Motor Boat Cruise

I'm sure this has been discussed a hundred times.

But today in my dentist's office I looked over at this book titled "California" and the book was filled with pictures taken over places by air and one of them was of Tomorrowland/Fantasyland. And in the picture was the Motor Boat Cruise and I was surprised at how long the lines were for that ride. It was filled in the covered area but strecthed out almost to near the kiosk that sells gifts and candy (is that still there?, it's between Matterhorn and MBC). These pictures were all taken between 1990 and 1992 as the book said and obiviously this one must have been before this ride closed.

It seemed popular. My question is that, near the old loading dock has that water been drained or has water in part of the attraction been dammed up to not go in the new submarine lagoon? And are the tracks still in the water? Have they thought of transplanting Aquatopia from TokyoDisneySea into this area?

I don't think any of the drainage in the Motor Boat Cruise has anything at all to do with the Submarine Lagoon. I think they are working on something else back there.

parts of the motor boat area have been trained. As for the tracks...they're still there and you can see them in pictures of when the place was totally drained. It's more of a groove than a track.

Oh man how I miss the Motor Boat Cruise. It was such a fun little adventure to have your own little private boat in Disneyland. Even if it was on a track and the steering wheel was nonfunctional, it was so nice to go out and explore the beautiful Fantasyland area by boat. Aparently it was closed to fund Mickey's Toontown...that's something I will never forgive them for. Toontown is such a departure from what Walt intended for his park, and to take out such a great attraction to fund it gets me really upset.

But back on topic, the Motor Boat Cruise has always been dammed up to keep from spilling into the sub lagoon. The sub's water has to be clear while the MBC's water has to be that murky green. The grooves are still there, but I wouldn't expect them to be bringing this attraction back. It's too small to be a marketable attraction and it would cost more money than it would be worth, to TDA anyway. What's amazing is that it would probably only cost a few million to get this ride up and running again...Disney probably spends that kind of money in a couple days at ABC alone, yet they have kept it dormant for over a decade. In any case, I would consider it to be gone forever.

I have to admit, when I was really young I honestly felt I was driving the boat myself. It's a classic example of how such a mundane and superficial thing at Disneyland can be such a HUGE deal for a small child. Remember, things we take for granted a child can see in a whole different light. I think everyone should experience Disneyland at least once as a child, it's such a different experience than when you're an adult.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Athlonacon

I have to admit, when I was really young I honestly felt I was driving the boat myself. It's a classic example of how such a mundane and superficial thing at Disneyland can be such a HUGE deal for a small child. Remember, things we take for granted a child can see in a whole different light. I think everyone should experience Disneyland at least once as a child, it's such a different experience than when you're an adult.

---

Well said! (...must spread a little more around...)
IMO, this also applies to Autopia. There are those who feel Autopia takes too much room and should be replaced. I don't think so.

I dissagree

I don't think the Motor boat cruise messured up at all to modern attraction standards and I think that while Toontown is deffinatly better then it with Roger Rabbit and such the reasons for closing it were pretty much just made up for the sake of shaving some money off the budget


the land that it's on has been said to be slated for some future as of yet to be concieved attraction

for now it'l just be scenery but one day we'll have something new there or at least that's how it looks right now


were Disney to consider reviving something like it I'd say they should use Aquatopia from DisneySeas with it's own unique effects and scenery it could be a pretty fun ride and an improvement over the old motorboat cruise (plus it would create two topias ;)


of course I think we'll all remeber my discovery/exploration land suggestions (combining Matterhorn, Subs, Autopia and Aquatopia into a new land since this area seems like it's own land already anyways)

I agree that the motor boats, to me, were so much fun. As a kid, I too, really thought I was driving it. I distinctly remember riding at night with the lights on the front of the boat. That is one of the rides that stands out most from my childhood. That and Adventures Thru Innerspace. I loved all the rest also, but those two (along with Peter Pan) just seemed to make many appearances in my DL dreams. Nothin' worse than enjoying a ride, only to be woken up for school.

Ahhh... the days of riding the Motor Boat Cruise at night with the headlights on and the fireworks shooting up in the sky!