Last Night of Splash Mountain Draws Crowds
On Sunday, Disney World Resort in Orlando bid farewell to Splash Mountain, a ride that has been a beloved attraction since it opened in 1989. The iconic log flume ride, known for its catchy tune “Zip-a-dee-doo-da,” closed its doors for a major transformation into a Princess and the Frog-themed experience.
The final evening of operations for Splash Mountain attracted a large crowd of both young and old visitors eager to take one last journey through the bayou. The queue for the ride reportedly reached a staggering 220-minute wait at its peak. As a symbolic finale, Disney cast members, who had operated the ride, enjoyed the last ride amid cheers from grateful spectators.
Cast Members are among the last to ride Splash Mountain. #DisneyWorld #SplashMountain pic.twitter.com/uSW1JqtMSN
— ThrillGeek (@thrillgeek) January 23, 2023
The ride is now closed for renovations to transform it into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, set to reopen sometime in 2024. Carmen Smith, Disney Imagineering’s senior vice president for creative development, described the upcoming ride in a Disney blog post, highlighting the ambiance of the bayou with fireflies illuminating the night and zydeco music creating a magical atmosphere.