How Disneyland's Splash Mountain Could Change for "Princess and the Frog" retheme.

Ever wonder what the newly announced retheme for Splash Mountain could turn out to be? In this article, we explore possible changes for the ride in regard to the Disney classic movie, "The Princess and the Frog."

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Good evening Disnerds (or whatever time you are reading this)! As you might know, all the way back in June last year, Disney announced that they would soon close down one of its most controversial attractions, "Splash Mountain," to make way for a brand new version of the ride. Based on the 1946 film, "The Song of the South," directed by Wilfred Jackson, the log fume ride has long suffered some backlash due to its apparent racist view of African Americans and depiction of the Antebellum South.

However, fans may be pleased to know that this will no longer be the case, as the once problematic attraction will be completely remodeled after perhaps one of the greatest classics of all time, "The Princess and the Frog." But alas, we're not here to talk about why the ride will be changing, are we? Nope, today I thought I'd share my opinion on how these changes could occur. From the type of music to the scene designs, here are my ideas on what to expect after Disney decides to reopen the ride's gates! (Please Note: None of these concepts are confirmed by nor is the author associated with the Walt Disney Company in any way. Everything you will find here is purely speculation. In other words, take this information with a grain of salt).

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The Queue Line

Splash Mountain at Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, California

One of the most overlooked aspects of theme parks is the queue lines. Now, I know what you're thinking: "What's so cool about standing in line for a ride?" Well, a lot, actually, if you take the time to admire the amount of detail Disney puts into their attractions. First and foremost, the most noticeable change that will need to occur is the entrance to the dang thing.

There are no barns in Princess and the Frog, so it would not make much sense to be one as you approach the entrance. A significant portion of the line at the beginning currently carries this barn-like aesthetic, showing off several farmer tools like rakes, shovels, buckets, pots, and animal-like decorations. So what could be the replacement for such a thing? Well, I'm glad you asked...

La Bouff mansion from "The Princess and the Frog" (exterior).

La Bouff mansion from "The Princess and the Frog" (interior).

Remember how the beginning of Princess and the Frog started? Well, if you don't, then it begins with Tiana's mother, Eudora, recounting the story of a princess who saves a cursed prince to Tiana and her best friend, Charlotte, at the La Bouff mansion (talk about foreshadowing, am I right?). This might be a bit of a stretch, but what if the line started at the same location? Guests would walk up to what seems like a smaller version of the La Bouff mansion, and inside they would find themselves captivated by features that embody a typical New Orleans house. Large King-sized beds with magnificent frames, extravagant wardrobes and drawers, tall glass pane windows as high as the ceiling, picture frames portraying the La Bouff ancestry, and an assortment of Charlotte's dolls placed promptly on the bed, shelves, or floor. You would essentially feel like you would be walking into one of the esteemed estates back in the 1920s.

But what might be a key feature is the story Eudora reads, which would be written on pieces of paper or posters tacked onto Charlotte's bedroom walls. If you didn't know already, Splash Mountain already does something reasonably similar to this where it alludes to the story of the "Song of the South" on various wooden plaques. Each plaque gives a brief amount of information as it tells the story of Brer Rabbit. This would provoke guests into searching for hidden plaques throughout the rest of the line to discover the rest of the tale. So why not replace this story with the one Eudora reads to the children? (Or at least some form of the movie plotline?). It would undoubtedly be a great way to give guests some exposition if they have not seen the movie already or simply something to do while waiting for their turn to ride.

Beginning of the Ride

So you finally made it to the front of the line, and your very own log has just arrived in front of you! The cast member opens the gate, and you take a seat. Great! So what exactly happens here? Well, on the original Splash Mountain, guests would immediately be taken through a cavernous structure surrounded by various safety signs, then go up a small conveyor belt, all while hearing the iconic "How do you do?" instrumental.

Accompanying this whimsical melody is a voice reminding guests of their safety, which happens to be...Goofy's? I never really understood why Goofy's voice was used here, but that's beside the point. At the end of his little safety spiel, he sends guests on their way, telling them to have a "Zip-a-dee-doo-dah ride." The next scene takes guests along the front of the ride, where they are surrounded by large rocks, thorn bushes, and a view of the tree trunk planted above the big drop at the ride's climax.

Frontal view of Splash Mountain at Disneyland Resort

Okay, so a couple of things to unpack here. One of the changes that will need to occur is the music and all references alluding to the original Splash Mountain finale song. So, as my first pitch for the track layout as an unofficial Imagineer, I believe that the instrumental here should be swapped with the song, "Down in New Orleans." This happens to be the song that exhibits daily life in New Orleans for Tiana and other residents as she makes her way over to her job as a waitress in a small café. And what better way for guests to ease into the ride other than the first song that appears in the movie? For the safety warning, as much as I love Goofy, I can see either Raymond the firefly or Louis the alligator voicing this part (but I'm leaning more towards Ray).

As for the roundabout we have going on here, my guess is that it will look exactly or fairly similar to Disney's concept art. So, pretty much a swamp-like environment filled with Typha Latifolia plants (the plants that look like overgrown grass), lily pads, and maybe even the canoe shown in the picture. Guests might also hear frogs and crickets chirping and croaking about as they grow closer to the next conveyor belt lift. In other words, imagine the beginning of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, but it's outside with jazzy music.

Going Down the Bayou

Alas, we have made it to the second level of the ride, but we're not quite at the Briar Patch just yet! No, folks, in fact, here we find ourselves in the lovely (can I get a drumroll, please?) outdoors? Not to worry, there are plenty of exciting things coming our way but for now, let's focus on the scenery around us.

Other than the repetitive multitude of rocks and thorn bushes peppering the sides of the ride, guests may notice several wooden structures like birdhouses, barrels stuffed with artificial food, and miniature houses that belong to the likes of Brer Rabbit and Brer Bear. And who could forget? This is the part of the ride where riders take their first plunge! It is a relatively small drop, of course, but a fun one! So with all of these details in mind, where does this leave Tiana and Co.?

Here's what I have in mind in terms of the replacement for the Pre-Briar Patch scene. Naturally, you'll have your usual swamp features, as mentioned earlier, like the lily pads and crickets. But to add onto this would be the plentiful abundance of fireflies, including yours truly, Raymond the firefly! And, as you might've guessed, the song that would be playing in the background would be "Gonna Take You There."

If you recall, there's a moment during the stunning musical number where the fireflies depict several objects like a dress on Louis and many glowing archways. Some ways Disney can bring this scene to life would be adding lights like in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and grapevine archways like those in the Storybook Land Canal boat ride.

When We're Human

The Briar Patch in Splash Mountain

Alright, folks! I believe we have officially made it inside the Briar Patch! (*whispers* You're so amazinggg!). Get ready because there is a LOT to cover here in regards to the changes. So, let's not waste any more time and get started! When considering the Briar Patch in its entirety, many animatronics would make sense to keep around. And, many of these animals already make an appearance in "The Princess and the Frog."

However, there might be some slight changes regarding what they are wearing (or rather lack thereof). Why? Well, as far as anyone knows, there are no animals with clothing or tools in their hands (except for Louis). And to state the obvious, Brer Rabbit should not be anywhere in sight (unless as a nice Easter egg); the frogs will need to be switched for Tiana and Naveen, and the alligator with Louis.

Brer Rabbit and Brer Turtle in the Briar Patch

Should any animatronic animal be reused, it would be smart for Disney to at least refurbish or install newer models. Most of the animatronics you see on Splash Mountain is quite ancient as they were directly from the "America Sings" attraction way back in the 1970s. So, as you can imagine, it would not be pretty to go to the ride's debut, and the first thing you would see is animatronics malfunctioning.

In terms of the musical aspect, I have opted for the song "When We're Human," which takes place along the Bayou rivers during the movie. Needless to say, because it is only our three musketeers singing in the musical number, it might also be a good idea not to have any of the other animatronics be singing. I mean, the entire song is about wanting to become human, so it wouldn't seem right for every single animal to be singing along. Although some may argue that other animals sing or talk throughout the rest of the movie, so who knows?

Brer Bear and Brer Fox in the Briar Patch Changed to Louis, Tiana, and Naveen

Did I already mention that there will be a lot to cover here? Well, don't worry! For the rest of the Briar Patch, we will be covering specifics. And by this, I mean small details to compare the ride and movie. For the first detail, there is the idea where Brer Fox and Brer Bear's scene gets replaced by Louis singing to Tiana and Naveen in a similar pose in the picture above.

Brer Rabbit Handcar Changed to Louis Swimming on his Back

Brer Bear Beauty Shot Changed to Louis Beauty Shot

A Lone Alligator Changed to Louis, Tiana, and Naveen

Additional scene ideas

Are You Ready?

The Laughing Place in Splash Mountain

Down down down we go into possibly the weirdest part of the whole ride: the laughing place. Despite its name, the laughing place is no joke for Brer Rabbit and friends. Brer Bear ends up stumbling into some rather unforgiving beehives, various signs indicate dangerous roads ahead, and Brer Rabbit falls into the hands of Brer Fox! Also, there are many colorful lights and displays with animatronics singing the song, "Everybody's Got a Laughing Place."

It certainly is a discomforting area, which is why the perfect and only part from Princess and the Frog that would fit here would be none other than Dr. Faciller's Emporium! Just think about it: at the beginning, the song, "Friends on the other side," would be playing, magical artifacts would be displayed, and the first few scenes would show him telling fortunes. As you ascend the big drop, several voodoo masks and dolls would be singing the threatening words, "Are you ready?" and many strobe and luminescent lights begin to surround you.

At this point, you are almost at the peak of the drop where Faciller's shadow captures Tiana and Prince Naveen. You reach the top, Dr. Faciller would be singing, "You can tell my friends on the other," then you finally descend the big drop as Faciller finishes his sentence with a long hold on the word, "side." Then, as you approach the bottom of the mountain, Faciller's laugh can be heard all around you, ending his song with a hush. Pretty sinister scene, huh? Just thinking about that uphill scene gives me goosebumps! With that, here are some pictures for visual aid.

Opening Scene of Laughing place changed to Dr. Faciller's Voodoo Emporium

First few scenes show Faciller telling fortunes; masks, shadows, and cards could act as potential decorations

The rising climax shows many voodoo masks and dolls singing, lights become luminescent with purple and green colors

Prince Naveen and Tiana are captured by a shadow, the climax of the ride with the big drop is accompanied by several flashing lights, ends with Faciller's evil laughter then a hush

The End of the Ride

Zip-A-Dee Lady in Splash Mountain

At long last, here comes the ending of the log ride where we say our goodbyes. But don't tear up just yet because we have one final scene before we go! On the original Splash Mountain, guests would travel through a rather jubilant area. Brer Rabbit finds resolve at the comfort of his own home, Brer Bear and Brer Fox receive karma, many animals from welcome Briar Rabbit's return, and there's dancing. And of course, what else says "grand finale" other than an assortment of animals rejoicing on a steamboat?

"Dig a Little Deeper" scene with Mama Odie, Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen marriage, and Tiana's Palace

So what might be the most suitable replacement for this joyous moment? If I'm honest, this is the part of the ride that stumps me the most regarding changes. Why? The way I see it, there are four possible scenarios from the movie that would fit perfectly here. To save time, I will give brief descriptions and mention which scenes these are, and let the pictures describe themselves. The scenes I have in mind are: Tiana's Palace (restaurant) either from the inside (scene 1) or outside (scene 2), Princess Tiana and Naveen's marriage in the Bayou, or Mama Odie's number, "Dig a Little Deeper."

From these choices, you might have guessed why there is confusion in selecting the best candidate. Tiana's restaurant or marriage would be a great way to wrap up the ride because it gives the very idea of resolve, which happens in the original Splash Mountain Zip-a-dee-dooh-dah scene. And not to point the obvious, but her restaurant looks exactly like a steamboat, so it would fit perfectly. As for "Dig a Little Deeper," the concept art shows Mama Odie's home, which is a shipwrecked boat placed promptly on top of a large tree. So this song has to appear somewhere in the ride, right? Although I can't help but feel like it does not belong at the last part of the ride. With this, I'll leave this up to you to decide what the final scene should be.

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Splash Mountain Sign from Walt Disney World

Phew! I'll be honest; this was quite a lot to write down, so I appreciate you took the time to make it down this far reading! So, what did you think of this article? Find this information accurate? Have opinions and suggestions of your own? Let us know in the comments section! And as always, have a magical day!