Changes
/* Changes in the Script */
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|custom_value_1 = Admiral Joe Fowler (October 2, 1971- Fall 1980) (Retired) <br> Admiral Richard F. Irvine (1973-1996)|custom_label_2= FastPass +|custom_value_2= No
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The Liberty Belle Riverboat is an attraction located in [[Liberty Square]].
==Attraction History==
The Liberty Square Riverboat is one of the few attractions that can trace its history back to before Walt Disney even created Disneyland. In fact, Walt Disney initially came up with an idea for a "Mississippi Steamboat" attraction to be housed at the Disney Studio in Burbank, California <ref name="Jack1"> http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2010/03/liberty_belle_riverboat_part_1_1.html</ref>. Although it was soon apparent that the Burbank Studio did not have the land necessarily to build the attraction, the idea was carried over to Disneyland. In order to create the riverboat attraction (which was soon called the Mark Twain Riverboat) Disney had to construct the first American made, working steamboat in 50 years <ref name="Jack1" />. With funds coming directly from Walt himself, Admiral Joe Fowler oversaw the construction of both the attraction's riverboat and dry dock (located in the Rivers of America). The Mark Twain itself was built in two separate pieces, with the hull being constructed in San Pedro, California and deck being built at the Disney Studios in Burbank. Finally, the ship was put together in Disneyland (with the pieces fitting together perfectly) and The Mark Twin Riverboat was up and running on July 17, 1955 (the opening day of Disneyland) <ref name=Jack1 /> <ref> http://www.mouseplanet.com/guide/308/Disneyland-Resort/Disneyland-Park/Frontierland/Mark-Twain-Riverboat </ref>. [[Image:AdmrilJoeFowler.jpg|thumb|400px|The Admiral Joe Fowler sailed on the Rivers of America from 1971 until 1980]]
Like many other Disneyland attractions, the Mark Twain Riverboat was selected to be duplicated for the unopened Walt Disney World. The riverboat East Coast version of the attraction was renamed the Admiral Joe Fowler, in tribute to the man who had helped to create both Disneyland and Walt Disney World(as well as the Riverboat attractions) <ref name="FowlerDatedWorld"> https://waltdatedworld. The com/id141.html</ref>. Although not quite ready for opening day, the Joe Fowler Riverboat opened one day after the park , on October 2, 1971. Due After the Joe Fowler Riverboat opened, live entertainment could often be found on the ship’s deck (due to the fact that their there were not much that many sights for guests to see on the Rivers of America in Walt Disney World, live entertainment could often be found on the ships deck) <ref name=FowlerDatedWorld/>.
Since Walt Disney World did not yet have enough attractions to meet demand, in 1973 a second steamboat was built, known . Known as the Richard F. Irvine. The , the new steamboat was named after Richard Irvine who oversaw the planning and construction of Walt Disney World. The Besides their names, the only difference between the two steamboats was that Admiral Joe Fowler had two smokestacks, while the Richard F. Irvine only had one<ref name= Jack1/>. The two steamboats When they ran together, Liberty Square's riverboats were staggered in there their departure times, so that when one boat was circling Tom Sawyer's Island the other boat would be unloading and loading new guests.
==Ship Structure==
The Liberty Belle Riverboat is a three deck working steamship that has a maximum capacity of 450 people<ref> http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/guides/magickingdom/lib-riverboat.htm </ref>. Guests enter the ship on the middle deck, which features a sitting room, and an outside wheelhouse , and the captains captain's quarters. Sometimes one lucky family is selected to ride the boat in the captains captain's quarters.
Although a functioning steamship, the Liberty Square Riverboat is guided on an "I-beam" track that is hidden by the Rivers of America's murky water. The boat is also staffed by two crew members. The ride operator, who sits on the ship's top deck where he rings the bell, triggers the narration and blows the whistle. Down in the ship's boiler room, the engineer controls the ship's speed. As previously noted, the Liberty Square Riverboat is a working steamship, and thus the boat is propelled by the paddle wheel that is itself propelled by the steam engine <ref> http://www.disneydining.com/7-amazing-features-of-the-liberty-square-riverboat/ </ref>.
==Attraction Plot==
[[Image:BeaconJOe.jpg|thumb|360px|Beacon Joe as seen from the Liberty Square Riverboat. Photo by Lauren Javier| alt= Beacon Joe Magic Kingdom]]The attraction Liberty Square Riverboat begins with the boats captain, Horace Bixby , making sure that everyone is aboard, all cargo is secure and before telling the crew to put the boat in motion. His leadsman then to sound sounds off, and (to get a depth reading. Finally ), before the engine room puts the boat in motion and . Horace Bixby then addresses the guests, saying:
{{Quotation| "Welcome aboard the Liberty Belle, I'm your captain Horace Bixby and my pilot with me here on the Texas Deck is a young cub that goes by the name of Samuel Clemens."}}
The first sight that guests can see from the Liberty Belle, is Fronteirland[[Frontierland]]. Sam comments that Fronteirland Frontierland was once just a boom town, and although there are still a few trappers, prospectors , and Indians, the town is well on its way to becoming a big city. He Sam also mentions that the large peak in the town is known as [[Chick-A-Pin Hill, or at least was]]. It seems that the dam atop the hill has burst, and people have begun to ride carved out logs over the ledge. NextContinuing on, the boat passes Sam's "old stomping ground", [[Tom Sawyers Sawyer Island]]. Sam says that the only way to get to the island is by raft, and he points before pointing out points parts of interest the island including, : Muff Potters Potter's Pond, Harper's Mill, Tom's Landing, and Huck's Landing. It (it seems that Tom, Huck and Sam used to explore the island quite a bit while looking for adventure).
Turning guests guest's attention port side, Sam next points out [[Big Thunder Mountain]], before giving guests a little bit of history behind the attraction. It seems Sam explains that the water gets so hot over by the attraction that geysers erupt. Indians used to the think that the geysers were spirits, and the also they named the mountain, Big “Big Thunder Mountain Mountain” because of the rain that would come from it. When Later, when prospectors and settlers came to the area and were blasting in the mountain, the name stuck. Sam does goes on to warn guestshowever, that there has not been blasting in the mountain in some time. Instead , all he hears now are ghost stories about spirits and runaway mine trains.
Continuing on, the boat passes an unidentified Indian village. The captain informs guest that the Indians were not sure what to make of the steamboat originally. The , and they called the ship a "fire canoe" and comet “comet of sunsun”. Scenes in the village include Indians cooking, trading, washing , and also two kids working on canoes. Past the village is , guests see the Indian burial ground where the captain explains that the Indians lay their dead warriors on a "Bed of Death" and mourn them after nightfall.
Further down theriver, the Liberty Belle reaches Cutthroat Corner. Sam tells riders that Cutthroat Corner, is the most likely place to find river pirates. Sure enough, pirates can be heard coming from Wilson's Cave. ; however Sam tells guests however gusts that based on the sounds coming out of the cave, "their interests lie elsewhere". Looking back towards Tom Sawyer Island, guests can see Fort Laghorn, which Sam explains began as a trading post before becoming a port.
Before returning to portin [[Liberty Square]], the leadsman calls out one more time , and the Liberty Belle passes the [[Haunted Mansion]]. Sam says informs guests that rumor has it that the mansion was built on Indian burial ground, and now 999 ghosts haunt it. He says however, that he does not believe in these stories, (insinuating that the people who say they've seen ghosts , have been drinking). Finally , the Liberty Belle reaches port and Sam and Captain Bixby say goodbye and dock as the boatdocks.
If you want to hear the Liberty Belle Square Riverboat narration , click below:
<flashmp3>Liberty.mp3</flashmp3>
==Changes in the Script==
[[Image:Burningcabin.jpg|thumb|400px|The original burning cabin scene featuring he Indian attack.| Liberty Square Burning Cabin Indian attack]]
The narration aboard the Liberty Belle has grown and changed with the expansion of Frontierland. References to [[Tom Sawyer Island]], [[Splash Mountain]], and [[Big Thunder Mountain Railroad]] have all been added to the script since Riverboats opened.
Before 2005, a burning cabin was seen beyond Fort Langhorn. Here guests would see the cabin on fire, and a settler lying on the ground with an arrow through him. The narration would comment on how the settler was a victim of an Indian attack. Later, the scene was changed so that the arrow was removed, and the narration commented that the settler had drank too much moonshine. Finally, in 2005 the effect was removed altogether, due to corrosion in the pipes that created the effect <ref> http://www.yesterland.com/burningcabin.html </ref>. Now when the Liberty Belle passes by, the cabin is deserted and no mention of it is made. In 2014, a new effect was added to the cabin, so that it now looks like it is smoking. Although this creates the illusion that the cabin is on fire, actual flames are now longer used in the effect <ref> http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/new-smoking-settlers-cabin-formerly-burning-as-seen-from-liberty-belle-riverboat.887061/ </ref>.
==Historical References On The Attraction==
[[Image:Libertynarratorsjpg.jpeg|400px|thumb|Horace Bixby (left) and Samuel Clemens (right) serve as the narrators on the Liberty Square Riverboat]]
*Sam Clemens the pilot on the Liberty Belle , is better known as American writer Mark Twain. Twain was known as a lover of steamship's steamships (specifically those on the Mississippi River, ) and did actually captain some steamships himself. In Disneyland, the attraction is known as the Mark Twain Riverboat. *Captain Horace Bixby, the Liberty Belle's captain was a real steamboat captain on the Mississippi. Horace Bixby and Sam Clemens met aboard the Paul Jones (a steamboat), and Bixby agreed to take Sam on as his apprentice. Some 21 years after this meeting, the now famous Mark Twain reunited with Captain in St. Louis. Twain talks about Captain Bixby in his book, "Life on the Mississippi".
*Crates located on Captain Horace Bixby, the banks of Frontierland have the name "Tell City Tool Co." on them. Tell City is Liberty Belle's captain, was a real town located steamboat captain on the banks of the Mississippi River in Indiana. Tell City was one of Horace Bixby and Sam Clemens met aboard the United States first "planned cities"Paul Jones (a steamboat), and attracted many settlers with free landBixby agreed to take Sam on as his apprentice. The only stipulation for Some 21 years after this meeting, the now famous Mark Twain reunited with the land, was that settlers had to build a house worth at least $125captain in St.000Louis. In the early days of the townTwain talks about Captain Bixby in his book, steamship was "Life on the only mode of transportation, so the town was an obvious choice for addition to the attractionMississippi" <ref> http://www.twainquotes.com/19020608.html </ref>.
*Wilson's Cave is a reference to Crates located on the real river pirate Jim Wilson. In banks of Frontierland have the 1790's Jim Wilson opened Wilson's Liqueur Vault name "Tell City Tool Co." on them. Tell City is real town located on the Ohio banks of the Mississippi River in IllinoisIndiana. Wilson would lure guests into what is now known as Tell City was one of the United States' first "Cave-In-Rockplanned cities" cave, and rob or even kill themattracted many settlers with free land. The only stipulation for the land was that settlers had to build a house worth at least $125. In the early days of the town, steamship was the only mode of transportation available, so the town was an obvious choice for addition to the attraction <ref> http://www.williamtellantiques.com/history-of-tell-city.html </ref>.
*The Leadsman, was Wilson's Cave is a crew member who would call out reference to the depth of real river pirate Jim Wilson. In the water, when 1790's Jim Wilson opened Wilson's Liqueur Vault on the water got shallowOhio River in Illinois. One fathom equals six feetWilson would lure guests into what is now known as the "Cave-In-Rock" cave, two fathoms equal Mark Twain (on and rob or even kill them <ref> http://thesouthern.com/progress/section3/pirates-ruled-the attraction -river-at least)-cave-in-rock/article_c7f2efcc-f411-11e0-a81c-001cc4c03286.html </ref>.
==Sam Clemens' Sayings==
*"Well now I always figure it is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid, then to open it and remove all doubt."
*One of the crates on the Frontierland bank says "71" in honor of the year the Magic Kingdom opened.
*Another crate says Russel’s Falls, the this crate is named after Davy Crockett's sidekick George E. Russel<ref> http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2010/03/liberty_belle_riverboat_part_2.html </ref>.
*An Audio Animatronic dog outside of Beaker Joe's will turn its head as a fish jumps by.
*The Liberty Belle Riverboat's landing building is one of the few buildings in the Magic Kingdom that does not use forced perspective. This may have been done to hide the riverboat itself from guests in Liberty Square (where a steam powered riverboat would not fit the land's theming). <ref> http://www.wdwradio.com/2014/10/show-382-rivers-america-virtual-trip-history-details-recorded-live-walt-disney-world/ </ref>
* Inside the Liberty Belle's Salon, you can find a copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by the attraction's narrator Samuel Clemens.
==Watch the Attraction!==
If you want to see the sights that the Liberty Belle Square Riverboat has to offer, click below. The narration is not included in the video.
{{#ev:youtube|lQ4zeBzfJuw|420}}
==Official Website==
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/magic-kingdom/liberty-square-riverboat/
==References==