Splash mountain refurbishment

[JenLT]

Wow. I just came on this thread to find out if anyone knows when the retheme will take place. We're going next year and I really really hope they haven't rethemed it yet and it's open. My son is a fanatic for a YouTube show with a puppet and that puppet went on Splash Mountain. If it is closed or rethemed he will be so upset. I'm sure they wouldn't be done retheming it in a year -- but I hope it isn't closed.

 

[giantsmets]

Wow. I just came on this thread to find out if anyone knows when the retheme will take place. We're going next year and I really really hope they haven't rethemed it yet and it's open. My son is a fanatic for a YouTube show with a puppet and that puppet went on Splash Mountain. If it is closed or rethemed he will be so upset. I'm sure they wouldn't be done retheming it in a year -- but I hope it isn't closed.

When next year are you going? General consensus is that it wouldn’t close until tron opens, and given that they’ve already announced 2022 for GotG Cosmic Rewind but not Tron, most people think tron will open late 2022 or early 2023. But once again, all this is speculation.

 

[Leight19]

When next year are you going? General consensus is that it wouldn’t close until tron opens, and given that they’ve already announced 2022 for GotG Cosmic Rewind but not Tron, most people think tron will open late 2022 or early 2023. But once again, all this is speculation.

I’d also add Florida vs Californian may make difference. Most of what I’ve seen on YouTube predicts Disney land goes down for yearly refurb end of this year and doesn’t come back. Disney world is predicted to be staggerd from Land so I’d at least be more optimistic you could ride in 2022 there.

 

[JenLT]

When next year are you going? General consensus is that it wouldn’t close until tron opens, and given that they’ve already announced 2022 for GotG Cosmic Rewind but not Tron, most people think tron will open late 2022 or early 2023. But once again, all this is speculation.

We are going the week after Thanksgiving 2022. To WDW. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[lorenae]

Just speaking for myself here, I understand why it is wrong and needs to be replaced. Splash will always have a special place with me, it was my favorite ride as a kid, and I have a lot of nostalgic feelings for it, I would just say that no child who has ridden that ride ever came off thinking it was racist, unless someone let them know, it is just pure fun for children. So I think most people who are upset, are upset to see a memory they could keep revisiting, vanish forever.

Except for maybe children of color?

 

[lbjb247]

Is there any word on when the ride is closing for the refurb? We are going from the 29th January to the 5th of February

 

[giantsmets]

Is there any word on when the ride is closing for the refurb? We are going from the 29th January to the 5th of February

Since it hasn’t been announced yet, you’re probably safe. Nothings guaranteed though.

 

[Moliphino]

Hopefully some of the more controversial conversations subside bit before it locks thread because the debate about should it be rethemed to me isn’t that interesting since Disney made the decision. I’m more interested in thoughts/rumors on how it will be rethemeed.

I heard there was special thst discussed some updates to plans but wasn’t sure where to watch (any pointers where I can find?). My main concern from internet rumors and general trend at Disney this last year is they are not putting the money in they need to revamp properly to do the movie justice. Anyone hear anything that may confirm/alleviate my fears? I had gotten impression somewhere that they are reusing animatronics which is concerning sign of cheap revamp to me.

I wouldn't worry too much about reusing animatronics. Many of the DL ones were already reused from America Sings.

 

[TropicalDIS]

Personally, I think there is zero chance Splash goes down for refurb within the first 12 months of the 50th celebration. They aren't going to want a major ride such as this down for months. It either had to be done for the 50th, or it has to wait.
I'd put a bet on it going down in Jan/Feb 2023 for the changeover. Tron should be coming in around that time as well, which will help take the load off.

 

[SealedSeven]

Don't think they will touch the ride until the new Animatronics are almost ready for move in. With them not needing to create track, it's only replacing the scenes to retheme the ride. Can keep the ride open till ready so that refurbish / retheme downtime is minimal. No point in closing the ride and needing to have pauses waiting for set pieces to be completed.

I'd put a bet on it going down in Jan/Feb 2023 for the changeover. Tron should be coming in around that time as well, which will help take the load off.

Tron is closer to being done than people think. The track has been completed and height/width of train/hands has been completed as well (so set pieces likely complete too). Think it'll open early 2022, but nothing hard confirmed yet so they don't disappoint again if delayed.

Also, Splash should remain open during first few months of Tron's opening (rest of 50th / on top of what I said above) to hopefully spread people away from that area.

 

[HopperFan]

Tron coasters are arriving to MK this week (look close those are motorbikes not big ride cars). Of course the building has a ways to go but perhaps they are going to start all the track testing while they work. I still think the best time to take SM down is when they open Tron. It equalizes capacity and all the Tron fuss will drown out the SM moaning. Also SM is required to go down annually in a set period of time for annual maintenance. Makes no sense to do that and bring it back up.

And if Tron opens sooner than later, then the train can come back online for the 50th - which many think is important.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1448299630253445127

 

[Mac7]

I am not going to WDW again until all mask requirements are gone, so I know I'm rolling the dice a little on Splash still being the same, but it was the second-to-last ride I was on in 2019 so it's still fresh in my mind.

I get a feeling they won't make a big deal out of it like they did Tower closing in California. There were people outraged over that, but it wasn't the same since there aren't going to be political discussions. (Plus, they kept the Florida and Paris towers as Hollywood Tower Hotels).

As for the movie being released in the US...it was if you knew where to find it. Tower Records used to have the imported Japanese version at some of their stores in the 1990s on NSTC VHS. It has subtitles in Japanese but otherwise is the film in English. These go for about $150 on eBay these days--still the only legit way to get it in the US.

 

[matt and beth]

I am not going to WDW again until all mask requirements are gone, so I know I'm rolling the dice a little on Splash still being the same, but it was the second-to-last ride I was on in 2019 so it's still fresh in my mind.

I get a feeling they won't make a big deal out of it like they did Tower closing in California. There were people outraged over that, but it wasn't the same since there aren't going to be political discussions. (Plus, they kept the Florida and Paris towers as Hollywood Tower Hotels).

As for the movie being released in the US...it was if you knew where to find it. Tower Records used to have the imported Japanese version at some of their stores in the 1990s on NSTC VHS. It has subtitles in Japanese but otherwise is the film in English. These go for about $150 on eBay these days--still the only legit way to get it in the US.

It’s okay they aren’t changing it anytime soon

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

It’s okay they aren’t changing it anytime soon

Starting to wonder if they are going to change it

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Starting to wonder if they are going to change it

Yeah it is strange that they announce it then wait years. It’s as if they were just jumping on the bandwagon of woke corporations.
Maybe it’s in the 10 year plan.

 

[umichigan10]

Starting to wonder if they are going to change it

I mean, trons been half built for how long now? This is right on their same timeline

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

I mean, trons been half built for how long now? This is right on their same timeline

I suppose, it just feels like it’s been put on the back burner. Part of me wonders if they are waiting to see if and when they get more backlash to push it through. In the end I’m sure it will change, it’s just a question of when

 

[umichigan10]

I suppose, it just feels like it’s been put on the back burner. Part of me wonders if they are waiting to see if and when they get more backlash to push it through. In the end I’m sure it will change, it’s just a question of when

It definitely seems like it’s on the back burner at this point. I think they announced it way too early because they wanted to have good PR last summer when a lot of conversations were being had about controversial material, and didn’t want it to be the topic of conversation like what happens in these threads.

 

[HopperFan]

12 of the last 14 years SM has gone down for a required maintenance in January and the same is expected for 2022. Rumor has it that it is only the required maintenance and the refurb is still in prep stages.

 

[LadyDiznee123]

Devastated? Devastated?? -- No. I'll get used to it and even looking forward to the change. Enough
of these posts already.