The Genius (Magic?) of Splash Mountain

[cer]

My favorite is going to the laughing place when the shooting fountains are going. Love that water that springs across your path.

[FriendsofMickey]

We Love this ride as well! I wouldn't be able to pinpoint just one thing about it. We love the story line, the details of everything from the que to the ending, the music, the drop.

I will say that it being a dark ride is key too. Last year (November), we were there and they forgot to shut the lights off. The ride definately needs the lights out. Luckily, it was the beginning of the day and we were able to re-ride without leaving the log. I told them the lights were on and they had them out shortly after.

[darthmacho]

We Love this ride as well! I wouldn't be able to pinpoint just one thing about it. We love the story line, the details of everything from the que to the ending, the music, the drop.

I will say that it being a dark ride is key too. Last year (November), we were there and they forgot to shut the lights off. The ride definately needs the lights out. Luckily, it was the beginning of the day and we were able to re-ride without leaving the log. I told them the lights were on and they had them out shortly after.

Weird, you think a CM would have noticed that?

See anything we should know about?

[seanyred]

The details. The details. Thats the main reason I love this ride, plus it was one of my favorite childhood movies (just wished I still had a copy of it).

Also one of my favorite hidden mickey's is on this ride.

And one thing that I love that isn't always working is the animation of Brer Rabbit being chased on the hill side by Brer Fox and Brer Bear. I wished they always had this animation going its simple but very enjoyable.

[garthbarth1]

We love this ride too! Especially the music and the drops. However, we do not know the story at all. Anyone care to share?

[KAJUNKING]

We love this ride too! Especially the music and the drops. However, we do not know the story at all. Anyone care to share?

the story is based around the movie "The Song of The South" one of the best movies to mix live action and animation, but its very anti pc because in the film they depict a life in which one of the main characters in this old time setting was a slave (uncle Remus) and uncle Remus was the person who told the stories to the kids about brer rabbit, brer bear, brer fox, and such, if you have a chance to see it you should.

[darthmacho]

We love this ride too! Especially the music and the drops. However, we do not know the story at all. Anyone care to share?

I'm not sure about the movie, but the story
I'm getting from the ride is that Brer Rabbit is a wanderer who is seeking adventure, but he also seems to get into mischief. Brer Fox and Brer Bear, being nasty predators, want to capture and eat him, but the wily rabbit outwits them at every turn. When they finally do catch him, he tricks them by begging Brer Fox not to throw him into the Briar Patch, and the Fox is apparently spiteful because he decides to do it, which is why we have the drop. The trick is that the Briar Patch is Brer Rabbit's home, and all the animals celebrate his return.

[T-Belle]

I LOVE Splash Mountain!!!!! One of my families favorites. The themeing and detail are just classic Disney to me. But what makes it so special to me is a different story.
When my youngest son was about 8 years old he was afraid to ride any of the bigger rides. So we always had to take turns riding so someone could stay with him. Finally, my oldest son talked his little brother into riding SM. He agreed as long as he was "sandwiched" between me and his big brother. So we rode and he had a blast!!!! Not only that~from that moment on he became a scarey ride pro!!! Nothing was off limits after that one ride!

[joonyer]

For more of the story background check out the "Uncle Remus Tales", published by Joel Chandler Harris. These stories are the basis of the movie "Song of the South" and the animation of the story characters for that movie are the basis of the characters' appearance/design in Splash Mountain. The stories are very entertaining, and there are many of them (185) with many more characters than depicted in the movie or Splash Mountain.
However if you do much reading about them you will discover, as others have mentioned, that these stories (and the movie) are somewhat controversial now, because they are based on oral folktales as told by slaves on southern plantations and written in the African-Amercian slave dialect used in the antebellum south.

[Gator]

However if you do much reading about them you will discover, as others have mentioned, that these stories (and the movie) are somewhat controversial now, because they are based on oral folktales as told by slaves on southern plantations and written in the African-Amercian slave dialect used in the antebellum south.

One of the reasons Walt did what he did was to preserve history. Although not a very pretty period, Walt believed these stories should be preserved in a fun cartoon/movie format. It was perfect. It combined the realness of the plantation setting, yet the cartoon section brought in the children who would love these never-before-heard stories. Wish Disney would just give in and release it so I could get a nice BluRay copy.

[joonyer]

Yeah, I've got a not so good copy of "Song of the South" from a Japanese issued laser disc that a military friend of mine got in the Philippines years ago, but for some reason the sound quality on my copy didn't turn out so good. So I wish they would re-release it also. I loved the Uncle Remus Tales as a child. I had (still have somewhere) several of the books. I think one of the main cultural objections to the stories now is that they were compiled and published by a white man, who is now perceived to have taken advantage of the people that created and passed along the tales. Everybody knows nowadays that Joel Chandler Harris didn't create the stories. Nobody knows who first made them up, but had the stories been published by a black author/editor they would be probably be considered a cultural treasure. I still think they are. It doesn't make logical sense to me, but times have changed, I guess.

[garthbarth1]

Thanks so much for all the info! I am definitely going to do some research on this! I didnt have any idea what the ride was about, but never would guess it was something of this nature!! Now it will be even more enjoyable! Thanks again!

[FriendsofMickey]

Weird, you think a CM would have noticed that?

See anything we should know about?

No, there was nothing special (such as any big secret).

Actually at first we did not realize why but everything was a little brighter. But then, we finally figured it out when we saw the "unfinished portions". Such as, when you see the "small drop" coming and see that above you it is not finished or detailed (at all). Like I said before, being dark is key!

It was a huge surprise that no one noticed it. It was honestly the first time we have ever seen such a mistake made at Disney. (though I am sure they happen more than we think).

[Narawen]

Thanks so much for all the info! I am definitely going to do some research on this! I didnt have any idea what the ride was about, but never would guess it was something of this nature!! Now it will be even more enjoyable! Thanks again!

By all means, go watch the movie. I watched on Youtube a few weeks ago, and the ride made so much more sense. Scenes from the ride are taken directly from the movie and Uncle Remus's tales of Brer Rabbit. It made me appreciate the ride so much more.

[Imagineer1981]

Fantastic themeing, great score and lyrics, so catchy and a perfect fit for Frontierland. I really wish they would release the video though

[crmark1]

No argument here from Splash's biggest fan. This ride really brings to life Song of the South, and yes I own a not-so-high-quality disc of it. This "dark ride", if you will, tells the story in so much detail, plus it let's you move at a relaxing pace down a lazy river. It's the "river" that makes you feel you're in the South, enjoying all it has to offer. And then, unlike all the other dark rides, it gives you the big thrill and rush at the end.

For me, it's the perfect attraction.

I wish I could find a DVD of " Song of the South". I remember seeing it at the theater when I was a boy and loved it! We all left the theater singing Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah! So many people ride Spalsh Mountian and have no idea what the attraction is based on. To bad in todays world a great movie like "Song of the South" is not " politicly correct.

[jaredkari]

I remember the first time I rode SM and what impressed me the most was the length of the ride. From the outside you have no idea that this is an almost 10 minute ride!! I assumed it was simply get on the boat, go up a hill, and down you go. Man was I wrong! This ride is awesome!

[princessgirls]

Ever since I took my first Splash Plunge in Disney Land in 1993 I've been hooked on this well themed, fun, creative attraction.

It is hands down my favorite thing in Disney...my favorite part is when you come out of the first cave and head around the bend to see the clothes hanging on the clothes line and the castle is in front of you! LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!

Julie

[Victor Kelly]

I like the superior attention to detail from the time you walk into the line until the time you exit the attraction.

I have never seen the movie although at this point I am willing to try anything to get a copy. So much for first amendment rights, but I digress.

The music can be just as contagoius as IASW Which I also enjoy.

I do remember there being a very beautiful train station where Splash now stands, that is the only regret I have about Splash being built, I am a R/R person even when I was a small child.

[NJDad]

Don't believe the Disney decision to keep Song of the South in the vault violates the first amendment.