Peter Adamakos meets River Phoenix at Disney World!

One day at Walt Disney World I met River Phoenix. I had seen him in
film roles (STAND BY ME, RUNNING ON EMPTY (Oscar nomination). INDIANA
JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE.) After parking at the Magic Kingdom park
you got to the main gate by tram, where people sat on long seats
facing each other. After I sat down, I was surprised to see that
sitting opposite me was River Phoenix. Disney theme parks are special
places where people actually talk with one another and it was usual to
chat with others being “trammed” to the park. The five or six people
around us did the usual “Is this your first time here?” and so on. It
didn't seem that anyone else knew who he was. Asked where he was from,
he replied California, and that's when I said “I thought you were from
Idaho.” I had recently seen him in MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO in which he
was very good. He gave a smile, then a frown as if to say “don't say
who I am.”

It was his first time there, as I recall, and he asked what I'd
recommend he see as we got off the tram. I suggested a visit to THE
WALT DISNEY STORY near the entrance. It had an excellent 23 minute
film and an exhibition of awards, artwork, models,costumes,
merchandise, letters and much more from the Disney Archives. It
certainly got you in the mood for your visit. He thanked me and went
towards the theatre. I would like to have talked shop but this was his
private down time. He seemed a fine young man and it was a sad day a
few years later when I learned he had died.