Wednesday, October 7, 2015

darthmaz314 Disney Snapshot of the Day - A Disney Hidden Gem - Mr. Toad in The Haunted Mansion's Pet Cemetery

Yesterday's darthmaz314 Disney Snapshot of the day focused on the Haunted Mansion's Pet Cemetery and in that post, we alluded to a "a former Magic Kingdom tenant, now residing" there. Set far to the back and left of the Pet Cemetery, one can see a statue of Mr. Toad, the star of the now closed Magic Kingdom attraction, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. This wild and wacky dark ride was a Walt Disney World opening day attraction and originated and continues to operate at Disneyland in California. Based on the Disney film, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, it took guests on a wacky car ride through England, led by your host Thaddeus J. Toad, Esq., and believe it or not, made a quick visit to of all places... a Disneyfied version of hell!

In 1997, Mr. Toad's ride had come to an end and Disney decided to replace the attraction with The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, which currently operates in its place. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride closed on September 7, 1997, but not before a grassroots campaign by "toadies" (big fans of the ride) who protested the attraction's closure and all but chained themselves to it to prevent it from going away forever. Although Disney snatched Mr. Toad away in favor of the more popular and mainstream Pooh and friends, it did leave subtle and hidden tributes to Mr. Toad and his friends throughout the Magic Kingdom.

One of these tributes is the Mr. Toad statue that resides fittingly, although a little morbidly, in the Pet Cemetery. So the next time you exit The Haunted Mansion, glance to your left as you walk through the exit queue and stop to pay your respects to the departed pets of the Mansion and the host of a departed attraction...Mr. Toad. 


darthmaz314.com
Mr. Toad Statue in The Haunted Mansion Pet Cemetery
- courtesy darthmaz314.com


For more information about Mr. Toad's Wild Ride at the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland, check out the links below.







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