Splish, Splash, it's not that much of a bath! Splash Mountain
Written: Apr 27 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Disney classic, great theming, exciting drop
Cons: May be too intense for some, children under 40 inches tall can't ride
The Bottom Line: What are you waiting for? Go get in line!
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| chelledun's Full Review: Splash Mountain |
Splash Mountain is located in Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom. This is a log flume ride through a series of rooms full of audio-animatronic figures, culminating in a five story drop, which is visible from the ground in front of the attraction. The attraction is located right next to the popular Thunder Mountain Railroad. Lines can be very, very, long, so either visit early in the day or use FASTPASS. I usually ride this attraction second, after Space Mountain and before Thunder Mountain.
Getting in the Mood…
Since guests frequently have to wait for a while, it’s a good thing that this attraction has one of the most intricate queue areas in the park. After you enter, you’ll weave back and forth up and downstairs, through drippy caverns. You can see the silhouettes of rocking shadows, and you’ll hear Brer Frog begin to talk about the story of Brer Rabbit. Much of the wait is inside, which is nice on a hot day.
After you make your way through the line, you’ll board a log in the downstairs portion of the waiting area. The logs have four rows, each seating two people. You step in from the right side, and don’t be surprised if your seat is a little damp!
The Story
This attraction is based on Disney’s Song of the South film, which included a combination of live action and animation. This is one of the lesser known Disney movies today as it is seen as somewhat controversial with regard to racial issues. However, this attraction stays away from the drama and sticks with the animated stories within the film, featuring the adventures of Brer Rabbit and his friends.
After boarding your log, you will go along with Brer Rabbit on his adventures. Early in the ride, you’ll see him getting ready to leave his home to set off on adventures. The popular “Zip-a-dee-doo-dah” song plays in the background, as he says farewell to the other animals. Riders are taken past bright, cheerful scenery of cottages, vegetable gardens, and fishing frogs. In the mean time, the villainous Brer Fox and Brer Ber are plotting to catch Brer Rabbit. Presumably they want to eat him, I think.
Eventually, riders get to go down a hill in the dark (nothing like the big drop, but still fun) to enter Brer Rabbit’s “Laughing Place.” This is my favorite part of the ride. You’ll see neon fountains and buzzing bees all in a dark room. The cheerful “Laughin’ Place” song plays, but the vultures ahead show Brer Rabbit is heading towards trouble…
As your log starts the climb up a hill, you can see Brer Rabbit begging Brer Fox and Brer Bear not to be thrown in the Briar Patch. The vultures overhead cackle that you won’t be laughing for very long. Then…you get a brief view of the outside park from your high vantage point, and WHOOOSH!!! You can see yourself dropping down into the briar patch and a huge cloud of mist, and you will reach the bottom with a big splash. As you round the corner, beware of incoming splashes from other riders!
Before the ride ends, your log will head back inside for a bright, cheerful celebration. A showboat rocks back and forth with audio-animatronic can-can birds, and everyone is glad that Brer Rabbit is back home safe.
Are you really going to get wet?
Maybe, maybe not. Sometimes I have made it through without getting so much as splashed, other times not. Much of the splash for the drop is just shot up for show, but depending on where you sit and the weight distribution you may get wet. The part you really have to watch out for is rounding the corner after the big drop, when you may get hit by water splashing over the rocks.
I’ve ridden probably over fifty times, and can only think of about two when I was seriously wet. My advice is not to drag your ponchos to the park just on account of this attraction, it really isn’t THAT splashy. That said, I don’t really recommend riding with disposable cameras or paper products unless they are well covered.
Who is this attraction for?
The final drop really is a bit intense for people who dislike this kind of drop. There is a sensation that you are slightly coming out of your seat that I enjoy, but other people hate. For example, after riding a couple of times, my mom has decided that the final drop counts her out of this attraction from now on. She said she can’t even enjoy the inside of the attraction because she is too nervous about the final drop. On the other hand, this ride is much easier to me than attractions that drop straight down such as Tower of Terror.
Your child must be 40 inches tall to ride this attraction. Many children are scared off by the intimidating drop at the attraction’s exterior. In a way it is too bad that the steep final drop is paired with such a fun, child-friendly attraction.
Overall…
This is a very well done attraction, in terms of integrating wonderful theming and use of audio-animatronics with a really thrilling drop at the end. The ride lasts eleven minutes, which is gratifying if you have waited an hour in line. Many theme park thrill rides do not give you nearly so much ride for your wait time. On the whole, this is a Disney classic, and a great attraction as long as you can handle the final drop.
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Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
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