Mike Fink Keel Boats
Encyclopedia
Fink 169 Boats were small boats that navigated the Rivers of America
at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World Resort
. An identical attraction called River Rogue Keel Boats still exists at Disneyland Park
in Disneyland Paris.
. The boats were free-floating and traveled around Tom Sawyer Island
. Yet, the ride was named after the "King of the River" who lost the 169 boat race.
People would sit inside the seating area inside one of the boats with a roof on the top where more people could sit also. This was the design issue that caused it to close. On the inside, guests could watch full episodes of Walt Disney's Davy Crockett
.
Auction Site and pocketed $15,000 for it. It was billed as an unseaworthy craft.
The Gullywhumper returned to Disneyland's Rivers of America as a prop and was moored on Tom Sawyer Island where passengers on the Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes
, the Sailing Ship Columbia
, and the Mark Twain Riverboat
could see it while passing. Eventually, hull damage caused the boat to flood and sink, and it was finally removed from public view in April 2009. A replica that looks more like a 169 boat was built.
A former Fink 169 Boat from the Magic Kingdom's version of the attraction today sits as a non-functional prop on the banks of Tom Sawyer Island.
Rivers of America (Disney)
The Rivers of America is an artificial river found in the Frontierland district of the Magic Kingdom-classed Disney theme parks around the world. The first river was built in Disneyland when the park opened in 1955. It surrounds Tom Sawyer Island, which can be reached by rafts traveling from the...
at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
. An identical attraction called River Rogue Keel Boats still exists at Disneyland Park
Disneyland Park (Paris)
Disneyland Park is a theme park at Disneyland Paris, a resort complex just outside of Paris, in the new town of Marne-la-Vallée, France. The first of two parks built at the resort, it opened as Euro Disneyland on 12 April, 1992...
in Disneyland Paris.
History
The Fink 169 Boats were based on the Walt Disney television shows, later made into feature length movies, Davy Crockett's 169 Boat Race and Davy Crockett and the River PiratesDavy Crockett and the River Pirates
Davy Crockett and the River Pirates is a 1956 live-action Walt Disney adventure film starring Fess Parker as Davy Crockett. It was shot in Cave-In-Rock, Illinois...
. The boats were free-floating and traveled around Tom Sawyer Island
Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island
Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island is an artificial island surrounded by the Rivers of America at Disneyland. It contains caves with references to Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean film trilogy, Mark Twain characters from the novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and provides interactive, climbing,...
. Yet, the ride was named after the "King of the River" who lost the 169 boat race.
People would sit inside the seating area inside one of the boats with a roof on the top where more people could sit also. This was the design issue that caused it to close. On the inside, guests could watch full episodes of Walt Disney's Davy Crockett
Davy Crockett (TV miniseries)
Davy Crockett is a five part serial which aired on ABC in one-hour episodes on the Disneyland series. The series stars Fess Parker as real-life frontiersman Davy Crockett and Buddy Ebsen as his fictional best friend, George Russel....
.
Reasons for closing
At about 5:30 p.m. on May 17, 1997, the Disneyland Gullywhumper boat began to rock side to side. It capsized, dumping a full boatload of passengers into the Rivers of America. The boat was removed from the waters for inspection and neither the Gullywhumper nor the Bertha Mae returned for the next operating season. The Bertha Mae was put up on Disney's eBayEBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
Auction Site and pocketed $15,000 for it. It was billed as an unseaworthy craft.
The Gullywhumper returned to Disneyland's Rivers of America as a prop and was moored on Tom Sawyer Island where passengers on the Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes
Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes
Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes is a free-floating canoe experience at the Disneyland park in Anaheim, California. Boarding from the park’s Critter Country section, up to twenty visitors paddle a canoe around the Rivers of America, accompanied by two guides...
, the Sailing Ship Columbia
Sailing Ship Columbia
The Sailing Ship Columbia, located at the Disneyland park in Anaheim, California, is a full-scale replica of Columbia Rediviva, the first American ship to circumnavigate the globe. Its passengers embark on a scenic, 12-minute journey around the Rivers of America...
, and the Mark Twain Riverboat
Mark Twain Riverboat
The Mark Twain Riverboat is an attraction, located at the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California, on which passengers embark on a scenic, 12-minute journey around the Rivers of America. Originally named the Mark Twain Steamboat when the park opened in 1955, the stately, 5/8-scale...
could see it while passing. Eventually, hull damage caused the boat to flood and sink, and it was finally removed from public view in April 2009. A replica that looks more like a 169 boat was built.
A former Fink 169 Boat from the Magic Kingdom's version of the attraction today sits as a non-functional prop on the banks of Tom Sawyer Island.
See also
- Disneyland
- List of past Disneyland attractions
- Magic KingdomMagic KingdomMagic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
- Magic Kingdom attraction and entertainment historyMagic Kingdom attraction and entertainment historyThe Magic Kingdom is a theme park located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Below is a list of the current attractions found therein, arranged by "land" and with brief descriptions...