As Iconic Disneyland Ride’s Closing Date Looms, Disney Unveils Details About Replacement

The iconic ride Splash Mountain at Disneyland is set to close at the end of May. However, Disney has revealed details about the new ride that will replace the old one. The new ride is called Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and it will be coming to both Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. This ride is inspired by the animated movie “The Princess and the Frog” (2009).

Carmen Smith, the senior vice president of creative development recently wrote in a Disney blog post, “The enchantment of the bayou will illuminate with a celebration during Mardi Gras season hosted by Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen. And today, I’m thrilled to announce that Mama Odie will reprise her role as the catalyst to that magic.”

Splash Mountain is being shut down following criticism that it included “stereotypical racist tropes.” Florida’s version of the popular attraction closed in January after 30 years of operation. It was modeled after Brer Rabbit’s adventures in the 1946 “Song of the South” Disney film, which has since come under scrutiny for not being an accurate representation of life on a plantation.

Disney CEO Bob Iger said during a March 2020 shareholders’ meeting, “I’ve felt, as long as I’ve been CEO, that ‘Song of the South’ was – even with a Disclaimer – just not appropriate in today’s world.”

The new ride, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, is described as “inclusive” for all theme park visitors. “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,” a 2020 blog post from Disney explained of their decision to replace Splash Mountain.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is scheduled to open in 2024.

Disclosure: The Daily Wire has announced plans for kids’ entertainment content.