All courtesy of Jack Spence's blog.
Liberty Belle Riverboat(Courtesty of Jack Spences blog)(1) From the very beginning, Walt knew he wanted a boat ride at his theme park and knew he needed to hire someone who could oversee this vast undertaking and remembered meeting retired Admiral Joe Fowler through a mutual friend.
(2) Can do Fowler spent 35 years in the navy and retired as a Rear Admiral at age sixty. Walt, being the persuasive person that he was, convinced Joe to join the Disney team where he oversaw the construction of
Disneyland and later, the building of Walt Disney World. In all, he spent twenty-five years with the company. But besides his overall skill as a project manager, Fowlers knowledge of ships was extremely useful when it came to the building of Disneylands paddle wheeler.
(3) The Mark Twain, as the ship would eventually be named, was the first paddle wheeler to be built in the United States in fifty years. The designers at WED conducted in-depth research on the subject and drew up plans for a vessel that resembled the riverboats that sailed the Mississippi during the heyday of steam powered ships. The 105-foot hull was built at the Todd Shipyards in San Pedro, California and the ships decks were built at the Disney Studios in Burbank. The decks and hull were then shipped to Disneyland for final construction. Walt felt so strongly about this craft that when corporate funding fell short, he used his own money to finish building the vessel. He was reimbursed after the park opened and began making money.
(4) In Florida, the ships name would be the Admiral Joe Fowler in honor of the man who helped build two Magic Kingdoms. Much of this ship was built at the Tampa Ship Repairs and Dry Dock Company, the same location where the parks four steam trains were refurbished.
(5) The Adm. Joe Fowler began service on October 2, 1971, one day after the opening of the Magic Kingdom. During the first few years of operation, there was very little to see along the route. Tom Sawyer Island had yet to be built and there were no Thunder or Splash Mountains to enjoy as you sailed by. In an effort to make the voyage more enjoyable, musicians could often be found on deck entertaining guests.
(6) One of the biggest differences between Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom is the loading dock. At Disneyland, all loading and unloading of guests takes place on the lower deck. Thus, everyone onboard must disembark before new riders can come aboard. The Imagineers wanted to speed things up for a faster turnaround at the Magic Kingdom and devised a two-level system. Disembarking passengers leave from the lower deck while new arrivals enter the ship on the middle level. However, as the popularity of this attraction waned, this more efficient method of loading and unloading was modified and today, no one boards until the last guest from the previous journey has exited. This multi-level system was not duplicated at Tokyo or Paris.
(7) Soon after opening the Magic Kingdom, attraction demand outweighed capacity. The park needed more rides. One quick and relatively inexpensive solution was to build a second boat for the Rivers of America. This time however, the entire craft would be built at Disney World at the various shops located behind the Magic Kingdom. Construction took about six months and on May 20, 1973, less than two years after opening, the Richard F. Irvine joined the fleet and for the next seven years, two riverboats plied the Rivers of America. While one was unloading and loading passengers, the other was sailing around Tom Sawyer Island. To the laymans eye, the ships look identical with one exception. The Adm. Joe Fowler has two smokestacks while the Richard F. Irvine only has one. Its interesting to note, in some older Disney publications, the Fowler is pictured while the caption reads Irvine (you can tell by the smokestacks).
(8) The ships namesake, Richard (Dick) F. Irvine was a set designer with a degree in architecture. He started working at the Disney Studios in 1942 and in 1953, Walt asked him to join the Disneyland team. Dick would act as the liaison between the Imagineers and outside architectural firms that were hired to design the buildings of the Anaheim park. In the years that followed, he helped design the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. He also oversaw the planning and design of Walt Disney World. (Its interesting to note, Irvines daughter-in-law, Imagineer Kim (Thomas) Irvine is the daughter of Leota Toombs, the face in the crystal ball at the Haunted Mansion.)
(9) In 1980, the Adm. Joe Fowler needed some routine maintenance. But unlike Disneyland, that has a dry dock (named Fowlers Harbor) connected to the Rivers of America, the Magic Kingdom has no such facility. In Florida, the dry dock is located NE of the MK and the boat needed to be sailed to this location. Have you ever wondered what the iron-truss bridge is for located just beyond Thunder Mountain? The train tracks sits on a turntable and can pivot out of the way so watercraft can gain access to Seven Seas Lagoon, Bay Lake, and eventually the backstage dry dock.
(10) While entering dry dock, the riverboats hull was damaged extensively. One account claims that it cracked while being lifted by a crane. Another says the boat was positioned incorrectly on its supports when water was being drained from the dry dock and split. However, by this time, two riverboats were no longer necessary. Space and Thunder Mountains had opened in the interim and the extra capacity two boats offered was no longer needed. The decision was made to scuttle the Adm. Joe Fowler. Some accounts claim that the hull was buried somewhere on property. Others say it was sunk in Bay Lake. I could find no definitive proof of either. Parts of the Adm. Joe Fowler live on to this day. The ships machinery was shipped to the then under construction Tokyo Disneyland to become the workings of that parks Mark Twain. And the boats whistle was added to the #4 engine, the Roy O. Disney at the Magic Kingdom. In 1996, the Richard F. Irvine was in need of an extensive refurbishment and was floated back to dry dock. Luckily, it fared better than the Adm. Joe Fowler and when it reemerged, it was rechristened the Liberty Belle. The Imagineers felt that this new name would be easier for guests to remember and it fit better with the riverboats home port, Liberty Square. However, the two gentlemen whose names once graced these stately vessels have not been forgotten. In 1999, two of the Staten Island-style ferries that transport guests between the TTC and the Magic Kingdom were renamed in honor of these two men. The third ferry was renamed the General Joe Potter. This gentleman headed many of the early construction projects at Walt Disney World.
(11) This is also the only ride in the Magic Kingdom that allows guests to get up and walk around while their vehicle is in motion.
(12) On occasion, a family is selected to ride in the wheelhouse. If youre the first to arrive in the waiting area, ask a cast member if you can join the captain.
(13) As the journey begins, our captain, Horace Bixby, introduces Sam Clemmons (Mark Twain) to us over the PA. Knowing that Disney never misses a trick, I knew that name Horace Bixby was selected for a reason so I looked him up and discovered he was a real person, perhaps one of the greatest steamboat pilots of his day. He met Clemens in 1857 aboard the steamer PAUL JONES and later agreed to take him on as an apprentice.
(14) Along the banks of the river, we see cargo stacked on various piers. As with everything, details are important. The number 71 is obvious. This is the year the Magic Kingdom opened. The Tell City Tool Co. is a little more obscure. Located along the Ohio River in Indiana, this real town began in 1857 and was carefully planned by a group of Swiss people looking for a better life. In many respects, this was one of the United States first planned communities. Three square miles of land was purchased and streets were laid out in a north-south, east-west grid. Settlers could buy tracts of land, but were required to build a two room home to be worth not less than $125.00 within one year of purchase. Factories, schools, and churches were all planned in advance and locations determined. In the early years, riverboats were the only means of transportation in and out of Tell City which is why the Imagineers selected this town to be represented on the Rivers of America. Another name seen on multiple crates along the river is Russels Falls. This is in reference to Davy Crocketts sidekick, George E. Russel played by Buddy Ebsen.
(15) Over on Tom Sawyer Island we see Toms Landing, Potters Windmill (named after Muff Potter, a friend of Injun Joe), Superstition Bridge, and Fort Langhorn. From 1973 to 1997 this outpost was named Fort Sam Clemens both in reference to Mark Twain whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Its interesting to note, the Imagineers misspelled his middle name on the fort, dropping the E.
(16) Just beyond Fort Langhorn is an abandoned cabin. For many years, real flames could be seen lapping at the logs and a settler was lying on his back out front with an arrow piercing his chest. Guests were told he was the victim of an unfriendly Indian attack. As sensibilities began to change toward Native Americans, the story was rewritten and we were told that the settler had passed out from his moonshine and his cabin was ablaze due to his still exploding. Today, the cabin sits deserted and the fire extinguished. Neither Captain Bixby nor Sam Clemmons even mention its existence as you pass by. Ive read that the flames were turned off during the Liberty Belles extensive rehab in 2005. By the time the ship was back in service, the gas pipes, originally installed in the early 70s, had deteriorated badly and it was decided not to replace them. Too bad. However, if you visit Tokyo Disneyland, their cabin still excites guests with real flames as they pass by on the Mark Twain.
(17) The next sight along the ride is an old gentleman sitting on the dock of his riverside shanty. This is Beacon Joe and he keeps track of the rivers occasional course changes and marks the river accordingly. Pay attention to Beacons dog. His head turns from left to right as a fish jumps out of the water.
(18) The river also has a number of buoys marking various locations along the journey. Shortly after passing Beacon Joes bait shop, we come to a Powhatan Indian settlement. When the movie Pocahontas was released, Disney wanted to add a tie-in for the Liberty Belle and the WDW Railroad. However, the Powhatans were primarily found in Virginia, not as far west as the Mississippi or Ohio Rivers. Captain Bixby explains this incongruity by mentioning that they must be following the abundance of wildlife found in this vicinity.
(19) Just past the Indian Village are their sacred burial grounds. Those who fall in battle are placed upon the traditional bed of death and after nightfall, the tribesmen will return to mourn the great warriors who brought honor to their families.
(20) A rather peaceful section of the river lies ahead until we come to Cut-Throat Corner and Wilsons Cave Inn. Here, river pirates hide away, waiting to attack a passing riverboat. But during our journey, its apparent that the scoundrels are celebrating and in no condition to ambush the Liberty Belle. Knowing Disney as I do, I knew there had to be a reason the name Wilson was selected, so I did a little research. I found that on the Ohio River in Illinois, a real location called Cave-In-Rock exists. After the Revolutionary War, this hideout became a lair for river pirates who attacked passing vessels. During the 1890s, Jim Wilson became synonymous with the cave, calling it home and stocking it with provisions and opening a business called Wilson's Liquor Vault and House of Entertainment. He would entice unsuspecting river travelers to his establishment, then rob them of their goods and usually kill them. This true story inspired an episode of the TV show Disneyland titled Davy Crockett and the River Pirates. As we return to civilization, our boat once again passes Fort Langhorn and Superstition Bridge.
(21) The last major sight we see along our passage is the Haunted Mansion. Sam Clemens tells us that this house was built on sacred Indian burial grounds and is filled with spirits. But he doubts this story and thinks the folks that told him the tale might be filled with 100-proof spirits.
I wish I was there, Have a Great Time. I don't get to go back till the Dec. Dis Dad trip
