Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes

Grace C. was helping me do all the things once before my pass expired
after the whole experience I asked, «WHY am I doing HARD labour at the happiest place on earth?!?»
LoL…for those that have a soft spot for pretending you were an early explorer or rowing, this is your jam!
I just didn’t like that I did it on a day when it was 100ish ~40C and I was wearing black sooo bad combo
plus choose your company wisely… the chick in front of me was off rhythm so she kept splashing me! =X
~*~
it’s fun and exhausts all little ones quickly
I highly recommend doing this ride with your crew buds… no splashing and easier on you! ;p

If you want to get a free workout while working on your canoe paddling skills, this ride is the one for you.
Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes is a fun ride that will require use of your upper body strength to paddle the canoe with the wooden oars. They do have adult and kid size oars. Kids are required to wear life vests. The tour guides are fun and make the ride more exciting! Since seeing the canoe paddlers, I had wanted badly to try it. Now that I did, I can say that this is one of my favorite attractions in the park. You will paddle throughout the Rivers of America. Along the way, you will see both the Mark Twain Riverboat and the Columbia, as well as the ducks! Be careful how you paddle, as you don’t want to bump into another person’s oars or even have any of the dirty green water spilled onto you! It s a risk worth taking when riding the canoes of Davy Crockett!
Since you are so close to the water, be careful as to not stick out any appendages in the water! Have fun sailing the Rivers of America with this one!

If you come to Disneyland on arm day, don’t worry — here’s how to get your workout! This ride does close early to clear out the River of America for Fantastic, but there’s never really a wait and it’s a cool way to see your way around the park. Your arms will be sore from paddling, and the canoe leaders think they’ve got mad jokes like on the Jungle Cruise, but it’s a nice fun thing to do at the park if you’re tired of waiting in lines and sitting on rides.

Lots of fun for all ages. Kids under 6 years are provided with floatation vest. Paddle, paddle, paddle… still fun with a friendly boat «captain.» One of the few conveyances at Disneyland without rails or technology to guide the ride.

One of the best rides in the park. I came early here with my best friend and we splurged on a VIP purchase pass so that we didn’t have to wait in the long line-​up.
I love how the actors were in full character.
Not a fan of boat rides but this was fun.

It was myself, my wife and two guides who rowed out canoe around the island. Tgd rest of the passengers couldn’t row to save themselves. The guides thanked me for helping.
The ride seems to only run on weekends during the fall and winter. A good workout, but a bit tiring if nobody wants to help. Disney ride description says that the guides are supposed to be capable of getting everyone around by themselves

Located at the edge of Critter Country are the free floating canoes in Disneyland. It’s interesting how you can get a totally different experience on this ride depending on who you have accompanying you in your twenty-​seater canoe.
The first few times I went on this ride I felt like we almost coasted along with all of the strong adults helping out. Then this last time there seemed to be only four adults (including myself) along with the two guides (one on each end) that were doing all of the work. I couldn’t believe how much work it took to only get to the halfway point. You could really feel the difference in how much energy it took out of you. There were just too many young kids going along for the ride, which made it tough for the ones actually doing all of the work.
The great thing about this ride is that there is hardly ever a line for it, but the bad thing is that you too could end up on one of those extremely exhausting canoe rides like I was on.
#81 /​100
Unilocal 100 Review Challenge 2014

I love this ride. I rarely find other people that do, because they actually make you paddle and do some physical activity. And I should clarify: I love this ride in the morning… not in the blazing afternoon sun. If you’re not afraid of a lil’ rowing, check these canoes out. If you are averse to physical activity, though, you probably won’t like this. You’re missing out, though!

The canoes aren’t a bad ride, in fact, it shouldn’t really be considered a ride at all. You paddle the canoe! You, along with the other people in the canoe, including two cast members, paddle yourselves along the Rivers of America.
Watch out for the Mark Twain Riverboat creeping up behind your canoe!

The Canoes are the only ride in all of Disneyland that do not run on a track, through a chute, or in an otherwise controlled fashion. You could park your canoe right in front of the Mark Twain and get slowly mowed down. You could run aground. You could chase ducks. Canoes are weird to call a ride, since they’re really just a form of transportation, and it’s almost sad that we’re so indoorsy as to consider them a ride, but Frontierland used to have mule rides and whatnot, and canoes are frontiersy. These require more physical effort than any other ride, but you spend all day giving your feet and legs exercise, may as well give your upper body a workout too.
The entrance for the Canoes is a bit confusing; it’s all the way down by the Hungry Bear restaurant, not near the rafts that go to Tom Sawyer’s — uh, Pirate — Island, and it’s down a short set of stairs. I like that it’s next to the restaurant because you can go wash your hands after your ride very conveniently.
Personally, while I enjoy canoeing, I’d enjoy it more if my canoe wasn’t full of strangers who keep their paddles in the canoe and expect us to make up for them not paddling, children dragging their (child-​sized) paddles in the water and making things harder, and people who just can’t seem to follow along with one single direction: «stroke!» Our coxswain (do you use that term for frontier-​themed canoes?) seemed a bit frustrated and kept having to stop everyone because we weren’t moving well due to the uncoordinated rowing. Like, badly enough that as my four friends and I were leaving, he actually thanked us for being the only ones to follow directions (about 20 people fit in the canoe and only five of us understood paddling?).
I actually wouldn’t have minded going even more slowly and enjoying the view of Tom Sawyer’s — er, Pirate — Island; I found myself watching the paddles so I didn’t hit my friend’s (near the end, I also found myself trying to figure out how to splash the woman behind me whose paddle never went in the water)(expect to get splashed, period. Maybe keep your mouth closed, ’cause I’m sure the Rivers of America are chemically-​treated to avoid cholera, but waterfowl spend a lot of time in there, too, ifyouknowwhatImean). We took two breaks to let our arms and shoulders relax, and it happened to be itty-​bitty duckling time at Disneyland, and we stopped right next to a group of them, which was squee-​worthy. And that’s a very cool thing about the canoes: it provides the most quiet of any other ride, because you get to be away from crowds and enjoy ducklings and see actual trees. It’s a nice thing to do if you’re feeling overstimulated.
I don’t always have patience for people who can’t follow directions, which I guess is my issue with the Canoes, and is not intrinsically part of the ride (maybe it is). The more of your own trustworthy friends in your canoe, the better.

I didn’t even realize that this was a ride until really recently! It’s fun to do every once in a while — it actually requires you to row your canoe around the lake.
There’s hardly ever a wait, so it’s definitely worth trying at least once!

«Are you ready for some manual labor?!»
Bow, our effervescent guide, shouted this at the start of the canoe ride and it really sets the tone for this «ride.»
But what you realize 5 minutes in is who skipped the shoulder day at the gym because suddenly no one is rowing. Then again, you might be stuck behind the one over enthusiastic rower that slaps the water so hard you get a nice mouthful of green water. It just takes you out of it and makes it hard to be a good sport about being an explorer.
If you’re insistent on getting the canoe experience after watching people do it and thinking «that could be fun» then you might be in for a rough ride. Even the cast members know its a raw deal. Our guide Bow actually asked us to shout and scream that we had a great time as we were docking to entice other park patrons to their doom.
*For those that like to try everything once, the key is to sit at the very front.
Or don’t ride at all and take the Columbia or Pirate Ship instead. Both traverse the same Rivers of America and you actually get to take in the sights on your own leisure.

My friends and I decided to come to Disneyland the other day (06÷10÷13), just to try these canoes.
We thought it would be a fun way to relieve our stress from just taking finals.(:
We thought they wouldn’t let us on cause it was about 20 minutes to 5 but, the line went by really quickly and it was so adorable how they had little life suits and smaller paddles for little children (:
This ride, is completely powered by the passengers, and unless you’re experienced, I wouldn’t say it’s easy.
The people in my boat couldn’t keep rhythm, would all splash, and some people would randomly just stop paddling.
I would give this review 5 stars IF the guide in the back (I think his name was Rick) didn’t make so many comments to me.
He was constantly making comments like «Princess in purple, your paddle is supposed to touch the water», «…this is a boat, not an airplane, move it», «…your paddle is air drying», «. what are you doing?»
Not only was I constantly paddling but, I wasn’t wearing purple, so I didn’t respond.
Then at the end, he tapped me, and stopped me from leaving the boat, to comment that I’m such a princess, and that I just wanted to make my friends do all the work. And, how he saw me only paddle 6 «big kid» strokes.
I would’ve taken these words lighter, if he smiled or laughed it off, but he looked mad. My feelings were hurt, and I cried as soon we left the area.
Disneyland is supposed to be the «Happiest Place on Earth».

The only Disney ride that gives you an upper body workout!
As a kid, I always wanted to take a trip on the canoes. When Kathy and I saw the canoe tours going on while on the Mark Twain, we had to do it.
Like many of my fellow Unilocalers have said, there is no track… in other words, this is a self-​propelled ride, and it’s up to you and your fellow passengers to get you back to the start. Luckily, everyone on our canoe pitched in. Also, no life vests for us!
Yes, you will get a workout. Yes, it’s hard work. Yes, the cast members do tell corny jokes (the one about the beaver who built the dam being called Justin made us groan). But, you will have fun going around the Rivers of America portion of the park, and knowing that you actually participated in this adventure, and burned off quite a few of the calories you put on because of those pesky churros! Plus, the feeling of calm as your canoe goes around the area gives one that zen sensation, especially in the quiet parts of the ride.
And stroke… and stroke… and stroke…

To the staff manning the canoes: if you don’t know how to steer, don’t have this job!
The staff member in the back of the canoe steered us into the rocks. and we bumped into the canoe that set off after us. Latter situation — eh, that’s all right — but hitting rocks and teetering isn’t my idea of fun.
I now know why as a child my parents never took me on the canoes: it’s hard work. Especially with people not pulling their weight (e.g. the woman in front of me who just decided to sit there with the paddle across her lap; or the other woman she was with who decided to see how much she could splash the other riders with the nasty green water.)
Happy we tried the canoes… but I think they’ll be a miss next time.

Hey Family, I know we’re on vacation and all at Disneyland, but do I have some tiring work for you!
I’m not sure what sort of sick sick parent brings their kids to Disneyland only to make them conduct back breaking arm tiring labor in order to go in a circle. I mean, sure, it’s a great way to justify eating that second Churro. And I’m pretty sure that P90X has this listed as one of their reps, but you seriously need to paddle your canoe.
This stuff is hard work.
I’m at disneyland to relax. Not work! It’s bad enough that my legs are going to be killing me by the end of the day, now I have to deal with my arms killing me as well?! I mean, COME ON!
Careful with splashing children who aren’t anything more than dead weight and if I had my way, would be on their way to the bottom of the rivers of America. But yeah, this ride exist and I feel like maybe there shouldn’t be cast members who work this, so much as gym memberships to work out on it.

If you want a good arm workout, come here. This is true fun in the sun! Just so you know, there are no tracks guiding the canoe… I asked and won the bet. It is all the passengers and Davy Crockett aka your strong rowing instructor (Disney cast member). Stroke! Stroke! Stroke! This is one of my favorite rides ever. It is a good way to burn those churros away! You go around the Rivers of America and sometimes, if there are two canoes, they have races against each other. So much fun competition!
We rode this fun ride and our Disney cast member was hilarious. He also broke his paddle… the second one that day. I guess he is just too strong for the tiny paddles. The downside about this ride is that if the other passengers do not paddle, your canoe goes slower. It is a great ride for everyone, especially kids, maybe not children under 5 because they might be tempted to jump out of the canoe. I recommend this ride for everyone, tourists should try it, but if you cannot ride it, next time.
For all you adventurers, like me, definitely ride this ride! The wilderness must be explored! Kawkaw… Rawr!

I have been to Disneyland more times than I can count but I have never once been on the canoes… until now. For some reason I thought you had to pay for this, since Disneyland isn’t cheap. But I’m glad I checked it out!
The line goes fast, since the canoes are fairly large, so we waited about 10 – 15 minutes. They make any child under 8 wear a life vest, and offer them to other children who might feel uncomfortable without them. They have two sizes of paddles so the children can help (ha) and larger paddles for the adults.
We actually got to sit in the very front of the canoe, so we got an interesting experience since we «set the pace» for the canoe and got to talk to the rower in the front every once in a while.
Beware of small children directly in front or behind you — I was rowing on the side of the adult, but my boyfriend wasn’t as lucky. The little girl behind her (cute as she was) would splash him every time her oar came out of the water. So he walked off the ride looking like he had just got off Splash Mountain!
It is very nice to see Disneyland from a different perspective and go around Tom Sawyer’s Island. I say to try this out!
This ride does give your arms a bit of a workout, so be prepared. It’s one of those things I’m glad I tried, but I probably won’t do again.

A total work out!
As if walking around the park is not enough. If you want to work out your arm, please by all means do go on this «ride».
This isn’t my favorite attraction but once in awhile, it’s kind of fun canoeing around Tom Sawyer Island and listening to the funny jokes your canoe guide make. OR if you want to check out some BUFF men. haha then yes, go on this attraction!

If you want a good upper body workout at Disneyland make your way toward Davy Crockett’s Canoes. Don’t pass the opportunity to row your way around the Rivers of America, nice green water. The wait in line was 5 minutes, they had plenty of canoes ready to get people rowing.
Our Disneyland guide was silly and comical. I get a kick out of the nerdy G rated humor. Keep an eye out for the Mark Twain Riverboat and the Columbia Ship as you circle the river. This is a nice relaxing ride that gets you away from the crowds.