Whilst it has been made clear which rivers are referred to in the name of WDW’s Rivers of America (the Potomac, the Rio Grande, the Columbia and the Mississippi), it is as yet unstated which ones the Paris equivalent (Rivers of the Far West) is themed to, although the Mississippi and the Missouri are the two referred to most often by Imagineers in this context.
Rivers of America encompasses Tom Sawyer Island, whilst there are several islands within Rivers of the Far West. One of these is the home to Big Thunder Mountain, one separates Smugglers’ Cove (the load/unload area for the former Keel Boat attraction) from the rest of the water and several of the others make up Wilderness Island (where a “Lil’ Big Thunder” was once considered).
As well as the Keel Boats (and Cast Member-only motorized skiffs), other vehicles sometimes visible on the Rivers in Florida include rafts and canoes. Whilst Disneyland Paris has never had the former, nor the need for them, the latter operated in France for the first two years of the park’s existence until being discontinued due to the waterways being considered too busy.
The most iconic vehicles to travel the Rivers however are much bigger. Florida has the Liberty Belle, whilst Paris has the Mark Twain and the Molly Brown, although a maximum of one of the two in France will operate on a given day. All three feature onboard audio. Like the Liberty Belle, the Mark is a sternwheeler, whereas the Molly is a sidewheeler.
The Paris boats are better covered from the elements and their equivalent of Riverboat Landing loads Guests into the bottom story rather than the second floor. The view from all three includes animatronic animals, live ducks, the Railroad and Old Joe, the fisherman.
Whilst most of the visuals along the Rivers of America are thematically manmade (such as the Native American village), on show for those touring the Rivers of the Far West are more nature-inspired features, such as a geyser –which, due to frozen pipes, no longer erupts- and a mock-up of a natural rock bridge, in reality fabricated of steel and concrete.
In both Florida and Paris, the Riverboats are travelling along I-beam tracks and take just under a quarter of an hour to complete a tour of their respective River. In Florida, this round trip takes place in a clockwise direction; it is counter-clockwise in France.
The Molly Brown in dock in the early evening, in front of Phantom Manor (left) and Big Thunder Mountain (right).
The photos below were taken onboard the Molly in Oct 2013.
All photos courtesy of Hugh Allison. Please do not use without permission.