ORLANDO, Fla — Looks like Disney is taking Mama Odie's advice to "dig a little deeper" as the theme park just released new details on the rebranding of its Splash Mountain ride into a "Princess and the Frog" theme.
The redevelopment of the longstanding ride into an all-new attraction was first announced in 2020 with Splash Mountain at both Disneyland and Disney World getting the new theming.
It came at a time when fans and petitions called for Disney to ditch the "Song of the South" theming the ride currently has, given the 1946 film is widely deemed to be the company's most racist film.
Now, the theme park is letting fans behind the curtain after months of not hearing much about the rebranding's progress.
"Tiana is an ambitious and resilient woman, who proves that success comes through a connection to her family and community and has learned to never lose sight of what’s really important – giving back to others through great food and inspiring them to achieve their full potential," Disney wrote in its blog.
According to Disney, the ride's story will take place after the final kiss as Naveen and Louis join Tiana to host a "one-of-a-kind Mardi Gras celebration where everyone is welcome."
During the ride, guests can expect to hear original music that was inspired by the film, all while Tiana is leading the way. The theme park also hinted that both old and new friends will be able to be spotted during the ride.
The ride will also be set to the backdrop of New Orleans and the Louisiana bayou, just like the film. To help accurately set the scene, Disney says its Imagineers have been conducting in-depth research both virtually and in person.
"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. 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 wrote in its blog.
To help inspire Imagineers, Disney says it commissioned visual artist and art educator Sharika Mahdi to create a series of four original paintings, the first of which was revealed on Monday.
The theme park also announced it donated $50,000 to the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts in celebration of the ride's recent developments and its "love and appreciation for the city.
Additional progress reports from the theme park giant could be on the horizon as the company teased "more updates as work progresses" on the attraction.