HUNT FOR CASH MTN.
Fans selling 'Splash' water
Disney World’s Splash Mountain had its last ride Monday, and some people are trying to make the most of it.
The iconic amusement park ride in Orlando, Fla., shut down as it prepares for its makeover as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure based on the 2009 film “Princess and the Frog,” set to relaunch in 2024.
Since its closing, Disney goers have taken to eBay to attempt to sell water they say is from the ride.
One listing is going for $4.25 with nine bids and 24 watchers as of Tuesday morning. The post shows a picture of a plastic bag of water that has “Splash Mountain water 1/22/2023” written on the bag in permanent marker.
Satirical offer
At the higher end, another person is selling 6 ounces of the “limited” water for $199.99. The photo in the listing shows a small mason jar of water being held in front of the Splash Mountain sign.
Another user posted a listing for “tap water from my sink” in a Splash Mountain branded plastic bag — which they’re selling for $25,000.
“This is obviously just for fun and to make fun of the people who are really selling water from a ride,” the seller wrote in the item description. “I’m a Disney fan but come one [sic] people has the world gotten so doomed that people would buy water from a ride. Smh if you really want this water buy it. I’ll even do free shipping! Have a magical day!”
Last month, Disney set its closing date for the attraction. Fans waited a whopping four hours over the weekend to be one of the last to flume.
Splash Mountain first opened in 1989 and was inspired by the 1946 film “Song of the South” — best known for the song “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah.”
The film is criticized for its stereotypes of black people and its apparent nostalgic view of the antebellum South. While the ride’s storyline was not an exact depiction of the movie, it features characters including Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear.
Ride will be updated
After several petitions for a change circulated the Internet, Disney announced that it would be updating the ride, and the company noted at the time that they had long been considering a new story for the ride anyway.
In 2020, Disney announced that Splash Mountain would be reimagined at both the Magic Kingdom park in Florida and Disneyland Park in California.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will take fans on a ride inspired by the film and will pick up where that story left off, according to a press release.
“[Splash Mountain will] join Princess Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure — featuring some of the powerful music from the film — as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance,” a 2020 release from Disney said.
“In 1966, Walt [Disney] himself opened New Orleans Square when it became the first new ‘land’ added to Disneyland park, so it feels natural to link the story and the incredible music of ‘The Princess and the Frog’ to our parks.”