Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride was one of Disneyland’s opening day Fantasyland attractions in 1955. That version of the ride is gone. Why do so many people think the ride is gone completely?
Link to The Original Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at Yesterland.
Please discuss it here.
Werner Weiss
Curator of Yesterland, featuring discontinued Disneyland attractions
How bizarre! I have never known Fantasyland without Mr. Toad! It's strange that people think it's a Tomorrowland thing.
The article does explain why it is believed to be gone.
I'm not sure I'd say, "people think it's a Tomorrowland thing." But I've received quite a few e-mails over the years asking why Mr. Toad isn't included at Yesterland, give the well-publicized closing of the Disneyland ride.Originally Posted by I Heart Disneyland
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride has been open at Disneyland Park since 1955, except during the New Fantasyland construction of the early 1980s and scheduled maintenance closings.
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is unique to Disneyland Park. There was a version at Magic Kingdom Park from 1971 to 1998. For some reason, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride was not included in Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, or Hong Kong Disneyland.
I would enjoy seeing an "E" ticket version of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride somewhere, with a large show building, "big budget" scenery, and motion base vehicles (using technology similar to the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland). That could be a lot of fun. Alas, it seems that almost all attractions these days are based on highly popular Pixar and Disney characters. Mr. Toad just doesn't qualify.
Werner Weiss
Curator of Yesterland, featuring discontinued Disneyland attractions
Alas, I can confirm the DisneyWorld version has gone away, and that the 2 different tracks being unique. My brother and I made repeat trips through the line to ride both tracks and to ride seperate tracks trying to pass each other where the tracks converge. Almost made it before our Parental units dragged us away.
I had one measure of revenge on our recent visit when our older brother, a Pooh fan talked my folks into riding the Tigger ride, blissfully unaware that the thing "hops" all the way through the ride.Which was kind of hard on the old bones.
Scott45
Though they are different species doesn't anyone find it a little creepy that Disneyland Paris has a Mr Toad's eatery and Frog's legs are a part of French Cuisine ?
That was beautiful Werner! Could you please do Yesterland versions of Snow White and Pan? Those old Toad pics are really nice and it was a great tribute!
Over time, I hope to do articles about other long-time Disneyland attractions. In addition to the Fantasyland dark rides, there are a number of other attractions including Dumbo, Mad Tea Party, the Mark Twain, and the Jungle Cruise.
A lot will depend on getting "vintage" photos from Yesterland readers.
Werner Weiss
Curator of Yesterland, featuring discontinued Disneyland attractions
I really really miss Toad from Fantasyland in WDW. It would have been my favorite ride in fantasyland, but unfortunately that title went to 20k which is also no longer there. To me those two rides were inseperable though as they both set exactly across from each other and looking out at the lagoon was great fun while waiting in line.
It is such a shame to me that both of the premiere attractions in Fantasyland at WDW have been removed. Sometimes I really do have to wonder who's in charge out there. Pooh is ok, but it doesn't have near the charm of Toad and a kiddie playground will never make up for the missing lagoon and ride.
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride at DL was the first thing we rode on our last visit to DL 2 years ago. I love the cars and the scenery!
I also would love to see articles on old vs. new versions of the Fantasyland rides. I'll go see what I've got in the family album.....
I miss Mr Toad's Wild Ride too at WDW. I remembered savetoad.com. Savetoad.com were the first to tell me that it was going away from WDW back then. I sometimes have on and off again interest in the Wind in the Willows story and I loved Mr. Toad personally.
When I finally decided to goto Disneyland for the first time this past September. I made sure that was the first ride that I was going to be on. Because I really wanted to ride the motor cars a couple more times.
Last edited by Hayley B; 12-26-2007 at 07:48 PM.
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Actually, when Mr. Toad's Wild Ride opened in Florida it too only had one row of seats per car. The larger cars were introduced a couple of years before the ride closed in an attempt to increase capacity.
Good article......
Toad has always been my favorite Fantasyland dark ride.
A ride that hasn't been mentioned from that list is Alice In Wonderland, which I think is also unique to Disneyland. It shares the same building as Mr. Toad. According to Tony Baxter, the Tulgy Wood scene in Alice is built directly on top of the Courtroom scene in Toad. This was done, in the '82 rebuild, to squeeze a little more length into the attractions.
For those who may want more info......
An old issue of E-Ticket magazine (I can't remember the number off-hand) has Mr' Toad as it's lead story and includes many photos of the different versions plus a great map of the original attraction. The magazine is out of print but should be available on CD from E-Ticket.
I miss Mr Toad in WDW it was my favourite ride as a child
Thanks for the article, Werner. I didn't realize that the trip to Hell was in neither the book nor the movie. As I was reading this I was picturing what would have happened if they'd had the internet back when Toad was first built - "Advance rumor has it that the Mr. Toad ride will end with you being taken to HELL! How very horrible, and very un-Disney, and everyone needs to write Walt Disney NOW and demand that this heinous ending be banned from the park!!!"
It's never too late to complain.
Werner Weiss
Curator of Yesterland, featuring discontinued Disneyland attractions
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