Difference between pages "Ellen's Energy Adventure" and "Liberty Square Riverboat"

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Ellen's Energy Adventure is an attraction located in [[Epcot]].
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{{Template:Infobox Disney ride |
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| image=Libertyday.jpg
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{{Infobox Disney ride |
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| caption='''The Liberty Belle on the Rivers of America.'''
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| image=ellenexterior.jpg
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| land=Liberty Square
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| caption='''The exterior of Ellen's Energy Adventure'''
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| park= Magic Kingdom
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| opened= September 15, 1996
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| opened= October 2, 1971
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| theme= Energy
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| duration=25:00
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| duration=45:00
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|custom_label_1     = Previous Name
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| park= Epcot
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|custom_value_1     = Admiral Joe Fowler (October 2, 1971- Fall 1980) (Retired) <br> Admiral Richard F. Irvine (1973-1996)
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| land=Future World
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|custom_label_2= FastPass +
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| type= Film and Dark Ride
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|custom_value_2= No
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| vehicle_type= Theater seats
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| host= Ellen DeGeneres
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| custom_label_1= Formally Known As
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| custom_value_1= Ellen's Energy Crisis
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| custom_label_2= Also Known As
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| custom_value_2= Universe of Energy: Ellen's Energy Adventure
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| sponsor            = [[Exxon]] (1982-1996)
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}}
 
}}
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The Liberty Belle Riverboat is an attraction located in [[Liberty Square]].
 
==Attraction History==
 
==Attraction History==
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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>.
  
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Ellen's Energy Adventure replaced the [[World of Motion (attraction)]] on September 15, 1996. While the World of Motion took a more scientific approach to energy, Ellen's Energy Adventure had a much lighter tone. When Ellen's Energy Adventure was constructed, it used the same theaters that were used in the World of Motion. In fact, the attraction followed the same structure as it's predecessor, and it even reused the Dinosaur Diorama (although the dinosaurs were repainted and an Ellen DeGeneres Audio Animatronic was added). Ellen's Energy Adventure stars Ellen DeGeneres, Billy Nye, and Alex Trebek and Jamie Lee Curtis and the attraction follows Ellen as she competes on Jeopardy and learns about energy.  Since Disney could not use the actual Jeopardy set, a construction crew built a replica, although there are some minor differences.  
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Like many other Disneyland attractions, the Mark Twain Riverboat was selected to be duplicated for Walt Disney World. The East Coast version of the attraction was renamed the Admiral Joe Fowler in tribute to the man who had helped to create Disneyland and Walt Disney World (as well as the Riverboat attractions) <ref name="FowlerDatedWorld"> https://waltdatedworld.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. After the Joe Fowler Riverboat opened, live entertainment could often be found on the ship’s deck (due to the fact that there were not that many sights for guests to see on the Rivers of America) <ref name=FowlerDatedWorld/>.  
  
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Although the attraction has not seen many changes, it is important to note that when the attraction opened it was known as Ellen's Energy Crisis. Disney, not wanting to take a political stand quickly changed the name to Ellen's Energy Adventure. The only other real change came to the attraction in 2004, when ExxonMobile ended it's sponsorship of the pavilion.
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Since Walt Disney World did not yet have enough attractions to meet demand, in 1973 a second steamboat was built. Known as the Richard F. Irvine, the new steamboat was named after Richard Irvine who oversaw the planning and construction of Walt Disney World.  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/>. When they ran together, Liberty Square's riverboats were staggered in their departure times, so that when one boat was circling Tom Sawyer Island the other boat would be unloading and loading new guests.  
  
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==Attraction Summary==
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The first major change to the Liberty Square Riverboats came in 1980. Disaster struck the attraction when the hull of the Admiral Joe Fowler was badly damaged while entering a backlot, dry dock <ref> http://www.wdwradio.com/2007/09/liberty-square-riverboat/ </ref>. Although the circumstances of the accident are unclear, one source says that the hull was damaged while being lifted by a crane. Another source states however, that it was split while water was being drained from the dry dock. Either way, Disney decided that they would not repair the broken ship, and although the exact location of the ship’s hull and decks are unknown, we do know that the boats machinery was sent to Tokyo and used in their steamship <ref name= FowlerDatedWorld/> <ref> http://meettheworldinprogressland.blogspot.com/2010/02/walt-disney-world-steamboats-of-magic.html </ref>. Furthermore, the bell from the Admiral Joe Fowler was added to the #4 engine (the Roy O. Disney) on the [[Walt Disney World Railroad]].
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===Name Change===
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In 1996 (following a refurbishment) the Richard F. Irvine was renamed the Liberty Belle, and the attraction itself was renamed the Liberty Square Riverboat. The name change was done to both make the attraction's name easier to remember, and to tie the boat in with Liberty Square <ref name= Jack1/>. In order to keep the names of Joe Fowler and Richard Irvine alive in Walt Disney World, in 1999 two ferries that run from the Ticket and Transportation Center to the Magic Kingdom were renamed in their honor <ref> http://www.wcdept478.com/AbouttheFB.htm </ref>.
  
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Ellen's Energy Adventure is a 45 minute attraction with consists of four movies and a dark ride.  
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==Ship Structure==
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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, an outside wheelhouse, and the captain's quarters. Sometimes one lucky family is selected to ride the boat in the captain's quarters.  
  
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===Preshow Film===
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On the bottom deck of the boat, guests can see the ship's boiler and pistons. The lower deck is also the location of a recently added "viewing platform" <ref> http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2010/03/liberty_belle_riverboat_part_2.html </ref>. Located at the front of the ship, the platform allows guests to get great views of all the attraction's scenes.  Finally, on the top deck, guests get the best view of the various sights. There is also limited seating available here.
  
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As guests enter the attractions first room, they can see a dark movie screen on the wall. After everyone is in the room, Ellen DeGeneres walks onto the screen and begins to talk to the audience. Ellen introduces herself as the spokeswomen for the Universe of Energy, which she admits is somewhat surprising. Ellen tells guests that while she is an expert on a lot of things, not to long ago she could have cared less about energy. She says that one day everything changed as she was watching TV in her apartment. When she snaps her fingers (for a second time) we are transported back to her apartment, where we hear the TV announcer saying, "This is ... Jeopardy!". As Ellen is watching Jeopardy, her neighbor, Bill Nye the Science Guy walks in. Bill says he came over to borrow some foil for an experiment but soon enough he is watching the show with Ellen. The announcer tells guests that the first contestant is a professor of energy at Princeton University, named Dr. Judy Peterson. Ellen exclaims that Judy was her "know it all" roommate in college. Ellen claims that both Judy and energy are stupid, which Bill disagrees with before leaving. After Bill leaves, Ellen says that even if the universe needs energy, she doesn't, before she falls asleep.
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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>.
  
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At this point Ellen in the current time appears to tell guests that every time somebody takes a nap in front of the TV that means their going to have a dream. The scene then shifts to Ellen's dream (or nightmare), which has her appearing on Jeopardy along with Dr. Judy Peterson and Albert Einstein. Alex Trebek (the host of Jeopardy) then tells the contestants the categories, which all have to do with energy. After the end of the first round, Judy has $17,800 while Einstein has zero and Ellen has negative money. Although defeated, Ellen declares that since it is her dream she can still win. Bill Nye then appears (to meet Einstein) and agrees to teach Ellen about energy, by taking her back in time.  
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==Attraction Plot==
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[[Image:Jamie.jpg|thumb|200px|Judy Peterson, Ellen's rival on Jeopardy.]]
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[[Image:BeaconJOe.jpg|thumb|360px|Beacon Joe as seen from the Liberty Square Riverboat. Photo by Lauren Javier]]
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The Liberty Square Riverboat begins with the boats captain, Horace Bixby, making sure that everyone is aboard, before telling the crew to put the boat in motion. His leadsman then sounds off (to get a depth reading), before the engine room puts the boat in motion. Horace then addresses guests, saying:
  
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In total the preshow video is about 8 minutes long, following the video guests enter a theater where they are seated in one of six seating areas.
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{{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."}}
  
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===First Film===
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It turns out that this trip aboard the Liberty Belle is the 100th journey for young Sam Clemens, who claims to know the Rivers of America like the back of his hand. Before the Belle leaves port, Sam warns guests to stay behind the railings, as river pirates are known to lurk around these waters.
  
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After everyone is seated in the first theater, the theater turns 180 degrees so that it facing another large screen. Ellen and Bill are now standing in almost complete darkness. Although Ellen is confused, Bill explains that they are going to witness the Big Bang, which many scientists believe is how the universe started. Bill tells Ellen that they are about to witness how the universe formed, and that they should probably get out of the way. All of the sudden, the universe explodes and guests see a high speed depiction of how the Earth was created. In the scene, volcanoes erupt, mountains emerge, and vegetation covers the Earth. Bill then emerges from a jungle, and tells Ellen that they are "Two hundred twenty million years in the earth's past, give or take a day". When Ellen asks Bill where all the energy is, Bill explains that when the plants and animals they see around them die, "time, pressure and heat" will turn them into fossil fuels. Bill then says he wants to go explore, and while Ellen is at first hesitant, a dinosaur roaring convinces her to go.  
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The first sight that guests can see from the Liberty Belle is [[Frontierland]]. Sam comments that 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. Sam also mentions that the large peak in the town is known as [[Chick-A-Pin Hill]]. It seems that the dam atop the hill has burst, and people have begun to ride carved out logs over the ledge. Continuing on, the boat passes Sam's "old stomping ground", [[Tom Sawyer Island]]. Sam says that the only way to get to the island is by raft, before pointing out parts of the island including: Muff Potter's Pond, Harper's Mill, Tom's Landing, and Huck's Landing (it seems that Tom, Huck and Sam used to explore the island quite a bit while looking for adventure).
  
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The first theater film is approximately six minutes. After it concludes,  the theater seats break up into six ride vehicles and guests proceed into the next room.  
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Turning guest's attention port side, Sam next points out [[Big Thunder Mountain]], before giving guests a little bit of history behind the attraction. 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 they named the mountain “Big Thunder Mountain” because of the rain that would come from it. Later, when prospectors and settlers came to the area, the name stuck. Sam goes on to warn guests however, 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.  
  
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The first theater films
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As the boat continues its journey, the next sight that guests can see is Beacon Joe and his dog Rufus in front of his bait shop. Sam informs guests that Beacon Joe has been marking the river for as long as he can remember. Further down the bank, Powhatan Indians are gathering, and  Captain Bixby explains that although he has seen various Indian tribes, (including the Seminole, Black Feet, and Crow tribes) Powhatan Indians are not usually found this far west. Sam suggests that since there are so many animals in the area, they are simply following the food. [[Image:IndianVillage.jpg|thumb|380px|The Indian village as seen from the Liberty Square Riverboat. Photo by Daryl Mitchell]]
  
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===Primeval Diorama===
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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, and they called the ship a "fire canoe" and “comet of sun”.  Scenes in the village include Indians cooking, trading, washing, and also two kids working on canoes. Past the village, 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.
  
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When guests enter the Primeval Diorama scene, they can no longer see Ellen and Bill. They can however, hear both of their voices as they proceed through the scene. The first thing that guests hear is Ellen talking to a roaring dinosaur who she has mistaken for Bill. After Bill calls her over the two reunite and move with guests through the scene. In the Primeval scene, the first creatures that guests encounter are a giant millipede and Edaphosaurus. Further on, guests can see a giant Brotosauruses eating swamp plants who sneezes on guests. Nearby duck-billed Trachodons can be seen bathing  in small body of water.
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Further down the river, 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 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.  
  
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[[Image:Dinoellen.jpg|thumb|The Brotosauruses eating swamp plants.]]
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Before returning to port in [[Liberty Square]], the leadsman calls out one more time, and the Liberty Belle passes the [[Haunted Mansion]]. Sam 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 as the boat docks.
  
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Perhaps the most recognizable scene in the attraction features an Allosaurus and a Stegosaurus fighting on a cliff. Nearby Pteranodons are  perched around an erupting volcano. Guests can also see Ellen fighting off a Elasmosaurus with a stick. As she defends against the dinosaur she says:
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If you want to hear the Liberty Square Riverboat narration, click below:
  
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{{Quotation| "Don't make me use this thing! Stop it! You don't wanna eat me! I'll make you lose your appetite"}}
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<flashmp3>Liberty.mp3</flashmp3>
  
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Guests then leave the Audio Animatronic portion of the show, and they enter another theater. Here, the vehicles reassemble and guests listen to a radio broadcast.
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==Changes in the Script==
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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.  
  
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===Radio Broadcast===
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In 1992, the Powhatan Indians were added to the attraction in order to tie the ride in with the new Disney movie Pocahontas, as well as with the [[Walt Disney World Railroad]] <ref> http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2010/03/liberty_belle_riverboat_part_2.html </ref>
  
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After entering the theater, guests hear a radio broadcast. The broadcast says that the year is 55 million B.C. and Willard Scott says the forecast calls for a decrease in the dinosaur population and an increase in mammals. The radio also mentions that cockroach's are "two hundred million years old today", but an incoming comet might get rid of them. The radio announcer then calls for a traffic report, from which guests learn that the mammals are continuing to boom.  
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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>.
  
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The radio broadcast then changes to one million B.C. and guests learn that mammals are dominating the Earth, while Dinosaurs have gone extinct. Willard Scott then gives another weather broadcast which says that the Earth is getting colder and mammals need to cover themselves in fur. The broadcast then shifts to nine hundred thousand B.C. Here  guests learn that Wholly mammals, saber-tooth cats, and giant antlers have begun to appear. Willard then informs guests that the glaciers are receding and the planet is getting warmer and a new kind of mammal is soon to evolve. The radio broadcast then ends and guests watch another film.
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==Historical References On The Attraction==
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[[Image:Libertynarratorsjpg.jpeg|400px|thumb|Horace Bixby (left) and Samuel Clemens (right) serve as the narrators on the Liberty Square Riverboat]]
  
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===Second Film===
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*Sam Clemens the pilot on the Liberty Belle, is better known as American writer Mark Twain. Twain was known as a lover of 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.
  
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The second film begins with Bill Nye back in the jungle. While he is looking for Ellen, she swings behind him on a vine and begins protesting the whole adventure. Bill informs here that they are at the dawn of humanity, and a very important discovery is about to take place. Guests then see a caveman discovering fire. Following this discovery a montage of man's progress using various forms of energy (ie. wind, steam, and gasoline.) is shown. The montage ends with Bill and Ellen flying in a helicopter, with Ellen asserting that she is ready for Jeopardy. Bill tells her that she is not quite ready, and he begins to explain potential future sources of energy. Bill goes through solar, wind, hydroelectric, which all have their own problems. Bill also explains fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, and oil. He says that although these sources of energy will eventually run out, things like off shore drilling and satellites can help us find new sources. Bill and Ellen also discuss how nuclear and fusion energy could also be solutions. The two end up concluding that as long as we keep working on it, there should be lots of options in the future.
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*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 the captain in St. Louis. Twain talks about Captain Bixby in his book, "Life on the Mississippi" <ref> http://www.twainquotes.com/19020608.html </ref>.
  
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===Final Film===
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*Crates located on the banks of Frontierland have the name "Tell City Tool Co." on them. Tell City is real town located on the banks of the Mississippi River in Indiana. Tell City was one of the United States' first "planned cities", and attracted 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>.
  
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After completing her adventure, Ellen reappears on Jeopardy. As the contestants are about to enter Double Jeopardy, Judy informs Alex that although they were roommates, she called Ellen "stupid Ellen". With Ellen getting to make the first selection, she surprises everybody by getting a $1000 dinosaur question right. This propels Ellen on to a series of correct answers. At the end of Double Jeopardy Ellen is leading Judy, and Einstein still has no money. This means that only Judy and Ellen will be competing in "Final Jeopardy" with their topic being "Future Energy". Alex tells them that the Final Jeopardy question is, "This is the kind of energy that will never run out". As the Jeopardy music plays the announcer tells guests:
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*Wilson's Cave is a reference to the real river pirate Jim Wilson. In the 1790's Jim Wilson opened Wilson's Liqueur Vault on the Ohio River in Illinois. Wilson would lure guests into what is now known as the "Cave-In-Rock" cave, and rob or even kill them <ref> http://thesouthern.com/progress/section3/pirates-ruled-the-river-at-cave-in-rock/article_c7f2efcc-f411-11e0-a81c-001cc4c03286.html </ref>.  
  
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{{Quotation|If you would like to have your own energy nightmare, place a self-addressed, stamped envelope under your pillow, or check us out on the web at www.energynightmare.game}}
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*The Leadsman was a crew member who would call out the depth of the water, when the water got shallow. One fathom equals six feet, two fathoms equal Mark Twain (on the attraction at least)<ref> http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/marktwain.htm </ref>.
  
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As the contestants finish their answers the Jeopardy announcer tells the audience that, "Some contestants on Jeopardy! will receive a year's supply of energy. Energy, you make the world go 'round.". "Energy You Make the World Go 'Round", is a not so subtle reference to the theme song of the [[World of Motion attraction]] that Ellen's Energy Adventure replaced.
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==Sam Clemens' Sayings==
  
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When Alex asks Judy for her answer she tells him that she wrote nothing down because their is no right answer. Alex informs Judy that her answer is incorrect, and that since she bet all her money, she will finish with nothing. Ellen ends up winning with a total of $35,000, and she says goodbye before the film ends.
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Throughout the narration on the Liberty Belle, Sam Clemens gives various philosophical sayings. Although these phrases were not actually spoken by Mark Twain, they are written to give the character a similar personality. Sayings Sam Clemens says on the attraction include:
  
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==Cast==
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*"Well now I always figure it is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid, then to open it and remove all doubt."
  
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'''Ellen DeGeneres'''- Herself
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*"It seems to me that when I was younger, I could remember everything whether it happened or not. But as I grow older I seem to  remember only the things that never happened at all."
  
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'''Bill Nye'''- Himself
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*All my life it seems I could never tell a lie that anybody could doubt, nor a truth that anybody could believe."
  
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'''Alex Trebek'''- Himself
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*"Believe me when I tell you, truth is the most valuable thing we have, so I make sure I only use it with economy."
  
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'''Jamie Lee Curtis'''- Judy Peterson
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*"I was born humble captain, but mostly it's worn off."
  
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'''Johnny Gilbert'''- Jeopardy (announcer)
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*"I believe we ought never to do wrong captain, especially when others are looking."
  
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'''Michael Richards'''- Caveman
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*"My feeling is these days there's a lot less frontier and a lot more civilization than is truly necessarily."
  
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==Script==
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==Trivia==
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*One of the crates on the Frontierland bank says "71" in honor of the year the Magic Kingdom opened.
  
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To read the complete Ellen's Energy Adventure script see: [[Script: Ellen's Energy Adventure]]
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*Another crate says Russel’s Falls, 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>.
  
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==Trivia==
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*An Audio Animatronic dog outside of Beaker Joe's will turn its head as a fish jumps by.
  
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* The helicopter that Bill and Ellen fly in can be seen at [[Disney's Hollywood Studios]] in the [[Backlot Tour]].
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*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>
  
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* In case you were wondering, www.energynightmare.game is not a real website.
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* Inside the Liberty Belle's Salon, you can find a copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by the attraction's narrator Samuel Clemens.
  
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* The largest screen in the attraction stretches to  210 feet!
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==Watch the Attraction!==
  
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* Ellen DeGeneres can also be heard on [[The Sea's With Nemo & Friends attraction]] playing Dory the fish.  
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If you want to see the sights that the Liberty Square Riverboat has to offer, click below. The narration is not included in the video.
  
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* Both the Universe of Energy and Ellen's Energy Adventure have a run time of 45 minutes! This makes Ellen's Energy Adventure the longest ride in Walt Disney World.
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{{#ev:youtube|lQ4zeBzfJuw|420}}
  
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==Official Website==
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https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/magic-kingdom/liberty-square-riverboat/
 
==References==
 
==References==
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http://www.lostepcot.com/universeofenergy.html
 

Revision as of 18:41, 14 June 2021

Liberty Square Riverboat
Libertyday.jpg
The Liberty Belle on the Rivers of America.
Magic Kingdom
Land Liberty Square
Opening date October 2, 1971
Ride duration 25:00 minutes
Previous Name Admiral Joe Fowler (October 2, 1971- Fall 1980) (Retired)
Admiral Richard F. Irvine (1973-1996)
FastPass + No

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 [1]. 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 [1]. 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) [1] [2].

Like many other Disneyland attractions, the Mark Twain Riverboat was selected to be duplicated for Walt Disney World. The East Coast version of the attraction was renamed the Admiral Joe Fowler in tribute to the man who had helped to create Disneyland and Walt Disney World (as well as the Riverboat attractions) [3]. Although not quite ready for opening day, the Joe Fowler Riverboat opened one day after the park, on October 2, 1971. After the Joe Fowler Riverboat opened, live entertainment could often be found on the ship’s deck (due to the fact that there were not that many sights for guests to see on the Rivers of America) [3].

Since Walt Disney World did not yet have enough attractions to meet demand, in 1973 a second steamboat was built. Known as the Richard F. Irvine, the new steamboat was named after Richard Irvine who oversaw the planning and construction of Walt Disney World. 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 [1]. When they ran together, Liberty Square's riverboats were staggered in their departure times, so that when one boat was circling Tom Sawyer Island the other boat would be unloading and loading new guests.

The first major change to the Liberty Square Riverboats came in 1980. Disaster struck the attraction when the hull of the Admiral Joe Fowler was badly damaged while entering a backlot, dry dock [4]. Although the circumstances of the accident are unclear, one source says that the hull was damaged while being lifted by a crane. Another source states however, that it was split while water was being drained from the dry dock. Either way, Disney decided that they would not repair the broken ship, and although the exact location of the ship’s hull and decks are unknown, we do know that the boats machinery was sent to Tokyo and used in their steamship [3] [5]. Furthermore, the bell from the Admiral Joe Fowler was added to the #4 engine (the Roy O. Disney) on the Walt Disney World Railroad.

Name Change

In 1996 (following a refurbishment) the Richard F. Irvine was renamed the Liberty Belle, and the attraction itself was renamed the Liberty Square Riverboat. The name change was done to both make the attraction's name easier to remember, and to tie the boat in with Liberty Square [1]. In order to keep the names of Joe Fowler and Richard Irvine alive in Walt Disney World, in 1999 two ferries that run from the Ticket and Transportation Center to the Magic Kingdom were renamed in their honor [6].

Ship Structure

The Liberty Belle Riverboat is a three deck working steamship that has a maximum capacity of 450 people [7]. Guests enter the ship on the middle deck, which features a sitting room, an outside wheelhouse, and the captain's quarters. Sometimes one lucky family is selected to ride the boat in the captain's quarters.

On the bottom deck of the boat, guests can see the ship's boiler and pistons. The lower deck is also the location of a recently added "viewing platform" [8]. Located at the front of the ship, the platform allows guests to get great views of all the attraction's scenes. Finally, on the top deck, guests get the best view of the various sights. There is also limited seating available here.

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 [9].

Attraction Plot

Beacon Joe as seen from the Liberty Square Riverboat. Photo by Lauren Javier

The Liberty Square Riverboat begins with the boats captain, Horace Bixby, making sure that everyone is aboard, before telling the crew to put the boat in motion. His leadsman then sounds off (to get a depth reading), before the engine room puts the boat in motion. Horace then addresses guests, saying:

"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."

It turns out that this trip aboard the Liberty Belle is the 100th journey for young Sam Clemens, who claims to know the Rivers of America like the back of his hand. Before the Belle leaves port, Sam warns guests to stay behind the railings, as river pirates are known to lurk around these waters.

The first sight that guests can see from the Liberty Belle is Frontierland. Sam comments that 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. Sam also mentions that the large peak in the town is known as Chick-A-Pin Hill. It seems that the dam atop the hill has burst, and people have begun to ride carved out logs over the ledge. Continuing on, the boat passes Sam's "old stomping ground", Tom Sawyer Island. Sam says that the only way to get to the island is by raft, before pointing out parts of the island including: Muff Potter's Pond, Harper's Mill, Tom's Landing, and Huck's Landing (it seems that Tom, Huck and Sam used to explore the island quite a bit while looking for adventure).

Turning guest's attention port side, Sam next points out Big Thunder Mountain, before giving guests a little bit of history behind the attraction. 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 they named the mountain “Big Thunder Mountain” because of the rain that would come from it. Later, when prospectors and settlers came to the area, the name stuck. Sam goes on to warn guests however, 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.

As the boat continues its journey, the next sight that guests can see is Beacon Joe and his dog Rufus in front of his bait shop. Sam informs guests that Beacon Joe has been marking the river for as long as he can remember. Further down the bank, Powhatan Indians are gathering, and Captain Bixby explains that although he has seen various Indian tribes, (including the Seminole, Black Feet, and Crow tribes) Powhatan Indians are not usually found this far west. Sam suggests that since there are so many animals in the area, they are simply following the food.
The Indian village as seen from the Liberty Square Riverboat. Photo by Daryl Mitchell

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, and they called the ship a "fire canoe" and “comet of sun”. Scenes in the village include Indians cooking, trading, washing, and also two kids working on canoes. Past the village, 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 the river, 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 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 port in Liberty Square, the leadsman calls out one more time, and the Liberty Belle passes the Haunted Mansion. Sam 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 as the boat docks.

If you want to hear the Liberty Square Riverboat narration, click below:

Changes in the Script

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.

In 1992, the Powhatan Indians were added to the attraction in order to tie the ride in with the new Disney movie Pocahontas, as well as with the Walt Disney World Railroad [10]

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 [11]. 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 [12].

Historical References On The Attraction

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 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 the captain in St. Louis. Twain talks about Captain Bixby in his book, "Life on the Mississippi" [13].
  • Crates located on the banks of Frontierland have the name "Tell City Tool Co." on them. Tell City is real town located on the banks of the Mississippi River in Indiana. Tell City was one of the United States' first "planned cities", and attracted 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 [14].
  • Wilson's Cave is a reference to the real river pirate Jim Wilson. In the 1790's Jim Wilson opened Wilson's Liqueur Vault on the Ohio River in Illinois. Wilson would lure guests into what is now known as the "Cave-In-Rock" cave, and rob or even kill them [15].
  • The Leadsman was a crew member who would call out the depth of the water, when the water got shallow. One fathom equals six feet, two fathoms equal Mark Twain (on the attraction at least)[16].

Sam Clemens' Sayings

Throughout the narration on the Liberty Belle, Sam Clemens gives various philosophical sayings. Although these phrases were not actually spoken by Mark Twain, they are written to give the character a similar personality. Sayings Sam Clemens says on the attraction include:

  • "Well now I always figure it is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid, then to open it and remove all doubt."
  • "It seems to me that when I was younger, I could remember everything whether it happened or not. But as I grow older I seem to remember only the things that never happened at all."
  • All my life it seems I could never tell a lie that anybody could doubt, nor a truth that anybody could believe."
  • "Believe me when I tell you, truth is the most valuable thing we have, so I make sure I only use it with economy."
  • "I was born humble captain, but mostly it's worn off."
  • "I believe we ought never to do wrong captain, especially when others are looking."
  • "My feeling is these days there's a lot less frontier and a lot more civilization than is truly necessarily."

Trivia

  • 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, this crate is named after Davy Crockett's sidekick George E. Russel[17].
  • 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). [18]
  • 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 Square Riverboat has to offer, click below. The narration is not included in the video.

Official Website

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/magic-kingdom/liberty-square-riverboat/

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2010/03/liberty_belle_riverboat_part_1_1.html
  2. ↑ http://www.mouseplanet.com/guide/308/Disneyland-Resort/Disneyland-Park/Frontierland/Mark-Twain-Riverboat
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 https://waltdatedworld.com/id141.html
  4. ↑ http://www.wdwradio.com/2007/09/liberty-square-riverboat/
  5. ↑ http://meettheworldinprogressland.blogspot.com/2010/02/walt-disney-world-steamboats-of-magic.html
  6. ↑ http://www.wcdept478.com/AbouttheFB.htm
  7. ↑ http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/guides/magickingdom/lib-riverboat.htm
  8. ↑ http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2010/03/liberty_belle_riverboat_part_2.html
  9. ↑ http://www.disneydining.com/7-amazing-features-of-the-liberty-square-riverboat/
  10. ↑ http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2010/03/liberty_belle_riverboat_part_2.html
  11. ↑ http://www.yesterland.com/burningcabin.html
  12. ↑ http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/new-smoking-settlers-cabin-formerly-burning-as-seen-from-liberty-belle-riverboat.887061/
  13. ↑ http://www.twainquotes.com/19020608.html
  14. ↑ http://www.williamtellantiques.com/history-of-tell-city.html
  15. ↑ http://thesouthern.com/progress/section3/pirates-ruled-the-river-at-cave-in-rock/article_c7f2efcc-f411-11e0-a81c-001cc4c03286.html
  16. ↑ http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/marktwain.htm
  17. ↑ http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2010/03/liberty_belle_riverboat_part_2.html
  18. ↑ http://www.wdwradio.com/2014/10/show-382-rivers-america-virtual-trip-history-details-recorded-live-walt-disney-world/
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