TheGoofster
Old Foggie
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2006
- Messages
- 5,451
It's fitting that one of the most fun filled rides in all of Disney has a song called Laughing Place. For so many of us, Splash Mountain is our laughing place. It's a ride that takes us away from the cares and troubles of our normals lives, and transports us to a place of child-like wonder and amazement. It's a place to lose yourself in the fantasy, and to experience the sheer magic of what Disney does best. It's a place where you can journey along with Brer Rabbit as he too attempts to find his laughing place. It's a ride unlike any other. It's a wonderful, adventurous, exciting, eventful, fun-packed, marvelous, unforgettable experience. Splash Mountain truly is the Laughing Place for millions of guests every year, and it is one of my top 3 rides in all of WDW.
Even before you get to the queue, you already begin experiencing the wonder of this attraction. The beautiful themeing is obvious from the very first glimpse you get as you enter Frontierland. Very few attractions offer as much visual enjoyment as does SM. Disney completely outdid themselves with this ride. The closer you get, the more amazing the ride becomes, as the more detail becomes obvious. Once you get close enough to see the final drop, you realized that you are seeing something truly special. True the sight of that descending slide might be enough to deter some guests from going any further it really does look menacing, especially if thrill rides aren't your forte, but even those who prefer not to tackle the actual ride are still wowed by the sight of it. Unlike so many other attractions that stop at simple visual excellence, SM goes even further by allowing the viewing audience to participate even further if they wish by positioning themselves in such a way the the Splash of the descending logs will send a refreshing fountain of water cascading over them.
Recently someone asked what most people considered their favorite queue in all of Disney, and as you can imagine, Splash Mountain got many votes. It doesn't take long to understand why. Even though SM has the ability of attracting large crowds (waits of over an hour can be very common), because it is so well done, the queue itself offers enough to keep you busy, and lose track of time. The first part is outside, but once you actually make it inside, and experience the nice, cool, dark atmosphere, the waiting becomes so much more enjoyable.
The ride itself is a water log ride that lasts longer than most other rides, lasting almost 11 minutes, during which time you will journey both inside and outside the mountain. During this trip you will get to see about 100 different animatronic animals (including our hero Brer Rabbit, and his two nemeses Brer Fox and Brer Bear). One of the highlights of this ride is the music. There are 4 different songs that you will hear as you journey along that not only entertain, but actually help narrate the story. You start with How do you do, followed by Laughing Place and then Burrow's Lament (a darker version of laughing place) and finally Zip-a-De-Do-Dah brings you back home again.
Of course the animatronics and the songs aren't the only thing that SM is known for. When most people think of Splash, one thing in particular comes to mind that big old drop. At 52 feet, it's not really that high, but as you emerge from the tunnel, and find yourself overlooking the Magic Kingdom, you feel a whole lot higher. The fact that there are no seat belts should be a good indication that there is no danger of falling out of your log, but for many they swear that this is exactly what is going to happen to them, and they hold on for dear life, not letting go until they Splash down under the bridge below. Splash Down is exactly what you do. True Disney does add quite a bit of extra splash with the use of hidden water jets, but you really do feel like you caused that huge splash that covers the bridge (and those on it), as you reach the end of your rapid descent.
Surviving the fall isn't the end of the ride though (even though it seems that way from outside). Your victory celebration still awaits as you once more enter the mountain. It is during this last scene where the majority of the animatronics await to serenade you from their riverboat with Zip-a-De-Do-Dah.
Splash Mountain probably demonstrates more than any other ride what Disney is capable of doing. From the moment you first set eyes on it, till the time you see yourself whooping with delight in the photo of your log in the gift shop at the exit, Disney magic is all over this incredible ride. Splash Mountain truly is one of the best rides not only in Disney, but anywhere in the world.
What is your favorite part of this amazing ride?
Even before you get to the queue, you already begin experiencing the wonder of this attraction. The beautiful themeing is obvious from the very first glimpse you get as you enter Frontierland. Very few attractions offer as much visual enjoyment as does SM. Disney completely outdid themselves with this ride. The closer you get, the more amazing the ride becomes, as the more detail becomes obvious. Once you get close enough to see the final drop, you realized that you are seeing something truly special. True the sight of that descending slide might be enough to deter some guests from going any further it really does look menacing, especially if thrill rides aren't your forte, but even those who prefer not to tackle the actual ride are still wowed by the sight of it. Unlike so many other attractions that stop at simple visual excellence, SM goes even further by allowing the viewing audience to participate even further if they wish by positioning themselves in such a way the the Splash of the descending logs will send a refreshing fountain of water cascading over them.
Recently someone asked what most people considered their favorite queue in all of Disney, and as you can imagine, Splash Mountain got many votes. It doesn't take long to understand why. Even though SM has the ability of attracting large crowds (waits of over an hour can be very common), because it is so well done, the queue itself offers enough to keep you busy, and lose track of time. The first part is outside, but once you actually make it inside, and experience the nice, cool, dark atmosphere, the waiting becomes so much more enjoyable.
The ride itself is a water log ride that lasts longer than most other rides, lasting almost 11 minutes, during which time you will journey both inside and outside the mountain. During this trip you will get to see about 100 different animatronic animals (including our hero Brer Rabbit, and his two nemeses Brer Fox and Brer Bear). One of the highlights of this ride is the music. There are 4 different songs that you will hear as you journey along that not only entertain, but actually help narrate the story. You start with How do you do, followed by Laughing Place and then Burrow's Lament (a darker version of laughing place) and finally Zip-a-De-Do-Dah brings you back home again.
Of course the animatronics and the songs aren't the only thing that SM is known for. When most people think of Splash, one thing in particular comes to mind that big old drop. At 52 feet, it's not really that high, but as you emerge from the tunnel, and find yourself overlooking the Magic Kingdom, you feel a whole lot higher. The fact that there are no seat belts should be a good indication that there is no danger of falling out of your log, but for many they swear that this is exactly what is going to happen to them, and they hold on for dear life, not letting go until they Splash down under the bridge below. Splash Down is exactly what you do. True Disney does add quite a bit of extra splash with the use of hidden water jets, but you really do feel like you caused that huge splash that covers the bridge (and those on it), as you reach the end of your rapid descent.
Surviving the fall isn't the end of the ride though (even though it seems that way from outside). Your victory celebration still awaits as you once more enter the mountain. It is during this last scene where the majority of the animatronics await to serenade you from their riverboat with Zip-a-De-Do-Dah.
Splash Mountain probably demonstrates more than any other ride what Disney is capable of doing. From the moment you first set eyes on it, till the time you see yourself whooping with delight in the photo of your log in the gift shop at the exit, Disney magic is all over this incredible ride. Splash Mountain truly is one of the best rides not only in Disney, but anywhere in the world.
What is your favorite part of this amazing ride?
It's just an all around great attraction!!
Love it, even though I am nervous as can be going up that hill waiting to drop 
