Donald’s Boat

January 1993 – March 2022

LOCATION

Mickey’s Toontown – When you entered Toontown and head up the hill to the main street, you’d follow the main path to the left. You’d see Donald’s Boat on your left, just after Goofy’s Playhouse.

BACKGROUND

When Mickey welcomed Disneyland visitors into his Toontown neighborhood in 1993, his best friend Donald’s house boat became a popular tourist attraction. Donald’s Boat sat on tiny Toon Lake, and overlooks Mickey’s House, Minnie’s House, Goofy’s House, and the Go Coaster.

EXPERIENCE

Donald’s Boat was a two-story playhouse. The bottom floor had portholes, a display of Donald’s belongings, and a spiral staircase. The upstairs had a balcony, the boat’s wheel, and more portholes to explore. Adults could join in the fun or enjoy the shady adjacent patio, with benches adjacent to the lake and fountain.

CLOSURE

In November 2021, Disneyland announced plans to redesign Mickey’s Toontown with a few goals in mind. First, to build a new headline attraction (the Runaway Railway). Second, to provide more rest areas for families. And third, to lean into the “play” aspect of the land and make every feature as interactive (and accessible) as possible. Donald’s Boat closed alongside the land in March 2022, and was rethemed into Donald’s Duck Pond upon reopening in March 2023.

TRIVIA

My original rating: Out of the three play houses in Toontown (Donald, Goofy, and Chip & Dale), Donald’s Boat is the most detailed, and probably the most family friendly. The two levels are both fairly large, with enough room for the whole family to play together, and tired adults can recharge in the rest area behind the boat, which is usually very shady. Donald isn’t usually around to meet visitors, but the boat itself is definitely an attraction worth visiting with the kids; they’ll love setting sail on Toon lake! (★★★☆☆)

Donald’s Boat was officially named the “SS Miss Daisy”.

Look up at the nautical flags above the boat, and you’d see some of Donald’s laundry hanging out to dry.

At the front of the boat you could see an ornate Daisy figurehead.