🇩🇪 The Secrets Of Disney's Abandoned Epcot Ride 🇩🇪
...and what a former Imagineer told me about it, the Rhine River Cruise...
🚢 The Rhine River Cruise (German Rivers) was going to be a boat ride along the Rhine, Tauber, Isar, and Ruhr rivers.
🚢 Its scenes would've featured Freiburg, the Black Forest, Heidelberg, Cologne, Ruhr Valley, Lorelei, and Koblenz.
🚢 Landmarks would've included Neuschwanstein Castle, Berg Eltz, Pfalz Castle, Cologne Cathedral, and Heidelberg Castle.
🚢 The first third of the show building was built with the intentions of finishing the rest for a Phase Two (1983) opening.
🚢 It's been confirmed that Disney built the loading area, show building (for Freiburg, Black Forest, & Koblenz), the unloading area, plus the entrance and exits of the attraction.
🚢 Disney was actively searching for a sponsor so they could finish the attraction up until 1984 when it was canceled and left unfinished.
🚢 The entrance, with its large wooden doors, were eventually covered up by the mural. And, the exit doorways were sealed off with windows.
🚢 Biergarten's buffet sits in the exit halls of Rhine River Cruise. Behind the buffet line, where cast members serve food, sits over top of the ride's path.
🚢 The boats would've gone through the doorway on the left, leaving the unload station, and then turned left into the wall with the blue ribbon to enter the load station.
🚢 The boats were going to have names, with one's being Loreley (based on folklore of a siren in Lorelei).
🚢 A former Imagineer who worked with Harper Goff (this ride's designer) said, "All was in a nighttime setting... miniatures lit and placed so they appeared full size as you’d look up at them from the river... Would have been unique and exciting."
You can see the rest of what the Imagineer told me about the attraction (like the boats being on wheels instead of floating) and learn a ton more about it on my blog.
TLDR: It would've been the German version of Living with the Land but you got to eat at Biergarten afterwards. 💔
I still wish Disney would build this attraction! Epcot needs some more lowkey, chill rides, especially in the World Showcase.
What do you think of the Rhine River Cruise? 🍻💖
#epcot #DISNEY #waltdisneyworld #germany #rhinerivercruise #disneyworld #disneyparks #disneyadult #storytime #epcotdisney /Epcot
Okay, so you've heard about Epcot's mysterious, abandoned Rhine River Cruise, right? I've been diving deep into this fascinating piece of Disney history, and let me tell you, it's wild to think what could have been! This wasn't just a fleeting idea; a significant portion of the show building was actually constructed, complete with loading and unloading areas, hinting at the grandeur that Disney Imagineers envisioned. The original concept for this "ABANDONED Disney World ATTRACTION" was truly ambitious. Picture yourself gliding along a serene river, journeying through scenes inspired by Germany's most iconic waterways – the Rhine, Tauber, Isar, and Ruhr. Envision passing by meticulously crafted miniatures, designed to appear full-size, showcasing landmarks like the majestic Neuschwanstein Castle, the ancient Berg Eltz, and the stunning Cologne Cathedral. An Imagineer who worked on the project with Harper Goff himself described it as a unique, exciting experience set in a magical nighttime environment. It truly would have been a German counterpart to Living with the Land, offering both education and pure Disney charm. What really gets me is thinking about the details. The boats, some even named 'LORELEY' after the mythical siren, were designed to run on wheels, not float, a clever engineering trick! The concept art, like the 'Ride Model pt 1' and 'Ride Model pt 2' I've seen, shows how immersive it would have been, transporting guests directly into quaint European villages and dramatic landscapes. It's heartbreaking to know that Disney actively sought a sponsor until 1984, but alas, the dream was never fully realized. The remnants of this lost attraction are still there, hidden in plain sight at the Germany pavilion. That grand, wooden-doored entrance you might see in old photos? It's now covered by the beautiful 'Willkommen' mural, a subtle nod to what once was. And the exit halls? They've been sealed off with windows, and even more amazingly, part of Biergarten's buffet area actually sits right above where the boats would have traversed! Imagine enjoying your bratwurst and sauerkraut, completely unaware you're dining over a piece of unbuilt Disney magic. It makes me wonder if Epcot could ever revisit this concept. With its focus on global cultures and innovation, a peaceful, scenic boat ride exploring the beauty of Germany would fit perfectly, especially considering the current need for more relaxed attractions in World Showcase. Every time I walk through the Germany pavilion now, I can't help but peek at the mural and imagine Loreley gliding by. It’s a bittersweet thought for any Disney history buff.
What a shame!