log flume A log flume or lumber flume is a watertight flume constructed to transport lumber and logs down mountainous terrain using flowing water. Flumes replaced horse- or oxen-drawn carriages on dangerous mountain trails in the late 19th century. Loggi ...

Tokyo Disneyland is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Disney park t ...

Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, ...

Magic Kingdom Magic Kingdom Park is a Amusement park, theme park at the Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It opened on October 1, 1971, and is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Disney Experiences, Expe ...

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

Song of the South ''Song of the South'' is a 1946 American Live-action animated film, live-action/animated musical film, musical comedy-drama film directed by Harve Foster and Wilfred Jackson, produced by Walt Disney, and released by RKO Pictures, RKO Radio Pi ...

dark ride A dark ride—or ghost train when horror themed—is an indoor amusement ride on which passengers aboard guided vehicles travel through specially lit scenes that typically contain Animatronics, animation, sound, music and Special effect#Live spe ...

The Princess and the Frog ''The Princess and the Frog'' is a 2009 American Animation, animated musical film, musical Romance film, romantic fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Inspired in part by the 2002 ...

Uncle Remus Uncle Remus is the fictional title character and narrator of a collection of African American folktales compiled and adapted by Joel Chandler Harris and published in book form in 1881. Harris was a journalist in post–Reconstruction era Atlant ...

Song of the South ''Song of the South'' is a 1946 American Live-action animated film, live-action/animated musical film, musical comedy-drama film directed by Harve Foster and Wilfred Jackson, produced by Walt Disney, and released by RKO Pictures, RKO Radio Pi ...

Br'er Rabbit Br'er Rabbit ( ; an abbreviation of ''Brother Rabbit'', also spelled Brer Rabbit) is a central figure in an oral tradition passed down by African Americans, African-Americans of the Southern United States and African descendants in the Caribbean ...

trickster In mythology and the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a character in a story (god, goddess, spirit, human or anthropomorphisation) who exhibits a great degree of intellect or secret knowledge and uses it to play tricks or otherw ...

antagonist An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the main enemy or rival of the protagonist and is often depicted as a villain.Br'er Rabbit Earns a Dollar a Minute") and uses it to trap Br'er Bear instead. Br'er Rabbit continues on his journey to find his " laughing place". Out of curiosity, his foes follow only for Br'er Rabbit to lead them into a cavern of bees. Br'er Fox eventually catches Br'er Rabbit and threatens to eat him. Br'er Rabbit uses

reverse psychology Reverse psychology is a technique involving the assertion of a belief or behavior that is opposite to the one desired, with the expectation that this approach will encourage the subject of the persuasion to do what is actually desired. This techn ...

on Br'er Fox, begging him not to throw him into the briar patch (as described in " The Tar Baby"). Br'er Fox then throws Br'er Rabbit into the briar patch (represented by the ride's final drop) and Br'er Rabbit escapes uninjured. Br'er Rabbit resolves to remain at his home in the briar patch as the other animals rejoice at his return, while Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear are seen narrowly escaping the jaws of Br'er Gator. Two differences in the attraction's plot compared to the film are the exclusion of the Uncle Remus character as a storytelling device (he is replaced by Br'er Frog as a narrator) and changing Br'er Rabbit's method of capture from being stuck in tar to being stuck in a beehive.

History

Splash Mountain was originally conceived in 1983 by Imagineer Tony Baxter. He wanted to attract guests to the often-empty Bear Country land in

Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, ...

, with its single attraction being the

Country Bear Jamboree The Country Bear Jamboree is an attraction in the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort and Tokyo Disneyland at Tokyo Disney Resort. It was formerly located at Disneyland, Disneyland Park at Disneyland Resort. T ...

(1972–2001), plus a souvenir shop, and make use of the

Audio-Animatronics Audio-Animatronics (also known simply as AAs) are a form of Mechatronics, mechatronic animatronics puppetry created by Walt Disney Imagineering and Trademark, trademarked by The Walt Disney Company for use in designed shows and attractions at Disn ...

figures from the Disneyland attraction America Sings (1974–1988), which was also poorly attended. It was Dick Nunis (then-president of Walt Disney attractions) who insisted that the Imagineers create a log flume for Disneyland, but the Imagineers were initially unenthusiastic about it, feeling that log flumes were too ordinary a theme park attraction to include in a Disney park. While trying to solve the issues of including a log flume, bringing people into Bear Country, and reusing the America Sings figures, Baxter thought of ''

Song of the South ''Song of the South'' is a 1946 American Live-action animated film, live-action/animated musical film, musical comedy-drama film directed by Harve Foster and Wilfred Jackson, produced by Walt Disney, and released by RKO Pictures, RKO Radio Pi ...

''. According to Baxter, the name of the ride was originally going to be Zip-a-Dee River Run. However, at the same time that the ride was being developed, Walt Disney Studios was coming out with the film '' Splash'' (1984). The studio executives saw the Imagineers' plans, and since it was a water attraction, urged them to include

Daryl Hannah Daryl Hannah (born December 3, 1960) is an American actress and environmental activist. She made her film debut in Brian De Palma's supernatural horror film ''The Fury (1978 film), The Fury'' (1978). She has starred in various films across the ...

's

mermaid In folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Mermaids are ...

character from ''Splash'' in the ride. Baxter refused, stating that the mermaid did not fit in with the

Br'er Rabbit Br'er Rabbit ( ; an abbreviation of ''Brother Rabbit'', also spelled Brer Rabbit) is a central figure in an oral tradition passed down by African Americans, African-Americans of the Southern United States and African descendants in the Caribbean ...

story. So the executives instead asked him to name the ride Splash Mountain. The character figures from America Sings were used in many scenes, though the Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear figures were specifically created for Splash Mountain. Plans to build the ride were unveiled in January 1987. At the time of its unveiling, Disney officials stated they would not be expecting criticism for its ''Song of the South'' theming due to the ride only including the film's animated characters. Construction began at Disneyland in April of that year. By that time, Splash Mountain, whose budget had risen to $75 million, had become one of the most expensive projects created by Walt Disney Imagineering. The entire park cost around $17 million to build in 1955, which translates to around $80 million in 1987. According to Alice Davis (wife of Disney animator and Imagineer Marc Davis), when America Sings closed in April 1988, production of Splash Mountain had gone far over budget. The only way to recover was to close down America Sings and use the character figures from that attraction. In anticipation of the opening of Splash Mountain, Bear Country was renamed Critter Country in 1988. Splash Mountain was originally planned to open in January 1989, but was delayed to mid-February due to technical issues. The ride's opening was delayed again, to mid-July, due to boat problems. Test riders made up of company executives were getting soaked rather than lightly sprayed, so the boats were re-designed to be lighter, hold up to seven passengers instead of eight, and have an underwater scoop to keep too much water from leaking in. Splash Mountain ultimately opened in Disneyland on July 17, 1989. To celebrate the opening, a television special was made called ''Ernest Goes to Splash Mountain''. Actor and comedian

Jim Varney James Albert Varney Jr. (June 15, 1949 – February 10, 2000) was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his comedic role as Ernest P. Worrell, for which he won an Emmy Award, as well as appearing in films and numerous televis ...

returned to play

Ernest Ernest is a given name derived from the Germanic languages, Germanic word ''ernst'', meaning "serious", often shortened to Ernie. Notable people and fictional characters with the name include: People *Archduke Ernest of Austria (1553–1595), ...

in the special. Plans to install a camera that took photos of guests as they went down the final drop were unveiled in November 1990. On January 14, 1990, Disney announced that Splash Mountain would be added to

Magic Kingdom Magic Kingdom Park is a Amusement park, theme park at the Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It opened on October 1, 1971, and is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Disney Experiences, Expe ...

at

Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort is an destination resort, entertainment resort complex located about southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is operated by Disney Experiences, a division of the Wa ...

. In 1991, construction began for the attraction at Magic Kingdom and

Tokyo Disneyland is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Disney park t ...

. On July 17, 1992, soft openings began at Magic Kingdom. The two versions of Splash Mountain officially opened within a day of each other in October 1992: the Tokyo Disneyland attraction opened on October 1, and the Magic Kingdom attraction opened on October 2. Since Tokyo Disneyland and Magic Kingdom never had an America Sings attraction, all of the Audio-Animatronics figures were created specifically for their respective versions of Splash Mountain, similar in design to the Disneyland figures. In the late 1990s, the attraction at Disneyland received the nickname "Flash Mountain", as some female riders would briefly expose their breasts during the final drop, hoping to make illicit use of the on-ride photographs that Disney later sold to riders. In January 2011, the Magic Kingdom location received lap bars for its ride vehicles. Each row of two to three passengers shares one lap bar. Meanwhile, Tokyo Disneyland received individual lap bars, which makes the height restriction 5 inches shorter than the other two versions. During the 2018 season, the Magic Kingdom location received a new sponsorship by

Ziploc Ziploc is an American brand of reusable, re-sealable sliding channel storage bags and containers originally developed and test marketed by Dow Chemical Company in 1968 and now produced by S. C. Johnson & Son. The plastic bags and containers c ...

. The company created custom plastic bags to protect belongings for guests who rode the attraction. In June 2020, it was announced that the Disneyland and Magic Kingdom attractions would be re-themed based on the 2009 film ''

The Princess and the Frog ''The Princess and the Frog'' is a 2009 American Animation, animated musical film, musical Romance film, romantic fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Inspired in part by the 2002 ...

''. Disney stated that the development of the project began in 2019, prior to the online petitions that were circulated during the

George Floyd protests The George Floyd protests were a series of protests, riots, and demonstrations against police brutality that began in Minneapolis in the United States on May 26, 2020. The protests and civil unrest began in Minneapolis as Reactions to the mu ...

. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' reported that Disney executives had privately discussed removing the attraction's ''Song of the South'' theme for at least five years, before putting into development a theme based on ''The Princess and the Frog''. The project was led by Walt Disney Imagineer Senior Creative Producer Charita Carter while Baxter returned as a creative advisor. A spokeswoman said that there are no plans to redesign the attraction at Tokyo Disneyland (which is owned and operated by

The Oriental Land Company The , also known as Oriental Land is a Japanese leisure and tourism company headquartered in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan where it also owns and operates the Tokyo Disney Resort. The company operates in three segments, divided as theme parks, hotels, ...

). In August 2021, new artwork and details for the retheme were revealed. In July 2022, during the

Essence Music Festival The ESSENCE Festival of Culture is the largest African-American culture and music event in the US. The annual music festival started in 1995 in New Orleans, Louisiana to celebrate the 25th anniversary of ''Essence (magazine), Essence'' magazine. ...

in

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

, it was announced that the new ride would be called Tiana's Bayou Adventure, setting an opening date of "late 2024" at both parks. In December 2022, new artwork was unveiled and it was announced that the Magic Kingdom version of Splash Mountain would close on January 23, 2023. In April 2023, it was announced that Tiana's Bayou Adventure would include new Audio-Animatronics figures, and that the Disneyland version of Splash Mountain would close on May 31, 2023. From July 1 to August 31, 2022, Splash Mountain at Tokyo Disneyland became ''Splash Mountain "Get Wet MAX"'' during which guests got more soaked than usual to get relief from the extremely hot and humid Tokyo summers. Get Wet MAX would return for the subsequent summer seasons.

Attraction

The hollow tree stump on top of Splash Mountain is modeled after the exterior of Br'er Fox's lair in ''

Song of the South ''Song of the South'' is a 1946 American Live-action animated film, live-action/animated musical film, musical comedy-drama film directed by Harve Foster and Wilfred Jackson, produced by Walt Disney, and released by RKO Pictures, RKO Radio Pi ...

'' and is called Chickapin Hill. The story " Br'er Rabbit Earns a Dollar a Minute" is told in the dark ride segment on the meandering river. The flume converts to a

roller coaster A roller coaster is a type of list of amusement rides, amusement ride employing a form of elevated Railway track, railroad track that carries passengers on a roller coaster train, train through tight turns, steep slopes, and other elements, usua ...

-style track in complete darkness to transition to " The Laughing Place" caverns. After

Br'er Rabbit Br'er Rabbit ( ; an abbreviation of ''Brother Rabbit'', also spelled Brer Rabbit) is a central figure in an oral tradition passed down by African Americans, African-Americans of the Southern United States and African descendants in the Caribbean ...

is captured, the logs ascend up the attraction's predominant hill into the " Tar-Baby" segment (although in the attraction the tar baby is replaced with a beehive). Br'er Rabbit, now captured by Br'er Fox, tricks the villain into throwing him into the briar patch; the drop itself mimics Br'er Rabbit's fall. The log descends a 56-foot drop into a briar patch before continuing back into the mountain, where numerous

Audio-Animatronic Audio-Animatronics (also known simply as AAs) are a form of Mechatronics, mechatronic animatronics puppetry created by Walt Disney Imagineering and Trademark, trademarked by The Walt Disney Company for use in designed shows and attractions at Disn ...

animals sing a climactic chorus of "

Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" is a song composed by Allie Wrubel with lyrics by Ray Gilbert for the Disney 1946 live action and animated movie ''Song of the South'', sung by James Baskett. For "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", the film won the Academy Award for Best ...

."

Disneyland

Passengers rode aboard six-to-seven-seater logs with six single-file seats. The log departed the loading area and ascended two conveyor-type lifts before floating gently through scenery designed to evoke the feeling of a river. The homes of the three main characters were incorporated into the landscape, and an instrumental version of "How Do You Do?" played. Before the logs entered the indoor portion, snoring was heard emanating from Br'er Bear's home. After a short drop, guests entered the indoor portion of the attraction, where various Audio-Animatronic animals, such as geese and frogs sang "How Do You Do?". After rounding a corner, riders saw Br'er Bear caught in a trap while Br'er Fox berated him and told him "We gotta catch that Br'er Rabbit!". Br'er Rabbit, seen outside his Briar Patch, told Br'er Turtle that he is leaving home in search of adventure, and is heading for his Laughin' Place. Along the way, guests encountered an alligator encouraging them to take him along. Br'er Bear followed Br'er Rabbit only for the "Laughin' Place" to actually be a trick, and Br'er Bear winded up being attacked by bees as Br'er Rabbit laughed at the sight. Riders progressed through caverns, where animals such as chickens, storks, a goose and a turkey sang "Everybody's Got a Laughin' Place". Br'er Fox then managed to trap Br'er Rabbit in a beehive. The mood turned ominous as two mother characters (an opossum and rabbit) sang "Burrow's Lament" as a warning to their respective children. At the base of the final lift hill, two vultures taunted the riders. The logs began the final ascent and shortly before the attraction's climactic drop, Br'er Rabbit was seen alongside the hill, about to be eaten by Br'er Fox, but Br'er Rabbit outsmarted Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear by tricking them into throwing him into the briar patch (where he was born and raised). Riders were sent down the final drop into the briar patch, mimicking his fall. An

on-ride photo An on-ride camera is a camera mounted alongside the track of a roller coaster, log flume (attraction), log flume or other thrill ride that automatically photographs all of the riders on each passing Train (roller coaster), vehicle. They are ofte ...

was taken as the log began to fall. The log then dove through a tunnel into an underground runout. An outdoor flume segment followed the drop during which an instrumental version of "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" played, and the logs then entered into a final indoor section which featured a

paddle wheel A paddle is a handheld tool with an elongated handle and a flat, widened end (the ''blade'') used as a lever to apply force onto the bladed end. It most commonly describes a completely handheld tool used to propel a human-powered watercraft by p ...

steamboat where a cast of animals sang "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" and the respective fates of Br'er Rabbit (reclined happily at home) and the antagonists (fending off Br'er Gator) were seen. As the log passed through this section, a series of glass windows could be seen near the ceiling, behind which was a tunnel used by the

Disneyland Railroad The Disneyland Railroad (DRR), formerly known as the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad, is a 3-foot () narrow-gauge railway, narrow-gauge heritage railway, heritage railroad and attraction in the Disneyland theme park of the Disneyland Resort in ...

track. Before the return to the loading area, for many years riders were given a preview of their picture that was taken on the final drop via an overhead screen. Professor Barnaby Owl would call the riders' attention to the screen as he remarked on their expressions. However, in recent years the screen had been removed.

Tokyo Disneyland

Splash Mountain at

Tokyo Disneyland is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Disney park t ...

is very similar to how the

Magic Kingdom Magic Kingdom Park is a Amusement park, theme park at the Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It opened on October 1, 1971, and is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Disney Experiences, Expe ...

version of the ride was, with a few exceptions. The ride's layout is nearly a

mirror image A mirror image (in a plane mirror) is a reflection (physics), reflected duplication of an object that appears almost identical, but is reversed in the direction perpendicular to the mirror surface. As an optical phenomenon, optical effect, it r ...

of Magic Kingdom's. The Tokyo version does not have a mill on the second lift hill (although it is used as the main entrance to the ride's queue). Instead, the logs go into a cave-like opening to begin the second ascent. Another difference from the Magic Kingdom version is that the first drop takes place in a dark cave, making the final drop the only outdoor one. The Tokyo version does not have an extra drop after the biggest drop while the Magic Kingdom version did.

Magic Kingdom

Riders boarded eight-passenger logs, seated two by two, unlike Disneyland where they seated one by one. The log departed the loading area, where Br'er Frog provided introductory narration. The log ascended a dual-chain lift that deposited riders in a small pond at the bottom of the big drop. After a right turn, logs entered the barn and climbed another lift to the space behind the visible mountain, before floating gently through scenery designed to evoke the feeling of a river. The homes of the three main characters were incorporated into the landscape, and a country instrumental version of "How Do You Do?" played. After passing Br'er Bear's cave, the logs descended down a drop and crossed back under the flume. The logs then entered the show building containing the indoor portion of the attraction, where various Audio-Animatronic animals including geese and frogs sang "How Do You Do?". Several vignettes established the story of a restless Br'er Rabbit leaving home and being pursued by Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear. Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear saw Br'er Rabbit telling Mr. Bluebird that he was going to his Laughing Place. Br'er Porcupine warned him of the danger ahead, but Br'er Rabbit continued on. "Everybody's Got a Laughing Place" began to play after Br'er Bear sprang Br'er Fox's rabbit trap. The logs continued onward past a roadrunner who asked to be taken along to the Laughin' Place, while opossums sang the song from overhead. The logs reached a dark tunnel followed by a drop into the Laughin' Place. Bees attacked Br'er Bear while Br'er Rabbit laughed with joy, unaware that Br'er Fox was behind him, preparing to drop a beehive on top of him. The logs then went over another short drop, and headed further into the cavern scenes. There, geyser-riding turtles and laughing, singing bullfrogs, and dancing water fountains guided the log to a dark area in which Br'er Rabbit was caught by Br'er Fox in a cave of

stalactites A stalactite (, ; , ) is a mineral formation that hangs from the ceiling of caves, hot springs, or man-made structures such as bridges and mines. Any material that is soluble and that can be deposited as a colloid, or is in suspension, or is ca ...

and stalagmites. Two vultures taunted riders as they began their ascent up the final lift. A scene to the left side of the flume showed Br'er Fox menacing Br'er Rabbit, with Br'er Rabbit pleading not to be thrown into the briar patch. At the top of this third lift hill, the log descended the drop at a 45-degree angle, reached a maximum speed of 40 mph,"Splash Mountain"
Disney Reporter - Where the Magic Lives into a tunnel underneath the

Frontierland Frontierland is one of the "themed lands" at the many Disneyland-style parks run by The Walt Disney Company, Disney around the world. Themed to the American frontier of the 19th century, Frontierlands are home to cowboys and Settler, pioneers, ...

walkway. After another outdoor flume segment during which an instrumental version of "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" played, the log coasted back into the mountain, where critters were singing "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" in celebration of Br'er Rabbit's return, while Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear attempted to fend off Br'er Gator. At the end, Br'er Rabbit sang with Mr. Bluebird, telling him that he learned his lesson.

Soundtrack

Disneyland

Splash Mountain at

Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, ...

featured music in a jazzy "

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and ...

" meets orchestral style, since the attraction was adjacent to

New Orleans Square New Orleans Square is a themed land found at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Based on 19th-century New Orleans, Louisiana, the roughly three-acre area was the first land to be added to Disneyland after the park's opening, at a cost of $18 mi ...

. * "How Do You Do?" - Recorded specially for the ride in 1988 by The Floozies, a 29-piece band from

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

. The backing track of 'Bom, bom, bom, bom...' that could be heard coming from the bullfrogs in

accompaniment Accompaniment is the musical part which provides the rhythmic and/or harmonic support for the melody or main themes of a song or instrumental piece. There are many different styles and types of accompaniment in different genres and styles of m ...

to the lyrics sung by the Geese was sung by 13 of the 29 members. Walter Steven "Sim" Hurgle (b. 1963) is the band's lead vocalist, and his voice could be heard singing most of the words, while his fellow band members provided harmony and backing vocals. One of the bullfrogs was voiced by veteran voice actor Thurl Ravenscroft. * "Ev'rybody Has a Laughing Place" and "Burrow's Lament" - These songs were sung by Elisa, Georgia and Castell Newton, three sisters from

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

who worked for

The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...

at the time of the ride's construction. Castell and Elisa sang the words, while Georgia was responsible for the high-pitched, operatic 'ahh's' in the background, which were removed upon the song changing from "Sooner or Later" to "Burrow's Lament". Burrow's Lament was mainly sung by BJ Ward. The vultures above the final lift hill were voiced by

Jess Harnell Jess Harnell (born December 23, 1963) is an American voice actor. His roles include Wakko Warner in ''Animaniacs'', Captain Hero in '' Drawn Together'', Jerry in the first two seasons of '' Totally Spies!'', Ironhide in the first three ''Tr ...

. * "

Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" is a song composed by Allie Wrubel with lyrics by Ray Gilbert for the Disney 1946 live action and animated movie ''Song of the South'', sung by James Baskett. For "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", the film won the Academy Award for Best ...

" - A choir consisting of over 75 cast members was used to record this last score, recorded in the company's

Burbank Burbank may refer to: Places Australia * Burbank, Queensland, a suburb in Brisbane United States * Burbank, California, a city in Los Angeles County * Burbank, Santa Clara County, California, a census-designated place * Burbank, Illinois, ...

studios in 1987. Harnell sang a solo as Br'er Rabbit as the logs took their final turn back into the station. In addition, several other songs from ''Song of the South'' were heard as instrumental tracks, playing on a loop in the queuing area. These included "That's What Uncle Remus Said", "Sooner or Later", "All I Want", "Who Wants to Live Like That", and "Let the Rain Pour Down." The loop lasted about 25 minutes.http://blm07.dreamhosters.com/wiki/index.php?title=Splash_Mountain_%26_Critter_Country_area_music

Magic Kingdom

The ride at

Magic Kingdom Magic Kingdom Park is a Amusement park, theme park at the Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It opened on October 1, 1971, and is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Disney Experiences, Expe ...

featured the same songs heard at the Disneyland attraction, which are variations of the three songs found in the animated segments from ''

Song of the South ''Song of the South'' is a 1946 American Live-action animated film, live-action/animated musical film, musical comedy-drama film directed by Harve Foster and Wilfred Jackson, produced by Walt Disney, and released by RKO Pictures, RKO Radio Pi ...

'', though the attraction did not present these songs in the same order as the film. Because the ride was located in

Frontierland Frontierland is one of the "themed lands" at the many Disneyland-style parks run by The Walt Disney Company, Disney around the world. Themed to the American frontier of the 19th century, Frontierlands are home to cowboys and Settler, pioneers, ...

, the soundtrack featured

banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and in modern forms is usually made of plastic, where early membranes were made of animal skin. ...

s,

harmonica The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica incl ...

s and the instruments from the Disneyland version, and also because of Florida's proximity to Georgia, where ''Song of the South'' is set. "Burrow's Lament" was the only exception, using an orchestral track with timpani drums originally recorded for the Disneyland version. In the order heard in the attraction's ride-through segments: * "How Do You Do?" * "Ev'rybody's Got a Laughin' Place" * "

Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" is a song composed by Allie Wrubel with lyrics by Ray Gilbert for the Disney 1946 live action and animated movie ''Song of the South'', sung by James Baskett. For "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", the film won the Academy Award for Best ...

" Songs from the film heard as instrumental tracks in the queuing area included "That's What Uncle Remus Said", "Let the Rain Pour Down", "Sooner or Later", and the opening theme from the film. Traditional songs like "

Old MacDonald Had a Farm "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" (sometimes shortened to Old MacDonald) is a traditional children's song and nursery rhyme about a farmer A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The ter ...

" and " Goober Peas" were also played in a bluegrass style. The loop lasted about an hour, and included different orchestrations of the three main songs heard in the ride as well.

Tokyo Disneyland

Like in Magic Kingdom, the main melodies consist of banjos,

fiddle A fiddle is a Bow (music), bowed String instrument, string musical instrument, most often a violin or a bass. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including European classical music, classical music. Althou ...

s and harmonicas. The vocals, however, are completely different from the Magic Kingdom attraction, with the specific verses sung within the show scenes arranged in different orders and the choruses and back-up vocals arranged with different harmonies. Additionally, dialogue and lyrics in Tokyo are Japanese for "How Do You Do?" and "

Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" is a song composed by Allie Wrubel with lyrics by Ray Gilbert for the Disney 1946 live action and animated movie ''Song of the South'', sung by James Baskett. For "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", the film won the Academy Award for Best ...

", but English for "Ev'rybody's Got a Laughin' Place". In both instances, "Burrow's Lament" is heard as an instrumental track with timpani drums (a take that was originally recorded for Disneyland, but never used), with dramatic orchestra and choir.

Music releases

Despite being released on CDs attributed to the

Magic Kingdom Magic Kingdom Park is a Amusement park, theme park at the Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It opened on October 1, 1971, and is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Disney Experiences, Expe ...

or

Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort is an destination resort, entertainment resort complex located about southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is operated by Disney Experiences, a division of the Wa ...

in general, as well as often bearing specific track attribution (such as "from Walt Disney World's Splash Mountain"), the soundtrack found at Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland had at least managed to surface on the 2003 Walt Disney World CD entitled "The Official Album/Where Magic Lives". Banjos are heard for over halfway through the 7:57 length, as well as at the end. It is a very different musical arrangement when compared to many other "Walt Disney World", "Disneyland", or combination "Walt Disney World/Disneyland" CDs labeled as "The Official Album". The Disneyland ride did not incorporate this particular country-western-themed soundtrack.

Queue Soundtrack (Disneyland)

* Everybody Has A Laughing Place (V1) * Who Wants to Live Like That? * Sooner or Later *

Uncle Remus Uncle Remus is the fictional title character and narrator of a collection of African American folktales compiled and adapted by Joel Chandler Harris and published in book form in 1881. Harris was a journalist in post–Reconstruction era Atlant ...

Said * Carriage Ride * Let The Rain Pour Down *

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" is a song composed by Allie Wrubel with lyrics by Ray Gilbert for the Disney 1946 live action and animated movie ''Song of the South'', sung by James Baskett. For "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", the film won the Academy Award for Best ...

(V1) * Everybody Has A Laughing Place (V2) *

Song of the South ''Song of the South'' is a 1946 American Live-action animated film, live-action/animated musical film, musical comedy-drama film directed by Harve Foster and Wilfred Jackson, produced by Walt Disney, and released by RKO Pictures, RKO Radio Pi ...

(Main Theme) * How Do You Do? * All I Want *

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" is a song composed by Allie Wrubel with lyrics by Ray Gilbert for the Disney 1946 live action and animated movie ''Song of the South'', sung by James Baskett. For "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", the film won the Academy Award for Best ...

(V2)

Queue Soundtrack (Tokyo Disneyland and Magic Kingdom)

* Little Brown Jug * Shortnin' Bread * Polly Wolly Doodle * Froggy Went A-Courtin' * Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me * Goober Peas * How Do You Do? * Let The Rain Pour Down * Everybody Has A Laughing Place *

Song of the South ''Song of the South'' is a 1946 American Live-action animated film, live-action/animated musical film, musical comedy-drama film directed by Harve Foster and Wilfred Jackson, produced by Walt Disney, and released by RKO Pictures, RKO Radio Pi ...

(Main Theme) *

Camptown Races "De Camptown Races" or "Gwine to Run All Night" (nowadays popularly known as "Camptown Races") is a folk song by American Romantic composer Stephen Foster. It was published in February 1850 by F. D. Benteen and was introduced to the American mai ...

* Dixie's Land * Swing Low, Sweet Chariot * When Johnny Comes Marching Home *

Uncle Remus Uncle Remus is the fictional title character and narrator of a collection of African American folktales compiled and adapted by Joel Chandler Harris and published in book form in 1881. Harris was a journalist in post–Reconstruction era Atlant ...

Said * Sooner or Later * Who Wants to Live Like That? *

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" is a song composed by Allie Wrubel with lyrics by Ray Gilbert for the Disney 1946 live action and animated movie ''Song of the South'', sung by James Baskett. For "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", the film won the Academy Award for Best ...

* She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain * Old MacDonald *

Skip To My Lou "Skip to My (The) Lou" (Roud Folk Song Index, Roud 3433 and 3593) is a popular American folk song and partner-stealing dance from the 1840s. Carl Sandburg, poet and biographer of President Abraham Lincoln, writes that "Skip-to-my-Lou" was a ...

* Freight Train Blues *

Wabash Cannonball "The Great Rock Island Route" ( Roud 4228), popularized as "Wabash Cannonball" and also known by various other titles, is a 19th-century American folk song that describes the scenic beauty and predicaments of a fictional train, the ''Wabash Cann ...

* St. James Infirmary Blues * Tennessee Waltz *

Show Me The Way To Go Home "Show Me the Way to Go Home" is a popular song written in 1925 by the English songwriting team Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly, using the pseudonym "Irving King". The song is said to have been written on a train journey from London by Campbell and ...

*

Alabamy Bound "Alabamy Bound" is a Tin Pan Alley tune written in 1924, with music by Ray Henderson and words by Buddy DeSylva and Bud Green. It was popularized by Al Jolson and included in the musical theatre, musical ''Kid Boots'', where it was sung by Eddie C ...

* Down by the Riverside *

My Old Kentucky Home "My Old Kentucky Home, Good-Night!", typically shortened to "My Old Kentucky Home", is a sentimental ballad and regional anthem of Kentucky. It was written by Stephen Foster, probably composed in 1852. It was published in January 1853 by Firt ...

*

Blue Moon of Kentucky "Blue Moon of Kentucky" is a waltz written in 1945 by bluegrass musician Bill Monroe and recorded by his band, the Blue Grass Boys. Some think the origins may trace back to "Roll Along, Kentucky Moon", a similar waltz recorded 15 years prior by ...

* Blue Ridge Mountain Blues * Carolina Moon * Deep River Blues * Goodnight Ladies *

Honeycomb A honeycomb is a mass of Triangular prismatic honeycomb#Hexagonal prismatic honeycomb, hexagonal prismatic cells built from beeswax by honey bees in their beehive, nests to contain their brood (eggs, larvae, and pupae) and stores of honey and pol ...

* Jailhouse Blues * Down by the Old Mill Stream * Salty Dog Blues * Up a Lazy River * Tom Dooley *

Oh! Susanna "Oh! Susanna" is a folk song by Stephen Foster (1826–1864), first published in 1848. It is among the most popular American songs ever written. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time. ...

* John Henry * Sixteen Tons * I've Been Working on the Railroad * When the Saints Go Marchin' In *

You Are My Sunshine "You Are My Sunshine" is an American standard of old-time and country music and the state song of Louisiana. Its original writer is disputed. According to the performance rights organization BMI, by the year 2000 the song had been recorded by ...

Voice cast (Disneyland and Magic Kingdom)

* Br'er Rabbit, Mr. Bluebird, Geese, Vultures, Br'er Turtle, Bass Frog, Swamp Boys, Professor Barnaby Owl, Br'er Gator, Safety Announcer:

Jess Harnell Jess Harnell (born December 23, 1963) is an American voice actor. His roles include Wakko Warner in ''Animaniacs'', Captain Hero in '' Drawn Together'', Jerry in the first two seasons of '' Totally Spies!'', Ironhide in the first three ''Tr ...

* Br'er Fox: J. D. Hall * Br'er Bear:

Nick Stewart Horace Winfred "Nick" Stewart (March 15, 1910 – December 18, 2000), also billed as Nick O'Demus, was an American television and film actor. He was best known for his role as Lightnin' (Willie Jefferson) on TV's '' The Amos 'n' Andy Show'' (1951 ...

, Jess Harnell (some lines) (

Disneyland Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, ...

version)/

James Avery James La Rue Avery (November 27, 1945 – December 31, 2013) was an American actor. He was best known for his roles as Philip Banks in ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'', Judge Michael Conover on ''L.A. Law'', Steve Yeager in '' The Brady Bunch M ...

(

Magic Kingdom Magic Kingdom Park is a Amusement park, theme park at the Walt Disney World, Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It opened on October 1, 1971, and is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company through its Disney Experiences, Expe ...

version) * Br'er Frog: James Avery * Bullfrogs: Thurl Ravenscroft * Laughing Place Bird, Mother Possum, Mother Rabbit: B. J. Ward (Disneyland version)

References

External links

Tokyo Disneyland attraction page
* – Patent for reduced splash logs used in Tokyo.
Disneyland Splash Mountain construction photos
{{Disney rides 1989 establishments in California 1992 establishments in Florida 1992 establishments in Japan 2023 disestablishments in California 2023 disestablishments in Florida African-American-related controversies Amusement rides introduced in 1989 Amusement rides introduced in 1992 Amusement rides that closed in 2023 Audio-Animatronic attractions Bayou Country (Disneyland) Br'er Rabbit Dark rides Disney controversies Disneyland Former Walt Disney Parks and Resorts attractions Frontierland Mountain coaster roller coasters Race-related controversies Stereotypes of African Americans Tokyo Disneyland Walt Disney Parks and Resorts attractions Water rides manufactured by Hopkins Rides Western (genre) amusement rides

Story

History

Attraction

Disneyland

Tokyo Disneyland

Magic Kingdom

Soundtrack

Disneyland

Magic Kingdom

Tokyo Disneyland

Music releases

Queue Soundtrack (Disneyland)

Queue Soundtrack (Tokyo Disneyland and Magic Kingdom)

Voice cast (Disneyland and Magic Kingdom)

See also

References

External links