Today we learned that Splash Mountain
at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom will be rethemed to Princess and
the Frog after an online petition was started to change it in light
of the current events in the United States. Here is what was said
about this new retheming on the Disney Parks Blog.
Today we are thrilled to share a first
glimpse of a project Imagineers have been working on since last year.
Splash Mountain – at both Disneyland park in California and Magic
Kingdom park in Florida – will soon be completely reimagined. The
theme is inspired by an all-time favorite animated Disney film, “The
Princess and the Frog.” We pick up this story after the final kiss,
and join Princess Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure –
featuring some of the powerful music from the film – as they
prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance.
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. In 1966, Walt himself opened New Orleans Square when it became
the first new “land” added to Disneyland park, so it feels
natural to link the story and the incredible music of “The Princess
and the Frog” to our parks.
The voice of Princess Tiana and Tony
Award-winning actress, Anika Noni Rose, shared, “It is really
exciting to know that Princess Tiana’s presence in both Disneyland
and Magic Kingdom will finally be fully realized! As passionate as I
am about what we created, I know the fans are going to be over the
moon. The Imagineers are giving us ‘The Princess and the Frog’
Mardi Gras celebration we’ve been waiting for, and I’m here for
it!”
The approach to retheming or “plussing”
attractions (as Walt Disney referred to it) begins with Imagineers
asking the question, how can we build upon or elevate the experience
and tell a fresh, relevant story? It’s a continuous process that
Imagineers are deeply passionate about. And with this longstanding
history of updating attractions and adding new magic, the retheming
of Splash Mountain is of particular importance today. 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.
Charita Carter, the senior creative
producer leading the project at Walt Disney Imagineering shared,
“Like Princess Tiana, I believe that courage and love are the key
ingredients for wonderful adventures. I am delighted to be a part of
bringing this fun-filled experience to our guests.”
For Imagineers, change is rooted in a
tradition set by Walt Disney who encouraged new innovations, new
ideas, new scenes and current storytelling. And the experiences they
create can be enjoyed by guests who visit our parks from all over the
world.
As part of the creative development
process, conceptual design work is well underway and Imagineers will
soon be able to conduct preliminary reviews and develop a timeline
for when the transformation can start to take shape.
Stay tuned for more!
