In 2020, it was announced that Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and at Disneyland Park would be closed and converted into a ride themed to Disney’s The Princess and the Frog. Since that time, the Disney fandom, and in many cases the general public, have voiced their opinions on the removal of what had become one of the more iconic Disney Parks attractions produced by the second generation of Walt Disney Imagineers, and have continued to voice those opinions once seeing the finished product of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure in Florida. What seemed to be lost in the shuffle was that Tokyo Disney Resort and its managing Oriental Land Company were holding out on said project, leaving one problematic log flume attraction remaining in Disney’s portfolio.

Splash Mountain Reportedly Being Replaced at Tokyo Disneyland

America has an uncomfortable history with racism and Japan is a country that is, well, honestly, not known for its cultural diversity, so it’s understandable that there’s no desire to replace a popular ride in a region that only sees Splash Mountain as a collection of cute country critters.

However, it does make sense that Disney would like the Tokyo version of Splash Mountain to close as their name is on the resort as a whole. While you and I are aware that Tokyo Disney Resort is owned and operated by the Oriental Land Company, a vast majority of the world would assume that Disney controls the property, as they do a majority of their parks around the world.

WDWNT has spoken to a number of sources inside The Walt Disney Company in the last four years about the possibility of Splash Mountain closing in Japan, with the initial story seeming to be that OLC was simply not interested in the overlay and believes their audience doesn’t connect emotionally to “The Princess and the Frog” film.

Walking around the Tokyo Disney Resort shops and even Disney Stores throughout Japan will give you a good idea of what the Japanese guests do connect with, from cute animal characters like Donald Duck, Chip & Dale, Dumbo, The Aristocats, and Bambi, to adorable sci-fi buddies such as Stitch and Baymax. When it comes to Disney Princesses, the Frozen sisters are unrivaled in “the land of the rising sun,” but you’ll certainly see a lot of love for others such as Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Belle.

You will be hard-pressed to find merchandise for “The Princess and the Frog,” nor even the critters like Louis the alligator or Ray the firefly. Very simply, I believe OLC knows their audience well and “The Princess and the Frog” doesn’t appear to resonate with them.

As time has progressed, we’ve heard stories of Disney continually asking OLC to reconsider the project, but the reoccurring story we had been told was that Disney was willing to foot some of the bill if Tokyo Disneyland would replace the ride. The other consistent rumbling was that Tokyo would not build Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, but instead would ask Walt Disney Imagineering to design something wholly unique for this replacement that would fit the area adjacent to Westernland and Fantasyland in the park. According to sources, OLC has agreed to whatever Disney’s offer may have been and a team of Imagineers is hard at work creating a replacement for the world’s last Splash Mountain.

In the last few days, I have read some ill-informed online discourse about the project claiming Disney threatened OLC in some way to carry this out. No sources we have spoken to have indicated that there is any hostility between the two sides, who are seemingly pretty happy with their business arrangement. I highly doubt if Disney was angry at them that they would be allowing OLC to enter the lucrative cruise business in the coming years.

If we had to guess when Splash Mountain may close forever at Tokyo Disneyland, we don’t think it will be too soon. At the earliest, we are expecting 2027-2028, as there are several large projects ongoing at the park that are greatly impacting operational capacity. Of course, the original Space Mountain closed forever back in July and Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters will be closing next month. With the Wreck-It Ralph shooter ride not opening until 2026 and the new Space Mountain set for 2027 (both barring construction delays), it wouldn’t be wise to take another major attraction offline for 12-18 months during that period.

As for what Disney intellectual property might take over the mountain in Tokyo’s Critter Country, that remains a well-guarded mystery. None of our sources would say what might be in store, but OLC does have a history of tipping their hands with future projects if you simply pay attention to what franchises they start to include more often in their merchandise, food, entertainment, or events. Our best guesses at this point are Pocahontas, Chip & Dale, or Bambi, but again, these are wild shots in the dark and not based on any information we have received. However, Pocahontas recently received a prominent role in the Harmony in Color parade, and is also featured in the stunning rock work of Fantasy Springs, so there does seem to be a focus on the franchise currently at the resort.

So, for those who haven’t yet taken the trip-of-a-lifteime to my favorite Disney Parks in the world, it might be time to start planning that excursion to Japan to say goodbye to what was regarded as the very best version of one of Disney’s best rides ever. While I will undoubtedly miss Splash, knowing the consistent quality of projects ordered and executed by Tokyo Disney Resort, I’m excited to see what they come up with.

As always, all of the information above is purely speculative and has not been confirmed by The Walt Disney Company, nor the Oriental Land Company, and should be treated purely as rumor until any official announcements are made.

If you would like to explore the history of Splash Mountain, including the Tokyo Disneyland version, you can read the entire store here.

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Tom Corless