We’ve seen Disney attractions grow, change, and evolve over time. Some attractions have been completely re-themed, while others have received smaller updates. From total tear-downs to teenie tiny changes, the Disney parks are a constant work-in-progress; and we have a feeling that’s exactly what Walt Disney wanted for his parks. Most recently, Disney announced that Splash Mountain is being reimagined as a NEW attraction known as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, based on The Princess and the Frog.
Splash Mountain
In January 2023, Splash Mountain closed in Disney World, and construction is already underway for the new attraction. Then a few short months later, Disneyland’s Splash Mountain also closed down for good. You may have thought that these closures marked the official end of Splash Mountain, but there’s still one place where you can ride Splash Mountain. Let’s talk about it.
What’s Changing
When Disney first announced the closure of Splash Mountain, they explained that both Disney World Park and Disneyland Park would soon receive a reimagined version of the log-flume-style attraction. According to Disney, when the original Splash Mountain attraction opened on July 17th, 1992, it “forever changed the landscape of Frontierland,” but in an effort to be more inclusive, Imagineers set out to build a ride that “speaks to the diversity of the millions of people who visit our parks each year.“
Splash Mountain at Magic Kingdom
We’ve learned a lot about Disney’s history and Disney’s progress since that initial Splash Mountain announcement, and the re-theme has prompted new discussions about diversity and inclusion.
If you want to learn more about the new ride coming to Magic Kingdom, click here!
But there’s one Disney park that hasn’t made any announcements about the fate of its Splash Mountain attraction: Toyko Disneyland.
Let’s Talk About Tokyo
Let’s be honest. Between the unique merchandise, special shows, and innovative attractions, Tokyo Disneyland is pretty different from its American counterparts. But there is one other important difference between Tokyo Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
©Disney Parks
Tokyo Disneyland is 100% owned and operated by Oriental Land Company, a Japanese company. Oriental Land Company pitched the idea for a new Disney park, negotiated with The Walt Disney Company, and ultimately opened Tokyo Disneyland in 1983. The Walt Disney Company has no stake in the international park.
Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast at Tokyo Disneyland
That also means that Disney Imagineers did not build the Splash Mountain attraction in Tokyo. In fact, the Oriental Land Company shows that a company called the Kao Corporation is a sponsor of Splash Mountain.
©Oriental Land Company
That said, all the Disney characters you know and love are still owned by The Walt Disney Company, so Oriental Land Company pays to license the Disney characters for use in their own parks.
“it’s a small world” in Tokyo
In theory, the fate of Splash Mountain is dependent on the current licensing agreement between Disney and Oriental Land Company. Disney may have the power to shut the ride down in Tokyo, but for now, there have been no public announcements of any major changes.
Splash Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland
In fact, a 2023 Tokyo Disneyland press release indicated that Splash Mountain will remain open through 2023; Tokyo Disneyland announced a special “Splash Mountain ‘Get Wet’ MAX” version of the attraction that will take over from July 4th through September 6th, 2023.
©Disney
Who knows — Toyko Disneyland may decide to close its Splash Mountain attraction someday, but for now, it will remain open. We’ll have to wait and see what the future holds. In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more!
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Disney may also not have withdrawal rights. I imagine if a Japanese company invested a lot of money building the attraction, they would have a long-term agreement.
I’m happy they are not bowing down to what’s going on over here in America! I’m happy they have others owning the rights and I hope it stays open forever!
Interesting. I have a Laser Disk version of Song of the South with Japanese subtitles. Fun movie to watch. You can’t get any version in the US unless it is imported.
You can get the DVD at the Uncle Remus Museum in Georgia.
But sadly no Splash Mountain merch or Br’er meet and greets. Glad ride still there but wish OLC could stick it to Disney further Inwas just there for birthday hoping to meet Br’ers.