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Photo by Hal Schultz, 1983, courtesy of Jason Schultz |
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Is there a child in your life who wants to be the captain of a boat? Then Yesterland has a ride for you. It’s the Motor Boat Cruise, a voyage past attractive landscaping, including flowering trees, bushes, and beautifully arranged rocks. |
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Perhaps you were expecting show scenes along the waterways, possibly featuring characters from animated Disney movies or television shows. Sorry. There’s none of that—unless you wait until 1991. |
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Photo by Kathy McConnell, 1975, courtesy of Dave McConnell. Pier for loading, with unloading on the other side. |
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It’s now your turn to board a genuine motorboat. The single bench seat is perfect for two adults and one or two small children. The large steering wheel is in the middle, so everyone has access to it. |
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Photo by Hal Schultz, 1983, courtesy of Jason Schultz Young child at the steering wheel |
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Photo by Hal Schultz, 1983, courtesy of Jason Schultz Captain of the Queen of Hearts |
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There are floating channel markers to provide guidance, but are you sure you want to trust a young child to steer? The waterway includes treacherous looking rapids, with boats missing dangerous rocks by just a couple of feet. There are also Monorail pylons and steep embankments. |
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Photo by Frank T. Taylor, circa 1959, courtesy of Chris Taylor In a boat with a partially open hood |
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Don’t worry. The boats are on a track. The steering wheel is just as useful as on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. In other words, it doesn’t do anything. So just sit back and enjoy the ride. Wave to the kids driving Autopia cars. And try to figure out whether the gas pedal on the floor is any more functional than the steering wheel. (It does seem to make the boat’s engine somewhat louder.) |
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Photo by Frank T. Taylor, circa 1959, courtesy of Chris Taylor Two boats out of commission |
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Okay, so it’s not the best ride in the park—but what else were you going to do with that “B” Ticket? |
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At Disneyland, the Motor Boat Cruise opened in June 1957 on the border of Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, sharing space with other attractions. As Viewliner trains went speeding by, young motorists crossed the waterways on Junior Autopia bridges. |
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Photo by Frank T. Taylor, circa 1959, courtesy of Chris Taylor Disneyland Alweg Monorail beams, added in 1959 |
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In 1959, almost everything changed in the corner of Disneyland where the Motor Boat Cruise, Junior Autopia, and the Viewliner had been. The Viewliner and its little railroad track were eliminated. Instead, the elevated beam of the new Disneyland Alweg Monorail curved gracefully overhead. The new Fantasyland Autopia and an expanded Tomorrowland Autopia replaced the Junior Autopia. The original Tomorrowland Lagoon, which had been home to the Phantom Boats from 1955 to 1956, was rebuilt as the crystal clear lagoon of the Submarine Voyage. Instead of joining the Viewliner and the Junior Autopia as mere memories, the Motor Boat Cruise survived. |
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Photo by Chris Bales, 1991 Motor Boat Cruise to Gummi Glen (March 15 to November 10, 1991) |
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In 1991, as part of The Disney Afternoon LIVE!, the Motor Boat Cruise temporarily became the Motor Boat Cruise to Gummi Glen. Plywood characters from Disney’s animated Gummi Bears television series made Gummi Berry juice along the waterway. |
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Photo by Chris Bales, 1993 Mickey’s Toontown, “Opening January 1993” |
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Although the Motor Boat Cruise survived the 1959 reconfiguration of Tomorrowland, it didn’t survive the 1993 opening of Mickey’s Toontown a few hundred yards away. The word on the internet was that to control overall park operating expenses, the operating budget for the Motor Boat Cruise had been reallocated to Mickey’s Toontown. So, on January 11, 1993, the Motor Boat Cruise closed permanently. |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007 Former loading pier, surrounded by a railing |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007 Remnants of old canals |
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After the Motor Boat Cruise closed, Disneyland gave the loading pier and landscaped grounds a new name: Fantasia Gardens. The canopy that once provided shade to guests waiting for the ride now provided shade to guests enjoying food from Fantasyland counter-service and outdoor vending locations—or just taking a break from the crowds of Disneyland. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2009 Smoking area |
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In 2008, the loading pier became one of Disneyland Park’s three designated smoking areas. It made a particularly good one—providing a pleasant, shaded outdoor space for smokers, while being easy for nonsmokers to avoid. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2015 Seating for Edelweiss Snacks |
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Long before Disneyland eliminated all smoking within the park in 2019, the pier had reverted to nonsmoking. That made sense due to the 2009 opening of Edelweiss Snacks nearby. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2013 Canal to nowhere |
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For years, the waterways sat unused, seemingly ready for a new ride with new boats and new show scenes. Anyone still hoping that a new ride could reuse the old Motor Boat Cruise infrastructure will be disappointed to learn that’s no longer possible. There have been too many changes, eliminating much of the canal route, especially when the Fantasyland Autopia and Tomorrowland Autopia were combined and reconfigured to become the Autopia Presented by Chevron. It’s amazing that the Motor Boat Cruise, a low-key little ride from 1957, survived almost 36 years. |
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© 2021 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Updated November 19, 2021 |
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