I loved the keel boats... it was much more "funner" than sitting on the Mark Twain.
*sigh*...
BTW. I don't really remember the ridership declining that much... I vaguely remember
reasonable healthy lines... I could be wrong... that's over 20 years ago..
Personally, I think they really should be brought back to give more motion & life back to RoA
regardless of what else happens in Frontierland.
I snapped these pictures of the Gullywhumper today on my mini trip to the park. Was this the one that was flipped or was it the Bertha Mae?
-"Enjoy the rest of your stay here at Disneyland, where all of your dreams come true...well except for two of them, short lines and cheap food."
Although the Keel boats are gone, they still tend to make a few trips around the river at night
It was the Gully that flipped, which is most likely why the Bertha went on the auction block. I'm waiting for them to do something with I.M. Brave!Originally Posted by TrojanSkippa
As to the "ridership" they actually brought them back because they were popular! You don't get 40 people on a boat if you don't have a line to do it! One the incident happened that was it, closed for good, they were not given another chance. This was also pre- D.O.S.H. (Columbia incident). They closed 2 years after PM, so that puts them at around a decade of being gone. As I said earlier, plenty of riders out there who remember them. As you can see on here they are missed. Bringing them back, or a variant of them, would not be cheap, but if Disney looks at numbers it would be cheaper then most other land based attractions. This would be "phase 1" so even if "phase 2" never comes at least we would have something.
"Happiness is a Low Water Level"
"Creating magical memories and making Managers cry since 1955!"
Grim Grinning keel boats come out to socilaize?Although the Keel boats are gone, they still tend to make a few trips around the river at night
I love me some haunted keel boats.Although the Keel boats are gone, they still tend to make a few trips around the river at night
As usual... well done amazing work!Although the Keel boats are gone, they still tend to make a few trips around the river at night
"Happiness is a Low Water Level"
"Creating magical memories and making Managers cry since 1955!"
The dock is still there, and indeed it is the smoking section.
An early shot of the river landing pre-NOS, I love this picture, no Haunted Mansion or even Bear Country.
Keel Boat Landing Before
Last edited by TrojanSkippa; 08-30-2007 at 11:10 PM.
Oh, is that where the dock was? Then what is the dock next to the dock for the big boats? Going towards Big Thunder Trail, kind of near the french fries? They closed it off recently.
I'm not really sure what that was for to be honest... I'm sure someone on here knows though.
"Happiness is a Low Water Level"
"Creating magical memories and making Managers cry since 1955!"
That's 'The Freight Dock', and AFAIK it's only there as part of the pump house for the Fantasmic! fountains and mist screens - they don't use it as a dock.
Is it closed with a hard gate now? They used to leave a portable barrier in front of the ramp to discourage people from going up there, but the "Backside Of Fantasmic!" people could still go around it. I would warn the tourists that found their way up there that it wasn't a very good place for really watching the show, and they would thank me and go get a good spot.
The rumble you feel while Fantasmic! is running is from several high powered water pumps in the shed next to the dock, and there's almost certainly a "basement" level below the dock and shed. And you can hear the air actuated valves switching the water flow as the show progresses, and the vibrations and noises change.
They used to leave it open and it was an interesting place to watch Fantasmic! from for Disney Geeks, but not for the average person. You can't see the stage or projections very well from up there - but instead you get to see everyone on the big boats up close "in the wings" as they are approaching the stage, and sometimes the performers were still scrambling to get into position or grab their props.
And you could potentially see them loading up the 'Princess Barges' next to the Old Mill. Potential "Bad Show" stuff if one of your little ones sees Ariel running to her barge or still getting in position on the Twain capstan - not sure how they do it, but there could be a severe OOC issue involved.
And now you know... The rest of the story!
--<< Bruce >>--
There's No Place Like 127.0.0.1
I always found it relaxing to sit up there during the day... not sure if they still let people do that. Thank you for the info, like I said I know someone on here would know more about it. Frontierland has never been my specialty... Adventureland is. As to F! the best spot to watch will always be the Treehouse, and for fireworks... top of Indy when we were allowed to do that.
"Happiness is a Low Water Level"
"Creating magical memories and making Managers cry since 1955!"
"Howdy all you sodbusters, mule skinners, horse traders, chicken thieves, cattle rustlers, cow punchers, inlaws, outlaws, southpaws, pioneers, pioneeresses, and anything that might have crawled out of the woodwork while I wasnt lookin'"
I'm Cousin Orville and welcome aboard the Gullywhumper, the same boat that Davy Crockett and Mike Fink raced down the O-hio river back there on TV. But we're not gonna be doin no Keel Boat racin' today, we're gonna be takin a short and leisurely trip around that thar hunk of real estate, namely Tom Sawyers Island. We Keel Boaters call it Devils Island, because if you look closely you can see all those little Devils running around on it."
"As usual he's taken over the coolest spot in the house"- Father re: Orville 1963
[FONT=Arial Narrow]
...And now you know... The rest of the story!
--<< Bruce >>--
Thanks for coming through. We knew there'd be someone!
Were you actually one of them... or did you just love the ride so much that you remember a lot of it 10 years later?
"Happiness is a Low Water Level"
"Creating magical memories and making Managers cry since 1955!"
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