'Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah' song removed from Disneyland parade

(KTLA) – The lyrics to “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” have been quietly removed from the musical medley at Disneyland’s Magic Happens Parade, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The song originated from the 1946 feature “Song of the South”, a film that has been criticized for its stereotyping of black men and its romanticized view of the post-Civil War South.

Disneyland officials confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that the song had been removed from the setlist and replaced with a song from the 1953 feature “Peter Pan”.

The song “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” and characters from the movie “Song of the South” are also heavily featured on the Splash Mountain ride at Disneyland. In 2020, Disney announced plans to re-theme the famous ride at the “Princess and the Frog” attraction called “Tiana Bayou Adventure” following the backlash and civil unrest in the wake of the killing of George Floyd.

The re-imagined ride is expected to open at US Disney parks in late 2024. Walt Disney World Resort has already closed its version of Splash Mountain; Disneyland has yet to announce a closing date for its version of the ride.

The Magic Happens Parade returned to Disneyland in late February after a three-year hiatus, mainly due to park closures in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The parade is scheduled to run twice a day at the theme park.