Splash Mountain is Now Completely Covered by Construction Walls at Magic Kingdom
It’s quite a strange atmosphere over in Frontierland today, as we mark the end of an era for Splash Mountain, and the start of a new chapter for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure!
Here’s what’s happening this Monday morning!
In case you missed the news, yesterday was the final day of operations for Splash Mountain. From dusk til dawn, guests showed up in their masses to bid a final farewell to the iconic attraction, taking one last drop down the flume until the ride is “plunged” into darkness forever.
Or, at least, until the upcoming Princess and the Frog-themed overlay takes its place in 2024, but more on that later!
So, while there were crowds for miles yesterday, Frontierland feels like a completely different place today, with nary a soul in sight.
Instead, the area has been completely taken over by newly-erected construction walls, zoning off the ride to make way for the upcoming overhaul.
As we can see from the photos, the usual Splash Mountain signage is still present, including the ride’s main marquee and line entrance markers.
Br’er Bear and Br’er Rabbit are also just-about visible, right beyond all these Br’er Construction Walls…
All these barriers have, of course, been put into place as the Frontierland mountain gets ready to become re-branded into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, an all-new overlay on the exisiting Splash Mountian attraction, inspired by the characters and locations of The Princess and the Frog.
Construction getting started on Splash Mountain 🚧 #splashmountain #disneyparks #disneyworld pic.twitter.com/GYv7xtg2g4
— MickeyBlog.com (@MickeyBlog_) January 23, 2023
With this new experience billed to open in 2024, we’ve got a long year of seeing construction markers up in this area, so we’d best get used to the view!
Both the Stand-By and Lightning Lane entrances to the attraction have been walled-off, as well as the exit at the other side of the mountain.
We can already spot helmeted construction workers busy surveying the site, too, and a couple of Cast Members out and about to re-direct any unaware guests hoping to ride the attraction.
Perhaps the most heart-wrenching sight is at the top of the mountain, with no boats nor water rushing down the flume.
Yesterday, crowds were cheering loudly for every boat that sped down that hill, but today it’s just a ringing silence!
However, while it’s ok to be sad about the closure of the beloved Splash Mountain, we think it’s time to turn our attentions to the arrival of a certain southern princess, who’s due to move in to this mountain very shortly!
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is sure to be an enchanting overlay to this attraction, with The Princess and the Frog known for its spectacular aesthetics, toe-tapping soundtrack, and fun-loving characters.
We’ve already seen a model of how the attraction’s exterior is projected to look at the D23 Expo last year, which you can check out in our post here.
Here at MickeyBlog, we’re always excitedly awaiting further news on this huge rebranding project, so be sure to stay tuned to our website and socials over the coming months as more details emerge!
In fact, our eagle-eyed reporters have already spotted one fun Easter Egg in the area, giving nods to the upcoming Bayou attraction.
Take a closer look at the construction walls in the photo above – can you notice anything significant about them?
Well, each of these temporary panels are printed with labels saying “Southern Dome Salt Company.”
This is a great, intricate reference to the narrative of the overlay, specifically regarding how the iconic mountain is going to be reimagined as a salt dome for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure!
Next time you’re passing through the Magic Kingdom, whether or not to pay your respects to the closed Splash Mountain, be sure to stop by Frontierland and see what other interesting progress has been made as The Laughing Place transforms into Tiana’s Bayou.
MickeyBlog will also be keeping a close eye on the area for you, so make sure you stay tuned as we watch the ride evolve together!