Walt Disney's decision to Re-theme Splash Mountain: Addressing racism and promoting inclusion

Walt Disney's Splash Mountain is one of the most popular and iconic rides in the company's theme parks. The ride, located in both Disneyland in California and Magic Kingdom in Florida, has entertained guests for decades with its exciting drops and animatronics of characters from the film Song of the South.

However, in recent years, the company has come under fire for maintaining the ride and its objectionable premise, which many people find racist. As such, the corporation has chosen to change the concept of the ride to "The Princess and the Frog," a film with a contemporary, multicultural cast that includes the first African-American Disney princess.

The decision is a response to the ongoing racial justice movement and criticism of the ride's original theme, which is based on the 1946 film Song of the South, a movie that is widely criticized for its depiction of African-American characters and the romanticized portrayal of the Antebellum South.

The corporation has considerably advanced in tackling racial inclusion and representation issues in its theme parks with the re-theming of Splash Mountain.

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Criticism of Disney's Splash Mountain's original theme

The Controversy Surrounding the Original Theme of Splash Mountain (Image via The Walt Disney Company)

The original theme of Splash Mountain is based on the controversial film Song of the South, which is widely criticized for depicting African-American characters and their romanticized portrayal of the Antebellum South.

The ride, located in both Disneyland in California and Magic Kingdom in Florida, features animatronics of characters from the film, including Uncle Remus, a formerly enslaved person who tells stories to children.

Since the ride and its concept are widely seen as racist and disrespectful, the corporation has come under fire for continuing to provide them. The firm has tried to separate itself from the movie by restricting its presence in the park and not releasing it in the home video, but the ride is still a hit with visitors.

The company has decided to respond to the continuing racial justice movement and re-theme the ride to "The Princess and the Frog," a film with a contemporary, diverse cast of characters that includes the first African American Disney princess.

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The Re-theming process and its impact

The re-theming process in progress at Splash Mountain, as workers carefully remove the animatronics and decorations related to the controversial "Song of the South" theme. (Image via The Walt Disney Company)

The re-theming of Splash Mountain is a significant step forward for the company in addressing the concerns of racial representation and inclusion in its theme parks. The company has faced criticism in the past for its lack of diversity and representation in its films and attractions, and this move shows that it is willing to listen and act on the concerns of its guests and employees.

Splash Mountain's new motif keeps with the organization's recent initiatives to advance diversity and inclusion. Disney has made several announcements in the last year to help underrepresented groups, such as establishing a $5 million fund to aid black-owned businesses and starting a new project to broaden the diversity of its animation and narrative.

Splash Mountain will undergo extensive work to change its theme, and it is still being determined when the public will experience the new version of the rollercoaster.

However, House of Mouse has emphasized that they are committed to fostering an inclusive and inviting atmosphere for everyone and would re-theme the ride with consideration for all visitors.