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Reminders of Defunct Magic Kingdom Attractions 
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I was snapping photos at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park earlier this month. I noticed numerous reminders of defunct attractions. This photo essay isn’t about attractions that were replaced by other attractions. It’s about places that used to be attractions, but are now something else (or nothing at all). The drawings and descriptions in the left column are from Walt Disney World Information Guide booklets of the mid-1970s.
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 Plaza Swan Boats (Main Street) | |||
 “Enjoy a leisurely cruise along the Magic Kingdom waterways. (Summer Only)” “D” coupon or 75¢ |
 The Plaza Swan Boats loading area is still there in 2009. |
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 The canal winds around the Hub and into Adventureland. |
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The Plaza Swan Boats operated seasonally between May 1973 and August 1983. The leisurely ride on the Plaza Swan Boats included a loop around the Swiss Family Treehouse. Because each boat required a cast member, it was an expensive ride to operate. Although the ride has been gone for a quarter century, the loading dock and the canals still grace the Hub at the Magic Kingdom. If Disney ever wants to add more ride capacity to the Magic Kingdom, it would be great to see new Plaza Swan Boats, perhaps without a live guide (just as Living with the Land at Epcot now operates without a live guide). It wouldn’t please thrill seekers, but it could be a very pleasant scenic ride for all ages—sort of like the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. It would be even better with some new topiaries and flower beds along the canal. Of course, I don’t expect the Plaza Swan Boats to return. |
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Diamond Horseshoe Revue (Liberty Square) | |||
 “A rollicking stage show right out of the Old West featuring a cast of dancing girls, comedians and singers including Slue Foot Sue herself.” Free Attraction |
 The Diamond Horseshoe building is still there in 2009. |
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 There’s a stage, but no performers. |
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 The Diamond Horseshoe is now a sandwich shop. |
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In the tradition of Disneyland’s old Golden Horseshoe Revue, the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971 with the Diamond Horseshoe Revue, a Western saloon show with cancan dancers, singers, a live band, and even comedian Wally Boag (who relocated from Disneyland for the Magic Kingdom’s first three years) playing Pecos Bill and a traveling salesman. The saloon’s current status as a sandwich shop is good for guests looking for a quick lunch. But old-timers can’t help but remember how much more fun it used to be. For the Magic Kingdom’s 40th anniversary in 2011, I wish they would bring back the Diamond Horseshoe Revue. Alas, that’s highly unlikely to happen. |
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Mike Fink Keelboats (Liberty Square) | |||
 “A backwoods water journey to adventure on the Rivers of America.” “B” coupon or 25¢ |
 The Mike Fink Keelboats dock is still at the water’s edge in 2009. |
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The Rivers of America waterway at the Magic Kingdom suffers from a lack of river traffic. The Liberty Belle makes the loop every half hour, and Tom Sawyer Island Rafts shuttle across the river. But, for the most part, it’s more like a placid lake than a lively river. The Mike Fink Keelboats were not only a different way to travel on the water, they also made the view from the shores of Frontierland and Liberty Square more enjoyable. |
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Walt Disney Story (Main Street) | |||
 “Follow Walt Disney from his boyhood through the creation of Walt Disney World. See rare film footage, narrated by Walt himself. Presented by Gulf Oil Corp.” Free Attraction |
 Exposition Hall looks like an attraction, but it really isn’t one. |
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The Walt Disney Story attraction (1973-1992) was on Town Square in a building that’s now called Exposition Hall. The sign promises, “Milestones in Animation.” Exposition Hall is listed as an attraction in current Magic Kingdom Guidemap pamphlets, but the description is, “Houses Disney’s PhotoPass Center. Presented by Kodak®.” There’s also retail merchandise, some photo backdrops, and a small theater in the back showing cartoons. It’s too bad that this large facility doesn’t house a real attraction. |
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Main Street Cinema (Main Street) | |||
 “Enjoy classic films of the silent screen era.” “B” coupon or 25¢ |
 The Main Street Cinema still looks like a movie theater in 2009. |
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 There are cartoons shown on the back wall, but it’s really a retail shop. |
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The marquee on the Main Street Cinema proclaims, “Now Showing: The Art of Disney.” But it’s not announcing the name of a film; it’s announcing that this is another Art of Disney store, just like at Epcot and Downtown Disney, or like the Animation Gallery at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Main Street started as a balancing act between a shopping mall and an early twentieth century experience. Over the years, the balance has tipped more and more toward the mall end of the spectrum. |
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Penny Arcade (Main Street) | |||
 “A room full of fun for a penny, nickel, dime, or quarter.” |
 The former Penny Arcade is now the Hall of Champions sports shop. |
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The Penny Arcade at Disneyland was reduced to a fraction of its old size, but the Penny Arcade at the Magic Kingdom was eliminated entirely. Although Main Street is largely a mall for Disney character merchandise, there are still some opportunities to experience “attractions” by watching skilled cast members producing handmade goods. The candymakers at the Confectionery shop make tasty treats as guest watch. The glassblowers at Crystal Arts have been making glass souvenirs since the park opened, while the amazing glass artist in the back of the same store was a new addition in early 2008. Main Street at the Magic Kingdom has one business that Main Street at Disneyland never had: a traditional barber shop which provides traditional haircuts. |
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Skyway (one way from Tomorrowland) | |||
 “A scenic aerial journey high over the Magic Kingdom.” “D” coupon or 75¢ |
 The Tomorrowland end of the Skyway is a place for rest rooms in 2009. |
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The Skyway has been gone since 1999, but the stations at both ends serve as reminders of how guests used to travel through sky above the Magic Kingdom. The Tomorrowland station has a highly useful function at the ground level: rest rooms. But the second level, from which the “buckets” soared into the sky, is off limits to guests. |
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Skyway (one way from Fantasyland) | |||
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“A scenic aerial journey high over the Magic Kingdom.” “D” coupon or 75¢ |
 The Fantasyland end of the Skyway provides stroller parking in 2009. |
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It’s surprising that Disney made no effort to disguise the original function of the former Skyway stations. They both still have large openings for the “buckets.” It’s also surprising that these prime locations have not been reworked to produce revenue. Making the second level accessible to all would require ramps or elevators, but that’s not prohibitive. If the Magic Kingdom ever decides to open some beer terraces, I’d like to nominate two locations. |
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© 2009-2011 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Updated December 30, 2011.
Scan of Walt Disney World Information Guide cover © Disney. |
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