After three decades, Splash Mountain closed on Sunday. The new “Princess and the Frog” ride and restaurant, which will replace Splash Mountain, are expected to be completed in 2024.
The new ride will be called “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure,” per Deseret News. Tiana will guide riders through a new adventure that’s a continuation of the movie. Riders can expect to hear New Orleans-style music throughout the ride.
“In Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, you’ll join Princess Tiana and jazz-loving alligator Louis during Mardi Gras season as they prepare to host a one-of-a-kind celebration for the people of New Orleans,” Carmen Smith, senior vice president over creative development and inclusive strategies for Walt Disney Imagineering, said in a statement on the Disney Parks website.
Splash Mountain closed due to its association with the 1964 Disney film “Song of the South,” which has “been widely criticized for the way it depicted race relations in the post-Civil War South,” according to Forbes. Disney saw the closing of this ride as an opportunity to highlight the first Black princess in the Disney franchise, which led to the creation of the “Princess and the Frog” ride.
Disney-goers can also expect a new restaurant.
The restaurant known as The French Marketplace will be replaced by Tiana’s Palace, per The Sacramento Bee. The new restaurant is expected to be a quick service restaurant with New Orleans flavors.
The exact opening date of the ride and restaurant are still unknown, but they are expected to open in 2024.