Week 7 Story: Splash Mountain Adventure

Splash Mountain Entrance source

 Splash Mountain Adventure

    I am in Disney World celebrating my sister's 18th birthday and high school graduation strolling around Adventureland in Magic Kingdom. I hear the crash of waves and smell the fragrance of heavily chlorinated water as well as joyous screams. I am waiting in line for my favorite ride, Splash Mountain. Finally, the seemingly endless line comes to an end and it is my family and I's turn to hop in the damp mechanical log. I was excited to see the scenes from Brer Rabbit Stories play out on 20 year old animatronic characters as the log floated by. The ride kicked off and as we turned the corner approaching the first turn that reveals our first animatronic scene, everything goes dark. 

    When the lights come back on the mechanical log seems rougher and even more uncomfortable than usual. They were real logs! I look around and no one seems phased. I take a closer look and realize the scenery is real grass and trees, then, sure enough an actual furry rabbit and fox pop out of no where. This seems so real but it can't be, I am on a ride based on the Brer Rabbit parts of  Song of the South, this is only in my head. Right?

    The other passengers suddenly fade away as the first story seems to begin, Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Bear. I see Mr. Fox planting a peanut patch while Brer Rabbit watches from his porch singing:

Ti-yi! Tungalee! I eat 'em pea, I pick 'em pea.

It grow in the ground, it grow so free;

Ti-yi! Them goober pea.

    Then the scene fades to Rabbit sneakily digging peanuts from the freshly ripe peanut plants, and quickly hopping away before Mr. Fox approaches. Mr. Fox is frustrated by the seemingly repetitive assault on his peanut patch. He set a trap with a tree sapling tied to the broken part of the fence Rabbit snuck out of. He walked away pleased with his work and the lights faded in and out again. When the light comes up Rabbit is sneaking into Fox's garden again and is swung up into the air in the trap filled with fear. He mumbles to himself seemingly thinking up an excuse for when Fox arrives when Brer Bear appears with a sticky beehive in hand.

"Howdy Bear!" said Rabbit
"Oh hello Rabbit, are you stuck?" Brer Bear replied.
"No, no, I am acting as a scarecrow for Mr.Fox's peanut patch. I am making $1 a minute. You have kids, maybe you would like a turn to earn some extra?" Rabbit suggested.
"Oh that sounds mighty swell Rabbit. You sure you want to give up this deal?" Bear responds.
"Oh it is no trouble for a friend Bear, help me down and you can take my place." Said Rabbit.

    The two switched places and Rabbit ran to Fox's den, knocking on the door and pointing toward the patch when Fox answered. He was telling Fox that Bear had been sneaking into the peanut patch. Fox rushes over with a hiking stick and starts hitting the dangling Bear like a piñata. All the while, Rabbit hops away pleased with himself. 

    The lights go out again but this time when they flash back on, Rabbit is being dangled from his ears in the grasp of Brer Fox. Fox is licking his lips hungrily while staring at the frightened Rabbit:

"I would roast you but that would be too much work to start a fire" suggested Fox
"Whatever you say just don't throw me into the Brer Patch!" replied Rabbit.
"Maybe I'll skin ya! Oh, I don't have my knife" Fox thought aloud.
"Sure thing, Boss. Just not the Brer Patch!" Rabbit Said.
"I'd drown ya but there ain't enough water" Brer Fox threatened.
"Sure beats the Brer Patch" stated Rabbit.
"Hmm seems like you really don't like that Brer Patch? Why don't I just chuck you there?" said Mr. Fox.
"Oh please not the Brer Patch! Anything but that!" Rabbit Pleaded.

    Suddenly there was a flash and I wasn't in the log anymore. I felt small and hungry for carrots. I turned and I was eye to eye with Mr. Fox! I took Rabbit's place! In moments I was flying through the air directly toward a real briar bush! I shut my eyes fearing the worst. Suddenly I was drenched in water and opened my eyes. I was back, the plastic mechanical log was back, the creepy animatronics were singing amongst faux flora and fauna. I have no idea what happened but it sure was something, but I think I am good on Splash Mountain for a while.

Bibliography

Joel Chandler Harris, Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings  (1881), Text Source

Authors Note

    Splash Mountain was one of my favorite rides at Disney World so I decided to make a sort of fever dream adventure where I was sucked into the Uncle Remus stories featured in the ride. On another topic to address is that the ride is being re-themed because of the racially insensitive nature of Song of the South, the Disney movie which the representation of Brer Characters in the ride are derived. The movie is live action story of slaves and masters living in harmony, white washing history, but featuring animated cut-aways of Uncle Remus Brer Rabbit stories. The ride only features parts from the animated scenes which bring to light African American folklore but due to the connections to Song of the South, commonly viewed as racist and offensive, Disney had decided to remove all connection from it by changing it to a 2009 Princess and the Frog theme.