Then and Now: Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride

Horizons, Dreamfinder, Fantasyland Skyway, Kitchen Kaberet, If You Had Wings… what do these attractions all have in common?  They are classic Walt Disney World attractions that were created, enjoyed, and then closed permanently and often re-purposed.  These attractions not only bring back vivid memories, but they also evoke strong emotional responses.  Sometimes those emotions restrict Disney Guests from enjoying their more contemporary incarnations.

WDW Parkhoppers wants to honor and pay tribute to the attractions of yesteryear, while at the same time, honoring the attractions of today.  And we start with arguably the most galvanizing attraction in Walt Disney World history: Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.

Our Friend, Mr. Toad

Mr. Toad started his life as a character from the 1908 classic The Wind in the Willows by author Kenneth Grahame and was brought to animated life in Disney’s 1949 classic animated film, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.  Toad is a lovable eccentric who gets easily obsessed with things…especially things that go fast and his obsessions lead to adventures for not only Toad but the other characters who care for him.  Since then several versions of the enduring story of Mr. Toad and all his friends have found their way to stage, screen, and television.

But in 1955, when Walt Disney created an attraction at his new theme park in Anaheim, California called Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, the lovable Mr. Toad was synonymously linked with popular culture.  As one of Disneyland’s original attractions (a C-ticket, by the way) it is one of the mainstay of the park, and still has long wait lines to this day.  So it made sense that they would open a version of the ride in Disney’s new park in Florida.  So, in 1971, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride was part of the original attractions at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.

While Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride in the Magic Kingdom was modeled after its Disneyland counterpart, it had some very unique characteristics that set it apart from its California namesake. The Disney World version had two separate boarding areas, and the vehicles were on separate tracks that followed 2 different paths allowing guests a slightly different ride, depending on where they loaded.  And as it’s Disneyland sibling, it was a very popular attraction.

But despite the ride’s popularity and among many protests (and Toad-Ins), Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride closed on September 7, 1998, only to be replaced with The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Many tributes to the ride can be found throughout Disney World, including paintings of Mr. Toad and Moley inside The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and a statue of Toad in a pet cemetery outside of Haunted Mansion.

Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride – Right Track

Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride – Left Track

A Visit to the 100 Acre Wood

Winnie the Pooh arrived at the Magic Kingdom in June of 1999 and allowed guests to ride through the many adventures of Pooh, Tigger, and all their friends.  The ride begins as you join Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo, and Tigger on a “Blustery Day,”  and then go on to bounce along with Tigger (it’s what Tiggers do best). Then you dream along with Pooh try to ward off those honey-stealing Heffalumps and Woozles.  And finally you and your hunny pot float in to the “Floody Place” where you watch Piglet’s rescue from Floody Place Falls.  The ride ends with Pooh getting fully into his hunny and you get to visit the 100 Acree Goods Gift Shop.  This past winter, Pooh’s cue line received an overhaul making it extremely interactive and more enjoyable for children young and old.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

We would like to thank Parkhopper and holyRONANempire for all their hard work and great videos we used in this post.  Please visit their YouTube channels and comment on their videos.