Hi everyone....Does anyone remember Disneyland's Tuna Boat? Today's theme park vignette tell's a little of the history of the popular Fantasyland restaurant that's been gone nearly 40 years!

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MUSINGS OF A THEME PARK FAN

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PIRATE SHIP

Guests in Fantasyland enjoy visiting aboard

The Pirate Ship as it lays at anchor in the cove

at Skull Rock, a picturesque setting from the story

of Peter Pan.

Disneyland’s Pirate Ship Restaurant was a tribute to the 1953 animated classic film, Peter Pan. Chicken of the Sea with it’s Tinkerbell-like mermaid logo beat out StarKist for sponsorship of Walt’s colorful interpretation of a man-of-war galleon. The Pirate Ship was constructed behind the Main Street Opera House and was “flown” to a small pond in Fantasyland (with the help of a large construction crane). The Pirate Ship was open to the public for exploration on the parks opening day although it was another 6 weeks before food service began below deck. Tuna burger’s were the popular food choice, however oysters, seafood salads and sandwiches were also available to hungry guests to enjoy on deck or on barrel seats in shady Skull Rock Cove. The popular Fantasyland flagship restaurant was renamed Captain Hook’s Galley in 1969. In order to accommodate the re-imagineering of Fantasyland and after serving seafood meals to millions of guests over 27 years, Peter Pan’s Pirate Ship was scheduled to “fly” a second time to a new location on the promenade leading to It’s A Small World. Sadly the Pirate Ship was no longer a ship at all but an aging wooden building and the popular restaurant was demolished in 1982. Some of the salvaged rigging, lanterns, and bailing pins can be found on Peter Pans Flight attraction including the tuna boat’s ships wheel with Peter Pan at the helm.

Postcard from the collection of Bill Ralph