There’s big news this afternoon about Disney’s plans to begin the work of reimagining the Splash Mountain attraction at Walt Disney World!
Disney first announced its plans to reimagine the wettest ride in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom back in June of 2020, and earlier this year, Guests were privy to more information about the planned reimagining–one that will trade the Song of the South theme at Splash Mountain for a Princess and the Frog theme, complete with a brand-new take on the attraction itself.
The new name for the attraction was also unveiled: Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. And according to Disney Fandom, the new ride will pick up after the kiss in the original Disney film from 2009:
“The story takes place after the ending of the film, around 1927. Tiana’s Palace has become enough of a success that Tiana and Naveen decided to expand their business and establish an employee-owned food cooperative, Tiana’s Foods, which has purchased an old salt mine to serve as a headquarters. As Tiana prepares to host a large party for Mardi Gras, she and the Guests journey into the bayou to find a key ingredient for the festivities.”
On Friday afternoon, news broke about a new permit filed by Disney World, which lists a project titled, “CY1899,” and while that particular title has not been publicly shared as corresponding to the reimagining of Splash Mountain, the address on the permit, 4955 Caribbean Way, does seem to correspond to the walkway that leads Guests to the Splash Mountain attraction in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom.
The permit was filed on October 13, 2022, and expires on June 30, 2024, which also correlates to Disney’s announcement that the newly-rethemed attraction would open to Guests in late 2024. But a look at Google Maps confuses the whole scenario, as Google shows the location closer to the Jungle Cruise attraction.
As many Disney fans are acutely aware — and may or may not be happy about — Disney is big on live-action remakes. From hits like Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin to not-as-successful movies like Dumbo and Pinocchio, Disney is all-in on the remakes and is showing no signs of slowing down. However, there is another area that Disney is also bringing in when it comes to making movies.
Disney theme park attractions.
In the past, Disney has made more than one movie based on theme park attractions — most famously the 2003 film, The Haunted Mansion, which starred Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Tilly, Terrence Stamp, and Wallace Shawn.
Now, we are learning that Disney is making another film based on an attraction that originated at Tokyo DisneySea. The attraction is called The Society of Explorers and Adventurers, whose fictional roots go all the way back to the 1500s.
The new film will star Ryan Reynolds, who has worked with Disney and Marvel as the star of Deadpool. The movie will be written and directed by Qui Nguyen — who has also worked with Disney on one of its newest films, Strange World, as well as on Raya and the Last Dragon.
According to the insiders,Nguyen’s take for the feature pursues alternative angles to SEA mythology in present day by adding a new supernatural element to the history and following new characters not present in the original SEA lore.
The SEA, as the Society attraction is known, got it start at the Tokyo Disneyland and expanded by Hong Kong Disneyland and has a detailed mythology that sees its founding in 1538 in Italy and expanding around the globe as an organization that consists of not only explorers and adventurers but also scientists, artists, and travelers. It also comes with a host of characters with names such as Harrison Hightower III, Mary Oceaneer, and Lord Henry Mystic. Part of the SEA consists of having paraphernalia pop up around various other theme park rides and attractions.
Disney is also working on a show based around the Society of Explorers and Adventurers, but it will not be in the same universe as the new movie.
This is not the only movie based on an attraction that Disney has in the works. Next summer, Disney will release its newest attraction-based movie, The Haunted Mansion, which will star Rosario Dawson, Own Hunt, Tiffany Haddish, and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Disney is also working with Marvel star Scarlett Johansson on a Tower of Terror movie, and the studio has announced that a film based on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is also in the works.
One star of the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe movie Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) is facing continued and renewed allegations of sexual misconduct and aggressive behavior that may see them removed and recast in the MCU.
Actor Bill Murray is currently set to make his MCU debut in next year’s Ant-Man sequel, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania from director Peyton Reed. While Murray’s role is undisclosed, anticipation is high for this celebrated actor and comedian to join the likes of Paul Rudd (Scott Lang/Ant-Man), Evangeline Lilly (Hope van Dyne/Wasp), Michael Douglas (Hank Pym), and Michelle Pfeiffer (Janet van Dyne) in the Marvel film. This time around the cast will also be joined by Kathryn Newton as Cassie Lang; the actress replaces Emma Fuhrmann who played Scott’s daughter in Avengers: Endgame (2019).
But, despite excitement brewing for the return of the Langs, Pyms, and van Dynes, as well as the official debut of Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror, Murray finds himself in tricky waters. It was recently revealed that the actor settled with a younger female crew member and is now facing a wave of worrying allegations.
Deadline reports on the allegations that were originally shared in an expose from Puck. The news outlet wrote:
A new report from Puck this week alleges that Bill Murray has paid a $100,000 settlement to a “much younger” female crew member on the film Being Mortal, the production of which Deadline first reported in April was being suspended due to a complaint made against Murray for inappropriate behavior.
The report alleges that Murray, 72, kissed and straddled the woman on set. She was allegedly “horrified” and “interpreted his actions as entirely sexual,” and filed a complaint against the actor.
The allegations of misconduct from Bill Murray are not surprising considering the historic complaints the well-known actor has had levied against him. This specific case on the set of Searchlight Pictures’s Aziz Ansari-helmed Being Mortal first came to press attention after production on the film was shut down for investigative purposes in April 2022. Murray later sat down with CNBC and shared his side of the story — that is, he claimed that he acted in jest and that action was taken the “wrong way”. Murray, in part, said:
“The company, the movie studio, wanted to do the right thing, so they wanted to check it all out, investigate it, and so they stopped the production. But as of now, we’re talking and we’re trying to make peace with each other.”
And while production remains suspended on Being Mortal, more allegations have been made against the Hollywood star. Actress Geena Davis shared in her memoir, “Dying of Politeness” (2022), that Murray insisted on using a massager on her the first time they met for the movie Quick Change (1990), and later, the spaghetti strap incident during their dual interview on the Arsenio Hall Show.
Deadline shared more accusations:
[Saturday Night Live] alum Rob Schneider claimed Murray “absolutely hated” the cast members when he came back to guest host. “He wasn’t very nice to us,” Schneider said on SiriusXM’s The Jim Norton & Sam Roberts Show. “He hated us on Saturday Night Live when he hosted. Absolutely hated us. I mean, seething.”
One of the most shocking allegations of serious misuse of power and status comes from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Family Guy actor, Seth Green, who claims Murray ignited over a small altercation in the SNL waiting room in which Green, aged nine at the time, was apparently using Murray’s armrest. Green said:
“He picked me up by my ankles,” said Green of Murray, “held me upside down…dangled me over a trash can and he was like, ‘The trash goes in the trash can.’ And I was screaming, and I swung my arms, flailed wildly, full contact with his balls. He dropped me in the trash can [and] the trash can falls over. I was horrified. I ran away, hid under the table in my dressing room and just cried.”
Known for movies like Ghostbusters (1984), Groundhog Day (1993), Charlie’s Angels (2000), and Lost in Translation (2003), Murray has had a decorated career and this slew of allegations could prove enough to topple the empire. Murray’s upcoming role in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania may be called into question by Marvel Studios, or its owner, The Walt Disney Company.
With Reed’s Ant-Man threequel still four months away, and Murray’s role relatively unknown — only San Diego Comic-Con and D23 Expo audiences have seen the trailer, after all — it may prompt Disney to reshoot Murray’s scenes and recast his role. Of course, nothing has been confirmed from any of the involved studios, but judging by historic events similar to this, it would not be a surprise if Murray’s MCU career was over before it had even begun.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania opens on February 17, 2023 as part of Marvel Phase Five.
Everyone knows that a trip to Disney World or Disneyland would not be complete without buying a few souvenirs to take back home. Of course, you can do a lot of your shopping online as well through the shopDisney website.
From shirts, headbands, cups, and silverware to pins, costumes, swords, and toys, Guests can find just about anything when visiting the shopDisney website or any of the numerous attraction gift shops.
And speaking of attractions, a Disney Parks collection wouldn’t be complete without an item representing one of Walt Disney World’s most legendary rides.
Space Mountain is a truly iconic piece of Disney history. While popular enough to be found at multiple Disney Resorts across the world, the original in Orlando still stands above the rest. To commemorate this special attraction, Disney recently released a model kit of the actual ride.
“Imagine building your favorite Tomorrowland attraction with this Space Mountain Model Kit. Imaginations soar thanks to the detailed 27-piece kit that celebrates the place where so many galactic dreams come true”, states Disney when describing the kit, “The packaging is inspired by classic blueprints and behind-the-scenes Disney Imagineering notes. It’s all Mickey Mouse-approved too. Now it can be yours to build and put on display for light-years to come.”
However, when looking at the photo of the kit online, we noticed it was seemingly built wrong.
As you can see, the middle section of the kit protrudes way farther than it is supposed to. There is also a hole in the center of the kit, which is not supposed to be seen when the model is completed. Curiously, the kit is correctly shown on the actual packaging.
We aren’t sure exactly why or how this error occurred but looking at the immense catalog of products on the website, we aren’t that surprised something as minor as this slipped past Disney.
For those worried, it may be too challenging, no need to worry! The model kit is only 27 pieces, meaning anyone can build and enjoy this product.
Walt Disney Imagineering makes the Disney Parks as magical as they are, creating everything from restaurants to Resort hotels to first-class Theme Park rides like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
Morgan Lee Richardson is a former Disney Imagineer. Though he worked passionately to create and design elements of the Disney Parks, he now says they’re too complicated to visit:
Haven’t been to a Disney park since 02/21 and frankly I don’t know how to go back. Like there’s apps (multiple?) and reservations (multiple?), and park hopping restrictions that I have no clue how to navigate. I designed the parks for years and now don’t know how to go to them.
I just think it’s silly. And obviously folks can figure it out if they take the time. But how much attention should Guests really have to pay to the ticketing/scheduling procedure vs their park experience? Anyway…here is a photo of an empty Main St. taken at noon on 02/04/21
I just think it’s silly. And obviously folks can figure it out if they take the time. But how much attention should Guests really have to pay to the ticketing/scheduling procedure vs their park experience? Anyway…here is a photo of an empty Main St. taken at noon on 02/04/21 pic.twitter.com/MumPY6WrV8
Richardson is referring to the Park Reservation system, in which Guests are required to book Park Passes for their chosen Disney Park up to 60 days before they visit Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Additionally, Richardson hints at satisfaction with the Disney Genie app. Released in 2021, Disney Genie helps Guests plan their vacations and purchase Genie+ and individual Lightning Lanes.
However, Disney Genie is often disparaged for being confusing and price-gouging Guests. In fact, Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort increased the prices of the once-free FastPass service just this week.
Richardson isn’t alone in his displeasure. Across the pond, Disneyland Paris Annual Passholders have planned an October 22 protest against the Park Pass Reservation system. Many American Magic Key holders and Annual Passholders have vowed to cancel their coveted passes due to expenses and difficulty visiting the Disney Parks.
