I’m not a big fan of most amusement park rides, especially the gravity-defying beasts that whiplash your heart between your stomach and your throat.
I do like Dark Rides, though – the more imaginative, the better. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at Disneyland is my all-time favorite.
The beginning is peaceful, idyllic even. You climb into a caravan of horseless carriages going “merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, to no place in particular.” Suddenly, the seemingly benign adventure goes berserk! No matter how hard you crank the steering wheel, your car careens in all directions. You crash through the Toad Hall fireplace, barrel through haystacks, nearly run over pedestrians, and narrowly avoid an explosion in a dynamite-filled warehouse. After managing a daring escape from the long arm of the law, your car twists and turns through the darkness, until…OMG! You meet your demise in a head-on collision with an oncoming train. Then – get this – Satan awaits you at the fiery gates of Hell! 
But don’t fret: In the Magic Kingdom*, all passengers return safely to the sunlit shopping kiosk disembarking area. Hi-tech, it’s not. But I think it’s great. It’s a C-Ticket ride to Hades and back, with a happily-ever-after ending.
I also think Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride is a great metaphor for memoir writers. There’s no instant rush of adrenaline…just a series of wide-awake encounters with your scariest nightmares. You’re not always sure you can push past the obstacles, nor can you be 100% certain that your project won’t hit the skids. Sometimes the pitch-black gets to you. You’re never in real danger, of course; still, you’re always choking back the fear that you could be stuck for a very long time in the cobwebbed surreality of this emotionally charged adventure. But when you tunnel your way out of a difficult passage—wow, that’s magic! You emerge from the darkness with a huge smile on your face, ready to go again.
*Although the original Disneyland ride is still operational, Disney World drove Mr. Toad’s wild ride into oblivion in 1998.
🙂 Great post, Melodye.
Thank you, Cathy! Since you just got back from Disney, I’m thinking you might relate. Boo, though, that they got rid of Mr. Toad. 🙁
OMG! I just saw your posting about your son. Yay! Are you thrilled?!
What lovely, wonderful news!
xo,
Cathy
Thrilled beyond words! I can’t wait to congratulate them in person.
Although…me, a mother-in-law! Doesn’t that sound weird?
That is my favorite ride, too! I was so bummed when they replaced it with Pooh in WDW, but very happy to find it up and running at WDL!!
Oh, you too? Very cool, albeit very campy.
Did you see Mr. Toad’s epitaph in Walt Disney World’s pet cemetery? It says (I swear it):
Here Lies Toad
Sad But True
Much Less Profitable
Than Pooh
Omg no way! That’s so funny!!
And undoubtedly true. 🙂
great post. I am not much of a rides fan either. That epitaph is something!
I know, right? It’s another publishing-related metaphor, I think, perhaps best discussed at another time. 🙂
Oh, and thank you!
Great post Melodey! It’s the perfect metaphor for most writers as there is always a little bit of the writer in whatever manuscript he/she is working on…it just seems to creep into the writing as natural as breathing. And there are always obstacles to overcome.
[[[HUGS]]] You show people what true courage is Melodye, by meeting the dark places head on and not being afraid to venture into that nightmare filled world. I’m proud to call you my friend!
I hadn’t looked at it that way, Sharon but you’re absolutely right. Thanks for the added insights! And also…I’m grateful for your very kind words. They mean more to me than you probably know. xoxo
I think your metaphor is absolutely perfect.
I’m not a fan of the behemoth roller-coasters that whip you around at MACH 2 either. No thanks. I’ve never been on Mr. Toad’s though…
You haven’t been on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride? Seriously, Kevin, it’s worth the trip to Disneyland. Such a campy, retro experience! 🙂
Well, next time I make it out to the Magic Kingdom, I’ll be sure to check it out! Just for you!
Ah no, the pleasure will be all yours, I’m sure of it. Seriously, you’ll love it, or…well, I don’t know what, but I think you will.
lol… with a recommendation from such a highly respected source, I have no doubts that I will!
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