Disney World's Splash Mountain Is Closing & What We Know About The 'Princess Tiana' Ride
There's one month left to ride it before it shuts down.
Splash Mountain at Disney World. Right: A cartoon version of what to expect for Splash Mountains replacement.
Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World is getting a revamp for 2024, which means the ride is going to be shut down for a whole year. The theme park is closing the attraction on January 23 to replace it with a reimagined The Princess and the Frog flume ride.
While the voice actress who played Princess Tiana, Annika Noni Rose, already confirmed the new renovations, Disney staff revealed even more exciting news on December 2.
They are getting visitors prepared for what they can expect to see when it reopens, and it has a lot of Louisiana influence. In fact, the Imagineer team visited New Orleans for authentic inspiration for the ride.
"In many ways, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is a love letter to New Orleans," said Charita Carter, the Executive Producer of Relevancy Animations. "Like the musical city that inspired this attraction, Tiana’s second act is about a community working in harmony to achieve something extraordinary."
Is Disney shutting down Splash Mountain?
Yes, Disney will shut splash mountain down on January 23, 2023, until late 2024. The flume ride holds a special place in many people's hearts and many took to the Disney Imagineering comment section upset about the news.
"IF IT AIN’T BROKE DON’T FIX IT," someone wrote in all caps to Disney World's Instagram post published on December 2.
Others said they like the new ride idea, but are upset Splash Mountain is closing.
What are they replacing Splash Mountain with?
The new ride is going to be called "Tiana's Bayou Adventure" named after The Princess and the Frog's main character, Princess Tiana.
It will be inspired by her journey in the animated film as well as have deep-rooted ties to the culture of New Orleans in the 1920s.
Is Splash Mountain getting a new theme?
Splash Mountain's new theme will be centered around Louisiana's Bayou, which takes place in the heart of the French Quarter.
The Imagineering team took a research trip there to make everything — from the costumes to the hairstyles — look as authentic as can be.
"Our efforts are a tribute to the beauty and dignity of all the proud Black women who came before us, and to their great-granddaughters joining us on the journey today, we’re celebrating with you," costume Designer Ida Muldrow from Disney Live Entertainment said.
The amusement park revealed a new scene on December 2 of what some parts of the ride are going to look like.
"In this scene, fireflies light up the bayou, leading toward the joyful sound of zydeco music, and on the other side is a band full of adorable critters," the company's caption reads.
The critters in the photo are expected to sing and play music with instruments made from natural materials found in the bayou area.
While not much else has been given away, the Disney Parks blog hint that these animals might have a larger role to play in the journey.
There is no specific date set for the re-opening of the renovated Splash Mountain.
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.
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