Disney park traditionalists were upset to learn that the Splash Mountain rides in both Disneyland and Disney World would close in early 2023, to be replaced by something called “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.” Many who grew up on those rides, had a real sense of loss. Of course, at least some were surprised to learn that Splash Mountain was tied to the discredited Song of the South. More importantly, to the extent the ride’s new theme will be The Princess and the Frog, that’s wonderful news, given that the latter is probably Disney’s best modern movie.

Disney was still reissuing 1946’s Song of the South to movie theaters when I was a kid in the late 1960s/early 1970s. I remember enjoying the tales about the wily, witty Br’er Rabbit. I also remember vaguely that Black and White children played together on an antebellum plantation and that the most admired character was Uncle Remus. And of course, I grew up singing “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah.” That’s all I remember.

Eventually, of course, reality caught up with what I, as a child, had missed; namely, the fact that the film celebrated the morally bankrupt hierarchy of plantation life—“beloved” White slave owner on top; “happy,” “grateful” Black slaves on the bottom. The movie was discredited and, eventually, Disney withdrew it from circulation entirely, so much so that it was never released as a home video in the United States.

Despite the film’s disrepute, in 1989, Disney opened the Splash Mountain rides at both Disneyland and Disney World. Both rides focused solely on the animated characters and the movie’s enjoyable songs, which Disney had issued on video.

Image: Splash Mountain sign by Jonnyboyca. Public domain.

I thought both rides were weird. The ride chugged up a steep slope and then wended its way on a slow, lazy river ride through scenes from Song of the South. The emotional pace was good for the three-year-old set. At the end, the ride dropped people at speed down a scary slope, creating a splash. It was a nice way to cool off on a hot day but, otherwise, I thought was too schizophrenic to have much merit.

While some people remain loyal to Splash Mountain,

I'm not giving up on Splash mountain ride at all, please don't let no one to bully you guys out what you loved and care about Splash Mountain ride and please signed it!https://t.co/aKo1PaZp7E

— Elizabeth Dawson (@Elizabe13050542) December 1, 2022

Others, when they learned about the ride’s origin, said words to the effect of “good riddance to bad rubbish”:

One user wrote, “Here's the thing, when I first heard Splash Mountain was on its way out a while back my first impression was ‘oh I guess that's a bummer’ but then I learned it was a Song of the South themed ride and immediately switched to ‘oh burn it down 33 years ago,’ it's not that hard.”

Clearly, opinions vary.

But here’s a different point: I love that The Princess and the Frog is finally getting a more visible position in the Disney princess pantheon because I think the movie is the best movie Disney has made in at least six decades. Ignore for a moment the dazzlingly beautiful animation and the sophisticated songs which draw on all sorts of New Orleans music traditions. What makes the movie so wonderful is the message.

If you haven’t seen it and don’t mind a spoiler, here’s a quick summary: Tiana is a New Orleans girl whose father died in WWI when she was little. Ever since, she’s been completely driven, to the exclusion of all else, to start a restaurant honoring him. Naveen is a spoiled prince who lives only for pleasure. Thanks to the pleasingly evil Dr. Facilier, Tiana and Naveen are both turned into frogs and must learn the lesson of balancing fun and work so that they can fall in love and break the spell.

The movie is driven by solid values that are a special gift to those Black Americans who have drunk too deep from the Marxist racial theory that, because slavery is work, all work is slavery. This mindset has locked generations of Black Americans in endless cycles of poverty. The Princess and the Frog offers a different view of work, one that is uplifting without being self-righteous. (If you want further encomiums about this awesome Disney movie, I wrote more about it here.)

Splash Mountain was always a mistake, so there’s no reason to keep it running. The Princess and the Frog is a movie that deserves much more recognition, and it’s great that Disney is finally giving it its due. (Having said that, until Disney stops obsessing about Critical Race Theory and LGBTQ+++ theory, I will continue to avoid all Disney products, whether movies or theme parks.)