8 Year Old Heartbreak Over Critter Country Splash Mountain Changes

     

    My little eight year old grandson, Noah,  absolutely loves to ride Splash Mountain at Disneyland. He feels like he knows the characters personally because  I have the Song of the South stories and some Brer Rabbit books. He loves them so much. We read them a lot together and he reads them alone. As with many sweet characters he feels like they are his little "friends" 

     

     When we went to Disneyland in 2019 it took some coaxing but we got him on Splash Mountain. This year in 2021 when we went to Disneyland he was eager and ready to ride. We went on it several times and he sang along with all of the characters. 

              

     On our last day at the park we were on The Disneyland Railroad. As we went by Splash Mountain I said "farewell forever Briar Patch friends." My grandson asked me why I said forever and I told him that Disneyland was changing it to Princess and the Frog. He thought about it for a bit and got the most heartbroken expression on his face. I asked if he was ok and tears fell from is little eyes. He asked why they would get rid of Brer Rabbit and all of his friends. He wanted to know where they would go. I told him that they make changes sometimes and it will be ok. The other theme will be fun. He didn't say anything more at that moment.

     Later that evening we were eating at Bengal Barbecue. He started to cry again and said "I don't know why they have to change something a guy really loves" I told him that I didn't know either and I was sad about it too but we would love the new ride. And he said he won't love it. I told him it will be fun but he was still worried about his friends from the Briar Patch. I told him we would write a letter to Disneyland asking them not to change it. That helped him to feel better so he could enjoy the rest of the time we had at the park.

     When we got home we read our Brer Rabbit stories but never go to our letter. 

     When his dad and his fiancé took Noah back to his moms accouple of weeks after our trip to Disneyland he thought of Splash Mountain again. As they were closer to Colorado he woke up and started crying. They asked him what was wrong and he said that he was sad about Splash Mountain. It was so random and so sad.

     I called him a few days later and he reminded me again to write the letter to Disneyland asking them not to change Splash Mountain. The friends from the Briar Patch didn't do anything wrong and shouldn't lose their home. 

     I never dreamed that he would be that upset over his little "friends" losing their home. If I had known I wouldn't have said anything to him about it. It is sweet that this little, now 9 year old, loves the attraction and its characters so much it breaks his heart to see them removed. It breaks this grownups heart too and I don't really understand it either. I know that they always change things but it is not a change I am happy about. I know it will be ok and I will love the new attraction however I am with my little grandson and wish they would let the critters remain in Critter Country.

+Disneyland +Splash Mountain +Critter Country