The controversial Disney World ride Splash Mountain will close today after 31 years to make way for a new theme based on the Princess and the Frog, Disney’s first movie to feature a Black princess, as previously reported by The Gateway Pundit.
Splash Mountain was a log flume ride that depicted animated characters from the 1946 Disney movie “Song of the South.” The movie took place in a post Civil War Reconstruction era, not the antebellum south as has been alleged by several critics of the ride. The film was a mix of human actors as well as the integration of animated characters such as Br’er Rabbit and Br’er Bear. None of the human elements were featured on the ride.
James Baskett, the actor who portrayed Uncle Remus in the film, won an Oscar in 1948, just months before his tragic death from diabetes.
“Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah,” the famous song from the film, also won an Academy Award for “Best Original Song.”
According to an article by Indie Wire, the cast of the movie stood behind the film when it was made:
“Song of the South” counts among its ensemble Hattie McDaniel, the “Gone With the Wind” star and first Black entertainer to win an Academy Award. In a 1947 interview, she told the American publication The Criterion, “If I had for one moment considered any part of the picture degrading or harmful to my people, I would not have appeared therein.” Her co-star James Baskett echoed her support of the film, saying, “I believe that certain groups are doing my race more harm in seeking to create dissension than can ever possibly come out of the ‘Song of the South.’”
The decision to abolish the ride seemingly stems from a petition generated online in 2019 that garnered 21,000 signatures calling for the removal of the ride. It’s worth noting that Florida’s Disney World alone sees approximately 38,000 visitors per day, so 21,o00 signatures isn’t even a full days worth of guests to the park. A “counter petition” to save the ride was also started. It garnered over 98,000 signatures “To Save Splash Mountain and keep it as it is in Magic Kingdom and Disneyland.”
Much like the re-branding of Aunt Jemima, two iconic Black academy award winners are being erased because of the censorship of an era in American history. It is worth noting that the film “Song of the South” netted an additional $17,000,000 during a brief “re-run” in theatres in 1986.
Today marks the end of a 31 yr run for Splash Mountain. The ride is to begin the transformation to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
Splash Mtn was closed due to outrage over “racism”.
Below are the characters from Splash Mountain compared to Tiana’s Bayou.
Notice anything? pic.twitter.com/YFA8KIoVwh
— CannCon (@CannConActual) January 23, 2023
The post Disney’s “Controversial” Splash Mountain Closes Today After 31 Years to Begin Renovations for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.