Disney World’s Splash Mountain has officially closed with visitors flocking to the attraction on its final day seen bottling the water and selling it online for hundreds of dollars.
The original ride’s ties to the 1946 film Song of the South came under scrutiny from woke bosses at Disney amid ongoing efforts to become more progressive.
Fans of the original ride flooded eBay following the closure, claiming to sell water from the attraction some marking their wares as high as $202.50, others a more affordable $3.75.
The words ‘Splash Mountain water’ with Sunday’s date can be seen written on some of the items which have been collected in sandwich bags, water bottles and some even put into mason jars.
Disney World’s Splash Mountain has officially closed with visitors flocking to the attraction on its final day seen bottling the water and selling it online for hundreds of dollars
Splash Mountain has been much loved by families since the first ride opened at Disneyland in 1989 – but the ride at Magic Kingdom has closed over its Song of the South theme
A listing posted on Tuesday with the title ‘Disney SPLASH MOUNTAIN water LAST DAY OF RIDE’ has been put on auction it’s current bid at $202.50 with four bids placed so far.
A small mason jar full of water taken in front of the Splash Mountain sign accompanies the listing.
Another person was also seen selling four ounces for $149.95.
Meanwhile, a presumably recycled Dasani Water bottle housing 20 ounces of water from the popular ride saw a price point just shy of the more expensive listings at $99.99.
Offers at more reasonable prices were also on offer, one listing was as low as $4.25 and carried the water in a sandwich bag, although this has since gone up from its original price of $3.75.
Another Disney fan said they were also selling what they described as ‘tap water from my sink’ in a Splash Mountain bag for $25,000.
A listing posted on Tuesday with the title ‘Disney SPLASH MOUNTAIN water LAST DAY OF RIDE’ has been put on auction it’s current bid at $202.50 with four bids placed so far
Meanwhile, a presumably recycled Dasani Water bottle housing 20 ounces of water from the popular ride saw a price point just shy of the more expensive listings at $99.99
‘This is obviously just for fun and to make fun of the people who are really selling water from a ride,’ they quipped.
‘I’m a Disney fan but come one [sic] people has the world gotten [sic] so doomed that people would buy water from a ride. Smh [sic] if you really want this water buy it. I’ll even do free shipping!’
Meanwhile, it isn’t the first-time visitors have tried to sell water from the ride, one offer showing a blue colored liquid in a glass vessel with a glass stopper selling for $1,000. This water is from 2021 however.
Disney World announced that it would be closing its location of Splash Mountain on in order to facilitate the ‘Princess and the Frog’ film reimagination.
The attraction at the Orlando, Florida, theme park shut down on Monday as it prepares to be relaunched as another water attraction ‘Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’ in 2024.
The company which has a net worth of $160 billion, unveiled a first look at a new scene from the forthcoming re-theming, which features characters specifically created for the attraction.
Offers at more reasonable prices were also on offer, one listing was as low as $4.25 and carried the water in a sandwich bag, although this has since gone up from its original price of $3.75
The words ‘Splash Mountain water’ with Sunday’s date can be seen written on some of the items which have been collected in sandwich bags, water bottles and mason jars
Alongside Princess Tiana, Naveen and the jazz-loving alligator Louis, guests will travel through the bayou as they prepare to host a Mardi Gras celebration and listen to music inspired by the film.
At the beginning of the boat ride, fireflies will light up the night ‘almost as if they’re waving you forward,’ inviting guests deeper into the bayou, according to a Disney press release, obtained by People.
The ride, will remain a log flume and incorporate zydeco music, a blend of rhythm and blues that originated in Louisiana.
A cast of critters will make up the band, including an otter, rabbit, raccoon, beaver, turtle and others.
‘It feels like they may have a bigger role to play in this story but we’ll just have to wait and see on that one,’ Disney teased.
In 2020, the company announced that the ride would be getting a refresh based on the 2009 Disney animated which features the company’s first Black princess, Tiana, at both Disneyland in California and Magic Kingdom in Florida.
A model of the revamped ride, which is based on the movie The Princess and The Frog
‘The Princess and the Frog is a beloved movie and is set in 1926 and is about Tiana’s dreams of owning her own restaurant. Until now there had been little themed at the park around the film
Tiana’s story takes over the ride previously based on the controversial 1946 Disney film Song of the South, which has long been criticized for its problematic portrayal of the post-Civil War South and for employing racist stereotypes.
Splash Mountain was based on animated segments from the film and also included the movie’s famed song, ‘Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah.’
The first version of the ride opened at Disneyland in California in 1989 and was also visited by the late Princess Diana, Prince William and Prince Harry in 1993.
The first version of Splash Mountain opened at Disneyland in California in 1989 and was also visited by the late Princess Diana, Prince William and Prince Harry in 1993
Prince William seen with friends of the royal family in 1993 on Splash Mountain. Disney noted that a new story for the ride had long been under consideration
Disney noted that a new story for the ride had long been under consideration among other progressive changes.
The steps include changing park policy to stop staff from using gendered greetings, implementing an anti-racism training course for employees, giving old characters progressive makeovers, and removing offensive imagery from rides and movies.
A campaign to rebrand the ride was launched in 2020. A petition on Change.org called for re-theming the beloved flume ride because of its ties to the the 1946 film.
That petition included the suggestion the ride instead be themed on ‘The Princess and the Frog.’
The film Song of the South is based on the Uncle Remus folk stories and takes place during the Reconstruction Era that followed the civil war
‘Song of the South’ stars James Baskett as Uncle Remus (pictured) and won an Oscar for best original song in 1948.
‘While the ride is considered a beloved classic it’s history and storyline are steeped in extremely problematic and stereotypical racist tropes from the 1946 film Song of the South,’ said the online petition started by a Change.org user named Alex O.
The petition claims ‘there is a huge need for diversity in the parks and this could help fill that need.’
‘The Princess and the Frog is a beloved princess movie but has very little representation in the parks,’ it said.
The movie is set in 1926 and is about Tiana’s dreams of owning her own restaurant. She kisses a frog, who is really a prince who had fallen victim to a voodoo spell, in hopes of making her dream come true.
Instead Tiana is changed into a frog herself and has to find a way of becoming human again.
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