The Orlando Sentinel

Toad or Pooh? Celebrities Take Sides

By Leslie Doolittle
Sentinel Columnist

Friday, October 24, 1997
Section A
Page A2

Forget those plutonium and sales-tax debates - there's a controversy raging in Central Florida that could profoundly affect generations of children everywhere. At issue: the fate of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Will Disney replace the ancient Toadster with a modern Winnie the Pooh attraction?

Celebrities visiting Walt Disney World on Thursday were quick to take sides.

Steve Guttenberg and Kirsten Dunst, stars of The Wonderful World of Disney's upcoming Tower of Terror, came out strongly pro-Toad.

"That's one of my favorite rides," cried Dunst. "Save Mr. Toad!"

Darius Rucker, lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish, however, made it clear that he's a Pooh man. Rucker brought his 2-year-old daughter to Disney just to see Pooh.

"She just loves him," said Rucker. "If they change Mr. Toad's, we'll have to come back."

So where do you stand on the Wild Ride issue? Call our Sound Off line and give thumbs up or down. See details at right.

[Details unavailable from news archives. -JT]
All content ©1997 Orlando Sentinel. Republished with permission.