Liberty Belle Riverboat

The Liberty Belle (formerly Richard F. Irvine) is a steam-powered riverboat ride vehicle at Rivers of America, Walt Disney World. It was the second boat ride vehicle to be introduced in this attraction and originally named after the late Disney executive Richard F. Irvine. It was a steam powered sternwheeler replica.

History
The Richard F. Irvine Riverboat was the second riverboat to enter into service on May 20, 1973 in the Rivers of America at the Magic Kingdom park. Its other riverboat colleague, the Admiral Joe Fowler, served from October 2, 1971, through fall 1980 when it was destroyed in a dry dock accident. The Richard F. Irvine was completely refurbished and returned to service in 1996 as the Liberty Belle Riverboat. The Liberty Belle underwent an extensive rehab from September 2005 to September 2006 and returned as an attraction ride vehicle. The Richard F. Irvine name would later be reintroduced on one of the ferry boats that travel between the Magic Kingdom and the Transportation and Ticket Center, having been renamed from Magic Kingdom II in 1997. Between late October 2009 and early January 2010, the Liberty Belle was used for a live show called Tiana's Showboat Jubilee to promote The Princess and the Frog film. In 2018, the Liberty Belle was completely overhauled with a new boiler.