What's with the sneaker tree?

[Mouse House Mama]

Okay- I always forget to ask about this. When you take the boat from MK to FW or WL you pass a tree that is covered in sneakers. Anyone know what this is about?

 

[Smooshdog]

I read somewhere that cast members would throw their shoes in that tree on their last day. Not sure if that is true. Here is a pic.

 

[sPaRkLeSpAz]

I'm not sure, but that's really interesting. I'd never heard of it before.

 

[foxfire]

I may be wrong but I think I read/heard that when a captain of one of the Friendship boats retires (or maybe moves to another job???), it's tradition for a pair of his sneakers to be placed in that tree.

If I have this completely wrong, somebody please tell us the true story!

 

[RangerPooh]

I've heard the same story. I think it's a neat tradition.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

I may be wrong but I think I read/heard that when a captain of one of the Friendship boats retires (or maybe moves to another job???), it's tradition for a pair of his sneakers to be placed in that tree.

If I have this completely wrong, somebody please tell us the true story!

Same story we have heard.......

 

[IndyJammer]

When we went on a Wishes Cruise, we were told a very similar story.

Something about when they first started using CMs to cruise the lagoon, they made them buy these hideous white shoes. So, on the CMs last day - they would throw those shoes into the tree. Then it moved on from there and other CMs began doing it as well. Our CM said that there were probably 100's or 1000's of shoes in the water below the tree!

 

[Robo]

...Our CM said that there were probably 100's or 1000's of shoes in the water below the tree!

TRUE.

And this is the main reason they had to close River Country.
The old shoes became entangled with fish hooks and other fishing gear.

Disney could no longer allow swimming near this area because...


It had become too contaminated with Nike-lure waste.

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

I had heard that it was the cast memebers. We heard about it last year when we went. I have yet to see this tree up close. I am hoping to this trip.

 

[Poohbear123]

Cruise last year, the Captain of the Boat talked about it, but I didn't see it till my next trip in August!

 

[SnwflkCts]

... I absolutely learn something new about WDW every single day ...

"Nike-lure waste"

 

[alldiz]

Wow...always wondered what that was about.
Thanks
Kerri

 

[Good Ol Gal]

Okay- I always forget to ask about this. When you take the boat from MK to FW or WL you pass a tree that is covered in sneakers. Anyone know what this is about?

thanks for asking this question!

We've rode past this tree so many times and the kids always ask me about it and I had no idea.

I can't wait till June when we're staying at VWL and when they ask I can tell them all about it :

 

[missj1975]

We went on a private cruise in December too and our boat captain took us very close to the tree and told us he couldn't wait to throw his shoes in the tree once his internship ended. We had the best captain ever. He told us a lot of neat stories about the lagoon. And the best part was when he took us over the water bridge. That was amazing. I don't how many people are familiar with the water bridge but there is one part of the waterway that if you stand up in the boat, you can see cars driving underneath the lagoon because you are on a "water bridge." It was very cool.

 

[MareSINY]

We went on a private cruise in December too and our boat captain took us very close to the tree and told us he couldn't wait to throw his shoes in the tree once his internship ended. We had the best captain ever. He told us a lot of neat stories about the lagoon. And the best part was when he took us over the water bridge. That was amazing. I don't how many people are familiar with the water bridge but there is one part of the waterway that if you stand up in the boat, you can see cars driving underneath the lagoon because you are on a "water bridge." It was very cool.

There's actually a couple of water bridges at WDW. I thought it was really neat when I first learned about the water bridge on our Illuminations cruise. Whenever I stay at the Contemporary I have to make note of the water bridge when we're going under it on the bus. It's neat looking at it from above on the balcony of our room.

 

[IndyJammer]

There's actually a couple of water bridges at WDW.

There's also one behind/beside the BC that leads to Epcot via the International Gateway.

My apologies to the OP - I know we are getting OT, but here are my 2 little ones - holding their breath while going "underwater" on the bus!

 

[angelmom]

So what exactly is a water bridge?

 

[Evil Princess]

There's also one behind/beside the BC that leads to Epcot via the International Gateway.

My apologies to the OP - I know we are getting OT, but here are my 2 little ones - holding their breath while going "underwater" on the bus!

Those are very cute children

 

[IndyJammer]

Those are very cute children

Thank you!

So what exactly is a water bridge?

The water bridges (Is that an official DIS term now?!?) are kinda like reverse bridges. Instead of land going over the water - the water goes over the land! The one most people know is on the Disney transportation right before the Contemporary Resort. The "Tunnel" that you go under is actually "Under Water." On top of the tunnel is actually a channel of the 7-Seas Lagoon. That is how you can travel from the WL to MK and such - it kinda "connects" the 2 bodies of water. (Does that make sense?!? - If not, I'm sure someone will come along & explain it better than I have!)

 

[Robo]

There's also one behind/beside the BC that leads to Epcot via the International Gateway.

Huh?