Splash Mountain closing

The popular Disney attraction will be replaced with Tiana's Bayou Adventure, a ride from The Princess and the Frog, at some point in 2024.

The Orange County Register reported [ the change](https://www.ocregister.com/2020/08/26/disneyland-removes-zip-a-dee-doo-dah-from-playlist-as-part-of-splash-mountain-makeover/) in August 2020, citing a Disney statement which read, “The removal of the song from Downtown Disney’s background music is part of a continuous process to deliver an environment that features stories that are relevant and inclusive.” The film, which even won an Oscar at the time of release, is also known for the song “Zip-a-dee-doo-dah” [ which many believe was based on a racist pre-Civil War song](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/how-disney-tried-and-failed-to-remove-song-of-the-south-from-history). [Change.org petition](https://www.change.org/p/the-walt-disney-company-re-theme-splash-mountain-to-princess-and-the-frog?recruiter=683574212&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_abi&recruited_by_id=f9543170-f5e1-11e6-a5d0-b5e95c874c8a) received more than 21,000 signatures in an effort to push Disney to rework the ride. In 2020, Disney removed the song from the Splash Mountain ride. [Disney’s Splash Mountain To Close In Florida in January Amid Racism Concerns—Nearly Three Years After Company First Announced It](https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2022/12/02/disneys-splash-mountain-to-close-in-florida-in-january-amid-racism-concerns-nearly-three-years-after-company-first-announced-it/?sh=71a570264537) (Forbes) [Disney To Remove Controversial ‘Song Of The South’ Theme From Splash Mountain Rides](https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2020/06/25/disney-to-remove-controversial-song-of-the-south-theme-from-splash-mountain-rides/?sh=15ad66228ca3) (Forbes) [A Year After Disney Said It Would Revamp Racist Splash Mountain, It’s Still Open And Company Won’t Say When Work Will Start](https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/08/11/a-year-after-disney-said-it-would-revamp-racist-splash-mountain-its-still-open-and-company-wont-say-when-work-will-start/?sh=3109d249e05d) (Forbes) [Disney’s Splash Mountain—Based On Controversial ‘Song Of The South’—Sells Out Merch Prior To Makeover](https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2020/07/08/splash-mountain-based-on-controversial-song-of-the-south-sells-out-merch-prior-to-makeover/?sh=79ed729a602d) (Forbes) [A New Scene and New Critters Are Introduced For Tiana’s Bayou Adventure](https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2022/12/a-new-scene-and-new-critters-are-introduced-for-tianas-bayou-adventure/) (Disney Parks Blog) While many Disney guests remain unaware, Splash Mountain is a themed attraction based on Song of the South, a 1946 live-action and animated film that has been widely criticized for the way it depicted race relations in the post-Civil War South. While the film was re-released in 1956, 1972, 1980 and 1986, there never was a home release of the film in the U.S. [according to reporting from the Orlando Sentinel](https://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/the-daily-disney/os-et-disney-magic-kingdom-splash-mountain-closing-tiana-20230123-dcighl7wyffhnopxgwq2omohge-story.html). [announced in June 2020](https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2020/06/25/disney-to-remove-controversial-song-of-the-south-theme-from-splash-mountain-rides/?sh=15ad66228ca3) the ride would be rethemed to the film The Princess and the Frog in both Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park and Disneyland Park. [Disney said in a post on its Disney Parks Blog](https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2022/12/a-new-scene-and-new-critters-are-introduced-for-tianas-bayou-adventure/). [one last journey](https://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/the-daily-disney/os-et-disney-magic-kingdom-splash-mountain-closing-tiana-20230123-dcighl7wyffhnopxgwq2omohge-story.html) through Walt Disney World’s Splash Mountain in Florida Sunday, according to the Orlando Sentinel, after the racial justice movement of 2020 sparked renewed criticism of the ride’s connection to the controversial movie Song of the South and Disney announced it would refocus the ride on The Princess and the Frog, a film that features the first Black Disney Princess. [the Orlando Sentinel reported](https://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/the-daily-disney/os-et-disney-magic-kingdom-splash-mountain-closing-tiana-20230123-dcighl7wyffhnopxgwq2omohge-story.html).

Disney lovers have flocked to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom for one final ride on Splash Mountain, but why is the attraction closing?

The ride’s closure is part of Disney’s broader efforts to improve diversity across its theme parks. The ride’s theme will change to be based on the film The Princess And The Frog. The film was pulled from distribution and last shown in theaters in 1986. The origins of the ride come from Disney film Song Of The South, which was released in 1946. It will also be renamed Tiana’s Bayou Adventure as the storyline is based on Princess Tiana and alligator Louis. The exciting log flume ride sees thrill-seekers dive down a steep hill, with many of them walking away soaking wet.

Monday marks the final time fans will have the chance to ride the Walt Disney World attraction Splash Mountain before it closes for good.

Sunday was the last day for the ride in the Florida park. Controversy surrounded the ride, based on the 1946 film Song of the South and its racist themes.

](https://deadline.com/2020/03/bob-iger-song-of-the-south-disney-disclaimer-1202879464/) ["idyllic master-slave relationship which is a distortion of the facts." Some fans expressed disapproval of the ride's closure and [started a petition](https://www.change.org/p/everyone-to-save-splash-mountain-and-keep-it-as-it-is-in-magic-kingdom-and-disneyland) to save the ride, to no avail. [Thrill Data](https://www.thrill-data.com/waits/attraction/magic-kingdom/splashmountain/). The controversy over Splash Mountain stemmed from the movie it was based on. Both of the rides will reopen as

The time has finally come to say goodbye to one of Walt Disney World's most iconic and beloved attractions.

A copy of the version in Shanghai Disney, Guests will fly through the neon-soaked Grid at high speeds as they straddle their very own Lightcycle. Or Guests can head over to one of the other three Parks, As you can see above, the new exterior will feature a water tower as well as some new foliage. At Tokyo Disneyland, Splash Mountain is expected to operate for the foreseeable future. The ride will be called Today, January 23, 2023, marks the