Mike Fink Keelboats?

[Mickeyrulz]

While browsing the Magic Kingdom News/Rumors archive on this site I noticed that they mentioned in 2001 something called Mike Fink Keelboats closed.

Can anyone give me info? Photos? Anything? Is the ride intact? Was it transport?

Thanks.

 

[matt&helen]

If I remember correctly, they were remote controlled boats that you could drive around in a pond. You stood up on a deck with a steering wheel as the control, and I believe you had to pay for it. They were located right next to the Jungle Cruise. I didn't even notice that it had closed.

 

[Lauriebar]

If I'm not mistaken they were not radio controlled at all. They were small boats that held several people and floated around the Rivers of America. The loading dock was right next to the Haunted Mansion. They were closed down in the late 90's. It seems like they raced each other or something like that as a back story.

 

[bjunderwood]

lauriebar is correct. they closed a couple of years ago because they weren't too popular. they had been there for a while, tho. the loading dock is still there, i believe, and is located near the haunted mansion. matt&helen is referring to shrunken ned's something or other. i believe those are still around and located near the jungle cruise.

-bj

 

[webmomom]

the ones located by the Jungle Cruise was closed in June. It was in need of a refurbishment badly. Our kids use to love to play with them. i know they were open last Dec as we played with them, but in June they were closed.

 

[Mickeyrulz]

Any photos of the old Keel Boat dock then?

 

[yoyoflamingo]

Don't have any pics, but the old dock is now where the Haunted Mansion Fastpass is located. Perhaps someone has pics of this?

 

[scottnj1966]

keel boats

They were boats that went around the rivers of america.
I will try to find a picture.

They also had conoes you could ride around rivers of america. They were on some sort of a track also jsut like everything else.

 

[scottnj1966]

here are a couple sites

http://www.yesterland.com/keelboats.html (disneyland but looks the same)

http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id184.htm (wdw)

http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id185.htm (wdw), canoes


http://potw.disneypix.com/potw/100303.htm

I will still see if I have any pictures myself. Thanks.

www.bigfloridacountry.com

 

[lentesta]

I don't think the canoes or keelboats were on any track system at all - When I was on the canoes, you basically rowed your way around. (A common instruction from the C/Ms was "Girls row! Now boys row! Now girls! Now girls!)

Len

 

[rosebud's mom]

Mike Fink's were definitely located near the Haunted Mansion and the Magic/Halloween merchandise cart that used to be there ! IMHO these were there to relieve some of the congestion of the Jungle Cruise. You had a guide who piloted the boat and told really corny jokes.

 

[ScrapIron]

I don't think the canoes or keelboats were on any track system at all - When I was on the canoes, you basically rowed your way around. (A common instruction from the C/Ms was "Girls row! Now boys row! Now girls! Now girls!)

Len

This is correct. In fact, at DL at least, operators would sometimes rock them to demonstrate this. They certainly shouldn't have done this on 5-17-97 after loading 49 people on the last ride of the day when the stated capacity is 32. They all went into the drink, with many trapped for a while in the half submerged cabin. On the lighter side, early one morning a CM attempted to ski behind one, presumeably unsuccesful, hence the word "attempted" as told in More Mouse Tales.

Cheers