Product Code Database
Splash Mountain is a log flume ride at Tokyo Disneyland. Other versions, which have since been rethemed, were formerly located at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. The attraction is based on the animated sequences of Disney's 1946 film Song of the South. The ride experience begins with an outdoor float-through that leads to indoor dark ride segments, with a climactic steep drop followed by an indoor finale. The drop is .
The original Splash Mountain opened at Disneyland in July 1989, followed by the Tokyo Disneyland and Magic Kingdom versions in October 1992. In June 2020, it was announced that the U.S. versions of the ride would be receiving a new theme based on Disney Animation's 2009 film The Princess and the Frog. The Magic Kingdom version of Splash Mountain closed on January 23, 2023, while the Disneyland version closed on May 31, 2023. The new ride, which is titled Tiana's Bayou Adventure, opened on June 28, 2024 at Magic Kingdom and on November 15, 2024 at Disneyland.
Two differences in the attraction's plot compared to the film are the exclusion of the Uncle Remus character as a storytelling device (he is replaced by Br'er Frog as a narrator) and changing Br'er Rabbit's method of capture from being stuck in tar to being stuck in a beehive.
According to Baxter, the name of the ride was originally going to be Zip-a-Dee River Run. However, at the same time that the ride was being developed, Walt Disney Studios was coming out with the film Splash (1984). The studio executives saw the Imagineers' plans, and since it was a water attraction, urged them to include Daryl Hannah's mermaid character from Splash in the ride. Baxter refused, stating that the mermaid did not fit in with the Br'er Rabbit story. So the executives instead asked him to name the ride Splash Mountain. The character figures from America Sings were used in many scenes, though the Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear figures were specifically created for Splash Mountain.
Plans to build the ride were unveiled in January 1987. At the time of its announcement, Disney officials stated they would not be expecting criticism for its Song of the South theming due to the ride only including the film's animated characters. Construction began at Disneyland in April of that year. By that time, Splash Mountain, whose budget had risen to $75 million, had become one of the most expensive projects created by Walt Disney Imagineering. The entire park cost around $17 million to build in 1955, equivalent to around $80 million in 1987. According to Alice Davis (wife of Disney animator and Imagineer Marc Davis), when America Sings closed in April 1988, production of Splash Mountain had gone far over budget. The only way to recover was to close down America Sings and use the character figures from that attraction. In anticipation of the opening of Splash Mountain, Bear Country was renamed Critter Country in 1988.
Splash Mountain was originally planned to open in January 1989, but was delayed to mid-February due to technical issues. The ride's opening was delayed again, to mid-July, due to boat problems. Test riders made up of company executives were getting soaked rather than lightly sprayed, so the boats were re-designed to be lighter, hold up to seven passengers instead of eight, and have an underwater scoop to keep too much water from leaking in.
Splash Mountain ultimately opened in Disneyland on July 17, 1989. To celebrate the opening, a television special was made called Ernest Goes to Splash Mountain. Actor and comedian Jim Varney returned to play Ernest in the special. Plans to install a camera that took photos of guests as they went down the final drop were unveiled in November 1990.
On January 14, 1990, Disney announced that Splash Mountain would be added to Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. In 1991, construction began for the attraction at Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland. On July 17, 1992, soft openings began at Magic Kingdom. The two versions of Splash Mountain officially opened within a day of each other in October 1992: the Tokyo Disneyland attraction opened on October 1, and the Magic Kingdom attraction opened on October 2. Since Tokyo Disneyland and Magic Kingdom never had an America Sings attraction, all of the Audio-Animatronics figures were created specifically for their respective versions of Splash Mountain, similar in design to the Disneyland figures.
In the late 1990s, the attraction at Disneyland received the nickname "Flash Mountain", as some female riders would briefly Exhibitionism during the final drop, hoping to make illicit use of the on-ride photographs that Disney later sold to riders.
In January 2011, the Magic Kingdom location received lap bars for its ride vehicles. Each row of two to three passengers shares one lap bar. Meanwhile, Tokyo Disneyland received individual lap bars, which makes the height restriction 5 inches shorter than the other two versions.
During the 2018 season, the Magic Kingdom location received a new sponsorship by Ziploc. The company created custom plastic bags to protect belongings for guests who rode the attraction.
In June 2020, it was announced that the Disneyland and Magic Kingdom attractions would be re-themed based on the 2009 film The Princess and the Frog. Disney stated that the development of the project began in 2019, prior to the online petitions that were circulated during the George Floyd protests. The New York Times reported that Disney executives had privately discussed removing the attraction's Song of the South theme for at least five years, before putting into development a theme based on The Princess and the Frog. The project was led by Walt Disney Imagineer Senior Creative Producer Charita Carter while Baxter returned as a creative advisor. A spokeswoman said that there are no plans to redesign the attraction at Tokyo Disneyland (which is owned and operated by the Oriental Land Company). In August 2021, new artwork and details for the retheme were revealed. In July 2022, during the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, it was announced that the new ride would be called Tiana's Bayou Adventure, setting an opening date of "late 2024" at both parks. In December 2022, new artwork was unveiled and it was announced that the Magic Kingdom version of Splash Mountain would close on January 23, 2023. In April 2023, it was announced that Tiana's Bayou Adventure would include new Audio-Animatronics figures, and that the Disneyland version of Splash Mountain would close on May 31, 2023.
From July 1 to August 31, 2022, Splash Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland became Splash Mountain "Get Wet MAX" during which guests got more soaked than usual to get relief from the extremely hot and humid Tokyo summers. Get Wet MAX would return for the subsequent summer seasons.
Before the logs entered the indoor portion, snoring was heard emanating from Br'er Bear's home. After a short drop, guests entered the indoor portion of the attraction, where various Audio-Animatronic animals, such as geese and frogs sang "How Do You Do?". After rounding a corner, riders saw Br'er Bear caught in a trap while Br'er Fox berated him and told him "We gotta catch that Br'er Rabbit!". Br'er Rabbit, seen outside his Briar Patch, told Br'er Turtle that he is leaving home in search of adventure, and is heading for his Laughin' Place. Along the way, guests encountered an alligator encouraging them to take him along. Br'er Bear followed Br'er Rabbit only for the "Laughin' Place" to actually be a trick, and Br'er Bear winded up being attacked by bees as Br'er Rabbit laughed at the sight. Riders progressed through caverns, where animals such as chickens, storks, a goose and a turkey sang "Everybody's Got a Laughin' Place".
Br'er Fox then managed to trap Br'er Rabbit in a beehive. The mood turned ominous as two mother characters (an opossum and rabbit) sang "Burrow's Lament" as a warning to their respective children. At the base of the final lift hill, two vultures taunted the riders. The logs began the final ascent and shortly before the attraction's climactic drop, Br'er Rabbit was seen alongside the hill, about to be eaten by Br'er Fox, but Br'er Rabbit outsmarted Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear by tricking them into throwing him into the briar patch (where he was born and raised). Riders were sent down the final drop into the briar patch, mimicking his fall. An on-ride photo was taken as the log began to fall.
The log then dove through a tunnel into an underground runout. An outdoor flume segment followed the drop during which an instrumental version of "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" played, and the logs then entered into a final indoor section which featured a paddle steamer steamboat where a cast of animals sang "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" and the respective fates of Br'er Rabbit (reclined happily at home) and the antagonists (fending off Br'er Gator) were seen. As the log passed through this section, a series of glass windows could be seen near the ceiling, behind which was a tunnel used by the Disneyland Railroad track.
Before the return to the loading area, for many years riders were given a preview of their picture that was taken on the final drop via an overhead screen. Professor Barnaby Owl would call the riders' attention to the screen as he remarked on their expressions. However, in recent years the screen had been removed.
Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear saw Br'er Rabbit telling Mr. Bluebird that he was going to his Laughing Place. Br'er Porcupine warned him of the danger ahead, but Br'er Rabbit continued on. "Everybody's Got a Laughing Place" began to play after Br'er Bear sprang Br'er Fox's rabbit trap. The logs continued onward past a roadrunner who asked to be taken along to the Laughin' Place, while opossums sang the song from overhead. The logs reached a dark tunnel followed by a drop into the Laughin' Place. Bees attacked Br'er Bear while Br'er Rabbit laughed with joy, unaware that Br'er Fox was behind him, preparing to drop a beehive on top of him. The logs then went over another short drop, and headed further into the cavern scenes. There, geyser-riding turtles and laughing, singing bullfrogs, and dancing water fountains guided the log to a dark area in which Br'er Rabbit was caught by Br'er Fox in a cave of stalactites and stalagmites. Two vultures taunted riders as they began their ascent up the final lift. A scene to the left side of the flume showed Br'er Fox menacing Br'er Rabbit, with Br'er Rabbit pleading not to be thrown into the briar patch.
At the top of this third lift hill, the log descended the drop at a 45-degree angle, reached a maximum speed of 40 mph, "Splash Mountain" Disney Reporter - Where the Magic Lives into a tunnel underneath the Frontierland walkway. After another outdoor flume segment during which an instrumental version of "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" played, the log coasted back into the mountain, where critters were singing "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" in celebration of Br'er Rabbit's return, while Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear attempted to fend off Br'er Gator. At the end, Br'er Rabbit sang with Mr. Bluebird, telling him that he learned his lesson.
In addition, several other songs from Song of the South were heard as instrumental tracks, playing on a loop in the queuing area. These included "That's What Uncle Remus Said", "Sooner or Later", "All I Want", "Who Wants to Live Like That", and "Let the Rain Pour Down." The loop lasted about 25 minutes.http://blm07.dreamhosters.com/wiki/index.php?title=Splash_Mountain_%26_Critter_Country_area_music
In the order heard in the attraction's ride-through segments:
Songs from the film heard as instrumental tracks in the queuing area included "That's What Uncle Remus Said", "Let the Rain Pour Down", "Sooner or Later", and the opening theme from the film. Traditional songs like "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" and "Goober Peas" were also played in a bluegrass music style. The loop lasted about an hour, and included different orchestrations of the three main songs heard in the ride as well.
| 7:00 |
| 8:00 |
| 8:00 |
| 7:57 |
| 12:00 |
| 8:00 |
| 10:30 |
| 10:35 |
| 8:06 |
|
|
