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Rivers of America (Disney)
Encyclopedia
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 Frontierland mainland. Additionally, there are other water-based vehicles which are found on the river. The sights along the Rivers include a Native American tribe, a burning cabin (though the cabin at Disneyland hasn't been burning for years), and various animatronic wildlife.
As other Magic Kingdom parks were built, they included their own similar version.
Several steamboat and ship replicas sail the many Rivers.
was left almost completely bare when Disneyland first opened in 1955. Time and money had both run out, forcing Walt Disney
to leave it unfinished; but on the shores of this once barren isle, the following summer Disney would unveil what is perhaps the most distinctive outdoor playground ever conceived, the Tom Sawyer
's Island. To gain access to the island, explorers board a log raft to carry them across the river. Here they will find a network of caves, rocks, bridges, and secret hideouts, including Tom and Huck’s treehouse, Injun Joe’s Cave, Harper’s Mill, and Castle Rock, so named because of its natural resemblance to a fortress tower. For more hearty adventurers, there is a hanging suspension bridge
, a pontoon barrel bridge, and a seesaw and spinning merry-go-round fashioned from rocks.
At one time, there was also a fishing pier on the island called Catfish Cove, where fishing poles and live bait were provided for avid and amateur fisherman alike. Guests were invited to cast their lines and take home all the live fish they could catch. At the northern end of the Island once stood Fort Wilderness, an authentic recreation of the log forts used by the US Cavalry in the 1800s. From the lookout towers, young guests could enjoy firing popguns at make-believe targets. Fort Wilderness recently closed and was removed after years of decay made its natural wood construction unstable. Recently, the island has undergone a major renovation, incorporating an all-new pirate motif into its already existing elements as Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island. This was inspired by the enormous popularity of Disney’s new Pirates of the Caribbean film trilogy. There are similar attractions at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom
, and Tokyo Disneyland. The Disneyland Paris version is known as Big Thunder Isle and is unique in that it is the only Disney theme park to have Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
on the island. The Hong Kong Disneyland
version is known as Adventure Isle and is located not in Frontierland, but Adventureland and has the Jungle Cruise
circling it.
had its world premiere on the Rivers at Disneyland, with hundreds of celebrities and movie stars viewing the film on a purpose-built 90 feet (27.4 m) projection screen.
In 2006, the film's sequel, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
, premiered on June 24 on the Rivers as well, two days before the Pirates of the Caribbean
attraction re-opened opposite the Rivers in New Orleans Square
after a lengthy refurbishment. For the 2007 premiere of the third installment of the trilogy, the Rivers of America was once again home to the gala for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.
Frontierland
Tokyo Disneyland's instance is known as Westernland, as "frontier" does not adequately translate into the Japanese language. The Mark Twain sails this park's Rivers of America...
district of the Magic Kingdom-classed Disney theme parks
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is the segment of The Walt Disney Company that conceives, builds, and manages the company's theme parks and holiday resorts, as well as a variety of additional family-oriented leisure enterprises...
around the world. The first river was built in Disneyland when the park opened in 1955. It surrounds 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,...
, which can be reached by rafts traveling from the Frontierland mainland. Additionally, there are other water-based vehicles which are found on the river. The sights along the Rivers include a Native American tribe, a burning cabin (though the cabin at Disneyland hasn't been burning for years), and various animatronic wildlife.
As other Magic Kingdom parks were built, they included their own similar version.
- At Walt Disney World the Rivers of America is similar to its California counterpart.
- At Disneyland Paris the Rivers of the Far West is home to Big Thunder Mountain.
- At Hong Kong DisneylandHong Kong DisneylandHong Kong Disneyland is located on reclaimed land in Penny's Bay, Lantau Island. It is the first theme park located inside the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and is owned and managed by the Hong Kong International Theme Parks. The park opened to visitors on 12 September 2005...
, there is no Frontierland, so the Imagineers merged the Rivers of America with the classic Adventureland Jungle CruiseJungle CruiseThe Jungle Cruise is an attraction located in Adventureland at many Disney Parks, including Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, and Tokyo Disneyland. At Hong Kong Disneyland, the attraction is named Jungle River Cruise...
attraction. Jungle river rafts now travel around the Rivers of Adventure, encountering similar situations as in the Jungle Cruise attraction, but on a much more open river and exposed to the elements of Adventureland. In the middle of the Rivers sits Tarzan's Treehouse, which can be reached by River Rafts.
Several steamboat and ship replicas sail the many Rivers.
- Disneyland - the Mark Twain RiverboatMark Twain RiverboatThe 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...
and the Sailing Ship ColumbiaSailing Ship ColumbiaThe 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... - Walt Disney World - the Liberty Belle Riverboat
- Tokyo DisneylandTokyo Disneylandis a 115 acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to be built outside of the United States and opened on April 15, 1983...
- the Mark Twain RiverboatMark Twain RiverboatThe 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... - Disneyland Paris - the Molly Brown Riverboat (sidewheeler) and the Mark Twain Riverboat (sternwheeler)
Rafts to Tom Sawyer's Island
The island that is surrounded by the Rivers of America in FrontierlandFrontierland
Tokyo Disneyland's instance is known as Westernland, as "frontier" does not adequately translate into the Japanese language. The Mark Twain sails this park's Rivers of America...
was left almost completely bare when Disneyland first opened in 1955. Time and money had both run out, forcing Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
to leave it unfinished; but on the shores of this once barren isle, the following summer Disney would unveil what is perhaps the most distinctive outdoor playground ever conceived, the Tom Sawyer
Tom Sawyer
Thomas "Tom" Sawyer is the title character of the Mark Twain novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer . He appears in three other novels by Twain: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , Tom Sawyer Abroad , and Tom Sawyer, Detective .Sawyer also appears in at least three unfinished Twain works, Huck and Tom...
's Island. To gain access to the island, explorers board a log raft to carry them across the river. Here they will find a network of caves, rocks, bridges, and secret hideouts, including Tom and Huck’s treehouse, Injun Joe’s Cave, Harper’s Mill, and Castle Rock, so named because of its natural resemblance to a fortress tower. For more hearty adventurers, there is a hanging suspension bridge
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
, a pontoon barrel bridge, and a seesaw and spinning merry-go-round fashioned from rocks.
At one time, there was also a fishing pier on the island called Catfish Cove, where fishing poles and live bait were provided for avid and amateur fisherman alike. Guests were invited to cast their lines and take home all the live fish they could catch. At the northern end of the Island once stood Fort Wilderness, an authentic recreation of the log forts used by the US Cavalry in the 1800s. From the lookout towers, young guests could enjoy firing popguns at make-believe targets. Fort Wilderness recently closed and was removed after years of decay made its natural wood construction unstable. Recently, the island has undergone a major renovation, incorporating an all-new pirate motif into its already existing elements as Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island. This was inspired by the enormous popularity of Disney’s new Pirates of the Caribbean film trilogy. There are similar attractions at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Magic 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...
, and Tokyo Disneyland. The Disneyland Paris version is known as Big Thunder Isle and is unique in that it is the only Disney theme park to have Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is an indoor/outdoor mine train roller coaster located in Frontierland at several Disneyland-style Disney Parks worldwide...
on the island. The Hong Kong Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland is located on reclaimed land in Penny's Bay, Lantau Island. It is the first theme park located inside the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and is owned and managed by the Hong Kong International Theme Parks. The park opened to visitors on 12 September 2005...
version is known as Adventure Isle and is located not in Frontierland, but Adventureland and has the Jungle Cruise
Jungle Cruise
The Jungle Cruise is an attraction located in Adventureland at many Disney Parks, including Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, and Tokyo Disneyland. At Hong Kong Disneyland, the attraction is named Jungle River Cruise...
circling it.
Other uses of the rivers
In 2003, the motion picture Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black PearlPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a 2003 adventure fantasy film based on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disney theme parks. It was directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
had its world premiere on the Rivers at Disneyland, with hundreds of celebrities and movie stars viewing the film on a purpose-built 90 feet (27.4 m) projection screen.
In 2006, the film's sequel, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is a 2006 adventure fantasy film and the second film of the Pirates of the Caribbean series, following Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl . It was directed by Gore Verbinski, written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, and produced by...
, premiered on June 24 on the Rivers as well, two days before the Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean
Pirates of the Caribbean is a multi-billion dollar Walt Disney franchise encompassing a series of films, a theme park ride, and spinoff novels as well as numerous video games and other publications. The franchise originates with the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, which opened at Disneyland in...
attraction re-opened opposite the Rivers in New Orleans Square
New Orleans Square
New Orleans Square is a themed land found exclusively at Disneyland, though a similarly themed area can be found within Tokyo Disneyland's Adventureland. Based on 19th-century New Orleans, it was the first new land to be added to Disneyland after the park's opening. The land was opened to the...
after a lengthy refurbishment. For the 2007 premiere of the third installment of the trilogy, the Rivers of America was once again home to the gala for Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.