Welcome to Extinct Attractions. Today, we’ll be going on a journey back to the 1970s and experiencing the World through an aquatic form of transportation.
Disneyland's Snow White Scary Adventure to be Renamed Snow White's Enchanted Wish, Sneak Peek Revealed – LaughingPlace.com
A couple of weeks ago, D23 released a list of a plethora of different things that Disney is releasing or opening this year, with a special section on the Disney Parks. The article confirmed that Snow White’s Enchanted Wish (the extensive refurb of Snow White’s Scary Adventures) and Avengers Campus would be opening with Disneyland Resort when it reopens.
Over at Walt Disney World, the only confirmed additions for the next year are Harmonious (the new Epcot nighttime show) and Remy’s Ratatouille’s Adventure, with Tron Lightcycle Run and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind both unmentioned, suggesting that neither will be open later this year when Walt Disney World celebrates its 50th anniversary.
When Walt Disney World opened on October 1, 1971, it was immediately the success that everyone thought it would be, so much so that then-President and COO of the Walt Disney Company, Card Walker, immediately moved to expand the Magic Kingdom. The next year saw the opening of If You Had Wings with the following year adding two bigger attractions that are still in the park today in Tom Sawyer Island and Pirates of the Carribean.
Lost in the shuffle of these bigger additions were the Swan Boats, opening in the Magic Kingdom on May 20, 1973.
Via Walt Dated World
When the attraction first opened, it cost guests a D-Ticket to ride one of the 12 gas-powered boats adorned with a swan on the front of the boat. In a shrewd move, they transformed the waterways that connected the hub to Adventureland into an attraction where guests could get a scenic view of the park from a new angle. In a way, one could think of it as the park’s first PeopleMover, an attraction where you started and ended in the same place, but could relax and take in awesome views along the way.
Unfortunately, a full ride-through of the attraction doesn’t exist on YouTube, but there are some partial versions out there, all of which make me really wish that I could have experienced it myself. As a whole, the attraction wasn’t particularly exciting, but I am a sucker for attractions like it where you can just sit down and take in the park from a unique angle.
Looking at the waterways of Magic Kingdom now, I just can’t help but wonder how much fun it would be to tour around down there, with a skipper giving me fun little tidbits as I took in the landscaping and saw how breathtaking Cinderella’s Castle looked from down below.
Via Retro WDW
As time went on, the boats shifted from gas to electric power, and without a lot of maintenance, the fleet dwindled down to five boats. As you can tell, there really wasn’t much to the attraction, so they didn’t really put in the work to maintain it, and ultimately they decided it was simply too expensive to keep open, with the attraction quietly closing in August of 1983.
Via Fandom
Over the years, we’ve seen similar attractions open like the Discovery River Boats at Animal Kingdom, but no other ones in a Magic Kingdom-style park.
Via Walt Dated World
To make matters worse, the plaza dock wasn’t removed until 2014, so everyone could be reminded for years of what used to be. When I visited the park when I was younger, I always yearned to take a trip on the Swan Boats, but alas, that ship has sadly sailed.
Via EDU Blog
As always, don’t forget to check out my interactive maps of the Disney Parks throughout the years where you can watch or learn more about all the attractions from the domestic parks.
Thanks for reading and have a magical day!