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mousketeer
02-04-2003, 07:41 PM
When the Rivers of America refurb is completed, what is the S/S Columbia's schedule. I have been going to the park monthly for years and have only seen the ship operating ONCE! I hope to hear she will be sailing.

rexfarms
02-04-2003, 08:13 PM
I see it quite a bit during busy summer days. And of course, for Fantasmic!

Laffite
02-04-2003, 09:19 PM
Yes. The Columbia is definitely one of those things that's only operating on busy days, like summer.

Lost Boy
02-05-2003, 07:31 PM
Just so you all know about how things work at Disneyland now: The Columbia used to belong to "Attractions" and was out almost every day. Shortly after Fantasmic! became the huge hit that it is, the ship was turned over to "Entertainment". At that time it was stated that the Columbia would no longer sail around the Rivers of America and would only be used for Fantasmic! Well, that didn't last too long, because in thier usual short sightedness, they forgot about huge summer crowds. So it was decreed that the Columbia "could" be used during the day - - IF the number of guests in the Park exceed 20,000. Then that was lowered and so once again our beautiful sailing ship can be seen most days, especially on weekends, when the Park is crowded. Except now of course as the river is dry (more or less). I love the Columbia and I actually cried when I heard it would no longer sail the Rivers. Then when I went down to the Park and found out that it would sail again and I saw it coming around the bend I cried again - for joy.
And it means even more now with it's tie to the ill-fated Shuttle of the same name, now gone. :crying:

experiment626
02-05-2003, 08:29 PM
I have never seen the Columbia sail, except for of course Fantasmic. Even during our trip in August a few years back (busy summer day).

Pirate Girl
02-05-2003, 09:07 PM
Wow. Columbia. It funny the things that are coincedental. How sad, and kinda nice too.

Ace
02-05-2003, 09:28 PM
I bet that Disney gets at least one letter or at least one petition is started demanding that they change the name of the sailing ship... I mean, how inconsiderate can they be, naming it after a tragedy. Let's not even get into Peter Jackson and his Two Towers.

tiggertoo
02-06-2003, 02:04 AM
Let's just strike the name Columbia from all of the history books.
;)

Seriously, anyone who petitions for a name change of the DL Columbia has more of an agenda than reverence for the shuttle and the astronauts.

Christiii
02-06-2003, 07:13 AM
wow...thats realy wierd!!! the Columbia is the pirate ship, right?? I have been to Disneyland about 10 times last year( at least three times per trip) and the Columbia was always running!! I know that because me mom really likes to ride the white boat, and we would wait in line for the white boat while they load the Columbia..Ive been at all times during the year, slow and busy...I have really never noticed it not running...they sem to be on a quick schedule..they would run the white boat, then the pirate ship, then the white boat...I guess I musta been lucky every time I go, huh??

Laffite
02-06-2003, 10:14 AM
Originally posted by Christiii
wow...thats realy wierd!!! the Columbia is the pirate ship, right??

uh oh... becareful :) the CMs on the Columbia are -very- sensitive about that issue. They are not pirates nor is Columbia a pirate ship. The Columbia is a merchant ship, doing things by-the-rules, not robbing people, they say :)

RStar
02-06-2003, 10:20 AM
I like to go below and see all the neat stuff. the galley, Capt.s quarters, ect. Most people may not realise what an attraction it truley is. And I belive it got it's name from a hitoric ship and was named before the shuttle, who then got it's name from the same ship.

Christiii
02-06-2003, 10:25 AM
ummmm weeeeeelllllll, its a pirate ship diring Fantasmic...or are Captain Hook and his mates just on a cruise??:D

Tigertail777
02-06-2003, 11:20 AM
It was also used as a pirate ship for the gala opening of Pirates of the Caribbean...LOL but we'll skim past that one....
Is the inside decks still open to look at? I had heard they closed that down a while ago?

gn2dlnd
02-06-2003, 12:35 PM
Originally posted by Christiii
ummmm weeeeeelllllll, its a pirate ship diring Fantasmic...or are Captain Hook and his mates just on a cruise??:D

Exactly. It's not a pirate ship, but it plays one on TV. ;) Much like I'm not a vicar, but I play one in Glendale. :rolleyes:

smd4
02-06-2003, 01:36 PM
And I belive it got it's name from a hitoric ship and was named before the shuttle, who then got it's name from the same ship.

There was a fairly extensive thread way, way back, that discusses the the historical Columbia , which, indeed, was a real ship--and definitely not a pirate ship.

The Late Space Shuttle, of course, was not named for the Disneyland Columbia, and wasn't even named for the historic Columbia sailing ship. Before the United States was the United States, we were just a bunch of colonies, but when we banded together to fight in the French and Indian war, we needed to think of ourselves as united. The name Columbia evolved to describe this bonding of colonies, and is, in essence, another name for the United States, and for Lady Liberty herself, when she was portrayed. This is the significance of the Shuttle's name.

The amount of history that is portrayed at Disneyland is monumental, but because many of us assume that it's "just an amusement park," much of that history is lost. The fact that people think of the Columbia as a "pirate ship" is a case in point.

mousketeer
02-06-2003, 01:52 PM
I also seem to remeber that when the ship was in port at Fowler's Harbor, you could tour it for a B or C coupon. When did the museum close?

rexfarms
02-06-2003, 05:15 PM
Originally posted by Laffite
uh oh... becareful :) the CMs on the Columbia are -very- sensitive about that issue. They are not pirates nor is Columbia a pirate ship. The Columbia is a merchant ship, doing things by-the-rules, not robbing people, they say :)

I understand this but they still use "pirate" terms and speak. Hence, Aye the Latch. Anybody know what I am talking about. That is so funny!

innerSpaceman
02-06-2003, 05:39 PM
Originally posted by smd4
The Late Space Shuttle, of course, was not named for the Disneyland Columbia, and wasn't even named for the historic Columbia sailing ship. The name Columbia evolved to describe this bonding of colonies, and is, in essence, another name for the United States
Much as that last bit is true, the fact remains that the space shuttle Columbia was named for the sailing ship of which Disney's is a replica.

Laffite
02-06-2003, 06:08 PM
All Columbia CMs I talked to made the point that they're not pirates very clear, and most of them are offended if you call them pirates (for some reasons not obvious).

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you would please look to your left, you'll see a ride: Pirates of the Caribbean. If you want to see pirates, go there....(etc)" :rolleyes:

Pirate Girl
02-07-2003, 02:22 PM
Originally posted by Christiii
ummmm weeeeeelllllll, its a pirate ship diring Fantasmic...or are Captain Hook and his mates just on a cruise??:D

Of course! Captain Hook isn't really a pirate. He's an actor. ;)