Rivers of America (Disney)
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The Rivers of America is an artificial river found in the Frontierland district of the Magic Kingdom-classed Disney theme parks around the world.
Named Rivers of the Far West at Disneyland Paris, its first incarnation was at Disneyland when it opened with the park in 1955. It is a major part of the land, being home to several water based rides. It surrounds Tom Sawyer Island, which can be reached by rafts traveling from the Frontierland mainland. In Disneyland Paris, Big Thunder Mountain sits in the middle of the Rivers.
At Hong Kong Disneyland, there is no Frontierland, so the Imagineers merged the Rivers of America with the classic Adventureland Jungle 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 Riverboat and the Sailing Ship Columbia
- Walt Disney World - the Liberty Belle Riverboat
- Tokyo Disneyland - the Mark Twain Riverboat
- Disneyland Paris - the Molly Brown Riverboat (sidewheeler) and the Mark Twain Riverboat (sternwheeler)
The sights along the Rivers include an Native American tribe, a burning cabin (though the cabin at Disneyland hasn't been burning for years), and various animatronic wildlife. At Disneyland and Walt Disney World, the Haunted Mansion can be viewed on the river bank. In 2003, the motion picture Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl 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 tall 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 re-furbishment.
[edit] Deaths
Two guests have drowned in the Rivers of America at Disneyland. In both cases, the guests were trying to traverse the river themselves without the assistance of park employees.
