Disney will retheme Splash Mountain to its only film to feature a Black princess, The Princess and the Frog.
Disney announced Thursday that the ride _ currently themed to a film some Disney fans say is the company's most racist, "Song of the South" _ will get a makeover at both Walt Disney World in Orlando and Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif.
During nationwide anti-racism protests, Disney fans took to Twitter a couple of weeks ago to demand Disney revamp one of its most iconic rides and erase any ties to "Song of the South." A Change.org petition demanding the change that garnered over 21,000 signatures has changed its status to "Victory."
But in the announcement on the company's official Disney Parks Blog, Disney says the change has been in the works since last year, wrote Public Relations Director for Disneyland Resort Michael Ramirez.
But the announcement did hint at allegations by fans that the current Splash Mountain theming can be divisive.
"The new concept is inclusive _ one that all of our guests can connect with and be inspired by, and it speaks to the diversity of the millions of people who visit our parks each year," Ramirez wrote.
"Song of the South's" characters may be highlighted in Splash Mountain, but Disney has largely tried to disconnect from the film itself, which is not available on Disney's streaming platform, Disney+.
The film came out in 1946 as one of the highest grossing movies of the 1940s and was re-released in 1986. It is set in the American South in the post-Civil War era and has received criticism for glorifying slavery and depicting racist stereotypes via its main character, Uncle Remus, who is not featured in the ride.
The announcement states the re-imagned Princess and the Frog Splash Mountain, will pick up after the film's "final kiss" and will follow Tiana and Louis "as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance." The ride will feature music from the film, based in New Orleans, likely replacing the current ride's Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah send-off.
Disney could not be immediately reached for additional comment.
