FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Snow White's Scary Adventures

Disney's Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, rapidly establishing Walt Disney World as the world's number one theme park resort. Since then, it has welcomed hundreds of millions of guests, and remains the most popular theme park on the planet. Of course, the park's attraction line-up has evolved significantly since its opening day. Rides and shows have come and gone, sometimes being rethemed to become something new, and other times being torn out altogether. Let's take a look back at 22 long-lost Magic Kingdom attractions!

22. Plaza Swan Boats

Swan Boats.jpg

Image © Disney via Jim Hill Media

Opened in: 1973 Closed in:1983 When the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, it was desperately short of ride capacity. To address this, Disney installed a Swan Boat ride on the canal in the plaza surrounding Cinderella Castle. The ride operated seasonally from 1973 to 1983, circling around the hub and carrying guests into Adventureland. You can still view the loading dock (and the canal itself) at the park today.

21. Flight to the Moon / Mission to Mars

MarsOpened in: 1971 Closed in: 1993 Replaced by:ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter Flight to the Moon - a clone of a Disneyland attraction - was an opening day attraction at the Magic Kingdom. It tooks guests on a simulated flight to the moon, but was instantly outdated as NASA had already landed men on the moon by the time it opened. The ride was replaced by the updated Mission to Mars in 1975. In the pre-show area, known as Mission Control, the audio-animatronic flight director explained the background to the mission. Guests then boarded a "spacecraft", which contained a circular theater with stadium-style seating, for a journey into space, onwards to Mars, and then back to Earth.

20.The Walt Disney Story

Walt Disney and EPCOTOpened in: 1973 Closed in: 1992 Replaced by: Exposition Hall The Walt Disney Story, hosted in what is now the Town Square Theater, celebrated the achievements of the man who conceived Walt Disney World. It closed in 1992, but a larger attraction - Walt Disney: One Man's Dream- now operates at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

19. ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter

ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter

Image © Disney

Opened in: 1994 Closed in: 2003 Replaced by:Stitch's Great Escape! Championed by former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, the infamous ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter was designed to be one of the scariest Disney attractions ever built. It opened for previews in 1994, but was retooled after Eisner claimed it wasn't intense enough. The official opening came in June 1995. The highlight of the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter was an encounter with the titular alien in a circular chamber. "4-D" effects such as spraying water added to the experience. Though it built up something of a cult following, the attraction was replaced by the more family-friendly Stitch's Great Escape! after less than a decade in operation.

18. Shrunken Ned's Junior Jungle Boats

Shrunken Ned's Junior Jungle Boats

Image: Loren Javier, Flickr

Closed in: 2012 Located next to the Jungle Cruise, this coin-operated, radio-controlled boat attraction was torn out in 2012.

17. Diamond Horseshoe Revue

Diamond Horseshoe Revue

Image: Tom Simpson, Flickr

Opened in: 1971 Closed in: 2004 Replaced by: Diamond Horseshoe Saloon The saloon-style Diamond Horseshoe Revue was the headline show at the Magic Kingdom when it opened in 1971. The western-style show featured up-tempo song-and-dance numbers, and survived for more than three decades (albeit with a name changed to the Diamond Horseshoe Jamboree in 1986). In 1995, it was renamed once again to the Diamond Horseshoe Saloon Revue, nefore being replaced by the similar Goofy's Country Dancin' Jamboree. The attraction closed for good in 2004, with the location becoming a sandwich shop.

16. Mike Fink Keel Boats

Mike Fink Keel Boats

Opened in: 1971 Closed in: 2001 The Mike Fink Keel Boats navigated the Rivers of America in Frontierland for three decades, and were inspired by Davy Crockett's Keel Boat Race. Guests seated inside the boats could watch episodes of Walt Disney's Davy Crockett. One of the boats is still visible on the banks of Tom Sawyer Island.

15. Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes

Opened in: 1971 Closed in:1994 The Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes were an opening day attraction at the Magic Kingdom, ferrying guests around Tom Sawyer Island. A C-Ticket was required to ride in the 35-foot-long canoes.

14. Main Street Cinema

Main Street Cinema

Image: IceNineJon, Flickr

Opened in: 1971 Closed in: 1998 Replaced by:The Art of Disney store The Main Street Cinema is still a functional attraction at Disneyland, but became retail space in 1998 at the Magic Kingdom. It showed classic Disney animations on a loop.

13. Mickey Mouse Revue

Mickey Mouse Revue
Image © Disney

Opened in: 1971 Closed in: 1989 Replaced by: Fantasyland Theater The Mickey Mouse Revue was an audio-animatronic show hosted by Mickey Mouse, who conducted an orchestra made up of famous Disney characters. It was torn out of the Magic Kingdom in 1980 to be shipped to Tokyo Disneyland, as there was deemed to be too little time to build a clone at the Japanese resort.

12. If You Had Wings / Delta Dreamflight / Take Flight

Delta Dreamflight

Image: Dave Hahner

Opened in: 1972 Closed in: 1998 Replaced by: Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin Three versions of this attraction taught guests about the wonders of flight, starting with If You Had Wings in 1972. This was replaced by Delta Dreamflight (sponsored by Delta Airlines), which offered a simplistic overview of the history of flight, employing audio-animatronic characters and projection effects. Highlights included scenes from 1930s Tokyo and Paris, as well as a trip through a jet engine. The ride continued to operate until 1998 (being renamed as Take Flight when Delta's sponsorship ended). It was replaced by Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin.

11. Magic Journeys

Magic Journeys

Opened in: 1987 Closed in: 1993 Replaced by: Magic Journeys was an opening day attraction at EPCOT Center, and was situated in the Journey Into Imagination Pavilion. It also ran at Disneyland for two years from 1984, before being removed from both parks to make room for Michael Jackson's Captain EO. That wasn't the end, though - it made a comeback in the Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland Theater in December 1987, where it continued to play until December 1993. The film offered a look at the world through the eyes of a child, following children as they flew a kite, rode on a carousel and visited the circus. The catchy pre-show song, Makin' Memories, is probably still stuck in the heads of many 1980s Disney guests.

 
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

Comments

Lots of good memories with all discussed here. I will admit though the Davy Crocket canoes were the most challenging. Nothing like a 95 degree day sitting in a sunny canoe with 30 others and having to actually paddle your way around Tom Sawyer Island with the keel and steamboat around you. Those boats, you just rode, Davy's you were the power and many in the others did not want to paddle their share. A lot of sweat went in to that ride. I would then go over to the penny arcade to cool off while actually spending pennies!!!! I was able to do everything listed here except the Swan Boats---just wasn't interesting. Great memories on these though.

In the mid to late 1990’s there were a troupe of musicians, called The Aviators, in EPCOT. I cannot find any information about this group? And WDW will not send me any information, do you know anything about them, or even remember them?

I really miss If You Had Wings. I love Buzz, but the other was my childhood fave. Mission to Mars was a better hit than any of the others that appeared there.

In reply to by Lillian (not verified)

"If You Had Wings" was actually first sponsored by Eastern Airlines at the Magic Kingdom in WDW. I remember on their flights to Orlando, drink napkins promoted their relationship with WDW. Eastern dropped sponsorship and Delta took it. The ride was basically the same except for promoting Delta Air Lines. In the early years with the ticket books, the attraction was non-ticketed so was very popular once you ran out of your A-E tickets.

Very interesting article, it's always fun to read about how Disney has changed since it opened. That being said, the article itself needs formatting help. Spacing is all over the place and it's kind of hard to read!

View More Comments

Add new comment

About Theme Park Tourist

Theme Park Tourist is one of the web’s leading sources of essential information and entertaining articles about theme parks in Orlando and beyond.

We are one of the world’s largest theme park guide sites, hosting detailed guides to more than 80 theme parks around the globe.

Find Out More About Us...

Plan Your Trip

Our theme park guides contain reviews and ratings of rides, restaurants and hotels at more than 80 theme parks worldwide.

You can even print them.

Start Planning Now...