I paddled this in 93, gone by the time I returned in 95. I was just as was described by Spaceship_Rob but I remember we also had a CM pacing us by beating a drum which got faster as we came round the top of the island. Actually gave me one of my fond memories of that trip, a kid with loads of character gave a running commentary of all our efforts & had us splitting our sides with laughter. In all honesty I recon it had run it’s time, but I’m glad I got to ride it before it went.
This ride ran from the year Walt Disney World opened until the late 1970's, at least that's when I saw it last. With a Disney Cast Member dressed in western costume as a guide, 14 or so guests could explore the Rivers of America in a canoe. It launched just down from the River Boat, I believe that the docks are still there. The ride was human powered, with each guest getting a paddle sized to their proportions. The guide rode in the back of the canoe, which is the best steering position. He/she encouraged the paddlers to get a cadence and instructed the guests as to when to paddle harder or softer. Young kids were encouraged to just ride. As I remember, the path of the ride was downstream, the same path of the River Boat and around Tom Sawyer Island. It may have not gone the entire distance around the Rivers of America, as I remember cutting back to the dock under one of the bridges on Tom Sawyer Island. The canoes were fairly wide, with at least two paddlers per seat and the young kids in the middle. It was a fun ride and a good workout! I don't know why the ride closed down, but I miss it!