The Wild Ride Ends: The Closure of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride at Disney World
Today a look back more than twenty-five years ago to the 90s, when the prospect of an amphibian being kicked out of a theme park set the ancient internet by storm. Note that this text is adapted from an earlier writing of mine, published elsewhere on the internet a few years prior. When Disneyworld opened in Florida in October 1971, it was full of classic attractions that took guests on wonderous adventures. One could ride the iconic Jungle Cruise down the rivers of Africa, soar to Neverland on Peter Pan’s Flight, or get spooked exploring the depths of The Haunted Mansion. Alongside these rides, on the edge of Fantasyland, was a quaint but beloved attraction. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, based on the 1949 Disney animated film The Wind in The Willows, took riders on a madcap journey as they help J. Thaddaeus Toad steal a motorcar and go on a crazed joyride before crashing into a train, dying, and ending up with Toad in a cartoon version of Hell. It was strange, but the ride’s oddness a...