Changes

Like many of the Magic Kingdom's opening day attractions, the Mike Fink Keel Boats actually got their start in Disneyland, where the attraction opened in late 1955<ref name= "dated"> https://waltdatedworld.com/id184.htm </ref>. The free-floating boats were based on the popular Davy Crockett, specifically the episodes "Davy Crockett's Keel Boat Race" and "Davy Crockett and the River Pirates"<ref> https://www.davelandweb.com/riversofamerica/keelboats.html </ref>.  As previously mentioned, the Mike Fink Keel Boats opened with the rest of the [[Magic Kingdom]] on October 1, 1971 <ref> https://d23.com/a-to-z/mike-fink-keel-boats/ </ref>. The two Keel Boats (named the Gullywhumper and Bertha May) boarded from a dock near the [[Haunted Mansion]] in [[Liberty Square]]. The Mike Keel Boats remained relatively unchanged until 2000, when the attraction's loading was moved to the former [[Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes]] dock in [[Frontierland]] <ref> This change can be seen on the 2000 Magic Kingdom Map ex https://twitter.com/GoAwayGreen/status/1301498221739606020/photo/1. Thank to How Bowers! </ref>. The move was short lived however, as on April 29, 2001 the Keel Boats were permanently closed <Ref> https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/mike-fink-keel-boats.htm </ref>.

* During Walt Disney World's pre-opening previews, on of the Keelboats Keel Boats (the Bertha Mae) was used to transport guests from the Ticket and Transportation Center to the Magic Kingdom<ref> http://progresscityusa.com/2013/12/08/beachin-bertha/ </ref>. * In the [[Jungle Skipper Canteen]], guests can find a book titled "Keel Boats of the Mississippi River" by Mike Fink <ref name="dated"/>. * To read a version of the Mike Fink Keel Boat narration [http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2007/02/mike-fink-keelboats.html Click Here]