The Rivers of America is the artificial river found in the
Frontierland
Frontierland is one of the "themed lands" at the many Disneyland-style parks run by The Walt Disney Company, Disney around the world. Themed to the American frontier of the 19th century, Frontierlands are home to cowboys and Settler, pioneers, ...
areas of
Disneyland
Disneyland is a amusement park, theme park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It was the first theme park opened by the Walt Disney Company and the only one designed and constructed under the direct supervision of Walt Disney, ...
-style
Disney theme parks
Disney Experiences, commonly known as Disney Parks, is one of the three major divisions of the Walt Disney Company. It was founded on April 1, 1971, exactly six months before the opening of the Walt Disney World Resort.
Led by Josh D'Amaro, t ...
around the world. The first river was built in Disneyland when the park opened in 1955. It surrounds
Tom Sawyer Island, which guests reach by raft from Frontierland. Additionally, there are other water-based vehicles on the river. The various sights along the Rivers include a Native American tribe and
Audio-Animatronic
Audio-Animatronics (also known simply as AAs) are a form of Mechatronics, mechatronic animatronics puppetry created by Walt Disney Imagineering and Trademark, trademarked by The Walt Disney Company for use in designed shows and attractions at Disn ...
wildlife.
As other magic-kingdom-esque parks were built, they often incorporated this man-made river attraction. Such parks include:
* At
Disneyland Park Paris, the ''Rivers of the Far West'' is home to
Big Thunder Mountain
* At
Hong Kong Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland () (abbreviated HKDL; also known as HK Disneyland or Disneyland Hong Kong) is a theme park located on reclaimed land in Penny's Bay, Lantau Island, Hong Kong. It opened to visitors on Monday, September 12, 2005, at 13:00 H ...
, there is no Frontierland, so the Imagineers merged the Rivers of America with the Adventureland
Jungle Cruise attraction. Jungle river rafts travel around the ''Rivers of Adventure'', encountering similar situations as in the Jungle Cruise attraction. In the middle of the Rivers sits
Tarzan's Treehouse, which can be reached by River Rafts.
Different
steamboat
A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. The term ''steamboat'' is used to refer to small steam-powered vessels worki ...
and ship replicas sail on the rivers:
* Disneyland – the ''
Mark Twain Riverboat
The Disney riverboats are paddle steamer watercraft attraction ride vehicles operating on a track on a series of attractions located at Disney theme parks around the world.
The first was the ''Mark Twain'' Riverboat, located at the Disneyland ...
'' and the ''
Sailing Ship Columbia''
*
Tokyo Disneyland
is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Disney park t ...
– the ''
Mark Twain Riverboat
The Disney riverboats are paddle steamer watercraft attraction ride vehicles operating on a track on a series of attractions located at Disney theme parks around the world.
The first was the ''Mark Twain'' Riverboat, located at the Disneyland ...
''
*
Disneyland Park Paris – the ''
Molly Brown Riverboat'' (sidewheeler) and the ''Mark Twain Riverboat'' (sternwheeler)
Disneyland
At Disneyland Park in Anaheim, the river passes through
Frontierland
Frontierland is one of the "themed lands" at the many Disneyland-style parks run by The Walt Disney Company, Disney around the world. Themed to the American frontier of the 19th century, Frontierlands are home to cowboys and Settler, pioneers, ...
,
New Orleans Square
New Orleans Square is a themed land found at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Based on 19th-century New Orleans, Louisiana, the roughly three-acre area was the first land to be added to Disneyland after the park's opening, at a cost of $18 mi ...
, and
Bayou Country.
History
The Rivers of America existed since the opening of Disneyland on July 17, 1955, beginning with the Mark Twain Riverboat. However, the island that the river surrounds was bare. The
Mike Fink Keel Boats
Mike Fink Keel Boats (or River Rogue Keel Boats) were small boats that navigated the Rivers of America at Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Park in Disneyland Paris.
History
The Mike Fink Keel Boats were b ...
opened in December of that year. A dry dock area for refurbishments has also been included since opening day.
In 1956, Indian War Canoes (now
Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes), as well as the
Tom Sawyer Island area on the center island that is accessible by raft, were opened. The
Sailing Ship Columbia was introduced in 1958. The nighttime show
Fantasmic! began showing on the river on May 13, 1992. The Mike Fink Keel Boats closed in 1997.
In September 2015, Disneyland Resort announced that the Rivers of America and its attractions would temporarily close starting January 11, 2016, to prepare for
''Star Wars'': Galaxy's Edge. An official Disneyland Twitter account confirmed that the Rivers of America would have a new route when it reopened from construction.
The Rivers of America and its attractions reopened in July 2017.
Ecology
The Rivers of America is not filtered or chlorinated in any way. Disney has placed
mosquitofish in the waterways—which also connect to the
Jungle Cruise, the
Adventureland-Frontierland-Castle moat, Big Thunder Pond,
Storybookland Canal, and the
Fantasyland
Fantasyland is one of the "themed lands" at all of the Disneyland-style parks run by The Walt Disney Company around the world. It is themed after List of Disney animated films based on fairy tales, Disney's animated fairy tale feature films. Ea ...
pond—to battle mosquito larvae from growing.
Upkeep
All the waterways in Disneyland are interconnected so that they may go through a natural process of filtration and de-
stagnation, much like a natural lake or pond would. All of the waters of Disneyland are connected via underground tubes, also allowing for aquatic life to pass through. Upon opening the Rivers of America, the water was a brown color due to the soil and mostly natural clay that kept the water from sinking (the first fill-the-river day failed as the water was absorbed by the sandy Anaheim substrate). Eventually, the rivers and moats were embanked by concrete. Following this, the water was dyed with green chalk which does not settle or bother wildlife; if left clear, guests would be able to see pipes, guidance tracks, and other hidden functions.
Attractions
Current attractions
*
Mark Twain Riverboat
The Disney riverboats are paddle steamer watercraft attraction ride vehicles operating on a track on a series of attractions located at Disney theme parks around the world.
The first was the ''Mark Twain'' Riverboat, located at the Disneyland ...
*
Sailing Ship Columbia
*
Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes
*
Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island
Tom Sawyer Island is an artificial island surrounded by the Rivers of America (Disney), Rivers of America at Disneyland, Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland. It contains structures and caves with references to Mark Twain characters from the novel ...
Former attractions
*
Mike Fink Keel Boats
Mike Fink Keel Boats (or River Rogue Keel Boats) were small boats that navigated the Rivers of America at Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Park in Disneyland Paris.
History
The Mike Fink Keel Boats were b ...
Entertainment
Current entertainment
*
Fantasmic!
Seasonal
*
Together Forever
*
Halloween Screams
*
Believe... In Holiday Magic
*
Disney's Celebrate America
Former entertainment
*
Remember... Dreams Come True
Former seasonal
*
Disneyland Forever
*
Wondrous Journeys
Other uses of the river
Fantasmic!, which opened on May 13, 1992, takes place on both the River and continuing onto
Tom Sawyer Island.
In 2003, the motion picture ''
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'' had its world premiere on the Rivers at Disneyland, with hundreds of celebrities and movie stars viewing the film on a purpose-built projection screen.
In 2006, the film's sequel, ''
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'', premiered on June 24 on the Rivers as well, two days before the
Pirates of the Caribbean attraction re-opened after a lengthy refurbishment on the Rivers in
New Orleans Square
New Orleans Square is a themed land found at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Based on 19th-century New Orleans, Louisiana, the roughly three-acre area was the first land to be added to Disneyland after the park's opening, at a cost of $18 mi ...
. In 2007, it hosted the gala for the premiere of the third installment of the film series, ''
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End''.
The world premiere of ''
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides'' was on May 7, 2011, at a premium ticket screening at Disneyland in
Anaheim
Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the tenth-most ...
, California, home of
the original Pirates of the Caribbean ride that inspired the film series. Many of the film's stars were in attendance. The screening took place on the river with a temporary outdoor theater constructed along with a massive movie screen and sound system installed on the stage on Tom Sawyer's Island. The Sailing Ship Columbia was decorated like 'The Black Pearl' from the movie franchise and moved forward in proximity to the theater seating.
Since the opening of the Davy Crockett Explorer canoes, Disneyland Cast Members have hosted an annual event called "The Canoe Races" which takes place before the park opening. Cast Members form teams and race in a canoe. The race is watched from the Frontierland/New Orleans Square area by many Cast Members who cheer on their friends and teammates.
Deaths
On two separate occasions, park guests have drowned while trying to swim to shore:
*On June 20, 1973, an 18-year-old male drowned while attempting to swim across the Rivers of America. He and his 10-year-old brother stayed on Tom Sawyer's Island past closing time by hiding in an area that is off-limits to guests. When they wanted to leave the island, they decided to swim across the river even though the younger brother did not know how to swim. The victim attempted to carry his younger brother on his back but drowned halfway across. The teenager's body was found the next morning. The younger brother was able to stay afloat by "dog paddling" until a ride operator rescued him.
*On June 4, 1983, another 18-year-old male drowned in the Rivers of America while trying to pilot a rubber emergency boat from Tom Sawyer's Island that he and a friend had stolen from a "cast members only" area of the island.
Magic Kingdom
At Magic Kingdom, the river passes through
Frontierland
Frontierland is one of the "themed lands" at the many Disneyland-style parks run by The Walt Disney Company, Disney around the world. Themed to the American frontier of the 19th century, Frontierlands are home to cowboys and Settler, pioneers, ...
and
Liberty Square. The Magic Kingdom river also hosts a Cast Member canoe race, similar to Disneyland's, called Canoe Races of the World.
In August 2024, it was announced that the Magic Kingdom version of Rivers of America would be removed to make way for an expansion of Frontierland themed to the American wilderness from
Pixar
Pixar (), doing business as Pixar Animation Studios, is an American animation studio based in Emeryville, California, known for its critically and commercially successful computer-animated feature films. Pixar is a subsidiary of Walt Disney ...
's
''Cars'' franchise. In June 2025, it was announced that the Rivers of America will be closing on July 7, 2025, to make way for Piston Peak National Park.
Attractions
*
Tom Sawyer Island
*
Liberty Belle Riverboat
Former attractions
*
Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes
*
Mike Fink Keel Boats
Mike Fink Keel Boats (or River Rogue Keel Boats) were small boats that navigated the Rivers of America at Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Park in Disneyland Paris.
History
The Mike Fink Keel Boats were b ...
Tokyo Disneyland
At
Tokyo Disneyland
is a theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Disney park t ...
, the river passes through
Westernland and
Critter Country.
Attractions
*
Mark Twain Riverboat
The Disney riverboats are paddle steamer watercraft attraction ride vehicles operating on a track on a series of attractions located at Disney theme parks around the world.
The first was the ''Mark Twain'' Riverboat, located at the Disneyland ...
*
Beaver Brothers Explorer Canoes
*
Tom Sawyer Island
Disneyland Paris
At
Disneyland Park Paris, the river is known as the Rivers of the Far West, and is part of Frontierland.
Big Thunder Mountain takes the place of Tom Sawyer Island.
Attractions
Current attractions
*
Big Thunder Mountain
*
Thunder Mesa Riverboat Landing
Former attractions
*
Indian Canoes
*
River Rogue Keel Boats
References
{{Disney rides
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts attractions
Disneyland
Magic Kingdom
Tokyo Disneyland
Disneyland Park (Paris)
Hong Kong Disneyland
Audio-Animatronic attractions
1955 establishments in California
1973 establishments in Florida