Some Disney Parks reporters are claiming that Tokyo Disneyland will be replacing its beloved Splash Mountain attraction. But according to That Park Place sources, that might not be the case.
An image of Splash Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland via WDW News Today YouTube
Back in 2020, Disney announced plans to replace Splash Mountain, one of the most popular attractions in the history of Disney Parks, with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. However, there was a third Splash Mountain in existence that still stands today.
Splash Mountain remains a hugely popular attraction in Tokyo Disneyland. So why was the attraction changed in Walt Disney World and Disneyland but not Tokyo?
Splash Mountain is a ride in Disneyland based on the movie Song of the South. Photo Credit: Cd637 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
READ: Rumor: The Final Splash Mountain In Japan Under Pressure To Be Destroyed By The Walt Disney Company
Because Disney doesn’t own Tokyo Disneyland outright.
It’s owned by the Oriental Land Company, and as such they have final say over all changes to the park.
But, as That Park Place has been reporting for several months, Disney has been pressuring those in charge to make the change. However, the Japanese company has been less than accommodating to Disney’s requests. This mostly stems from the extreme popularity of the attraction. The cute cartoon critters that make up the audio animatronic roster for the flume ride fit in very well with Tokyo Disney’s fanbase.
Japanese culture also doesn’t bend to Western identity politics, which is what caused the closure of Splash Mountain in the domestic parks. The attraction’s connection to the Disney film Song of The South made it a priority target for Disney’s Stories Matter department.
This division of the Disney company is tasked with making changes to “problematic” properties from Disney’s past. Because Song of The South features sharecroppers living on a plantation during the Reconstruction era of the South, it was deemed problematic by the company. That’s why the popular attraction was closed down to make way for a new ride featuring Tiana, Disney’s first black princess.
READ: Disney Surveys Cast Members on Favorite Ride in History of Disneyland… Leaves Out Splash Mountain
But, according to reports, the Oriental Land Company wasn’t convinced that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure would be a draw for the Japanese crowd and ultimately refused Disney’s initial offer. However, a new report from WDWNT citing inside sources claims that the two sides may have come to an agreement on a replacement attraction that would see the world’s last Splash Mountain close permanently in 2028.
However, according to them, the new experience wouldn’t be Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
“As time has progressed, we’ve heard stories of Disney continually asking OLC to reconsider the project, but the reoccurring story we had been told was that Disney was willing to foot some of the bill if Tokyo Disneyland would replace the ride,” WDWNT said in its article. “The other consistent rumbling was that Tokyo would not build Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, but instead would ask Walt Disney Imagineering to design something wholly unique for this replacement that would fit the area adjacent to Westernland and Fantasyland in the park. According to sources, OLC has agreed to whatever Disney’s offer may have been and a team of Imagineers is hard at work creating a replacement for the world’s last Splash Mountain.”
Splash Mountain via 4K WDW YouTube
If these claims are true and the Oriental Land Company has finally accepted Disney’s offer, it would stand to reason that these plans would take time to implement. Disney’s willingness to budge on the replacement attraction not being Tiana’s Bayou Adventure isn’t surprising given a recent D23 announcement that a new Lion King log flume attraction would be coming to Disneyland Paris.
The new attraction bears a striking resemblance to Splash Mountain and many were wondering if this was initially intended to be another Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
However, it should be noted that after checking with our own sources within the company, That Park Place has received no indication that this report is accurate.
“Guys, I’ll just be forthright,” scooper WDW Pro of That Park Place said on a recent episode of The Pro Show, to a panel that included this reporter, “I don’t have anybody in my sources who says this is happening, and it’s for clear financial reasons.”
READ: Report: ‘The Princess And The Frog’ Voice Actress Bashes Splash Mountain As “Hateful And Hurtful”
Pro then went on to say that there is no financial upside to the Oriental Land Company making such a move.
“There is no upside to the Oriental Land Company doing this,” he said. “It would cost a lot of money, they have to pay it. It’s one of their most popular attractions by far.” Pro also stated that some of his sources have noted that the Lion King attraction coming to Paris would not work in this space and it would not be an easy re-theme.
“Ultimately the Oriental Land Company has suffered greatly with their company’s value due to the Japanese stock market drop,” Pro said. “So there’s nothing lining up that would point toward the OLC being interested in doing this.”
Concept art for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Unfortunately for Disney, its rollout of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has been nothing short of a disaster. The attraction in Walt Disney World has experienced a tumultuous debut, with frustrated guests unable to ride for long periods on an almost daily basis. The new Frontierland ride sees almost daily downtime, sometime running several hours. Recently the attraction didn’t open to guests until nearly 3 pm.
And when the attraction is running, reviews of the experience have been mixed to put it mildly.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure via TheTimTracker YouTube
READ: The Destruction of Splash Mountain: Imagineer Brags of Fulfillment
But still, many have called Tiana’s Bayou Adventure a “necessary downgrade,” citing the supposed racism of Splash Mountain.
WDWNT’s Tom Corless even referred to Splash Mountain in his article as a “problematic log flume attraction,” going on to harp about America’s “uncomfortable history with racism” while describing Japan as a country, “that is, well, honestly, not known for its cultural diversity.”
Felipe the Frog, Mayra the Frog, Isabel the Green Tree Frog, and Mondo the Frog inside Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
However, That Park Place recently spoke with YouTube personality La Reina Creole about the supposed racism of Splash Mountain and Song of The South. As a child, La Reina had been told the stories of Br’er Rabbit by her grandparents, and she had a lot to say about the way people perceive this film and attraction.
“According to my Jim Crow south-raised grandparents, it wasn’t uncommon for both poor black and white people to live together in relative peace,” she said. “The speech patterns in Song of The South are the same speech patterns my grandparents spoke in. Many people of that day had just a grade school education and it showed in their speech, regardless of race.”
Br’er Rabbit in Song of the South (1946), Walt Disney Productions
READ: Splash Mountain Archived Video Reveals Lost Audio
While Disney’s Stories Matter divison and certain Disney Parks journalists might disagree, La Reina pushed back hard on the rhetoric that Song of The South is offensive.
“What some call ‘subservient’ in this film is actually the preservation of an existing relationship that did not just end because slavery ended,” La Reina said, referencing how many have incorrectly criticized the film for its portrayal of “happy slaves.”
“These stories were mainly amusing but within were life lessons such as outwitting those bigger/stronger than you and not letting your pride get you into a situation you may not be able to get out of,” she concluded.
Br’er Bear and Br’er Fox in Song of the South (1946), Walt Disney Productions
That Park Place will continue to check with its sources regarding this situation and provide updates in the future accordingly.
Marvin The Movie Monster Montanaro is a YouTube commentator and personality specializing in movies, TV, video games, and professional wrestling. He can be found on his channels Tooney Town TV and Tooney Town Wrestling with daily content and weekly livestreams. He can also be found on That Game Place, the That Park Place video game channel.
