Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: A while back my sisters and I created a topic regarding the lack of updates for the Magic Kingdom's Rivers of America. We couldn't find the original topic so we're creating a new one. ORWEN: This past weekend--5/15/2010--we went to the Rivers of America and decided to ride it--I mean we decided to ride the big white boat that goes around it. We were inspired by the fact that California's version of this attraction was just given a beautiful makeover. ORDDU: It's just too bad that the same thing can't be said of Florida's version. We asked a male cast member why the Magic Kingdom doesn't 'spruce up' their Rivers of America. He told us that there aren't enough guests riding the River boat these days and that management doesn't feel the need to update anything that gets so little guest attention. ORWEN: But they're looking at this whole thing the wrong way! ORDDU: Indeed! Because if they WOULD go to the trouble of updating the scenery around Rivers of America, they just might find that guests WOULD start riding the boat in larger numbers. Why do they always have such backwards thinking? In order to attact an audience you have to have something worth attracting them with--instead of standing back and expecting the public to be proactive, first. ORGOCH: Face it, sisters! They wanna' save 'emselves MONEY, first!!!
Originally Posted By tashajilek Thats stupid thinking on their behalf. Duh in order to get more people to ride it you must improve it. Ahh well Witches next time throw something in ROA and maybe 20 years down the road when the river is empty they will find your little treasure!
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer ...Funny you should bring that up... ....The area is a topic that's been addressed a bit by the powers that be. That's all I can say, unless someone starts posting!! ;-)
Originally Posted By A Happy Haunt I love the peace & tranquility that can be found while riding "The Big White Boat". I agree with you ladies, it's getting tired! I also was the video posted on DL General of the new & improved ROA... DL has REAL LIVE horses!!
Originally Posted By FerretAfros This isn't the first time that Disney management has cut back because guests don't visit something. It happened to Wonders of Life and River Country. Logically, if they built more stuff, it would increase foot traffic, but that's not the way they tend to think about these things. I'm not suggesting that they will remove ROA, but WDW has a trend for taking things that are waning in popularity, neglecting them completely, and then closing them because nobody wants to visit them. It seems a little backward to me. Maybe if they found a way to increase the river traffic again, it would become more popular. With only the rafts to the island and a single boat going around, it's pretty easy for guests to not know there's a way to go on the river (since it's sort of off to the side, instead of sticking out into the park like at DL). Also, with only one boat, there's likely going to be a long wait until you can get on, since the river is pretty big. If they added back a second boat (either sternwheeler like the original, or something else like the Columbia), canoes, or keel boats, it would bring the river back to life. I noticed last spring how dead the river looked, and I'm sure I wasn't the only one. If you build it, they will come.
Originally Posted By jmuboy I agree 100% that the WDW RoA should get the same love as the DL river. And why are there no canoes on the RoA in Orlando?
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Because they work as a seasonal attraction, going against the seasons with lots of guests. Do you really want to paddle a canoe around the rive in August in Florida? They could run it from about October until May, but that misses the big summer crowds that 'seasonal' attractions typically aim to get, but it's just too hot and humid for most guests to want to go canoeing in the summer. It has huge labor costs (2 CM's per canoe of about 25 guests, plus a large-ish crew on the dock), and it's difficult work, so it's hard to get folks who want to (and physically can) do it. Of course, if they brought them back, I would be thrilled. I think the canoes might very well be my favorite attraction at DL because they're so understated and underestimated. No, they're no big-budget thrill ride, but they are a lot of fun anyway.
Originally Posted By sjhym33 Not to mention the loss of the Mike Fink Keelboats. It makes for a very lonely river journey and shows a complete lack of understanding by the MK managment about Show.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper If WDW is trying to represent the historical rivers of America, apparently the old rivers of colonial and frontier America were pretty empty.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> ....The area is a topic that's been addressed a bit by the powers that be. That's all I can say, unless someone starts posting!! ;-) << I've given up on him posting here.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: Well, we can dream at least. Most likely there will be nothing done for the Rivers of America until after the Fantasyland expansion is complete. ORWEN: And you're right, Happy Haunt, duckling--about the alligators, I mean. We've been told for some time that it's the alligators that are sometimes seen in the river that keep the canoes from being used like they used to. It's a shame but we understand the hazzard. ORGOCH: Got gator wrestlers???
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>I've given up on him posting here.<<< I bribed him with an Orange Bird at the meeting on Sunday. He said he'd be here... LOL.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>ORDDU: Well, we can dream at least. Most likely there will be nothing done for the Rivers of America until after the Fantasyland expansion is complete.<<< Or, because of it, if you get my drift.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: Indeed we do get the drift, and we're even beginning to drift...down the stagnant rivers that Disney management doesn't give a RAFT about...
Originally Posted By tonyanton Well, the canoes ran seasonally from 1971 through 1994 at WDW...were there any real issues with gators? It would be cool if they built a second ship at WDW...something like the "Columbia" would like wonderful against the backdrop of Liberty Square.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>something like the "Columbia" would like wonderful against the backdrop of Liberty Square.<<< That would be beautiful. A replica of the USS Constitution...
Originally Posted By sjhym33 Maybe they can rename the river to Prince Charming Regal Rivers of America (PCRRA) and then they can add scenes of Cinderella along the route.
