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/* Attraction Plot */
{{Template:Infobox Disney ride |
| image= LibertySquare3Libertyday.jpg| caption='''The Liberty Square Riverboat in Liberty Square (Photo: Disney)Belle on the Rivers of America.''' | themeland=Colonial AmericaLiberty Square
| park= Magic Kingdom
| opened=October 12, 1971| duration=25:00| custom_label_1 = Number of AttractionsPrevious Name| custom_value_1 = Three Admiral Joe Fowler (October 2, 1971- Fall 1980) (Retired) <br> Admiral Richard F. Irvine (1973-1996)|custom_label_2= FastPass +|custom_value_2= No}}The Liberty Square Belle Riverboat is land inside the an attraction located in [[Magic KingdomLiberty Square]].==Attraction History==The concept of Liberty Square began as an expansion idea for Riverboat is one of the few attractions that can trace its history back to before Walt Disney even created Disneyland known as Liberty Street. Spearheaded by In fact, Walt Disney, Liberty Street was to be initially came up with an idea for a road that ran parallel to Main Street USA <Ref name= "mouseplanetMississippi Steamboat"/>. The new area was attraction to be set during housed at the era of the Revolutionary War and it would have featured colonial architecture and a cobblestone road. In factDisney Studio in Burbank, some designs for the street featured 13 buildings, one representing each of the original colonies California <Ref ref name= "hillJack1"> http://jimhillmedialand.comallears.net/editor_in_chief1blogs/bjackspence/jim_hill/archive/20052010/03/15/563liberty_belle_riverboat_part_1_1.aspx html</ref>. After walking down Liberty Street Although it was soon apparent that the Burbank Studio did not have the land necessarily to build the attraction, guests would arrive at Liberty Squarethe idea was carried over to Disneyland. In order to create the square, guests would be able riverboat attraction (which was soon called the Mark Twain Riverboat) Disney had to see a blacksmith shopconstruct the first American made, a glassmakerworking steamboat in 50 years <ref name="Jack1" />. With funds coming directly from Walt himself, a weaverAdmiral 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, a print shopwith the hull being constructed in San Pedro, Paul Revere’s silversmith shop California and a cabinetmaker 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= "mouseplanet"Jack1 /> https<ref> http://www.mouseplanet.com/8167guide/308/Disneyland-Resort/Disneyland-Park/Frontierland/The_Liberty_Street_Story_1959 Mark-Twain-Riverboat </ref>.
The next first major change in to the Liberty Square Riverboats came with in 1980. Disaster struck the attraction when the closure hull of the Mike Fink Keel BoatsAdmiral Joe Fowler was badly damaged while entering a backlot, dry dock <ref> http://www. The Mike Fink Keel Boats were free floating boats based on wdwradio.com/2007/09/liberty-square-riverboat/ </ref>. Although the popular Disney television show Davy Crockettcircumstances of the accident are unclear, one source says that the hull was damaged while being lifted by a crane. The Keel Boats allowed guests to take off Another source states however, that it was split while water was being drained from Liberty Square the dry dock. Either way, Disney decided that they would not repair the broken ship, and circle around 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 [[Tom Sawyer IslandWalt Disney World Railroad]]. ===Name Change===In 1997, one of 1996 (following a refurbishment) the Disneyland Mike Fink Keel Boats capsized with guests on boardRichard F. After Irvine was renamed the accidentLiberty Belle, and the attraction itself was renamed the Liberty Square Riverboat. The name change was done to both make the Disneyland 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 versions of , in 1999 two ferries that run from the attraction Ticket and Transportation Center to the Magic Kingdom were permanently closed renamed in their honor <ref> http://waltdatedworldwww.wcdept478.com/id184AbouttheFB.htm </ref>.
==Ship Structure==The only other changes to occur in Liberty Square have happened in The Hall of Presidents. In 1993 President Bill Clinton was added to the attraction and the show received Belle Riverboat is a new narration which focused more on slavery and other issues three deck working steamship that has a maximum capacity of race relations then it had in the past 450 people <ref> http://waltdatedworldwww.wdwinfo.com/id223wdwinfo/guides/magickingdom/lib-riverboat.htm </ref>. The attraction was once again changed in 2009 with Guests enter the election of Barack Obama. At this time ship on the attraction was once more given middle deck, which features a new narrationsitting room, an outside wheelhouse, and the captain's quarters. Another addition during Sometimes one lucky family is selected to ride the refurbishment was boat in the inclusion of Abraham Lincoln delivering the Gettysburg Address and a montage of Presidential speeches <ref> http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/hall-of-presidents/news/27jun2009-hall-of-presidents-offically-reopens-july-4.htm </ref>captain's quarters.
On October 2, 2016the bottom deck of the boat, guests can see the ship's boiler and pistons. The Muppets Present… Great Moments in American History opened in Liberty Square lower deck is also the location of a recently added "viewing platform" <ref name= "parks"> httpshttp://disneyparksland.disneyallears.go.comnet/blogblogs/2016jackspence/092010/the-muppets-present-great-moments-in-american-history-debuts-october-2-at-magic-kingdom-park03/ liberty_belle_riverboat_part_2.html </ref>. The new interactive show takes place primarily above the Heritage House Located at various times throughout the day. The Muppets Present... Great Moments in American History, actually consists front of two different shows which are performed at different times. One show features the Muppets telling ship, the platform allows guests the story to get great views of all the signing of attraction's scenes. Finally, on the Declaration of Independencetop deck, while guests get the second show involves best view of the midnight ride of Paul Revere <ref name= "parks"/>various sights. There is also limited seating available here.
* If guests look closely at Sam Clemens the guard house pilot on the Liberty Square BridgeBelle, they can see is better known as American writer Mark Twain. Twain was known as a register featuring the names lover of other travelers who have entered steamships (specifically those on the square <ref> http://wwwMississippi River) and did actually captain some steamships himself.wdwradio.com/online-shop/audio-guide-4-liberty-square/ </ref>. *Ye Old Christmas Shoppe in Liberty Square In Disneyland, the attraction is designed to look like three separate shops with known as the walls opened between them. They are supposed to be owned by three different colonial families- a German family, a woodcarver's family, and a musician's family <ref> http://www.wdwradio.com/2007/09/liberty-square-trivia/ </ref>Mark Twain Riverboat.
*The live oak that serves as Captain Horace Bixby, the centerpiece of Liberty Square is more than 130 years oldBelle's captain, and was found a real steamboat captain on the southern end of the Walt Disney World propertyMississippi. In order to move Horace Bixby and Sam Clemens met aboard the 38-ton treePaul Jones (a steamboat), 2-inch holes were drilled through the trunk, then fitted with steel dowel pinsand Bixby agreed to take Sam on as his apprentice. Once transplantedSome 21 years after this meeting, the pins were removed and replaced now famous Mark Twain reunited with sections of Oak Hardwoodthe captain in St. Louis. With careful observationTwain talks about Captain Bixby in his book, "Life on the plugs can still be seen today Mississippi" <ref> http://www.disneyhistoryinstitutetwainquotes.com/2009/11/liberty-tree-storyonly-god-can-make19020608.html </ref>.
* 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 rocks that guests see after crossing only stipulation for the bridge land was that settlers had to enter Liberty Square were quarried from build a location 6 miles from where George Washington crossed house worth at least $125. In the Delaware River 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> Realitylandhttp: true-life adventures at Walt Disney World//www. David Koenig williamtellantiques.com/history- Bonaventure Press of- 2007 tell-city.html </ref>.
*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>.
*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>.
==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<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 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==