One of my very favourite parts of visiting Disneyland is spotting the remnants of old attractions. Majority of the time, when attractions are closed, they are completely removed. But, there have been a few instances where a loading dock, a track, or a prop has been left behind. Right up until 2018, you could still see the railings heading toward the loading station for the Skyway at Disneyland (the railings were removed to make room for the entrance to Galaxy’s Edge). A little train also used to live where Big Thunder Mountain is now, as a leftover of the earlier version called Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland. One of the most blatant remnants that has been repurposed for use even today, is the loading dock for the old Motor Boat Cruise that closed in 1993.

Disneyland Motor Boat Cruise. Image from: https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/499899627380268484/

Disneyland’s Tomorrowland Boats (1955)

As one of the opening day attractions at Disneyland in July 1955, the Tomorrowland Boats lived where the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage stands today. It was not a huge hit on opening day, and continued to have a subpar reputation as time went on. With the other attractions performing so well (aside from some mechanical issues since the park was still being finished), the boats didn’t stand a chance. The biggest issue was that the boats were self-driven, so guests had the freedom to drive along the lagoon where they wanted, which caused a lot of challenges. Often, cast members would have to lead the boats back to the dock when they would stop in the middle of the water. Disney tried to revamp the boats by renaming them the Phantom Boats in August 1955, but that didn’t fix a lot of the problems they were still facing with attendance and technical issues. The ride officially closed in January 1956, and famously became one of the first permanently closed attractions ever at a Disney park.

Tomorrowland Phantom Boats. Image from: https://duchessofdisneyland.com/park-history/tomorrowland-phantom-boats/

The Opening of the Motor Boat Cruise (1957)

With the hope that a boat ride could still grace the grounds of a Disney park, Imagineers began plans on a new boat ride, that would hopefully mitigate all of the previous challenges they were facing. A big change that made a huge difference was that the boats would no longer be self-driven, and would be put on a track underneath the water. This would provide more stability to the boats, the engines wouldn’t overheat, and it would be easier to organize with guests and ride times. The new ride officially opened in June 1957, on the water between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland.

Motor Boat Cruise in Disneyland. Image from: https://adventurelandia.tumblr.com/post/639694763507974147/motor-boat-cruise-at-disneyland

Design Challenges for the Motor Boat Cruise

The intent of the ride was slightly different than the Tomorrowland Boats, as the new ones were situated in a place of serenity, and would serve as a relaxing ride along the water for guests who were looking to get away from the thrills could go. It was very similar to what the PeopleMover and the Mark Twain Riverboat is today. It was given a conservative B-ticket which was 25 cents, and you could also get into the Main Street Cinema, go on Alice in Wonderland, the Casey Jr. Circus Train, and onto the Swiss Family Treehouse with the same ticket.

Disneyland B Ticket. Image from: https://clickamericana.com/wp-content/uploads/disneyland-b-ticket-1.jpg

Of course, new attractions do not come without issues, and one of the flaws that was noticed after the opening was the fact that guests could not control the speed of their own boat, so often the boats would get stuck or bump into one another. This added more work for the cast members, who sometimes had to jump into the water just to get the boats going again. To avoid this problem going forward, guests were given gas pedals in their boats, just so they could keep moving. The ride never turned into a speeding attraction and attempted to stay leisurely.

The Motor Boat Cruise to Gummi Glen (1991)

The second ever Disney animated television show following The Wuzzles was the Adventures of the Gummi Bears from 1985-1991. It was a highly successful 6-season series, with VHS, DVD, and comic strip releases for children who adored it. The show followed a group of anthropomorphic gummy bears who lived in a hollow tree called Gummi Glen. After the attention the show received after ending and having reruns through the summer of 1991, it was decided that the Motor Boat Cruise would become the place for a Gummi Bears attraction to live. The boats needed a fresh look after running the same for 34 years, and guests were craving more. It was also the perfect opportunity for the boat ride to become a children’s ride, given how tame it was. The upgrade to the attraction was also part of the Disney Afternoon Avenue initiative, which was an all-new walkway by It’s a Small World to introduce new characters to the park.

The track nor the design was altered for the change, they simply added 2D plywood cutouts of the gummy bear characters along the sides of the track. A new entrance look to the ride was added as well, with a castle arch reading “Motor Boat Cruise to Gummi Glen”. It wasn’t Disney’s best work, especially with the advancements in technology that other rides were receiving. Another factor that would effect the attraction was the all-new land they were working on that needed more operational costs applied to it, Mickey’s Toontown. The Motor Boat Cruise to Gummi Glen officially closed on January 11, 1993; this was the end of the boat cruise entirely.

Motor Boat Cruise to Gummi Glen. Image from: http://www.disneypix.com/California/Disneyland/Fantasyland/1992/FL0492-05.htm

Fantasia Gardens (1993-Present)

After the boats were removed and the area was no longer deemed an attraction, the loading dock stayed unattended and open to anyone who wanted to sit and enjoy the views of the waters still. During this time, it was also a designated smoking area. This space was named Fantasia Gardens, keeping up the purpose of the area which was to bring peace in the middle of a bustling theme park.

In 2007, the water was drained from the lake and the tracks were destroyed and removed, which really signified the end of the Motor Boat Cruise, and that nothing would ever come back to replace it. But instead of Fantasia Gardens losing its view of the water, it was refilled and still stands today as a place for people to relax, and use as a place to eat for the nearby restaurants. If you want to visit this historic spot yourself, it’s between the Matterhorn Bobsleds and It’s a Small World!