Originally Posted By ssWEDguy The Liberty Belle's been out on refurb for quite some time now. I really miss her, coursing the Rivers of America. Anyone know when she's due back? I assume they'd want her back by the busy season, but it depends on the extent of the work. I've been backstage to visit her occasionally. Like visiting a friends in the hospital. There is some scaffolding on her superstructure, but not a lot. And everytime I've been back there I've never actually seen anyone working on her. I worry.
Originally Posted By Labuda I don't think the boat is due back until July. Notes on Deb's site indicate it will be a major rehab....
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I am so glad to hear that the Liberty Belle's will be back. I was so afraid that she was toast.
Originally Posted By Lake Nona Just got the email from mousesavers...Expect June 30 as the first day of operation.
Originally Posted By dresswhites wow without the Liberty Bell, the Rivers of America at WDW must be dead. i remember after the Columbia accident at Disneyland, with the Twain, Columbia in repair, the canoes and keelboats closed, the westside was severely lacking. i would imagine that is how Rivers of america at WDW feels. So basically, the only thing running in the river is the island rafts. I think it is sad that WDW mothballed all its river attractions, i.ed keelboats, canoes. i remember asking the Liberty Bell captain, why they didn't have canoes, and he replied that it was a safety issue, they were worried that a canoe would get mangled up in the paddlewheel. I thought how lame. Disneyland operates canoes safely and they have two big boats to steer away from. so why is the Liberty Bell taking so long to refurb. Alot of woodrot?
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> why is the Liberty Bell taking so long to refurb. << My understanding is that there's hull issues. The most important work they have to do is literally below the water line. The refurb information the Liberty Belle has been real vague. Where some refurbs are publicized with exact start and end dates, this one says it will be down until "Summer, 2006," whatever that means. Yes, the river is quiet. The River Rafts is it.
Originally Posted By tonyanton TDLFAN...the "Richard F. Irvine" riverboat became the "Liberty Belle" about 10 years ago. I don't think it's coming back. Though I know you know you can ride a ferryboat with that name.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORWEN: Weren't there actually two different boats that were used in the early days? That's what us Cauldron girls had been told. And when one was being refurbished, the other one could still be in service.
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney ^^^Yes. The Admiral Joe Fowler was destroyed in the early 80s in an accident while in drydock. But back then you actually had two sternwheelers, keelboats, TSI rafts and Davy Crockett canoes plying the Rivers of America. Now, they are dead and desolate.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>TDLFAN...the "Richard F. Irvine" riverboat became the "Liberty Belle" about 10 years ago. I don't think it's coming back. Though I know you know you can ride a ferryboat with that name.<< I know you know I knew all of that, hence why I posted...'trick question'.
Originally Posted By dresswhites though it must kind of suck to have something named after you and then have the name taken away to something generic like the Liberty Bell. What did Richard Irvine fall out favor?
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> something generic like the Liberty Belle << Oh, I don't think Liberty Belle is generic. It's a cool name. Something generic would be "Boat #4" If I remember right Richard F. Irvine was wound up on one of the 7 Seas Lagoon ferries.
Originally Posted By tonyanton That's correct, along with Admiral Joe Fowler and Joe Potter. These two names, along with Richard Irvine's replaced the original MK ferryboat names: Magic Kingdom I, Magic Kingdom II, and the Kingdom Queen.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 We have to be careful -- the last time a body of water sat stagnant for a while look what happened
