Disney is sharing an update about the big changes coming to one of the theme parks' classic rides!
Last June,Disney announcedthat they would be reimagining Splash Mountainin order to make it more inclusive to all visitors, changing the ride up with a theme based on the 2009 Disney filmThe Princess and the Frog, which features the company’s first Black princess, Tiana.
Now, the company is sharing a few updates on the iconic attraction’s revamp — including how they’ve been working with a team of important residents of New Orleans (where the movie is set) to make sure it’s done right.
The Walt Disney Company
In aDisney Parks blogpost published on Monday, the company shared a new rendering (above) of what the attraction will look like, explaining that the story will begin “after the final kiss,” and see Prince Naveen (Princess Tiana’s love interest) and Louis (the friendly alligator) joining the princess on an adventure as she hosts a Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans.
Splash Mountain.Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland Resort
Paul Morse
Representatives from Disney met with several generations of Chase family members at the restaurant, where they enjoyed some of their famous gumbo and discussed the city’s culture — especially their music and food — and how Disney Imagineers could bring it to life in the reimagined ride.
“Imagineers often do in-depth research to help inspire their work. In this case, that involved digging deep into the culture of New Orleans to tell a story that’s as authentic to the region as it is to the characters' stories,” the blog shares. “From the food, music, art and architecture to the diversity of its people and their traditions, there is much from which to draw inspiration.”
Disney also announced that they would be making a $50,000 donation to the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), an arts training and education center, as a token of their appreciation for the city and culture of New Orleans.
According to a press release shared with PEOPLE last year, Disney has been planning to reimagine Splash Mountain with aThePrincess and the Frogtheme since 2019.
Splash Mountain.Joe Burbank/getty images
TheirJune 2020 announcementthat they would be doing so came weeks afterseveral petitions began gaining traction on the site Change.orgurging Disney to reimagine the theme of the log-flume ride. It is currently based on the controversial 1946 Disney filmSong 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.BRYAN R. SMITH/Getty Images
These new updates about the ride come as Disney ushers in their first-ever World Princess Week, which also kicks off on Monday.
The global event is designed to celebrate the kindness and heroism of Disney Princesses and inspire young fans to embrace these positive qualities in their own lives.
RELATED VIDEO: Gaten Matarazzo’s Walt Disney World Minute
Find out Princess Weekon the Disney website.
source: people.com
