Fans will go to great lengths when it comes to this beloved ride!
Today, May 31, 2023, is the day that Splash Mountain closes for good in Disneyland Resort. As we have seen in the past, fans take their commitment to this ride incredibly seriously. The ride, which opened in 1989, features characters and songs from Disney’s controversial 1946 film Song of the South. While the ride is beloved by many fans, the film has long been criticized for perpetuating racist stereotypes and romanticizing the Antebellum South.
Despite being a popular attraction at Disneyland and Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, Disney made the decision to shut down the ride and retheme it to a less problematic option. The new ride, called Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, will take Guests on a musical journey through the swamps of New Orleans as they help Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen from Princess and the Frog navigate the bayou. Guests hoping to ride Splash Mountain before its retheme flocked to the Parks today to ride it one last time.
Fans Go to Great Lengths to Ride Splash Mountain
The reimagining of Splash Mountain was met with excitement from many Disney fans who had been calling for a change for years. The Disney Parks Blog released a statement saying, “We know that this is a big change, but we believe that it is the right one. The Princess and the Frog is a beloved modern classic with a strong fanbase, and we are excited to bring these characters and this story to Disney Parks around the world.”
Some fans, however, were much more emotional about the closing. When Splash Mountain in Walt Disney World Resort closed earlier this year, fans mourned and protested publicly for weeks following the closing. While no reports of fans protesting have been announced, many fans are certainly very sad to see this ride go.
Line Stretches Over Four Hours for Splash Mountain
Yesterday, May 30, 2023, was the last day that Guests could ride Splash Mountain. To honor such a monumental occasion, Guests from all over the world flocked to Disneyland Park to ride Splash Mountain one last time. There was so much demand that the ride line ended up lasting 260 minutes. That’s four hours and 20 minutes of waiting for Splash Mountain!
Clearly, the line did not detur Guests. Disneyland Cast Members ended up having to cut the line off to new Guests at 10 p.m. last night.