River Country?

[FamilyOf8]

What is the story on River Country? Have they torn it down yet, or are they planning to refurbish?

Kell

[GOOFYFREEK]

Not torn down and no chances of Re Furb, but has been rented out on occasion for some folks with DEEP pockets.

[Dznefreek]

There is a website that has pix of RC in its' current state of disrepair and I doubt anyone is renting it out. . . . .
HERE are the PIX (http://www.disneypix.com/Recreation/River/2005a/River2005a.htm)

[GOOFYFREEK]

Here is one of those sites
http://users.adelphia.net/~tburr/

[FamilyOf8]

Thanks for the info. Those are easily some of the most depressing photos I have ever seen. :sad1:

[Horizons16]

Im not exactlly sure that they would be renting the place out with those fabulous holes all around. Its a waste of space they really should do something with it. Maybe they can make it into a pool area for FW or something like that.

Steve

[GOOFYFREEK]

The renting out of the facility was shortly after it closed.

[*EWooWDW*]

They need to do something. It's a waste of a good space. I liked River Country, it was nice. Seeing those pictures of how they just let it go is sorta depressing.

[Horizons16]

It has a great history too... one of the first water parks in the US. Plus, Goofy in those swim trunks was a hilarious thing to see ha. :)

[southtown]

This is probably a very dumb question but can you still walk around it? Im sure its no but then how did those people get those pictures. I went there back when I was 7 yrs old (35 now) so I think even its its bad shape it still might help me remember the fun I had.

[GOOFYFREEK]

I am suspecting those pictures where taken late late into the night.

[southtown]

I noticed the night pics,but the link before yours the pictures were taken during the day.

[Planogirl]

We walked around the place a few years ago. There's an opening right next to the gate so access was easy.

We saw no security, just a young couple also walking around. The young lady was very upset and told us that she spent a lot of time at RC while growing up. Like us, they couldn't understand why Disney didn't do SOMETHING with the place.

The pools were walled off but we could see over the walls and they were all drained and deteriorating. The restrooms were lit and surprisingly clean. The other buildings were just closed and looked a bit weatherbeaten. It was too dark to walk the trail along the lake.

It was a great place to relax and play. :(

[2angelsinheaven]

I loved RC as a kid, we use to pack a lunch and head over atleast once a month with all our family.

[2angelsinheaven]

Anyone know when the first set of photos were taken? The prices of the food look comparable to current food prices in WDW. Weird.

[PrincessLindy]

If nothing else you would think that is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Especially if people are able to get in there and walk around. Someone is going to get hurt.

Never got to go there. Wished we could have.

[Lesleyluvdisney]

god, that is sad to see, we went in 1999, the last year it was open, but it was a bad day all round!!! my partner got stung by a wasp whilst eating a tuna sndwich, i got chased by those crazy birds trying to steal my chips, and then my partner went careering down a slide backwards and bashed his head!!!

But those pics are still sad, even though it was a nightmare day!!!

LES
X

[shirley 38]

You know Walt said " IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN DO IT.

They have 2 fantastic properties now being utilized. DISCOVERY ISLAND, AND RIVER COUNTRY.

So Let's do it guys. Do something with them.

[Horizons16]

Looks like im taking a flashlight and a camera next time around :)

[mitros]

If you notice, at the top of the page, it states May 2005. This site {Disneypix} posts the dates of their pictures right on top of the page. If you search their site, you can find photos as far back as the 70's, and you can compare those with current shots of the same places. Sometimes they will even post "before" {old} and "after" {new} photos of the same places at Disney. It's a really interesting site.

[Steamboat Bill]

I miss RC...it was never as busy as TL or BB is now :(

[txaggie94gigem]

i remember reading about problems they had with diseases in the lake/temp of the lake and with the two new water parks it was no lonerger worth the hazard....i'm sure eventally they will tear everything down and make it into another water park or hotel/dvc facility....disney will eventually use every square foot they can!


by the way....remind me...what is discovery island? rings a bell but i cannot place it....

[lovethattink]

i remember reading about problems they had with diseases in the lake/temp of the lake and with the two new water parks it was no lonerger worth the hazard....i'm sure eventally they will tear everything down and make it into another water park or hotel/dvc facility....disney will eventually use every square foot they can!


by the way....remind me...what is discovery island? rings a bell but i cannot place it....


Local rumors had it that someone died from having a parasite acquired at the bottom of the lake.

Discovery Island had wildlife and a bird show.

[RobinMarie]

I liked Discovery Island. It was a nice place to be in the World and get some quiet. Whenever we boat by it looks like birds have taken over.

[yaytezIOA]

Here is a little snippet of what River Country was, and what may have caused its demise. They didnt officially announce that it was closed until last year. And it last operated in November of 2001.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Country

[Trails End Server]

Wow, that place does look sad. I've never been there, but oddly park my car not 20 feet from fences blocking the view of the back side of it. I've once walked up to the fence and glanced through it. I mentioned to another server once that it would be cool to sneek back there but they just commente, "why, its just a giant snake pit now." I still think it would be neat to go back there and walk around.

[disneyfreakjackie]

:sad2:

[PeterPanMan]

The last time I was there (2004) a CM at the Poly said that there were plans for both the RC area and Discovery Island, but they were back burnered as more high profile projects came along.

As to what they were going to do with it, I have no idea. Does anyone else?

[Grendalynn]

I had also heard that the reason RC closed was because of the lake. If you notice along most all of the beaches, swimming is prohibited. When I was young (now 29) we always swam in the lake. Went to RC many time in the 80's... have fond memmoreis of it! I am sure Disney will do something with the site. Now with TL and BB they are not in need of it.... Time will tell!

[colleen costello]

I stayed at the Wilderness Lodge last spring and went on the "Wonders of the Lodge" tour with a nice CM. We talked about the "no swimming" and he (being a native of Florida) said that of course we all swam in the lakes as kids -- everyone did that all over Florida. Some years ago, though, Florida passed a law governing public swimming in lakes and he said the standards are too high. He said the same law had closed a very nice public beach near his home. He said the law includes a reference to water clarity -- something like "three feet of visibility" or something along those lines -- and trees and vines color the water and make it soupy so "clear water" is almost unheard of in Florida... But that doesn't mean a lake is not safe to swim in. So according to him, these crazy rules are FLORIDA rules, not Disney rules, and a lot of public beaches have been unnecessarily shut down.

[jennifer293]

Just seems like such a waste of space. Either use it or clear it out for something else and it is not like Disney doesn't have the money it would take to go in there and make it just like the other 2 water parks.

IF YOU BUILD IT THEY WILL COME!!!

I KNOW I would like to have another park to choose from on my MYW plus package. We don't go to Disney Quest and so we don't end up using all of our plus passes... the opportunity to have another water park to visit would be AWESOME!!!!!

[GOOFYFREEK]

There is nothing wrong with the lakes. Disney holds 3 different Triathlons in them every year.

[rt2dz]

Discovery Island is a wildlife refuge now, mainly for birds. AKA--tax write off for Disney

[DancingBear]

There is an amoeba which lives in the muck in Florida lakes which rarely affects anyone but which is nearly always fatal when it does. It's not the water itself, which may explain the triathlon use (also the reason why folks falling off of jetskis and stuff are not a problem).

[zalansky]

WOW I went back and looked at the old photos and compared them to the new ones like someone had suggested and that just made me SAD. I went there too, in the 80's and have such great memories. Those older photos really brought back those good memories for me. Thanks, whoever suggested that. :thumbsup2

[kozmo]

Good morning all!
I wish they would fix up river country just like it was!!
Why couldnt they just drain it put in cememt bottom and make it like it was?? Doesnt that sound so easy?? Heheheheh. It was clearly, one of the funnest spots at disneyworld.,

[disneychick05]

:sad: Wow, it is so sad to see RC in that condition. Some of my fondest memories growing up were at RC. My parents have some good pictures of me swimming in the kiddie section there on my 3rd birthday. I was hoping to take my little ones there someday. If Disney could refurbish it and then use the public water supply I'd be on :cloud9:

[Tuffcookie]

I was at Fort Wilderness in the Spring of 2001 and remember what a neat place RC was! :) Goofy would, at times, go down the water slide! :thumbsup2 How sad that, little by little, all the things that made FW such a special camp grounds, are disappearing. :sad1:

TC :cool1:

[pouncingpluto]

One of my earliest memories is going down the waterslide at RC and having my dad catch me!

[WDWCPAlumni]

I dont know if this has anything to do with the closing of RC or not. I worked there a few days when i was attending the college program. I was a life guard at BB but once in a while they would send me there. It seemed that each time I went there, there was a problem with the alligators sleeping in the slides. In the morning before the park opened, the alligators had to be moved. I wondered if someone would consider this to be too risky???? Like I said, I have no idea if that could have something to do with it but I thought I would add the info.

[allisonswonderland]

Is that true? Alligators in the slide? Asleep? I loved RC when I was young we always went there....

[disneychick05]

I dont know if this has anything to do with the closing of RC or not. I worked there a few days when i was attending the college program. I was a life guard at BB but once in a while they would send me there. It seemed that each time I went there, there was a problem with the alligators sleeping in the slides. In the morning before the park opened, the alligators had to be moved. I wondered if someone would consider this to be too risky???? Like I said, I have no idea if that could have something to do with it but I thought I would add the info.

Wow.. :scratchin That is one I've never heard before! Wondering if there was a problem since there was no way to see to the bottom sometimes...could alligators have been in the water there while people were at RC?? Does anyone know of any alligator incidents at RC?? Now I'm curious! :idea:

[WDWCPAlumni]

Of course disney does everything they can to keep the alligators away from the public, but because the water for RC was from the lake, sometimes it just happened that way..........IT IS FLORIDA!!!! :sunny: