New York
CNN
—
Disneyland removed the lyrics of the song “zip-a-dee-doo-dah” played during park parades because it came from a film criticized for its racist depiction of black Americans.
The lyrics originally appeared in the “Magic Happens” parade when it debuted in March 2020. The parade recently returned after nearly three hiatuses because of the Covid-19 pandemic. When reintroduced last month, audiences for the twice-daily parade, described as “celebrating magical moments from legendary Disney stories” on their website, are now listen to the lyrics — “think of the happiest things” from “Peter Pan” — in Its Place.
The parade’s lyrics change was first reported in Sign up for OC.
The song “Zip-a-dee-doo-dah” originated from the 1946 movie “Song of the South”. has long been criticized for stereotypes about “spiritual” Black men and a seemingly nostalgic view of the pre-war South.
Disney is in the process of cutting references to the film in other parts of it. In 2020, Disney Parks and Resorts announced that Splash Mountain is being “completely reimagined” at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, as the chimney ride is based on “Songs of the South.” It is being refurbished to include characters from the 2009 animated film, The Princess and the Frog, including Disney’s first Black princess.
Disney
(DIS) said at the time that the new Splash Mountain concept is “inclusive” and “a concept where all of our guests can connect and be inspired.” Splash Mountain Ride at Walt Disney
(DIS) World in Orlando has been closed for remodeling. The new attraction is expected to open at both resorts in the United States by 2024.
Disneyland officials told Sign up for OC in 2020 that the removal of the song “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” from the theme park resort is part of an ongoing process to provide an environment with relevant and inclusive stories. . The OC Register also reports that in 2020, the song was removed from the track playing at Downtown Disney, the shopping and dining area of the Disneyland resort, and in 2021 it was removed from the track playing in King Arthur Carrousel.
“Song of the South” was so controversial that Disney locked it down for decades and didn’t even take it out of Disney+’s vast library. Changes to the wooden conduit ride introduced in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 have spurred conversation and introspective introspection in Hollywood about racial depictions in popular culture. .
