An Ode to Ernest Goes to Splash Mountain

Splash Mountain first opened in Disneyland’s Critter Country in the summer of 1989.

As a promotion for the new attraction, Disney aired a TV special on July 7, 1989:
Ernest Goes to Splash Mountain

The TV special tells the story of how Ernest P. Worrell (Jim Varney) trains for and tests Splash Mountain before it opens to the public! You can watch the 22-minute TV special on YouTube:

While Splash Mountain will soon be re-themed to The Princess and the Frog, this TV special is certainly one of the funniest and most unique promotions for a Disney attraction ever created.