Disney is going to scrap the controversial “Song of the South” theme in Splash Mountain at both Disneyworld and Disneyland. This comes after more than 21,000 people signed a petition saying the ride’s storyline is “steeped in extremely problematic and stereotypical racist tropes from the 1946 film Song of the South.” The Orlando Sentintel writes:
“Song of the South,” a Disney film released in 1946, has been criticized for its portrayal of African-Americans. The company has not released the movie in any home format in the United States, including its Disney+ livestreaming service, but its characters remained in place in Splash Mountain. The attraction debuted in Disneyland’s Critter Country in 1989, and then opened at Magic Kingdom’s Frontierland in 1992.
Now the company says the ride will be “reimagined” with imagery and songs from ‘The Princess and the Frog.'” The movie features Disney’s first black princess.
We're thrilled to share Splash Mountain at @Disneyland & @WaltDisneyWorld will be completely reimagined with a new story inspired by an all-time favorite @DisneyAnimation film, “The Princess and the Frog.” Learn about what Imagineers have in development: https://t.co/HyKfdDSH3j pic.twitter.com/DV6476KAVX
— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) June 25, 2020
The character was voiced by actress Anika Noni Rose.
