This ride is currently closed for re-imagining.
"And now we approach the incredible lost city of Angkor Wat ..."
The River Caves concept came direct from Coney Island to London’s Earl’s Court in 1904. The Pleasure Beach ride arrived in 1905. Upon opening, the ride had fifty boats, each carrying 10 passengers through darkened caverns.
Initially, there were eleven scenes including the Cave of Emeralds, the Coral Cave and the Blue Grotto of Capri. Each was lit by incandescent lamps and provided a trip into another world that almost all guests would not have seen ‘for real’.
Over the decades, the ride has continued to evolve with new scenes being added and updated to include a cast of human and animal characters. Furthermore, the area directly around the ride changed with the addition of the Ghost Train, Wild Mouse and the Gold Mine. The Magnolia Cafe (later Bourbon Street) opened in 1972, with the ride visible to diners. The facade of the ride has also seen a number of changes.
A signifcant update took place in 1977 when the final scene was replaced to feature the lost city of Ankor Wat, that had been reclaimed from the dense Cambodian jungle the previous decade. This scene had been planned by Leonard Thompson who had visited the location on his last foreign travels. The new scene completed by his son Geoffrey after his death.
The ride closed for reimagining early in the 2024 season and work is underway to update the ride for a new generation.