Why does Mr. Toad's Wild Ride end in H-E-double hockey stick?

[Gaugersaurus]

Our (now teens and twenties) kids are only familiar with Mr Toad because the song “Merrily on our way to nowhere in particular at all” was on a vhs cassette we had of Disney singalong songs. It also included clips like “Zip-a-Dee-Do-Dah” “Casey Junior” and “When I See an Elephant Fly.”

My family had the same VHS! It was a great reference to the "obscure" Disney films that a lot of the park rides are based on.

 

[LizzyS]

I blame Disney for this- The only way to see old Disney movies is if you buy them or if you happen to catch it on TV. Who does either of those things these days. I wanted to watch Mary Poppins before Mary Poppins return came out the only way to watch it at the time was to buy a dvd/blueray. Can't wait for their streaming service.

I realize that all of their content will soon be on Disney+, which I'm super excited for, but I actually watched The Wind in the Willows and also some Silly Symphonies on Netflix years ago.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

When we were in Disneyland last week we were trying to figure out who Mr. Toad was and what Disney movie he was from.

I have never heard of “Wind In the Willows.”

I didn't realize there was a movie version until this thread. I did, however, read The Wind in the Willows book when I was in middle school.

 

[ButterflyKisses77]

I blame Disney for this- The only way to see old Disney movies is if you buy them or if you happen to catch it on TV. Who does either of those things these days. I wanted to watch Mary Poppins before Mary Poppins return came out the only way to watch it at the time was to buy a dvd/blueray. Can't wait for their streaming service.

Actually the original Wind in the willows series wasn’t even Disney, and it was the best. Much better than the re-make Disney did. You can actually find it on YouTube!

 

[Congo Queen]

There are many things to love about Toad. It's been delighting and scaring me since I was five. My little kid self fully believed the oncoming train effect. Then as a teen it was a fun place to cling to your date. Now I love that it ends with a brief visit to eternal damnation. It's so refreshingly corrupt. Makes me giggle at my desk just to think of it.

 

[BrianL]

Actually the original Wind in the willows series wasn’t even Disney, and it was the best. Much better than the re-make Disney did. You can actually find it on YouTube!

I am not sure what you mean. The Disney version came out in 1949, well before the video you are referencing.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

There are many things to love about Toad. It's been delighting and scaring me since I was five. My little kid self fully believed the oncoming train effect. Then as a teen it was a fun place to cling to your date. Now I love that it ends with a brief visit to eternal damnation. It's so refreshingly corrupt. Makes me giggle at my desk just to think of it.

I was terrified of the oncoming train as a child. That, combined with the train bridge scene in Stand By Me, instilled in me a healthy fear of going anywhere near train tracks.

 

[Runnergal]

Thank you for this post! We are on our way home after an awesome first visit to Disneyland. After reading this post yesterday I dragged my reluctant boys to Fantasyland where we rode Mr. Toad, Snow White, and Pinocchio. We all got such a kick out of them!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

"Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is awesome, and everyone should go on it because it's about a toad who goes to hell. I feel like that's a neglected topic in theme parks these days."

So true.

As to the ride, the original Disney dark rides have their roots in the "ghost train" style ride, or haunted house. The idea was that the imagery would be at least somewhat dark, macabre, and harrowing or scary.

And THIS is why I have sent people with little kids to DCA and bug's land for years, because Fantasyland is scary for the literal little ones! Grrr at Disney...

Oh, this hurts!

Right? When I come across people who don't know something from the past that should be known, I want to chat with their parents. Like when people go on a "kids these days" rant about their own kids and what they don't know (like a rotary phone), uh, l think the onus was on you the parent for not showing them that.

I blame Disney for this- The only way to see old Disney movies is if you buy them or if you happen to catch it on TV. Who does either of those things these days. I wanted to watch Mary Poppins before Mary Poppins return came out the only way to watch it at the time was to buy a dvd/blueray. Can't wait for their streaming service.

Libraries have movies...

The name doesn't lie.

So true. When we came off of Snow White the first time as adults, with our toddler, I could only blame us! It said right in the name that it was scary.

Pinocchio's Daring Journey, however, is almost worse, and does NOT give a clue in the name.

Ugh, Fantasyland.

I was terrified of the oncoming train as a child. That, combined with the train bridge scene in Stand By Me, instilled in me a healthy fear of going anywhere near train tracks.

A good lesson.

 

[avalon451]

Thank you for this post! We are on our way home after an awesome first visit to Disneyland. After reading this post yesterday I dragged my reluctant boys to Fantasyland where we rode Mr. Toad, Snow White, and Pinocchio. We all got such a kick out of them!!!

There’s just something about those little funky dark rides! Curmudgeonly DH loves them!
On another point, though, the reason I think we don’t see some of those early Disney movies is that, cute as they are, they can contain some astonishingly racist and/or sexist stereotypes that were unfortunately standard fare at the time. I cringe today when I see some of those clips that are so disrespectful to some people.

 

[ButterflyKisses77]

I am not sure what you mean. The Disney version came out in 1949, well before the video you are referencing.

Oops! Guess I was wrong. Either way, I like this version so much better

 

[HydroGuy]

There’s just something about those little funky dark rides! Curmudgeonly DH loves them!
On another point, though, the reason I think we don’t see some of those early Disney movies is that, cute as they are, they can contain some astonishingly racist and/or sexist stereotypes that were unfortunately standard fare at the time. I cringe today when I see some of those clips that are so disrespectful to some people.

I just finished a university class on Walt Disney a couple weeks ago at a local school. This topic was brought up several times by the professor. It shows up in early Disney cartoons as well as movies. He did not in any way wish to defend Disney according to today's standards, but did note repeatedly that it was much more normal and accepted by society, and in many forms, that stereotypes including ethnic/racial ones, was just how people thought about things. It was considered good and fair humor and not necessarily denigrating.

We may think we are more morally advanced (almost every society seems to think that about themselves), but the society of the 1930s and 40s would likely say that we are the ones that are disrespectful. I have four kids and have always tried to convey to them how slippery it is to judge the morality of a different time and place by our own morality since you were not there to understand the context.

Just wanted to add that thought.