The Bow of the Columbia

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pointless trivia

• The Columbia was introduced to the Rivers of America in 1958 because Walt decided that the river needed more traffic. (Disney News, Spring 1985)
• The actual sailing ship Columbia, which the Disney version was modeled after, was the first American ship to cirumnavigate the globe in 1787. (Disney A to Z)
• The Columbia was a trading vessel. It helped open trading routes between the United States and China. And, besides being the first ship to circumnavigate the globe, it is also famous for lending its name to the Columbia River in Oregon.
• Disneyland's Columbia was built in Long Beach, California by Todd Shipyards. It has 3 masts and can carry 275 passengers. (Disneyland The Nickel Tour)
• The ship was built off of plans reconstructed from those belonging to the Bounty. This British vessel was, of course, the site of a romanticized mutiny in 1789 and is considered a close cousin of the Columbia, being built only two years apart. (Ibid)
• The ship was opened in June 1958 with a ceremony featuring Walt Disney, Admiral Joe Fowler, and representatives of the US Navy. (Ibid)
• In 1964, the hull of the ship was opened to the public. It features a maritime museum. (Ibid)
• Walt personally put a silver dollar under each of the Columbia's three masts because, according to an old nautical tradition, it's good luck. (Disneyland: Inside Story)
• TEST: What infamous pirate commandeers the ship every summer night for Fantasmic? Answer Below

Answer: Captain Hook