Ever since Disneyland announced Splash Mountain was getting a face lift, fans of the attraction have been trying to book one last ride on the iconic water flume before the retrofit happens. One father even decided to take his daughter on her first-and-last ride and created a bit more of a memory than he was probably intending.
In the video, Kyle Philippi asks his daughter if she would like to go on “the bunny ride.” For those of you who don’t know, Splash Mountain is decorated with characters and scenes from the infamously problematic/racist “Song of the South” film, including Brer Rabbit. It also features a 49-foot drop at the end. He does not explain either of these things to his child.
In the video, Philippi points out Cinderella’s castle in the distance to distract his daughter, so she doesn’t see the final plunge coming. She raises her head, they go over the drop, and she smacks tooth-first into the safety bar with an audible thunk.
Thankfully, the little girl appears to be okay.
Phillipi assured his viewers his daughter’s “face was fine after,” and she can be seen smiling and laughing after the impact. But…come on, man. We get wanting to make a lasting impression, but there’s a very real chance that could have knocked something loose. A trip to the dentist will even put a damper on a visit to the happiest place on earth. If you want to try and get in one last ride before the update, you don’t necessarily have to talk to your kids about racism (though you probably should), but you should at least try to warn them about an incoming drop. You know. Like a parent would.
Disneyland’s Splash Mountain will close January 23rd, 2023 to begin retrofitting the ride into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
