Disney did the right thing on Splash Mountain — so what’s next?

By deciding to change the theme of Splash Mountain, Disney did the right thing both ethically and economically.
Those two don’t always go together. But they did here. As a multimedia entertainment giant, Disney wants three-tool franchises — ones that work in its theme parks, sell merchandise and play to large audiences in movies or on TV. Because of its roots in minstrelsy, Splash Mountain’s “Song of the South” franchise could not deliver that.
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