Basically every big company is coming under scrutiny right now for their response (or lack of response) to the Black Lives Matter movement. As one of the biggest companies in the world, Disney has not escaped that scrutiny.
Now, people are calling for Disney to make some serious adjustments to Splash Mountain, one of the most popular Disney rides at both Disney World and Disneyland. There’s a petition and everything. Is Disney renaming rides? Probably not, but a retheme of Splash Mountain could be in the future.
Is Disney renaming rides at their theme parks?
Some people have been wondering whether Disney will be renaming Splash Mountain, but the truth is that the name of the ride isn’t really the problem. It’s the theme of the ride itself. Like all of the rides and attractions at Disney theme parks, Splash Mountain is based on a specific Disney movie. Therein lies the problem.
Splash Mountain is based on Song of the South, a Disney film that has been the subject of controversy since it first came out in 1946. The plot of the ride (as much as a Disney ride can have a plot) is a composite of several Uncle Remus stories featuring Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Fox, and Br’er Bear, who also appear in Song of the South. The ride is a mostly peaceful dark ride that ends with a 52-foot drop into the “briar patch” — that’s where the “Splash” in the name comes from.
Now, people are requesting that Disney consider removing the Song of the South characters and theming from the ride. Complaints have surrounded the film since its initial release, with people saying it glorifies plantation-era slavery and also presents a stereotypical depiction of Black people.
Disney made a LOT of…uh, problematic…movies, but none quite so indefensible as Song of the South, a Reconstruction movie in which a formerly enslaved man tells a young, wealthy white boy about how nice things were during the slavery era.
— Cory Doctorow #BLM (@doctorow) June 10, 2020
As a result of this controversy, Disney has never released the film on home video in the United States, and it also does not appear on Disney Plus. Former Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger confirmed in March of 2020 that the film would never appear on the streaming service, saying it is “not appropriate in today’s world.” But Splash Mountain still exists and is a clear reference to the movie — that’s what people want to change.
A Change.org petition has been making the rounds asking Disney to change Splash Mountain into a ride based on The Princess and the Frog instead of Song of the South. “There is a huge need for diversity in the parks and this could help fill that need,” Alex O., the organizer of the petition writes. “Princess and the Frog is a beloved princess movie but has very little representation in the parks. Tiana could be one of the first princesses with a thrill ride, as well as giving her a much-deserved place in the parks.”
Princess and the Frog Splash Mountain retheme for Disneyland thread. Just put on the soundtrack and a splash ridethrough while reading this. pic.twitter.com/8z5wOalyB7
— Frederick Chambers (@FreddyFromBatuu) June 9, 2020
Disney has yet to respond to the request, but honestly? We can totally see them pulling this kind of move. It wouldn’t be difficult or expensive (not like that’s a problem for Disney) and could potentially get them out of a lot of hot water — what’s not to like?
Source : https://www.distractify.com/p/disney-renaming-rides