Josh D'Amaro talks about Splash Mountain retheme and opening the parks during a global pandemic

Jul 11, 2020 in "Splash Mountain"

Posted: Saturday July 11, 2020 2:27pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Josh D'Amaro, the new Chairman Disney Parks, Experience and Products took part in an interview with CNN earlier today and shared some comments on the reopening of the parks, and on Splash Mountain.

When asked about reopening the parks when cases are increasing in Florida, he said, "We are in a new normal right now, so what's happening outside of the gates of Walt Disney World is our new world. I think you know we were one of the first theme parks to close, and we'll be about the last to open. And we spent every minute of every day thinking about how to operate in this new normal that we're in. I'm exceptionally proud of this group in terms of what they've put together from a protocol perspective and being able to open in a phased and really responsible way. I had a chance to walk Main Street just a few minutes ago. It feels really good in the park. So yeah, the world is a different place, but we feel really prepared to operate in this new environment that we're in."

He goes on to talk about new safety protocols and how guests so far have accepted the new environment and are complying with health and safety requests.

Josh also briefly commented on Splash Mountain's retheme to Princess and the Frog, "We actually have been working on it for well over a year. In fact, I was a part of those conversations over a year ago. Listen, our stories evolve all the time. I mean, back from when Walt started Disneyland back in 1955, he stated that if we would continue to evolve our stories, that they're never ending, that they'll always be contemporary. And I think that that's what you're seeing with Splash Mountain. I keep using the same word, but I'm really proud of this team and what we're doing on this front. I think Splash Mountain, no doubt, is a sacred attraction to many of our guests. And I think you're going to love what we're doing in making the attraction even more contemporary."

Read the full interview at CNN.

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Bocabear5 days ago

I had forgotten about that, and the first one was cute... but none of the other live action remakes seem to be that great...it feels like all the sequel movies Disney was churning out in the late 90s, early 200s... Cinderella 2? Those were serious garbage...and now these live action remakes seem the same to me...

mickEblu5 days ago

So are we finding out Dr. Facilier is making an appearance in TBA tomorrow or will it be just another mind boggling marketing decision from Disney when it comes to this attraction? Having a whole segment devoted to Keith David/ Facilier at the same event where they are doing a deep dive on the attraction would make zero sense unless he's in it.

James Alucobond5 days ago

Cinderella is better, I think, but it’s really the only one, mostly because it didn’t concern itself with following the original story. The others are either unasked for facsimiles or weird attempts to make evil characters sympathetic (though I chuckle at Maleficent glossing over the fact that her name is literally meant to invoke the opposite of “beneficent”).

brb10065 days ago

I really enjoyed the 1996 live-action adaptation of 101 Dalmatians.

Bocabear5 days ago

I can't think of one live action remake that was better than the original...I won't count Cruella because that was really something different.... There were things to like about the Cinderella and the BATB... but in general they never quite did it for me...Both of those movies had a dress problem... Cinderella's garish blue dress was so immense it wore her, and Belle's Golden gown was completely wrong period...Looked more like 1940s and way too demure... Actually Cinderella's Godmother gown was much prettier than what she conjured for Cindy...Almost like they made the white one for Cinderella and then changed their mind and decided to match the blue dress that was sold as Halloween costumes... The other live action remakes I think have all been terrible...

Rich T6 days ago

Yes. And the remake isn’t strong enough (IMO) to be particularly memorable in script or visual style to stand out in its own. As lightweight as the animated classic is, it is very entertaining and memorable. That’s the whole problem with the remakes. Instead of presenting something original, cohesive and memorable, they’re chained to the curse of having to hit mandatory nostalgia-check-boxes even if doing so maybe isn’t the wisest move. Disney wants to have its cake and eat it too. And so we get a Little Mermaid remake with hideous CGI sidekicks and a Jungle Book where CGI characters are forced to perform clumsy, forgettable versions of songs that were wonderful in the original animated film.

Rich Brownn6 days ago

Of course the cartoons are recognized more. The remake featured animals that looked like.. well, animals. They aren't a funny sketch version of them.

Rich T7 days ago

I think the Jungle Book remake was definitely one of the better ones, certainly helped by the original animated film being so comparatively (and intentionally) lightweight. That said, the remake in retrospect (IMO) now seems kind of bloated, style-less and forgettable. Certainly, the CGI characterizations of Baloo, Bagheera, Shere Kahn, Louie and Kaa have not left even a tiny blip on the pop culture landscape, while the 1960’s hand drawn versions are still recognized and embraced. I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out Disney actually is aware that the remakes don’t have the staying power of the originals, and is perfectly content to just let them serve their purpose as short-lived cash-grabs. It sure would be nice if all that time, money and talent went toward the creation of something original and wonderful.

Rich Brownn7 days ago

I think "Jungle Book" was much better. But then it hewed closer to its source material and didn't try to be cute and funny most of the time

Disney-Universal Fanboy8 days ago

Yeah, The Live action Alice is entertaining, But it made the whole ending of the animated movie redundant

Rich T8 days ago

They are all vastly inferior to the originals, IMO. They’re not bad, and are somewhat entertaining, but none of them match the artistry and great storytelling of the animated classics. I do have a beef, in particular, with Burton’s Alice. ‘Cause, Y’know, when a movie is called “Alice in Wonderland,” it helps if the story being told is actually “Alice in Wonderland” and not a completely different story that seems to have more in common with a Narnia tale. And don’t get me started on “Through the Looking Glass”….

Rich T8 days ago

Not a single remake, IMO, has been better than the original. At best, they’re sometimes not-completely-awful. And the OG PatF is a fine movie (beautifully drawn) with a couple of flaws. Not looking forward to CGI frogs and gators.

Rich T8 days ago

Yes, but I will acknowledge that Big Thunder was a necessary change for the park, even though the loss of Nature’s Wonderland killed Frontierland’s depth. I love Big Thunder, but I also lament that—experience-wise—the park exchanged an epic, beautiful 15 minute adventure for a two minute family coaster. Times change. Sigh.

mickEblu9 days ago

Haha but plenty of people complained about Mission Breakout and still do. As far as Mine Train our very own @Rich T still laments the loss.