Haunted Mansion update

[DoctorDisney]

I hadn't been over there to see it today, but yeah...the old ring (post) spot was paved over unfortunately. The new ring...if it was stolen, props to that person. I don't condone stealing...but if you're able to pry that thing out of the cement or "quietly" use a hammer and chisel or mini-jackhammer to get it out in time before someone spots you...then bravo.

Two months ago, I was advised that Toad was being "cleaned" due to moss and algae that had grown on him. I'm no Suzy Homemaker, but I could have polished 1,000 statues of J. Thaddeus in this amount of time.

 

[TheGhostWithTheMost]

About Mr. Toad...Here's the story: When Mr. Toads Wild Ride was shut down, an Imagineer wanted a cast to be made of one of the Mr. Toad figures from the attraction for an addition to the Pet Cemetery. The money crunchers started looking at the figures and determined that it would simply coast too much to get a cast of the animatronic. Instead, the Imagineer got a cast made of the Mr. Toad Big Figure that Disney was selling. A figure was made from the cast and painted to look like a tombstone and there you have it! Now, this worked perfectly until very recently when the figure fell and broke. There are no blueprints are actual plans for the Toad figure and because of that, it had not been fixed. According to Disney, it did not "officially" exist as there were no actually plans to go back to in order to make another one. And that's the story of why Mr. Toad may not be back. Bellow are images of the Big Fig and the Tombstone to compair.

 

[BrightImagine]

About Mr. Toad...Here's the story: When Mr. Toads Wild Ride was shut down, an Imagineer wanted a cast to be made of one of the Mr. Toad figures from the attraction for an addition to the Pet Cemetery. The money crunchers started looking at the figures and determined that it would simply coast too much to get a cast of the animatronic. Instead, the Imagineer got a cast made of the Mr. Toad Big Figure that Disney was selling. A figure was made from the cast and painted to look like a tombstone and there you have it! Now, this worked perfectly until very recently when the figure fell and broke. There are no blueprints are actual plans for the Toad figure and because of that, it had not been fixed. According to Disney, it did not "officially" exist as there were no actually plans to go back to in order to make another one. And that's the story of why Mr. Toad may not be back. Bellow are images of the Big Fig and the Tombstone to compair.

This kind of detail is the reason I come here - thanks!

 

[prberk]

About Mr. Toad...Here's the story: When Mr. Toads Wild Ride was shut down, an Imagineer wanted a cast to be made of one of the Mr. Toad figures from the attraction for an addition to the Pet Cemetery. The money crunchers started looking at the figures and determined that it would simply coast too much to get a cast of the animatronic. Instead, the Imagineer got a cast made of the Mr. Toad Big Figure that Disney was selling. A figure was made from the cast and painted to look like a tombstone and there you have it! Now, this worked perfectly until very recently when the figure fell and broke. There are no blueprints are actual plans for the Toad figure and because of that, it had not been fixed. According to Disney, it did not "officially" exist as there were no actually plans to go back to in order to make another one. And that's the story of why Mr. Toad may not be back. Bellow are images of the Big Fig and the Tombstone to compair.

This kind of detail is the reason I come here - thanks!

I agree. Thanks Ghost with the Most!

As for the discussion at hand...

This also shows why it should not be THAT difficult to make again. They could either take the broken one and repair it, filling in the broken areas with plaster or sanding them down; then make a new cast and new statue from the cast. OR simply start from scratch and make a reasonable facsimile. It's not like Disney doesn't have sculpture artists that work for it creating 3-D models and molds for it on other occasions...

 

[csm]

About Mr. Toad...Here's the story: When Mr. Toads Wild Ride was shut down, an Imagineer wanted a cast to be made of one of the Mr. Toad figures from the attraction for an addition to the Pet Cemetery. The money crunchers started looking at the figures and determined that it would simply coast too much to get a cast of the animatronic. Instead, the Imagineer got a cast made of the Mr. Toad Big Figure that Disney was selling. A figure was made from the cast and painted to look like a tombstone and there you have it! Now, this worked perfectly until very recently when the figure fell and broke. There are no blueprints are actual plans for the Toad figure and because of that, it had not been fixed. According to Disney, it did not "officially" exist as there were no actually plans to go back to in order to make another one. And that's the story of why Mr. Toad may not be back. Bellow are images of the Big Fig and the Tombstone to compair.

While it should always have been evident to any collector that they used the mold for the Big Fig, your story is false for one clear reason: Mr. Toad's Wild Ride did not have any animatronic Mr. Toad figures. With the exception of the devils (who were still not animatronics), every character was a painted flat. Thanks for the cool fan-fiction, though!

 

[tl77]

These guys should be able to get another Mr. Toad Big Fig

http://miehana.blogspot.com/2009/04/toad-in-hole-we-recently-received-sad.html

 

[kma71677]

Yes, I looked and saw it was missing on Saturday as well. CM said it was removed for polishing...whatever that means!

 

[kma71677]

Personally, I'd like to see Philharmagic replaced by a more theme appropriate ride (i.e. something that more a medieval fairytale like a Sleeping Beauty or Tangled or Frozen dark ride) and putting Philharmagic in the Town Square Theater instead of Tinkerbell.

I agree, but hope that they put Philharmagic in HS in the current American Idol theatre. If they are keeping the hat at HS, they might as well have SOMETHING to tie it in with. A Frozen ride would be amazing- but wouldn't be open until Frozen 3 hit theatres.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

These guys should be able to get another Mr. Toad Big Fig

http://miehana.blogspot.com/2009/04/toad-in-hole-we-recently-received-sad.html

Their various projects throughout the years are amazing. I'd love to own... just about everything they've collectively done.

 

[Bocabear]

While it should always have been evident to any collector that they used the mold for the Big Fig, your story is false for one clear reason: Mr. Toad's Wild Ride did not have any animatronic Mr. Toad figures. With the exception of the devils (who were still not animatronics), every character was a painted flat. Thanks for the cool fan-fiction, though!

Wasn't there one animated figure of Mr. Toad when you first entered the ride in the first room? ...done as a statue welcoming you to Toad Hall? I feel sure there was...matter of fact I just rechecked a video and I am certain there was and it was not a painted flat, but a dimensional sculpt... Are yo so sure the story was "Fan Fiction"?...I mean the animated figure did in fact exist... unless you know for a fact that this is a fabricated story don't be so quick to smugly judge...

 

[jensenrick]

About Mr. Toad...Here's the story: When Mr. Toads Wild Ride was shut down, an Imagineer wanted a cast to be made of one of the Mr. Toad figures from the attraction for an addition to the Pet Cemetery. The money crunchers started looking at the figures and determined that it would simply coast too much to get a cast of the animatronic. Instead, the Imagineer got a cast made of the Mr. Toad Big Figure that Disney was selling. A figure was made from the cast and painted to look like a tombstone and there you have it! Now, this worked perfectly until very recently when the figure fell and broke. There are no blueprints are actual plans for the Toad figure and because of that, it had not been fixed. According to Disney, it did not "officially" exist as there were no actually plans to go back to in order to make another one. And that's the story of why Mr. Toad may not be back. Bellow are images of the Big Fig and the Tombstone to compair.

Oh, well, too bad. On to something important. (sigh) I thought this thread would have something to do with HM being updated.

 

[jensenrick]

Wasn't there one animated figure of Mr. Toad when you first entered the ride in the first room? ...done as a statue welcoming you to Toad Hall? I feel sure there was...matter of fact I just rechecked a video and I am certain there was and it was not a painted flat, but a dimensional sculpt... Are yo so sure the story was "Fan Fiction"?...I mean the animated figure did in fact exist... unless you know for a fact that this is a fabricated story don't be so quick to smugly judge...

Did that figure actually move? I don't recall that. But then again, MTWR doesn't exactly fill me with memories.

 

[Bocabear]

yes it did move... Who knows if it did right before demolition, but it sort of bowed... Not an advanced animatronic by any means....lol

 

[wdw71fan]

While it should always have been evident to any collector that they used the mold for the Big Fig, your story is false for one clear reason: Mr. Toad's Wild Ride did not have any animatronic Mr. Toad figures. With the exception of the devils (who were still not animatronics), every character was a painted flat. Thanks for the cool fan-fiction, though!

might want to check your facts their bud

 

[RSoxNo1]

 

[janoimagine]

While it should always have been evident to any collector that they used the mold for the Big Fig, your story is false for one clear reason: Mr. Toad's Wild Ride did not have any animatronic Mr. Toad figures. With the exception of the devils (who were still not animatronics), every character was a painted flat. Thanks for the cool fan-fiction, though!

Re-read his post. The cast was made from an available, over the counter, Mr. Toad, not the animatronic, which did exist ... I believe in the first show scene.

 

[csm]

Re-read his post. The cast was made from an available, over the counter, Mr. Toad, not the animatronic, which did exist ... I believe in the first show scene.

Actually, it's you that needs to reread my post. You're attempting to "prove me wrong" by stating exactly what I did- that it was from the Big Fig.

Yes- there was a faux marble statue of Toad in the first scene. There was NOT an animatronic OF Toad. Ever. Do I really need to explain to you the difference between something clearly intended to represent a stone statue and an animatronic "living" character?

 

[janoimagine]

Actually, it's you that needs to reread my post. You're attempting to "prove me wrong" by stating exactly what I did- that it was from the Big Fig.

Yes- there was a faux marble statue of Toad in the first scene. There was NOT an animatronic OF Toad. Ever. Do I really need to explain to you the difference between something clearly intended to represent a stone statue and an animatronic "living" character?

Wow ... OK.

I am not trying to prove you wrong pal ... but in WDW's version of toad, in the opening room, first scene, whatever you want to call it, you had, in my opinion, a very basic animatronic of Toad, it was a statue on a pedestal that as your car moved past tilted and wobbled as if it were about to fall. Now it may not be as advanced as an animatronic like say, President Lincoln, however it did have moving elements.

But if you want to continue arguing semantics, then please, enlighten us all.

 

[DoctorDisney]

Just a heads-up on all this. Replicas of the Mr. Toad headstone were given out and sold at the "Room For One More" Haunted Mansion event back in fall of 2011. I've got one sitting in my collection.

 

[Bocabear]

Actually, it's you that needs to reread my post. You're attempting to "prove me wrong" by stating exactly what I did- that it was from the Big Fig.

Yes- there was a faux marble statue of Toad in the first scene. There was NOT an animatronic OF Toad. Ever. Do I really need to explain to you the difference between something clearly intended to represent a stone statue and an animatronic "living" character?

Actually it's your tone that I think has spurred further discussion... No reason to attack others and be condescending...