Though The Princess and the Frog is much extra beloved than Track of the South, Disney obtained numerous pushback once they first introduced this refurbishment from followers who love Splash Mountain no matter what it’s primarily based on. These people have lower than two months to journey Splash Mountain one final time, no less than in Florida.
