WDW Trivia author Lou Mongello reports on the eventual disposition of one of the early landmarks of Walt Disney World.
the Eastern Winds, a cocktail lounge aboard an authentic 65-foot Chinese Junk, was docked at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort hotel from 1971 to 1978. It was available for charters, and took a crew of two to operate; a pilot and a deckhand. The ship included a galley on board for dining as well as a full wet bar. Often during charters, the crew would also include a chef, a server, a bartender as well as a cocktail waitress. The large wheel was located in the stern of the 50,000-pound boat and took 22 turns from lock to lock.
Legend has it that after the East Wind was eventually retired, it was sold to Joe Namath, (“Broadway Joe”), quarterback of the New York Jets.
So does Joe own the boat now or can it be found elsewhere? No one knows. Read Lou’s story and let us know if you have the answer.