
When it comes to Disney, its fanbase will undoubtedly catch on to every small move the company makes. Disney fans love a good conspiracy theory, especially involving a high-profile ride and movie.
One of the big Disney stories of the last year has been the closing of the iconic but controversial theme Park ride Splash Mountain. Splash Mountain has been a Walt Disney World and Disneyland staple for decades, but the show’s problematic racial undertones resulted in its planned removal from the Parks. When Splash Mountain closed in Walt Disney World on January 23, fans of the ride went wild and publically mourned the ride for weeks. Fans of the ride were devastated by the decision and were disappointed in the Walt Disney Company’s decision.
Now, a piece of Disney merchandise from 2010 is giving fans a reason to believe that the closing of Splash Mountain has been planned for much longer than initially revealed. Is this all just a conspiracy theory, or is something bigger at play?
Disney Merchandise Gives Fans Cause for Suspicion
Disney loves to tease future releases with “easter eggs” hidden in their movies, but what about their merchandise? One fan made a discovery of a 2010 Disney pin that has a suspicious parallel to today’s circumstances.
In 2010, Disney released a line of Disney pins entitled “Princesses and Princes on Thrill Rides.” These collectible pins paired Disney couples with the most iconic rides and rollercoasters in the Disney Parks. While all of the pains are comical and adorable, one stands out as being much more interesting than the rest.
One of the pins shows Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen riding Splash Mountain. In case you did not know, Splash Mountain is now being rethemed to become Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. One Reddit user pointed out the pin’s existence and how much it foreshadowed the future.
Fans Divided Over “Future-Telling” Disney Pin
After the pin was posted in the Disneyland Reddit community, fans began to discuss if this was a lucky coincidence or an easter egg from over a decade ago. One fan believes that something much darker was at play, saying;
“Now I’m more convinced that the movie was supposed to be an attempt to replace the theme of Splash Mountain.
Song of the South is one of the great Satans of Disney up there with White Wilderness. So in 2009, perhaps Disney created a movie that is set in New Orleans and feature critters hoping it would blow up in popularity so they could finally get rid of the last trace of the Satan they had. But plans were shelved when the movie flopped.
But not to be discouraged, Disney added Tiana to the regular Disney princess line knowing that popularity will grow over time and right when there was nostalgia as well as second viewings of The Princess and the Frog, they knew it was time again to act. Only this time, they succeed.
Think about it. The theme fits perfectly between New Orleans Square and Critter Country. A plan since 2009?”
I got this LE 300 pin in 2010 as part of the “Princesses and Princes on Thrill Rides” collection. Coincidence??
byu/Retrosnacks inDisneyland
Other fans oppose this commenter and believe that the retheming was only planned after the death of George Floyd sparked a national uprising against racism in all forms. For now, fans will remain divided on this Disney conspiracy theory.