How many years since you rode the sternwheeler on the Rivers of America?

[disneydoug]

We hadn't been on the boat for 6 or 7 years and then rode it during a Pirate and Princess party in 2007.

Doug

[GrmGrninGost]

We try to ride at least once each vacation! It's so relaxing I just can't stay away! :mickey:

[TheMartellFamily]

5 years. Last time we were on it there was a monsoon rainstorm as we started on it. It was raining so hard that anywhere on the ride you got wet since it was so windy too. When we finally go off the ride we were walking towards Frontierland and the walkway was flooded.

[Mad About Mickey]

Haven't been on since the Mid '80's. Once they started opening the other disney parks I started skipping some of the original MK attractions due to not having enough time. I am taking the family this December and we are staying 8 days and we are taking 3 days for the Magic Kingdom. This way our children will get to experience all of the MK magic like my wife and I did as children. We are really excited about ridding the sternwheeler, visting Tom Sawyer's Island, The Carousel of Progress, and the Country Bear Jamboree all attractions that we haven't been to in 20 years. To bad they closed 20,000 leauges before we got that one last ride.

[Gottaluvgoof]

Have never in 10 trips been on it. It was one of my "must dos" last trip, but when I didn't see any seating on it, I passed it up. Does everyone have to stand on that thing? Standing is not something I want to do on an attraction in Disney World.

[alilprincessmom99]

Believe it or not, in the many, many trips that I have taken, I have never ridden on it! I guess I will have to make that a must do on my next trip.

[Polynesian Dweller]

You ask great questions! Wow, its been a long time for this one, more than 5 years, not even sure its been in this decade.

[Seasonscraps]

I think I was on it last year. It's a nice afternoon break for us but it seemed to be under rehab or refurbishment for a while before then.

[disney323]

At least 10 yrs. I Have not gone on it with my wife, but i did go with an old girlfriend back in the mid 90's

[CaptSmee]

We always ride the boat once or twice per trip. It's a nice diversion on a hot day:mickey:

[disneydoug]

Thank you Polynesian Dweller!

I'm glad to see that we aren't the only ones who seem to 'walk right on by'.

Doug

[IloveDisney71]

Ummm...I don't think I've ridden it since I was about 10 years old or so...so that would be about 25 or more years for me. Wow! I don't even remember riding it then, except that I think I have a picture of myself on it. ? I guess I'll have to check it out again during a future visit.
Can anyone refresh my memory about this attraction?

[faline]

We usually ride it every trip!

[Main Street Jim]

There's *some* very limited seating on the lower front deck.

Heck, I just rode it last night ;) We try to ride it about every other time we're in the park. It's a *fantastic* relaxing ride, especially at dusk as the lights are coming on ;)

If you *do* PLAN on riding it, though, keep a few things in mind:

Check the Park Times Guide for operating hours for the Liberty Belle. I believe their last run is one hour before fireworks (or so), just like the steam trains.

The boat leaves on the hour and half hour, and is about a 17-minute trip.

No strollers are permitted on the Liberty Belle. You park your stroller(s) at the exits.

:thumbsup:

[Mousemates]

So long I can't remember...seems we were going to ride a trip or two back, butit was being rehabbed...will probably give it a go in a couple weeks though.

[kakn7294]

We ride it once a trip. The only time we missed it was in Sept 2005 when it was closed for refurb.

[AHOTE]

Wow, it's been a long long time. Its' one of the attractions I never think about when I'm there. It's just background for Liberty Square. I remember going to WDW with my dad's cousin in the early 70's. The Magic Kingdom was all that was there. He was an engineer who had worked as part of a team to design and build the first river boat, the Admiral Joe Fowler. (Later it was either replaced with a new ship or renamed after a rehab, the Richard Ervine. I'm not fully up on the history.) :confused: If memory serves me right it was built on property in a drydock. At that time it was the first rocking beam engine build from scratch in almost 100 years. We got a back stage tour of the engine compartment below deck and we got to ride in the wheelhouse. I got to pull the handle to the steam whistle at the start of the trip, one long and one short blast. Every time I see the Liberty Belle I remember that day and that special trip. I watch it leave the dock but I haven't been on it since that day. Maybe this next trip I'll slow things down a bit take the time for a ride.

[Von-Drake]

From what I understand My parents told me I rode it when I was very young, but I have no memory of it at all. I would love to try it again, maybe when my son gets a little older I will give it a try.

[#1donaldfan]

I've never really thought about it till now.....we've NEVER been on it !!! ?? !!!

Don't know why, we just always seem in a hurry n just skip it....

.....maybe on our December trip we'll try n get on it....:cool:

[Aggie97]

Probably Nov. 2001.... :mickey:

[Marker]

I haven't ridden it since April.

I love that ride. Sit back, relax, and just enjoy a little time as you watch "THE WORLD" go by.

There's a lot more to WDW than thrills and hurrying everywhere.

[mickey&missy]

The first and only time I rode it was my first trip as a kid in 1987

[Imagineer1981]

boy this is sad...20 years

[Main Street Jim]

It''s just background for Liberty Square.??? Wow...really? Like Haunted Mansion is "just background"? To me, the Liberty Belle is an integral part of Liberty Square, as much as a part of the park. I absolutely *LOVE* hearing that whistle around the park!


He was an engineer who had worked as part of a team to design and build the first river boat, the Admiral Joe Fowler. (Later it was either replaced with a new ship or renamed after a rehab, the Richard Ervine. I'm not fully up on the history.) If memory serves me right it was built on property in a drydock. At that time it was the first rocking beam engine build from scratch in almost 100 years. We got a back stage tour of the engine compartment below deck and we got to ride in the wheelhouse. I got to pull the handle to the steam whistle at the start of the trip, one long and one short blast. Every time I see the Liberty Belle I remember that day and that special trip. I watch it leave the dock but I haven't been on it since that day. Maybe this next trip I'll slow things down a bit take the time for a ride.The Irvine and the Fowler were actually two separate boats. The "rocking beam" engines you're referring to were not on the riverboats in the Magic Kingdom, but in two sidewheelers built for transportation to and from the Magic Kingdom from the Bay Lake/Seven Seas Lagoon resorts. The riverboat(s) has/have "normal" steam engines.

The Liberty Belle is/was the Irvine after a rehab. The Fowler was sunk after the hull was damaged.

As far as guests in the wheelhouse go, no longer. I have some great pics of my kids there, but guests are no longer permitted past the door into the cabin.

[AHOTE]

[QUOTE=Main Street Jim;1653275]??? Wow...really? Like Haunted Mansion is "just background"? To me, the Liberty Belle is an integral part of Liberty Square, as much as a part of the park. I absolutely *LOVE* hearing that whistle around the park![QUOTE]

The whistle does have a magic all it's own and I too listen for its sound. :thanks: Thanks, Jim, for setting an old :old: man straight. It's been almost 35 years and memories aren't always as accurate as I might hope they'd be. Any info on how the Fowler was lost? PM me if you'd like. :tiphat:

[bruin1344]

sometime in the early 1990s, i can barely remember it

[diz_girl]

Not since I was a kid, so we're talking probably not since 1985 or before. This is one of those rides, like the Treehouse and Jungle Cruise, that my mother did once and didn't want to ride them again, so we rarely did since she's a control freak and pushy. My first trip with just DH and I (2005) we did the Treehouse and this past trip (2007) we did the Jungle Cruise (it had a big line on our 2005 trip, so I didn't ride it then.)

Now that I'll have my little guy with us, I'll be sure to take a trip on it, like I'll be sure to do the Treehouse, Jungle Cruise and Country Bears. Maybe we'll do the Tiki Room too, we'll see how DS likes it.

One ride that I never miss is the TTA. It's great at dusk.