Splash Mountain At Disney World Closes Today And The Line Is More Than Three Hours Long
Today is the final day for Splash Mountain. When Disney World in Orlando closes today, Splash Mountain will close and begin it's rebranding as "Tiana's Bayou Adventure." It will be based on the 2009 film, "The Princess and the Frog." The rebranding is expected to finish in 2024. Splash Mountain included the animated characters from the 1946 Disney film, "Song of the South." Critics have claimed that film portrays racial stereotypes and the movie has been banned. The movie is not on Disney+ and is not available for sale anywhere (legally, that is).
The lines are crazy today. Many of us equate Splash Mountain as a part of our childhood, riding the log ride when our parents took us to Disney World when we were kids. Splash Mountain has been in operation for 30 years. That's a lot of childhoods, so the nostalgia was thick.
Despite a petition to save the ride, today is it. And many fans have gone to the Magic Kingdom for one last ride. Lines were reported to be in excess of 3 hours. That means the line to ride a 30 year old, falling apart, water ride is longer than just about any other attraction at the park today. People don't care. They'll wait however long it takes to get on the ride one last time. Fortunately for them, it's 79 degrees in Orlando today, much warmer than it was last weekend. Here's some pics from the park.
The opening rope drop
I've never seen a wait time like that at Splash Mountain
The line
It looks like Disney needed additional cast to help
One former NFL player was willing to do almost anything
Goodbye, Splash Mountain
One last time, you all know the words....