I was originally thinking of updating Big Thunder Mountain, but that has recently been overhauled for over a year. The only thing I might do with this is to add a soundtrack to the ride, maybe something like a wild country tune (with fiddles and banjos), or maybe an Epic Western feel, like "The Magnificent Seven". It could sound something like any of the audio snippets in this video below:
And... that's it. Alas, the Rivers of America is going to be closed for over a year, so anything is possible in the future. I guess that's it for Frontierland. I might rename the Shootin' Exposition to something else, like Frontierland Shootin' Gallery.
Next, we have Critter Country. The Winnie the Pooh ride will be closed, to be themed to a new attraction yet to be determined.
But now, we have Splash Mountain, which is going to really receive some overhauls! Beyond the freshening up of the figures, which have been relatively static here and there or even missing altogether, there will be plenty of new stuff! It begins as you enter the attraction. There is the addition of a first new plaque that introduces the story to be told (just before the fireplace):
"There are other ways to learn about the hind legs of a mule than getting kicked by them. And just 'cause tales like these are about critters like Br'er Rabbit and Br'er Fox, that doesn't mean they're not the same as what can happen to folks. So those who can't learn from a tale about critters, just don't have their ears tuned for listening."
Then you reach your log boats. They have been revised to be lighter so as to hold heavier people, like the Small World boats before it. Further, some of the logs may have the heads of other Br'er characters, not just Br'er Rabbit, but others, too, like this old piece of concept art (which shows one log with Br'er Fox's head and another with Br'er Bear's):
Inside, as you mount the first lift just after leaving the dock, you see an Audio-Animatronic of Br'er Frog spinning a Br'er Rabbit yarn:
He says one of several random things like "Mark my word, that young Br'er Rabbit scamp is gonna put his foot in Br'er Fox's mouth one of these days!"
Then as you wind around the mountain, the music of the ride is somewhat revised: on the outside, it is now in the country-western style used in Florida and in Japan (but still in the orchestral style for inside). As you pass by Br'er Rabbit's home, you hear him making plans to leave home for parts unknown. As you pass by Br'er Fox's lair, you hear him make plans to capture the rabbit before he can leave. That helps to justify the rabbit trap inside, which is sprung instead by Br'er Bear, just before you go by Br'er Rabbit standing outside his home.
Across from where Br'er Rabbit and his turtle friend standing, new figures of Br'er Fox and Br'er Bear are introduced as they plot again to capture the rabbit. These are actually the same figures as from the Mickey Mouse Revue (the Three Caballeros figures having been introduced to the Mexico boat ride at Epcot), albeit somewhat revised for the sake of continuity and improvements:
Then just before you go by the branch with the vultures on it in preparation for the lift to the big drop, you go by a brand-new Br'er Bear figure, whose nose is red and swollen from the beestings earlier. He says random things like "I shoulda knocked that rabbit's head clean off!" or "That rabbit said it was a laughing place, but I'm not laughing!"
Finally, as you mount the lift hill, you see flashes of lightning and crashes of thunder to heighten the drama. This is especially prevalent at night.
And that's about it for Splash Mountain. With the Pooh ride gone and a new ride to soon replace it, there will now be a new shop to replace the Pooh Corner store as well. Aside from that, that's it for Critter Country. Next time, it's off to Fantasyland!
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