We knew it would start sooner or later. Eventually, Br’er Rabbit and company would have to start packing their bags. Mickey may have started handing out the pink slips in a very subtle manner.

Disney Food Blog caught a small change to the Magic Kingdom’s Welcome Show. While the show is only a shadow of what we were used to seeing before the pandemic, there is something absent that could mean the purge of the Song of the South is upon us.

Notice something different? The Splash Mountain music has been removed from the Magic Kingdom Welcome Show. pic.twitter.com/G40AL12W38

— AJ Wolfe (@DisneyFoodBlog) July 27, 2021

Yes, Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah is no longer part of the Welcome Show. A song that families have been humming along to for so long as they enter the kingdom that Walt built is fading away. Why? Because Splash Mountain is going to be rethemed to The Princess and the Frog.

For comparison, here is the pre-COVID show with “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” near the end.

There’s no room for a ride that has its roots in the stories of Joel Chandler Harris in today’s world. Br’er Rabbit is going the way of Mr. Toad. Though, unlike Toad Hall, I doubt Splash Mountain will change all that much. Instead, the Br’er patch will probably become a portal to the “Other Side” as we follow the adventures of Tiana and Naveen.

I won’t lie; there are elements to that 2009 animated film I like and would make for good ride elements. A return of Dr. Facilier voiced by Keith David is always welcome outside of the Halloween events at the park.

Will all those animatronic foxes, bears, and chickens get yet another life as they did after America Sings closed down? What, exactly, will guests ride in this time? Frogs? Gators? Let us know in the comments what you think about the inevitable change. What do you hope is implemented from the Princess story? Just how drastic do you think the retheming will be?

[Source: Disney Food Blog]