This post is part of a series that tours the Magic Kingdom from A to Z. For other posts in this series, click here.
Since we’ve spent a considerable amount of time crisscrossing the park over the past few months, now is a great time to slow down and relax for a bit. For our eighteenth stop, let’s hop aboard the Liberty Belle Riverboat and take a cruise along the Rivers of America.
The Rivers of America is an artificial river in Frontierland that surrounds Tom Sawyer Island. At present, the only way guests travel along the river is on a Cast Member-operated raft to Tom Sawyer Island or on the Liberty Belle, a twenty minute narrated river cruise departing from Liberty Square. Previously, however, there were two additional types of transportation: Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes (1971-1994) and Mike Fink Keel Boats (1971-1997). A single Keel Boat remains in the Magic Kingdom, serving as a prop along the banks of Tom Sawyer Island.
Rivers of America - Liberty Belle Riverboat
Rivers of America - Mike Fink Keel Boat
While traveling along the Rivers of America, guests have great views of different areas of Frontierland. Immediately after boarding the Liberty Belle, guests who make their way to the top level of the riverboat have a great view of Aunt Polly’s Dockside Inn. Aunt Polly’s is a seasonal counter service restaurant that serves ice cream, sundaes, floats, sodas and snacks. Unfortunately, the restaurant has been closed for as long as I can remember, so guests are more likely to visit Aunt Polly’s for its great shaded seating, including a few rocking chairs.
Rivers of America - Aunt Polly's
Some of the best features of the Rivers of America aren’t seen until the Liberty Belle has passed the Tom Sawyer Island docks. The first of these is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad; the riverboat is traveling slowly enough that guests can usually snap a great photograph of one of the trains flying through the mountains (it’s too bad my photo is partially obstructed by a rope from the Liberty Belle). Next up, and also on the left, is an old man sitting in a rocking chair at the alligator swamp. He’s been rocking away for as long as I can remember, but unfortunately I don’t know what his backstory is.
Rivers of America - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Rivers of America - Alligator Swamp
Perhaps the most detailed scene along the banks of the Rivers of America is of a Native American tribe. The scene depicts the tribe going about its daily life, preparing food, working with animal hides, etc. Up on the hill, it looks like the tribe’s chief is heading to/returning from an excursion, perhaps investigating how close Americans have come to his land (remember, we’re in Frontierland). This scene is also partially seen from the Walt Disney World Railroad.
Rivers of America - Native American Tribe
Last but not least, just before the Liberty Belle returns to its dock, guests on the port side have an amazing, unobstructed view of the Haunted Mansion. For some, the opportunity to photograph the mansion from this viewpoint is alone worth the lengthy trip along the Rivers of America. In the photograph below, the unkempt, overgrown trees and bushes are indicative of the mansion being left uninhabited (by humans, anyway) following Master Gracey’s untimely death.
Rivers of America - Haunted Mansion
While it’s not a very popular Magic Kingdom attraction, all guests should make time during their vacation to hop aboard the Liberty Belle Riverboat and travel along the Rivers of America to experience for themselves the amazing detail Disney Imagineers have built into this section of the park.
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