Disney Adaptations
Rabbit appears in most Disney Winnie the Pooh cartoons, but he is yellow instead of brown. As an addition to his character, he keeps a garden and does whatever he can to protect it from other animals such as bugs and crows. He gets upset when anyone or anything tries to steal his vegetables or damages his garden. His garden is never mentioned in the books until Return to the Hundred Acre Wood.
The Disney adaptations also develop his personality further. In addition to wanting to be organized and practical, Rabbit is a control freak who puts himself in charge of things, orders others around and insists on doing things exactly right, in his way and in the proper order. He also has a short temper that was not in the books and can act mean or callous to others, although not intentionally. Deep down, he is very good at heart and cares a lot about his friends.
Rabbit likes to do things by the book. In Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin, he always lets the printed word tell him what to do. He eventually admits that it is because he believes that cannot think well enough for himself. He proves himself wrong when he comes up with an original plan. Despite doing wrong at times, he always learns his lesson. In Springtime with Roo, Rabbit has a leading role and discovers a possible future where everyone, tired of Rabbit's selfishness, will leave the forest and he will be alone. Back in the present, he sets things right.
In the Disney adaptations, Rabbit and Tigger are usually foils for each other. In the original featurettes, Rabbit outright dislikes Tigger. By The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, however, they have become close friends, though very dysfunctional ones, who regularly work together. Tigger's antics continue to annoy Rabbit and make trouble for him, while Rabbit's harsh attitude and attempts to teach Tigger a lesson still come off as unkind. Nevertheless, Tigger is usually the first one to help Rabbit when he needs it and Rabbit cannot deny their closeness.
His character is consistent in most of the Disney adaptations, although in Welcome to Pooh Corner, he is a talented magician and in The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, he is pale green instead of yellow. At one point in the latter series, Rabbit adopts a bluebird named Kessie. As of 2004, Rabbit now appears at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, FL and Disneyland in Anaheim, CA for meet and greets.
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