How One Celebrity Is Keeping Splash Mountain Alive

It’s been a while since Splash Mountain closed at Disney World, and fans around the world are still sad about it.

One final ride

With the attraction closed at Disney World and the attraction expected to close soon at Disneyland, you’re probably thinking that this is the end of the Splash Mountain legacy as we know it. That’s where you’re wrong!

There’s one Splash Mountain in the United States that isn’t going anywhere — he’s seven feet tall, plays for the Milwaukee Bucks, and is known for throwing three-pointers on the court, inspiring the whooshing sound of falling water throughout the arena. Let us introduce you to Brook Lopez!

©New York Times

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tells us about Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez and his favorite Disney attraction — you guessed it — Splash Mountain. The Bucks player was especially saddened by the closure of this fan-favorite ride.

Splash Mountain

“It’s tough. It is, because as a kid, you remember the rides, the attractions you went on as a kid and some of those aren’t here anymore,” Lopez told the Sentinel. He also talked about how he rode Disneyland’s Splash Mountain “like, 18 times” with his brother at a 24-hour “Days of Disneyland” event.

Splash Mountain at Disneyland

Lopez also lamented how the Cast Members didn’t allow him to take the Larry O’Brien trophy onto the ride after the Bucks won the championship. Instead, he took photos with the trophy in front of the ride.

©Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Lopez mentioned that although he’s glad that Princess Tiana is getting the attention she deserves, he thinks that there were ways to navigate the controversy surrounding Splash Mountain without doing away with the ride itself.

“Maybe give these characters Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Fox a TV series or something like that to kind of take these great stories… and flip [the stories] and use the good stuff and create a positive image out of that,” Lopez said. However, he did mention his excitement regarding Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Construction

Writing this has us missing the attraction, so we can’t wait for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure to officially open! If you’re looking for more information on the upcoming ride, click the link below!

Click here for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Construction Updates

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