‘Princess and The Frog’ Star Praises Splash Mountain Retheme, Calls ‘Song of the South’ ‘Hateful and Hurtful’

A year after Splash Mountain closed down at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, Disney finally gave fans a positive update this week. Disney announced that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will be opening this summer.

@disneyparks

FIRST LOOK 👀 at one of the new Audio-Animatronics figures coming to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure ✨💚 #Disney #DisneyParks #DisneyWorld #Tiana #TianasBayouAdventure #DisneyNews #MardiGras #Technology

♬ original sound – Disney Parks

Disney even shared a video showing the realistic animatronics that would be coming to the new ride in the Magic Kingdom.

But despite these positive updates, it has still not diminished the controversy over Disney’s choosing to retheme Splash Mountain. The original ride was based on Disney’s Song of the South (1946). 

Song of the South is accused of using racial stereotypes, especially in the character of Uncle Remus. But Disney knew that the film would cause controversy when it was in production.

Related: Disney Would Very Much Like You to Forget That ‘Song of the South’ Ever Existed

Disney hired African-American writer Clarence Muse as a screenplay consultant, hoping he could tamper down some of the racial issues in the writing. But Muse quit after his suggestions to portray African Americans with dignity and not to feed into racial stereotypes were ignored.

But despite that, Disney still used the film for Splash Mountain at Disney World and Disneyland and will continue to use it at Tokyo Disneyland.

But despite the fan protests, and some even drinking the water, the ride will make the permanent change from Splash Mountain to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, based on The Princess and the Frog (2009). 

Jennifer Cody, who voiced Tiana’s best friend Charlotte La Bouff in the film, is happy to see the change from Song of the South to The Princess and the Frog. 

Cody told TMZ that she was “applauding Disney” for keeping up with the times and replacing Splash Mountain’s animatronics because of their “racist themes.” Cody went on to call Song of the South “hurtful and hateful” for its use of “racist depictions of southern Black men.”

Besides criticizing the ride, Cody praised Disney and the creators of The Princess and the Frog for its first use of an African American princess. She hopes young African American girls will “feel inspired to emulate her strong, courageous entrepreneurial qualities.”

The new Disney Parks ride will incorporate the music and feel of New Orleans into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Cody believes that the attention to detail and the authenticity Disney imaginers put into the ride will quickly make it a favorite for park guests.

Cody has had a long career on the stage, movie, and television screens. However, he is best known for her work in The Princess and the Frog. 

What do you think of the retheme of Splash Mountain? Let us know in the comments.