Liberty Square River Boat Refurb

T

Tracks N Slabs

New Member
ok so it was 2 1/2 weeks on the front end. On the back end it was Jan. 18th to March 12th. So we'll add your 2 1/2 weeks to the six weeks on the tail for a total of 8 1/2 weeks to modify an existing attraction.

Quite honestly WDW's seasons are totally different then our western friends.

Sometimes our off season or quiet times may only last 2 weeks. For example this year was a later Easter holiday which left very little time between President's week (Feb), college spring break (Feb), K-12 spring break (March / early April), Easter (Apr). The downtime between each of those is maybe 2 weeks and even then its still pretty busy. Then you get into the end of the school year for FL (mid to end of May), then the northen schools get out (June) into the 4th of July and the summer rush, that ends labor day, get 2 maybe 3 weeks downtime and then get into the newest peak season as late September and October have really picked up thanks to MNSSHP, then into Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years. Then slows down in January, but lead into the Presidents week holiday and we start all over again.

If all rehabs are to only be done in "off" season nothing would get done. Most rehabs can not be done closed for two weeks here, then open, then more closed time its not good for the attraction, the cast or the guests.

I want to see the boat up and running as much as anyone else (as I type this while wearing my Liberty Belle ballcap) but I'd rather see it done right and not rushed to fit a season.

Do those guests who travel in the off season recieve a discount on thier tickets because its not the peak travel time... nope. Hotel maybe, but it costs the same to get into the park 12/25 as it does the middle of January. Do they not deserve to experience the same great attractions and service that those traveling in peak season do?
 
ToTBellHop

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
Tracks N Slabs said:
ok so it was 2 1/2 weeks on the front end. On the back end it was Jan. 18th to March 12th. So we'll add your 2 1/2 weeks to the six weeks on the tail for a total of 8 1/2 weeks to modify an existing attraction.

Quite honestly WDW's seasons are totally different then our western friends.

Sometimes our off season or quiet times may only last 2 weeks. For example this year was a later Easter holiday which left very little time between President's week (Feb), college spring break (Feb), K-12 spring break (March / early April), Easter (Apr). The downtime between each of those is maybe 2 weeks and even then its still pretty busy. Then you get into the end of the school year for FL (mid to end of May), then the northen schools get out (June) into the 4th of July and the summer rush, that ends labor day, get 2 maybe 3 weeks downtime and then get into the newest peak season as late September and October have really picked up thanks to MNSSHP, then into Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years. Then slows down in January, but lead into the Presidents week holiday and we start all over again.

If all rehabs are to only be done in "off" season nothing would get done. Most rehabs can not be done closed for two weeks here, then open, then more closed time its not good for the attraction, the cast or the guests.

I want to see the boat up and running as much as anyone else (as I type this while wearing my Liberty Belle ballcap) but I'd rather see it done right and not rushed to fit a season.

Do those guests who travel in the off season recieve a discount on thier tickets because its not the peak travel time... nope. Hotel maybe, but it costs the same to get into the park 12/25 as it does the middle of January. Do they not deserve to experience the same great attractions and service that those traveling in peak season do?
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Everyone deserves to ride the classics, but we all also agree that refurbishments are necessary--Disney used to try and isolate that work to slower seasons to impact the fewest number of guests. I like refurbishments to be done right AND expeditiously. Maybe they should finally add a second ship like Disneyland has, so there can pretty much always be at least one boat running. Another Sailing Ship Columbia would rock.
 
Jenna

Jenna

Well-Known Member
When you get on the riverboat where exacty does it take you to? You get on ear to the haunted mansion and it sails along past Thunder Mountain but where do you get off?
We're heading to the MK on my mums birthday and this is the thing that she really wants to go on!
 
disneydata

disneydata

Well-Known Member
Even though the refurbishment has been pushed back to (tentitively) Sept 21, but it has been pushed back many times so I might expect it to change again. She is in dry dock and the reason they do it at night is because it takes a LONG time and they couldn't stop the ferries for that long. I think they should have used the Irvine to tow her instead of the Fowler in an incredible twist of irony!
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
*MAD4NADZ* said:
When you get on the riverboat where exacty does it take you to? You get on ear to the haunted mansion and it sails along past Thunder Mountain but where do you get off?
We're heading to the MK on my mums birthday and this is the thing that she really wants to go on!
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The same place you get on. It`s a pleasent, atmospheric round trip.
 
Jenna

Jenna

Well-Known Member
marni1971 said:
The same place you get on. It`s a pleasent, atmospheric round trip.
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Thanks for that but I hadn't read previous posts...when I did I discovered that the boat will be closed for the duration of our trip (5th-27th July)
 
T

Tracks N Slabs

New Member
disneydata said:
I think they should have used the Irvine to tow her instead of the Fowler in an incredible twist of irony!
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Totally agree that it should have been the Irvine. But I think we may have some influence to let Richard guide her home. I can't wait to see what we can pull of upon her return... a proper christening pehaps :) there are a LOT of ideas floating around and a LOT of old riverboaters that have retired or moved on within the company that are anxious for her again be steaming the Rivers of America, and the see the Magic Kingdom's family of steam copmlete again. There are a lot of Riverboaters that have worn the hickory stripes of the WDWRR as well. They want some one to play whistles with again.

And some of those stripes have finally figured out where they really belong. Riding the rivers. ;-) Once you have the High Iron and steam in your veins it never goes away.
 
Coastieboy00

Coastieboy00

New Member
Tracks N Slabs said:
Totally agree that it should have been the Irvine. But I think we may have some influence to let Richard guide her home. I can't wait to see what we can pull of upon her return... a proper christening pehaps :) there are a LOT of ideas floating around and a LOT of old riverboaters that have retired or moved on within the company that are anxious for her again be steaming the Rivers of America, and the see the Magic Kingdom's family of steam copmlete again. There are a lot of Riverboaters that have worn the hickory stripes of the WDWRR as well. They want some one to play whistles with again.

And some of those stripes have finally figured out where they really belong. Riding the rivers. ;-) Once you have the High Iron and steam in your veins it never goes away.
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You're just happy to be where you are now ;-) I expect that you will play whistle with us once it is back and running.
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
The latest from MousePlanet:

According to Mike Scopa, the Liberty Belle Riverboat was finally removed from the backstage channel behind the Rivers of America early Friday morning and towed to the drydock on the northern shore of Bay Lake by the Richard F. Irvine ferry. Mike reports that the riverboat is in bad shape. The boat is now scheduled to return to service on September 22. It is also expected that the Rivers of America may be drained and cleaned at some point this summer.
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Interesting final sentence huh :D

read the full update, which also mentions the fate of Cinderellabration, here

http://www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=wd060508mg
 
jmvd20

jmvd20

Well-Known Member
Bill Smugs said:
The tracks only guide the boat. It actully does float and is self propelled by the paddle wheel.
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Maybe they need to hire better skippers, no need for the tracks then ;)
 
T

Tracks N Slabs

New Member
jmvd20 said:
Maybe they need to hire better skippers, no need for the tracks then ;)
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First they are not Skippers... Skippers tell the funny jokes in Adventureland ;-) The Riverboat crew (Pilot, Captian, 1st Mate, etc.) are some of the best people you will find working in the parks. Besides until the ships wheel is actually connected to something, all the training in the world won't help them.

All of your ride vehicle boats (Jungle, Liberty Belle, Living with the Land, Pirates, etc) have some sort of guide. The Keelboats & Canoes (which are closed) were free floating without a guide. The transportation type vessels (TSI Rafts, Ferrryboats, Friendships, Mermaids, etc) those are free floating and entirly controled by the cast member.

Kahlua said:
So when the boat is arriving and departing, are there tracks there too or is it floating ungiuded?
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The boat is guided the entire way around the Rivers of America. The guide also extends to the spur track (where they would park the 2nd riverboat in from '73 to '80) by Big Thunder Mountian and then continues under the railroad swing bridge and to the wet dock area. Once the Riverboat leaves the Rivers of America waters through the locks and out into the EWP channel she is assisted by another vessel for guidance.
 

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