Disney removed the phrase “Zip-a-dee-doo-dah” from the music of its in-park parades via links to the 1946 film “Song of the South,” which promoted racial stereotypes amid an ultra-awake amusement park revamp .
The catchy phrase has been a pop culture staple since its release, but has long been criticized for its idealistic portrayal of the post-war South.
It was featured in the music of Disney’s “Magic Happens” parades before the COVID-19 pandemic, but was quietly removed by the billion-dollar company, which has tried to distance itself from the film.
Several park attractions and events related to it have been closed or modified by Disney in recent years, as evidenced by the closure of fan-favorite Splash Mountain, which closed in January for containing characters and music from the film.
Disney removed the phrase “zip-a-dee-doo-dah” from the music of its in-park parades via links to the 1946 film “Song of the South,” which promoted racial stereotypes amid an ultra-sleek amusement park renovation
The phrase has been a staple of pop culture since its release, but has long been criticized for its idealistic portrayal of the post-war South and racial stereotypes
Several park attractions and related events have been closed or changed by Disney in recent years, as evidenced by the closure of fan-favorite Splash Mountain
The move comes amid a series of progressive changes to the theme park.
The steps include changing park policies to prevent employees from using gender-specific salutations, conducting an anti-racism training course for employees, progressively revising old characters, and removing objectionable imagery from rides and films.
Walt Disney World broke the attraction count on the last day of operation of the fan-favorite Splash Mountain.
Thousands flocked to the attraction and were seen bottling the ride’s water as souvenirs, while others sold it online for hundreds of dollars.
The original ride’s connections to Song of the South have come under scrutiny by bright Disney bosses as they strive to become more progressive.
Disney World announced it will be closing its Splash Mountain location to facilitate the reimagining of the movie “Princess and the Frog.”
The Orlando, Fla., theme park attraction was closed as it prepared to relaunch as another water attraction, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, in 2024.
The company, which has a net worth of $160 billion, revealed a first look at a new scene from the upcoming re-theming, which will feature characters specially created for the attraction.
Along with Princess Tiana, Naveen, and jazz-loving alligator Louis, guests will travel the bayou as they prepare to host a Mardi Gras celebration and hear music inspired by the film.
In 2020, the company announced that the ride would be updated based on the 2009 Disney animated film, which starred the company’s first black princess, Tiana, at both Disneyland in California and Magic Kingdom in Florida.
Song of the South stars James Baskett as Uncle Remus (pictured) and won an Oscar for Best Original Song in 1948
A model of the revamped ride based on the movie The Princess and the Frog
It all comes as Disney continues to suffer at the board level and faces a populist revolt led by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
CEO Bob Iger announced last month that he was laying off 7,000 employees as part of a “significant transformation” to cut costs.
The job losses account for just over 3 percent of Disney’s global workforce and are expected to mostly affect its entertainment and ESPN divisions, though the company beat analysts’ expectations for the fourth quarter of 2022.
He also revealed plans to reorganize the company, effectively eliminating the Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution Group founded under his predecessor, Bob Chapek.
The new structure will have just three divisions: Disney Entertainment – which will include film and TV assets as well as Disney+; ESPN – which will include ESPN and ESPN+; and Parks, Experiences and Products – this includes Theme Parks and the Consumer Products team.
Iger, 71, also issued a statement saying he would step down in two years.
In response to the moves, activist investor and billionaire Nelson Peltz, who had sunk his considerable fortune behind a campaign over the company’s wasted funds after a bright agenda, declared his proxy fight with Disney over.
On Thursday morning, Peltz, 80, told CNBC’s Squawk on the Street that “Disney plans to do whatever we asked them to do,” and called the end of his activist struggle a “huge victory.”
“We wish Bob the very best [Iger], this leadership team and the board. We will watch. We’ll be rooting for it,” said Peltz, who heads Trian Fund Management.
Iger’s news was also conveyed via CNBC. He told the outlet his plan is to “stay here for two years, that’s in my contract, that was my agreement with the board and that’s my preference.”
It all comes as Disney continues to suffer at the board level and faces a populist revolt led by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
A listing published Tuesday titled “Disney SPLASH MOUNTAIN Water LAST DAY OF RIDE” was auctioned, its current bid is $202.50, with four bids received so far
In January, Trian launched a proxy fight with Disney, pushing Peltz for a seat on the company’s board of directors.
At the time, the company said it owned about 9.4 million shares worth about $900 million, which it had accumulated a few months earlier.
Peltz had previously taken a critical stance on Disney’s $71 billion acquisition of Fox in 2019, as well as its failed succession planning that led to the ouster of Bob Chapek and Iger’s second reign.
During the remainder of Iger’s tenure, he will be responsible for creating a more robust succession plan than the one that left Chapek in office just to oversee a turbulent time for the company.