Plaza Swan Boats – A Leisurely Cruise Through Yesterday’s Tomorrow

At Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, the Plaza Swan Boats offered guests a serene, romantic getaway as they glided through a world of exquisite design and unspoiled beauty. These 30-passenger boats, which were powered by whisper-quiet natural gas engines and had a carved swan figurehead, were inspired by swan boats that were first introduced to America at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. They were modeled after the swan boats of Europe's royal gardens. Each boat navigated the meandering waterways that encircled the Central Plaza with ease thanks to an inventive electronic guidance system.

Guests floated past the glistening glass of the Crystal Palace and the well-kept gardens of a bygone era as they left a picturesque Victorian-style dock close to Cinderella Castle. The trip proceeded through the Swiss Family Treehouse's verdant jungle surroundings, where moss-covered branches extended toward the water and a tropical steel-drum band's distant beat could be heard. The boat glided beneath the Liberty Square Bridge and past the colonial-style buildings of Adventureland, revealing charming views of Cinderella Castle rising above the treetops.

While the tumbling waterfalls close to Tomorrowland marked the end of the journey, topiary animals trimmed with royal precision lined the banks, evoking the gardeners of Napoleon. It was evident that the Plaza Swan Boats had provided something unique as visitors disembarked under vividly striped awnings: a serene journey of beauty and nostalgia amidst the bustle of the Magic Kingdom.