Splash Mountain will undergo a complete makeover and return re-themed as a “Princess and the Frog” attraction titled, “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure,” which is scheduled to open in late 2024 at the U.S. Disney Parks.
The characters featured on Splash Mountain are from the 1946 animated feature “Song of the South,” a movie that has been criticized for its stereotypes of black men and its romanticized view of the post-Civil War South.
Fans called for Disney to redo the theme of Splash Mountain in 2020, amid a racial reckoning across the U.S.
The Walt Disney World Resort already announced that its version of Splash Mountain would close on Jan. 23, giving fans of the attraction time to ride it before the extended closure.
However, Disneyland has yet to announce any closure date for its version of the ride, leaving fans in the dark regarding how much longer they can hop on.
Several theme park bloggers shared their Splash Mountain predictions with KTLA, with many believing that a closure announcement is coming soon.
Megan Heneghan, “The Magical Millennial,” says she believes Disneyland will announce a closure date for Splash Mountain either on or near Jan. 23.
“I have a feeling Splash Mountain will close in late January or early February for this extended ride transformation,” Heneghan said.
Since the water ride typically closes during the winter for annual refurbishments, Heneghan believes that announcing the closure date around the same time is the ideal option.
David Vaughn, another theme park content creator, predicted Slash Mountain would close for its reimagining between January and March. Vaughn also said the closure announcement could be delayed because of the company’s upcoming centennial celebration.
“I wonder if we’re getting a delay so that Splash (Mountain’s) closure doesn’t somehow overshadow the launch of Disney100,” Vaughn said.
The timing of Disney100 and other scheduled ride closures influenced Carly Caramanna’s prediction.
The theme park and travel journalist predicted that Splash Mountain will close in the spring so the park can accommodate an influx of guests coming to the Disney100 celebration and compensate for other fan-favorite attractions being unavailable.
Indiana Jones Adventure, another top-tier ride, is scheduled to close on Jan. 9 for an extended refurbishment.
Caramanna said that it could be an operational nightmare for the park to have two popular rides closed within such a short timeframe.
According to the Disneyland calendar, other rides and attractions are scheduled to be closed on various dates in January. Reopening dates vary since not all attractions on the list will be closed throughout the entire month.
- Haunted Mansion Holiday
- Indiana Jones Adventure:
- Tarzan’s Treehouse
- Grizzly River Run
- Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln
- The Disney Gallery
- Radiator Springs Racers
When Splash Mountain reopens as “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure” in 2024, Disney officials said the ride would pick up right where the “Princess and the Frog” movie left off.
“In Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, you’ll join Princess Tiana and jazz-loving alligator Louis during Mardi Gras season as they prepare to host a one-of-a-kind celebration for the people of New Orleans,” the Disney Parks Blog said.
The ride will also feature zydeco music, a blend of rhythm & blues that originated in Louisiana.
