A Look Inside Disney’s Splash Mountain Revamp Featuring ‘The Princess and the Frog’

Disney Parks’ Splash Mountain ride is getting a revamp, and now we have the first details about what the new and improved ride will look like.

Last summer, Disney announced plans to update the attraction with a new theme based around The Princess and the Frog. For many, this revamp is long overdue; the previous Splash Mountain theme came from Song of the South, a project Disney has spent years distancing itself from due to its heavy racial stereotypes.

In celebration of “World Princess Week,” several creatives attached to updating the ride gathered for a roundtable. You can watch Kenneth Moton of ABC News lead a discussion with them below. Guests include Stella Chase Reese, Owner of Dooky Chase’s Restaurant (a location inspiration for Princess and the Frog) and daughter of Leah Chase, the inspiration for Tiana; Carmen Smith, Creative Executive, Vice President, Inclusive Strategies for Walt Disney Imagineering; Charita Carter, Senior Producer for Walt Disney Imagineering; and Marlon West, VFX Supervisor for Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Splash Mountain will get a Princess and the Frog makeover at Disney World and Disneyland soon. 

The redesign will apparently follow Tiana and Naveen on a new journey that takes place after the final scene of the film. Guests will join in as the pair plan a one-of-a-kind Mardi Gras celebration. The ride will feature original music inspired by the movie’s soundtrack.

You can check out concept art for the redesign below, along with a painting by Sharika Mahdi serving as inspiration to Disney’s imagineers working on the ride.

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Splash Mountain isn’t the only Disney Parks ride getting a content update. Jungle Cruise also underwent a revamp recently designed to remove offensive depictions of native people.

So, what do you think of the new ideas for Splash Mountain? Let us know in the comments.

Meanwhile, check back to THS for more Disney Parks news.

Source: Disney Parks Blog