The Rich History Behind Walt Disney's Mark Twain Riverboat

From Walt Disney's first ocean voyage to building a full-scale steamboat at Disneyland, the Mark Twain Riverboat has a fascinating history rooted in Walt's personal love of watercraft and adventure.

Walt Disney's love of boats started early — and the Mark Twain Riverboat at Disneyland is perhaps its most beautiful expression.

A Lifetime on the Water

In 1918, a 16-year-old Walt Disney stepped onto the ship Vauban, bound for France with his Red Cross unit. It was his first encounter with the ocean, but far from his last. Over the years, Walt spent time on freighters, steamships, cruise ships, and ocean liners — each fueling a fascination with watercraft that would eventually find its way to Disneyland.

Steering the Past Into the Present

When Walt and his wife Lillian vacationed in St. Louis in 1931, he envisioned them boarding a steamboat and traveling the Mississippi in style. That romantic vision of classic American river travel would become the Mark Twain Riverboat — a full-scale, working steamboat navigating the Rivers of America at Disneyland since opening day in 1955.

From a young man's first voyage to one of Disneyland's most enduring attractions, the Mark Twain Riverboat carries Walt Disney's spirit on every trip around the river.