Todd Anderson/Disney Parks via Getty Images(LOS ANGELES) — Disney’s CEO Bob Iger has admitted that the 1946 Disney animated film Song of the South is “just not appropriate in today’s world,” given its outdated racial and cultural stereotypes, which is why it’s missing from Disney+’s slate of offerings.
However, the Disney ride Splash Mountain — which debuted in 1989 at Disneyland and is also at Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disney — is still thematically linked to the film, which is based in the post-Civil War South. Now there’s a petition is growing for the flume ride to be re-branded.
A Change.org petition, which has nearly reached its goal of 25,000 signatures, seeks to replace the Song of the South references from the attraction and replace them with another Disney film, 2009’s The Princess and the Frog, which starred Disney’s first African American princess, Tiana.
The petition reads, “There is a huge need for diversity in the parks and this could help fill that need. Princess and the Frog is a beloved princess movie but has very little representation in the parks. Tiana could be one of the first princesses with a thrill ride, as well as giving her a much deserved place in the parks.”
The petition also notes that Princess‘ New Orleans setting would easily swap with Song of the South‘s. “The framing of the ride is such that it could be easily changed to tell the story of Tiana while not compromising too much of the ride/costing a fortune in remodeling for Disney. This change could kill two birds with one stone, remove the offensive stereotypical theming the ride currently has and bring a much needed diversity to the parks.”
No official word yet on the proposal from Disney, which is the parent company of ABC News.
By Stephen Iervolino
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