Disney to Redesign Splash Mountain Due to the Ride’s Ties to Racism and Slabbers)
Black Lives Matter protests and calls to dismantle white supremacy ramped up in recent weeks following the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other black men and women by the hands of police.
But those aren’t the only brands getting a marketing makeover: Disney announced that it will redesign its Splash Mountain theme park attraction due to its problematic ties to racial stereotypes.
Walt Disney announced Thursday that Splash Mountain will be “completely reimagined,” reports CNN.
The announcement comes as more than 20,000 people signed a petition on Change.org asking the company to change the ride’s theme from Song of the South to the 2009 animated film Princess and the Frog, which features Disney’s first Black princess Tiana.
In response, Disney revealed that the new Splash Mountain concept will be inspired by Princess and the Frog.