Disney patrons flock to Splash Mountain, the last ride before closing

The days of “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” at US Disney parks are long coming to an end — which is why people are forming huge lines this weekend for one last ride.

Posting many sponsors of Disneyland and Disney World Pictures / videos Saturday and Sunday show them waiting for their chance to hop on a log and cruise through Splash Mountain one last time before it officially closes for the reimagining starting Monday.

The classic fan-journey will be reimagined in Tiana’s Bayou Adventure – a slasher spin-off from The Princess and The Frog, set in a New Orleans swamp setting. This version is expected to reopen sometime in 2024…so SM will be in the dark until then at least.

In light of this gap, ticket buyers are flocking to the attraction like never before, with lines extending entirely to different departments from the park. We are talking about hundreds of people.

It’s unclear how long the wait times are, but we imagine at least a few hours. The riders didn’t seem to care—honestly, this is the last chance anyone has to enjoy Splash Mountain as it originally was…and it looks like Disney fans want their fill.

Splash Mountain has been around since the late 1980s, and has become a staple for many on any Disney park visit. The water ride is based on the 1946 live-action/animated movie “Song of the South”… and includes all the “Br’er” characters from the movie – Rabbit, Fox, Bear, etc.

The reason Splash Mountain hasn’t been remade at all is because the old movie and character have been called problematic – i.e. they romanticize the Old South and play into stereotypes about African Americans, etc. century.