by Donald Wood
Last updated: 1:58 PM ET, Thu June 25, 2020
Officials from Disneyland and Disney World revealed the current Splash Mountain attractions would be reimagined with a new theme based on The Princess and the Frog film.
Disney's theme parks in California and Florida will work with project Imagineers on a creative development process that includes conceptual design work underway and preliminary reviews to develop a timeline for when the transformation can begin to take shape.
The reimagined Splash Mountain will pick up The Princess and the Frog story after the final kiss of the movie, with visitors joining Princess Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance.
Tony Award-winning actress Anika Noni Rose is the voice of Princess Tiana, an empowered woman, who pursues her dreams and never loses sight of what's important. The New Orleans-based story is a natural fit for theme parks, as Walt Disney added New Orleans Square to Disneyland in 1966, the first new land added to the facility.
"It is really exciting to know that Princess Tiana's presence in both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom will finally be fully realized," Rose said in a statement. "As passionate as I am about what we created, I know the fans are going to be over the moon. The Imagineers are giving us The Princess and the Frog Mardi Gras celebration we've been waiting for, and I'm here for it!"
Disney stressed the importance of retheming Splash Mountain to a new concept that is more inclusive and connects travelers on a personal level despite the diversity of the millions of people who visit the theme parks each year.
Walt Disney Imagineering senior creative producer Charita Carter said the team was "delighted to be a part of bringing this fun-filled experience to our guests."
As Disney World prepares for its phased reopening to begin on July 11, the park announced a new reservations system to manage attendance, Disney Park Pass. All guests with a ticket or Annual Pass will now be required to make a reservation in advance for each park entry.
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