Splash Mountain Closing Date Announced for Disneyland

Splash Mountain will officially shut down next month at Disneyland. Disney Parks has announced that its Splash Mountain ride's last day of operations will take place on May 30th, with the ride officially shutting down on May 31st. The ride will then go a lengthy refurbishment and re-theming titled Tiana's Bayou Adventure, which is based on Princess and the Frog and is anticipated to open in late 2024. The Magic Kingdom version of Splash Mountain previously shut down in January of this year. The Tokyo Disneyland version of the ride remains open for now, with no announced plans to shut down. 

Splash Mountain officially opened back in July 1989, although the ride's theme immediately received criticism because it featured characters from Song of the South, a 1946 movie that included a positive view of antebellum plantation life, including slavery. The ride only featured animated characters such as Br'er Rabbit and songs from the movie, but Song of the South's racist legacy (with Disney never releasing the movie on any form of home video) caused the company to eventually decide to re-theme the ride. 

Tiana's Bayou Adventure will serve as a sequel to Princess and the Frog, with most of the cast reprising their roles from the movie and the area around the re-formated with Princess and the Frog restaurants and shops. The ride itself will feature a brand new cast of original characters and dozens of new audio-animatronic figures and new original music alongside songs from the original movie. Tiana's Palace (Tiana's long-dreamed of restaurant in Princess and the Frog) will also be added to Disneyland, replacing the French Market Restaurant in New Orleans Square. 

Expect long lines as Splash Mountain enters its final days at Disneyland.