An iconic piece of Disney memorabilia is set to be destroyed.
After years of controversy and criticism, Splash Mountain at Disneyland has finally closed down. In 2020, the Disney Parks Blog announced that the popular water ride would be reimagined and replaced with a new attraction called “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure,” featuring Princess Tiana from The Princess and the Frog.
The Splash Mountain Ride was based on the 1946 Disney movie Song of the South, which is considered a cultural relic that perpetuates racist stereotypes about African Americans. The movie itself was never released on home video or DVD in the US, and Disney has distanced itself from its controversial content for decades. However, the ride continued to draw criticism and calls for change.
On May 31, 2023, Splash Mountain closed permanently at Disneyland Resort. Now, fans are heartbroken to hear that some iconic pieces from the ride will be destroyed.
Credit: Disney
Instead of Preserving Splash Mountain, Disney Opts to Destroy Major Pieces
Splash Mountain opened in Disneyland in 1989 and soon became a beloved attraction in the Park’s Critter Country. The ride takes Guests on a musical journey through the stories of Brer Rabbit with animatronics and a thrilling flume drop finale. The ride was also popular in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Resort, which closed the ride down earlier in the year.
Many fans feel that the ride should be preserved due to how popular it was. Many fans feel that the ride was far removed from its source material and did not deserve the fate it gone. Disney clearly does not feel as sentimental, as seen by the fact that it plans to demolish some entrance signs for the ride.
Credit: Disney
Splash Mountain Entrance Sign Tagged to Be Demolished
Fans were shocked to see that Disney has plans to destroy the Standby Entrance sign for the Splash Mountain ride. Twitter account @splasharchive posted the sign that clearly shows it is set to be demolished.
Credit: @splasharchive on Twitter
Many fans are confused as to why Disney wouldn’t want to keep the sign or at least auction it off to a fan. Surely they could get a significant amount of money for the sign.
Credit: @splasharchive on Twitter
Other pieces, like the main Splash Mountain Marquee, are set to be sent to the Walt Disney Studio Archives.
