Disney has announced that its Splash Mountain ride, one of its most popular but controversial rides, will be "completely reimagined".
According to Disney, the Splash Mountain ride, which is based on the controversial 1946 film "Song of the South," will be rethemed to feature characters from the 2009 animated film, "The Princess and the Frog," which stars Disney's first black princess.
Why reimagine?
Since its creation in 1989, the Splash Mountain ride has been a mainstay at Disney parks. The reimagined theme will be implemented at Disneyland park in California and Magic Kingdom park in Florida.
The decision to reimagine the popular ride comes following calls by fans for the company to retheme it due to the racial stereotypes used in the film it is based upon.
Known for the "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" song, "Song of the South" has been criticized for decades for its stereotypical and offensive portrayals of African Americans along with its romanticized view of the antebellum South.
The film has garnered too much controversy that Disney has kept it hidden for years and even excluding it from the extensive library of movies in its new streaming service, Disney+.
An online petition on Change.org was signed by over 20,000 people urging the company to change the ride's theme from "Song of the South" to "Princess and the Frog."
The petition read: "While the ride is considered a beloved classic, its history and storyline are steeped in extremely problematic and stereotypical racist tropes. There is a huge need for diversity in the parks and this could help fill that need."
The recent surge of Black Lives Matter protests across the US have sparked discussions in the entertainment industry regarding depictions of race in popular culture. Some films have been re-evaluated or even pulled, including TV episodes using blackface and the film "Gone with the Wind".
The rethemed ride
According to Disney, the new Splash Mountain concept is "inclusive" and "one that all of our guests can connect with and be inspired by." The company added: "It speaks to the diversity of the millions of people who visit our parks each year."
The new ride will pick up the story of "Princess and the Frog" after "the final kiss" and will join Princess Tiana and her trumpet-playing alligator Louis "on a musical adventure."
Disney said it will feature "some of the powerful music from the film as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance."
The company added: "Tiana is a modern, courageous, and empowered woman, who pursues her dreams and never loses sight of what's really important. It's a great story with a strong lead character, set against the backdrop of New Orleans and the Louisiana bayou."
While Disney did not specify a date for the launch of the new Splash Mountain, it claimed that "conceptual design work is well underway."
"Imagineers will soon be able to conduct preliminary reviews and develop a timeline for when the attraction transformation can begin," the company added.
In other news, Disneyland postponed the reopening of its California-based theme parks as they wait for state guidelines on theme park reopening. State officials have yet to issue theme park reopening guidelines until after July 4.
