Disney’s Splash Mountain roller coaster will stop operating in 30 years

Visitors to the Magic Kingdom theme park in Disney will be able to ride the iconic Splash Mountain roller coaster for the last time this Sunday, after running for thirty years.

The attraction, whose racial stereotypes sparked controversy in 2020, will be replaced by an “immersive experience” inspired by the movie “The Princess and the Frog” and the culture of New Orleans, the company announced.

Splash Mountain was initially inspired by the 1946 animated film “Song of the South,” criticized for its embellished portrayal of slavery.

The attraction takes guests on a journey through a swamp in the southern United States, following the adventures of the characters as narrated by Uncle Remus, an African-American storyteller who works on a plantation.

Following a wave of racial protests, critics of the roller coaster demanded that it be removed from access because it depicted an embellished portrayal of slavery, after which Disney announced that the new ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure would be created instead.

“At Tiana’s Bayou Adventure you will join Princess Tiana and jazz-loving alligator Louis during the Mardi Gras season as they prepare to throw a one-of-a-kind celebration for the people of New Orleans,” it says on the Disney Parks blog. carmen smithvice president of creative development for the company.

“Tiana is a woman modern, courageous and empowered, who does not hesitate to pursue his dreams and never loses sight of what is important. It is a great story with a strong character set in New Orleans and the Louisiana region.

The new attraction, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, will open in 2024.

(YO)