Overview

• New coverage describes an entrenched divide between nostalgia-driven traditionalists and progress-focused fans as a defining feature of current discourse.
• Recent flashpoints include Splash Mountain’s conversion to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the removal of Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America, and the retirement of Muppet Vision 3D.
• Supporters of change praise TRON Lightcycle / Run and the Tiana retheme, and they point to concepts like Piston Peak and a Villains-themed land as potential future additions, which remain speculative.
• EPCOT is cited as a case study in an “identity crisis,” with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Frozen Ever After, and Ratatouille shifting the park toward IP, alongside festival menus critics say feel less culturally authentic.
• Analysts say Disney faces a persistent balancing act between preservation and innovation as Universal’s Epic Universe raises competitive pressure.