Our Favorite Splash Mountain Fun Facts
It doesn’t matter what coast we’re on. One of our first must-do attractions every time we head to Disney is Splash Mountain! To ensure that you have a zip a dee doo dah start to your day (and your work week) here are a few of our favorite Splash Mountain fun facts!
965,000 Gallons of Water
Splash Mountain is one of the few rides at Disneyland and Walt Disney World where you are guaranteed to get a bit waterlogged. Coming in at 10 minutes (which is a long ride by theme park standards) there’s a lot of water involved in this meandering ride. As a matter of fact, 965,000 gallons of water are flowing through the attraction!
Creative Ride Photos are a Thing
To preserve the intensity of your plunge down the final hill of splash mountain, Disney has installed a camera just as you crest over the hill. Over the years, Disney visitors on both coasts have gotten mighty creative with their snaps. We’ve seen everything from marriage proposals to hilarious hijinks. So we issue you with a little MickeyBlog challenge. How creative can you get in your Splash Mountain photo during your next visit? But remember to keep it, clean people!
68 Audio-Animatronics
One of the things we love most about iconic Disney attractions like Splash Mountain are the incredible Audio-Animatronics. This rides boasts an impressive 68 audio-animatronic creations throughout the ride. From numerous scenes featuring Brer Fox and Brer Rabbit to the scary vultures and more, half the fun of Splash Mountain is finding your favorite! Mine is the porcupine playing a turtle like a drum. See if you can find him during your next visit!
Breathtaking Views of the Magic Kingdom
When it comes to fireworks viewing many people clamor for a spot right at the foot of Cinderella Castle. However, if you’ll be spending more than one evening at the Magic Kingdom during your visit, try something out-of-the-ordinary. For a truly magical moment time a ride on Splash Mountain with the “Happily Ever After” fireworks display. The view from atop the mountain offers incredible sightlines and wonderful lighting!
Be On the Lookout for Mickey
Hidden Mickey fans will definitely want to keep your eyes peeled for the iconic mouse image! There are several Hidden Mickey’s found throughout Splash Mountain. Some of my favorites include the one found in the clouds during the riverboat grand finale as well as the fishing bobbers you’ll find in the Brer Fox fishing scene. See how many you can find during your next visit.
52 Feet
That final plunge on Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World feels massive but do you know just how much? At Magic Kingdom the final drop is an impressive 52 feet. That’s not much by coaster standards but makes for some definite thrills as you plunge headlong into the briar patch!
Splash Mountain Almost Had a “Splash” (Daryl Hannah and Tom Hanks) Theme
Sound a bit outlandish? That’s the rumor! According to Disney insiders when Michael Eisner was in charge of Disney he was looking for a way to promote the 1984 film “Splash” featuring Daryl Hannah and Tom Hanks which is where the “Splash Mountain” came from. An alternative was the “Zip-a-Dee River Run” which is similar in concept to the ride you see today. The two ideas were combined and Splash Mountain was born!
It’s Not as Old as You Think
Though Splash Mountain tends to get roped in with those classic Disney attractions like Jungle Cruise or Pirates of the Caribbean, in actuality, it is much newer to the scene! The attraction first opened in Critter Country at Disneyland on July 17, 1989. It then opened 3 years later at the Magic Kingdom on October 2, 1992.
The Plot of the Ride Has Controversial Origins
“Song of the South,” the film where the character from Splash Mountain come from is one of Disney’s most controversial films to date. The movie has received a lot of bad press for its racial overtones. Disney has tried to distance themselves from the film and has not offered it for re-release stateside. The ride is the only real link Disney maintains with the film these days.
We hope you’ve enjoyed looking at some of the interesting elements of one of Disney’s most iconic attractions. And because we simply cannot resist we thought we’d leave you with this (slightly embarrassing but admittedly catchy) bit of Disney marketing:
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