For years, Disney fans have debated whether the company made the right call when it shut down Splash Mountain. Now, a new comment from Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro might have confirmed what many have suspected all along—Disney regrets that decision more than they’ve ever let on.
The original announcement to close Splash Mountain came in 2020. While the company said it wanted to create a more inclusive experience by replacing the attraction with a Princess and the Frog (2009)-themed ride, the move triggered immediate backlash. Fans weren’t just upset—they were furious. Splash Mountain wasn’t just another ride; it was a Disney classic with a massive following, and people weren’t ready to say goodbye.
Fast-forward to today, and we’ve officially got Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in its place. It’s colorful, fresh, and packed with energy—but the sting from losing Splash Mountain hasn’t worn off for everyone. Especially now that D’Amaro is calling it a “merger” of the two experiences.
In a recent interview, D’Amaro said, “We knew that our guests wanted to see more of Tiana. We knew that Splash Mountain was a popular attraction, and we thought that the merger of those two things coming together would create an unbelievable experience.”
Wait… merger?
That word is rubbing a lot of fans the wrong way. It’s the first time anyone from Disney leadership has described the transformation that way. And it sounds a whole lot like backpedaling. Back when the change was first announced, Disney was clear: Splash Mountain was going away. Period. There was no talk of combining elements or preserving its spirit. It was a full-on closure, and they removed every trace of it—including the iconic “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” from the parks entirely.
So why now, after the new ride has launched, is the company trying to spin this as a blend of old and new?
Some believe it’s an attempt to rebuild trust with fans who never supported the closure in the first place. And given that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has had mixed reviews and technical issues, it wouldn’t be shocking if Disney is looking for a way to smooth things over.
But fans haven’t forgotten. The internet doesn’t forget either. And no matter how many times Disney tries to soften the story, the reality is still there: they closed a fan-favorite, and now they’re tiptoeing around the fact that it may have been the wrong move.
I won’t even go on the ride anymore. I loved it when it was splash mountain but after it was changed (which was ridiculous) I had no interest. Bye bye splash mountain, I will be back when you return.
Same here, one and done! Going on TBA leaves you disappointed, and wanting Splash Mountain. It’s like going to a restaurant and not ordering your favorite thing at that restaurant, and then wishing you had ordered the favorite thing. Except with this, you don’t have the option.
And ‘woke’, racist crap comments in 3, 2, 1…
It’s just that the new attraction is boring. Disney missed so many possibilities here. I wanted to like it, even though I adored Splash Mountain and always will (and I grew up on the Br’er Rabbit stories). I love Princess and the Frog – but this is just meh at best. I won’t ride it unless someone is with me who insists.
I was so angry about this , i ended my pass after decades. Song of the south is my favorite movie, and those who say its racist obviously have never seen it, or too dense to understand the story.
Ending Splash Mountain was worse than closing Rivers of America and Muppets 3D. What Disney needs to do now is lean into their decision. The current Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is poor. It needs more show elements added. More characters especially Dr. Facilier (who could easily be added despite his demise in the film). Disney! Fix it!!
Yes, Splash Mountain was classic and forever. The Disney management is just dumb. They want to force the stupid woke agenda on us…and it’s backfiring on them. The new Tianas ride is so boring. They totally missed the mark on this. The ending song makes you wanna plug your ears up. How they can get rid of Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah like that just blows my mind.
I think they are going to regret closing the muppets a lot more. The silly thing is that they have the physical space to build an entirely new Monsters Inc section somewhere else in the park.
I found Tiana’s Bayou Adventure to be boring. Loved the movie, not the ride. Splash Mountain is a Disney classic. It had all the elements of a perfect classic ride that should never have been torn down. It’s like closing down Pirates or Haunted Mansion. It had a great happy music score like Laughin Place and Zip a Dee Doo Dah. It was magical.
Crackers be mad, Disneyland is an experience geared towards children. Let kids enjoy their modern classics, change happens.
Well, funny thing, I think that Disney blew it. They had the opportunity in their hands to honor James Baskett, (Uncle Remus) as the first African American male actor to win an Academy Award for his role in the movie, “Song of the South” in addition to being the voice actor for Brer Fox . That is worthy of remembrance, but what do I know, I’m a “cracker” according to you. People should educate themselves on the history of the ride and how it in reality loosely relates to the movie, before making foolish remarks.
While the desecration of Splash Mountain is horrible, they’ve outdone (or more like “undone”) themselves in choosing to remove The Rivers of America in Magic Kingdom. Why are they so desperate to destroy the soul of their parks, that which makes them unique and gives them competitive advantages? It’s been grim for a while; Mickey’s Runaway Railway is just a frenetic mess. Trackless vehicles aren’t a very good crutch to fix that, already a tired gimmick. I’m worried about how deep of a hole they can dig with the $60B they’re planning to spend on park additions.
It’s one of the worst re-themes in Disney history. Disney took one of their most popular rides Splash Mountain and turned it into a Rainforest Cafe downgrade. Disney getting rid of Splash Mountain is one of the reasons Epic is winning. Close it down. Bring back Splash Mountain.