alt=Lottie Elizabeth JohnsonDisney World has officially announced a closing date for Splash Mountain.
When will Splash Mountain close at Disney World?
After three decades, Splash Mountain at Magic Kingdom will close on Jan. 23, USA Today reported. The ride’s last day of operation is Jan. 22.
The announcement comes more than a year after Disney Parks released a first look at the revamped Splash Mountain ride, which will have a theme tied to the film “The Princess and the Frog,” the Deseret News previously reported.
What will replace Splash Mountain?
The new interactive ride, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, will pick up where the film left off, with Tiana guiding guests through the ride as they meet new characters along the way, per the Deseret News. New Orleans-style music, which was a significant part of “The Princess and the Frog,” will also play a major role throughout the ride.
“This is not a retelling of ‘The Princess and the Frog,’” Ted Robledo, executive creative director at Walt Disney Imagineering, reiterated on Thursday, according to USA Today.
“In Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, you’ll join Princess Tiana and jazz-loving alligator Louis during Mardi Gras season as they prepare to host a one-of-a-kind celebration for the people of New Orleans,” Carmen Smith, senior vice president over creative development and inclusive strategies for Walt Disney Imagineering, said in a new statement shared Friday on the Disney Parks website.
Apart from the theme, the Splash Mountain ride itself will stay the same — including the big drop at the end, per Collider.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will open at both Disney World and Disneyland in 2024, according to USA Today. Disneyland has not yet announced a closing date for Splash Mountain.
Why is Splash Mountain changing?
Splash Mountain, based on the 1946 Disney film “Song of the South,” has been criticized for having racist undertones and glorifying plantation life, the Deseret News reported.
“When we looked at Splash Mountain, it gives our company an opportunity to showcase our first African American princess,” Smith said last year, per the Deseret News. “We need to be able to tell stories that are inspiring and enlightening but also that speak to a community that has not been well-represented in our parks and resorts.”