Downtown Disney (Walt Disney World) - The Empress Lilly

The structure originally known as the The Empress Lilly is a static full-size replica of a paddle steamer riverboat on Village Lake. It is 220 feet long and 62 feet wide. Though it resembles a boat, it is actually a boat-shaped building on a submerged concrete foundation.

The Empress Lilly was designed by Walt Disney Imagineering to look as authentic as possible. The gingerbread scrollwork and stained-glass detailing hearkened back to the days of Mark Twain's Mississippi River. The paddlewheel at the aft end constantly churned, though the ship never moved. It greeted guests for the first time on May 1, 1976, when it was christened by Walt Disney's widow, Lillian Disney, for whom it was named. It originally housed four separate entertainment and dining areas:

• The Baton Rouge Lounge, located forward on the main deck. Here patrons could relax at the bar and enjoy the music and comedy of the Riverboat Rascals. Many of these musicians played in the Baton Rouge for years and became local legends. Some of them included "Fast Eddie" Erickson, Dave Tobiasen, Tom Bucci, Denny Zavett, Ralf Reynolds, Mike Gentry, Randy Morris, Dan Riley, John Charles, Andy Fielding and Bill Dendle.

• Steerman's Quarters, in the main deck's aft section, specialized in certified Angus beef. Its décor featured nostalgic imagery of America's western cattle. In the aft end of the room, giant windows overlooked the churning paddlewheel.

• The Fisherman's Deck, a seafood restaurant, was located forward on the promenade deck.

• The Empress Room, aft on the promenade deck, was a formal dining room that required reservations. It was extravagantly decorated with gold-trimmed walls and Rococo (Louis XIV) style appointments. Hungarian chef Garry Reich developed the original menu to cater to upscale tastes.

The Empress Lilly was also one of the first locations of the famous Disney Character Breakfasts.

In the mid-1990s, as a cost-cutting move, Disney began to engage outside partners to take over operations of many of its restaurants. It was decided the Empress Lilly would come under new management, and Levy Restaurants signed a contract to operate the "ship" for 20 years. On April 22, 1995, the Empress Lilly served her last meals. All interiors were subsequently ripped out and a new décor for a single restaurant put in place. The old smokestacks and paddlewheel were removed due to rust and rot and were not replaced. The restaurant opened as Fulton's Crab House on March 10, 1996.