Disney News

Tag: Princess and the Frog

  • Disney Reveals New Splash Mountain Reimagining Concept Art and New Details

    Disney Reveals New Splash Mountain Reimagining Concept Art and New Details

    Last year, Disney Parks announced Splash Mountain – at both Disneyland park in California and Magic Kingdom park in Florida – will be completely reimagined and inspired by the fan favorite Walt Disney Animation Studios film, “The Princess and the Frog,” and now they are releasing new details.

    Disney recently revealed a new piece of concept art and story details for the planned ride revamp, teasing a new journey set to unfold after the film’s final kiss scene. Along the ride, guests will follow Tiana (voiced by Anika Noni Rose in the film) while she plots a one-of-a-kind Mardi Gras celebration with Naveen (Bruno Campos) and Louis (Michael-Leon Wooley) in tow.

    The new “The Princess and the Frog”-themed ride will conclude with “the ultimate Mardi Gras party.” “Because if Tiana is throwing a party, it is the ultimate Mardi Gras party,” said Charita Carter, a senior creative producer for Walt Disney Imagineering, who is leading the team on the project. Carter shared new details on the attraction in a video Disney released as you can see below:

    “Original music inspired by songs from the film will bring guests into the story,” Disney states, and riders will follow the princess as they “encounter old friends and make new ones along the way,” preparing for the city’s famous spring celebration. 

  • Disney Says the Inclusion Update to Splash Mountain “isn’t the last”

    Disney Says the Inclusion Update to Splash Mountain “isn’t the last”

    Disney Parks revealed earlier this year that a plan was in place to re-theme Splash Mountain from its current Song of the South incarnation to something designed after The Princess and the Frog, and now Disney has announced there are more inclusion changes coming to the Parks in the future.

    Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro revealed durring a virtual conference by the IAAPA that the redesign of Splash Mountain is now being put on the fast track.

    Not only that, more changes or additions to the park are planned that will foster inclusion. D’Amaro said the Princess and the Frog update “isn’t the last. There will be more to come”

    For decades the Disney company has based its employee training around the “four keys.” Those have been safety, courtesy, show, and efficiency. Earlier this year, a fifth key was added, inclusion.

    The transition of Splash Mountain is one element of this new focus on inclusion. The ride’s current theme, while not explicitly…problematic, from a race perspective, is related to a movie that has some serious problems in that regard, and the redesign to The Princess and the Frog was clearly chosen not only because it works thematically, but because that film features Disney’s only African-American Princess character.