Swan Boats (Magic Kingdom)

Last updated
Swan Boats
Magic Kingdom
Area Main Street, U.S.A.
Coordinates 28°25′08″N81°34′49″W / 28.418925°N 81.580308°W / 28.418925; -81.580308
StatusClosed
Opening dateMay 20, 1973
Closing dateAugust 1983
Ride statistics
Vehicle typeBoats
Vehicles12
Riders per vehicle26
Duration17:00
Ride systemNatural Gas and Water Jets
TicketD

Swan Boats were an attraction at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. It was in operation between May 20, 1973 till August 1983. It originally took a D ticket.

Contents

The Swan Boats officially opened in 1973 and quickly became a popular attraction at Magic Kingdom. The boats took guests on a ride around the hub of the Magic Kingdom and the Swiss Family Treehouse. [1]

History

Originally there were 12 boats when the ride opened, but this was reduced to 11 when one of the boats was converted to clean the canals. By the end of the rides operation, there were only 5 boats operating. The reason for closing was because of the cost to keep the boats running. They constantly had issues with their natural gas engines and guidance system. Originally the guidance was done with an electronic system but was changed to use water propulsion to turn the boat. Eventually the boats were removed and sold. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pirates of the Caribbean (attraction)</span> Dark ride at Disney theme parks

Pirates of the Caribbean is a dark ride at Disneyland, Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Park at Disneyland Paris, and Shanghai Disneyland.

Alton Towers Resort is a theme park and resort complex in Staffordshire, England, near the village of Alton. The park is operated by Merlin Entertainments Group and incorporates a theme park, water park, mini golf and hotel complex. In 2021, it ranked first for attendance among amusement parks in the UK, with an estimated 1.8 million visitors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's a Small World</span> Dark ride at Disney theme parks

"It's a Small World" is an Old Mill boat ride located in the Fantasyland area at various Disney theme parks around the world, including Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California; Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida; Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland. The inaugural version of the ride premiered at the 1964 New York World's Fair before permanently moving to Disneyland in 1966.

Delta Dreamflight, renamed Dreamflight and later Take Flight during its final two years of operation, was an attraction located in Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland at the Walt Disney World Resort. It was sponsored by Delta Air Lines. Dreamflight replaced an attraction called If You Could Fly, sponsored by Eastern Air Lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magic Kingdom</span> Theme park at Walt Disney World

Magic Kingdom Park is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It opened on October 1, 1971, and is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Experiences division. The official park name has changed slightly over the years, from Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom (1971–1994) and The Magic Kingdom (1994–2017). The park was initialized by Walt Disney and designed by WED Enterprises. The park layout and attractions were based on Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, and are dedicated to fairy tales and Disney characters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Six Flags Magic Mountain</span> Theme park in Valencia, California

Six Flags Magic Mountain, formerly known and colloquially referred to as simply Magic Mountain, is a 209-acre (85 ha) amusement park located in Valencia, California, 35 miles (56 km) northwest of downtown Los Angeles. It opened on May 29, 1971, as a development of the Newhall Land and Farming Company and Sea World Inc. In 1979, Six Flags purchased the park and added "Six Flags" to the park's name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PeopleMover (Magic Kingdom)</span> Attraction at Walt Disney World

The PeopleMover is an attraction in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida just outside of Orlando, Florida. Designed as an urban mass-transit system of the future, vehicles take passengers on a grand circle tour of the realm of Tomorrowland that provides elevated views of several other attractions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tomorrowland (Disney Parks)</span> Themed land at Disney theme parks

Tomorrowland is one of the many "themed lands" featured at all of the Magic Kingdom styled Disney theme parks around the world owned or licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Each version of the land is different and features numerous attractions that depict views of the future. Disneyland Park in Paris includes a similar area called Discoveryland, which shares some elements with other Tomorrowlands but emphasizes visions of the future inspired by Jules Verne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fantasyland</span> Themed land at Disney theme parks

Fantasyland is one of the "themed lands" at all of the Magic Kingdom-style parks run by The Walt Disney Company around the world. It is themed after Disney's animated fairy tale feature films. Each Fantasyland has a castle, as well as several gentle rides themed after those Disney animated feature films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Autopia</span> Attraction at Disney theme parks

Autopia is a race car track Disneyland attraction, in which patrons steer specially designed cars through an enclosed track. Versions of Autopia exist at Anaheim, California and Disneyland Paris in Marne-la-Vallée, France. There was also an Autopia at Hong Kong Disneyland on Lantau Island, Hong Kong before it closed on June 11, 2016. Other versions of the attraction can be found at the Magic Kingdom as the Tomorrowland Speedway and formerly at Tokyo Disneyland as the Grand Circuit Raceway. A previous generation of Disneyland's Autopia operated for over a decade at the Walt Disney Hometown Museum in Marceline, Missouri; one of the retired cars is now on display.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rivers of America (Disney)</span> Artificial waterway inside Disney Parks

The Rivers of America is the artificial river found in the Frontierland areas of Disneyland-style Disney theme parks around the world. The first river was built in Disneyland when the park opened in 1955. It surrounds Tom Sawyer Island, which can be reached by rafts traveling from the Frontierland mainland. Additionally, there are other water-based vehicles which are found on the river. The sights along the Rivers include a Native American tribe, a burning cabin, and various audio-animatronic wildlife.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jungle Cruise</span> Boat ride at Disney theme parks

Jungle Cruise, formally named Jungle River Cruise, is a riverboat amusement ride located in the Adventureland themed section at various Disney theme parks worldwide. The attraction is a simulated riverboat cruise that travels along a waterway using a concealed guidance system through areas with Asian, African, and South American themes. Park guests board replica steam launches from a 1930s British explorers' lodge, and Audio-Animatronic exotic animals are displayed throughout the ride. A live Disney cast member acts as a tour guide and boat skipper that loosely follows a rehearsed script, providing passengers with a comedic narrative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Astro Orbiter</span> Attraction at Disney theme parks

The Astro Orbiter is a "rocket-spinner", aerial carousel-type attraction featured at five Disneyland-style parks and Walt Disney Resorts around the world, except for Tokyo Disneyland. Although each ride may have a slightly different name, all share the same experience of vehicles traveling through space, spinning around a central monument. In most forms of the ride, the use of a joystick enables guests to adjust the height of their individual cars at will, usually within a range of no more than 10-15 feet. When the ride cycle comes to its completion, any ascended vehicles are automatically lowered for passenger exit and re-boarding. Over the years, with each new iteration of the ride debuting, new designs, thematic schemes, and locations have been implemented to fit with the changing themes of several Tomorrowlands.

The Western River Expedition (WRE) was a Disney theme park attraction that was designed but never built. It was to be a western themed boat ride, slated to appear in the northwestern section of Frontierland at the Magic Kingdom, a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States.

<i>Liberty Belle</i> Riverboat

The Liberty Belle is a steam-powered riverboat ride vehicle at Rivers of America, Walt Disney World. It was the second boat ride vehicle to be introduced in this attraction and originally named after the late Disney executive Richard F. Irvine. It was a steam powered sternwheeler replica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mad Tea Party</span> Attraction at Disney theme parks

Mad Tea Party is a spinning tea cup ride at five of the six Disneyland-style theme parks around the world. The ride theme is inspired by the Unbirthday Party scene in Walt Disney's Alice In Wonderland, and plays a carousel version of the film's "Unbirthday Song". It was one of the opening day attractions operating at Disneyland on July 17, 1955.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes</span> Attraction at Disney theme parks

Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes is a free-floating canoe experience at several Disney theme parks. The oldest of the rides is located at the Disneyland park in Anaheim, California. Boarding from the park's Critter Country section, up to twenty visitors paddle a canoe around the Rivers of America, accompanied by two guides. This is the only Disneyland attraction that is powered by park visitors.

Disney riverboats Watercraft ride vehicles at Disney parks

The Disney riverboats are paddle steamer watercraft attraction ride vehicles operating on a track on a series of attractions located at Disney theme parks around the world.

References

  1. "Plaza Swan Boats". Widen Your World. Archived from the original on June 16, 2006. Retrieved August 16, 2006.
  2. "Swan Boats". WDWHistory.com. Retrieved August 16, 2006.