Disney's River Country - Who's Been!? How does it compare to today's water parks?

[OhMari]

We went in 1979 when we camped at Disney. I was so thrilled to have fun at a swimming pool. That summer a huge water park opened the year before in Wisconsin Dells called Noah's Ark. That water park still exists today. It puts Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon to shame. They add on water rides, eliminate rides that no one is interested in anymore. The only thing Typhoon Lagoon has is the huge Wave pool and swimming with the sharks and the roller coaster water ride. But the place hasn't been updated in over 10 years. Blizzard Beach has never been updated.

 

[drcmk]

We went to River Country in the early 80s. I remember that it was the deepest pool I had ever been in and that was a thrill. You have to remember that there weren't many waterparks thirty years ago, at least not in my area, so it was unique and exciting at the time, even though it would not be now. Back then, if you wanted to swim there was the beach, the YMCA or a community or residential pool.

 

[Memaw2Wm]

Took my kids there in 1978 ... they were 2 and 4-ish years old. We had a blast, but back then there weren't waterparks in my area (Northern VA). Unfortunately we didn't make it back to WDW until 2002 and I believe RC was closed. I miss Discovery Island too.

 

[TT77]

River Country was fun back in the day, but it really wasn't very big, and as the resort pools over the years became more and more elaborate, I think it kind of made it obsolete. Like if you compared River Country to the Yacht and Beach Club pool, it would be a tough to say which was better, except you had to pay extra for River Country, and at the same time you got a lot more for you money with Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. I think it's a real same that they couldn't find a way to make River Country a kind of resort pool people at the Camp Ground and Wilderness Lodge though, it was fun and had a nice theme

 

[amandals2007]

I learned how to dive there with my dad when I was around 8. I love that so much, that was 1996. i miss it so much

 

[cavepig]

River Country was great, the slides emptied into some rougher water than current water parks, you really did need to know how to swim well compared to the current ones. The drop off slides in the regular pool were a blast. The tubes were cool, and people always got jammed up. Sad they haven't revamped at least to a pool for the guests staying there. We have pictures on our site www.lostepcot.com

It was a lot smaller than TL or BB.

 

[Bluegrrl]

It was really fun. I remember the rope swings and the waterslides. It was one of the first waterparks built in central Florida - Wet and Wild was the was the next. Just imagine a a secret swimming hole - one of those places that that you might go in the summer - that's what it was like, a "down home swimming place". So much fun. I also remember accidentally walking it to men's changing pool. Whoops!

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

River Country was fun back in the day, but it really wasn't very big, and as the resort pools over the years became more and more elaborate, I think it kind of made it obsolete. Like if you compared River Country to the Yacht and Beach Club pool, it would be a tough to say which was better, except you had to pay extra for River Country, and at the same time you got a lot more for you money with Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. I think it's a real same that they couldn't find a way to make River Country a kind of resort pool people at the Camp Ground and Wilderness Lodge though, it was fun and had a nice theme

hate to correct you but in my mind (as I remember it) it was Very Big! And Very Cool! Perhaps it is the fond memories but I still think it was 'way better' than TL or BB!

 

[wdwrich]

We went to River Country in 1979. By today's standards for water parks it was small and relatively tame, but back then it was the bomb!

 

[BayouMickey]

The thing I remember about River Country, is what I find missing in most water parks today. You never felt like you were in a "water park". You didn't see any exposed supports or stuff like that. You really felt that you were at a natural water hole. you would almost swear the slides were naturally formed. except for the two drop slides in the big pool.

 

[Memaw2Wm]

I think it's a real shame that they couldn't find a way to make River Country a kind of resort pool people at the Camp Ground and Wilderness Lodge though, it was fun and had a nice theme

I agree ... River Country would have made a great 'pool area' for Fort Wilderness, except for the issue with the lake water. I can remember the FW swimming area on the beach.

 

[DisneyMandC]

I loved it back when I went as a kid in the 90s and have some fun pictures from there. I think we went sometime close to when it closed though and I remember my mom saying it seemed a little dirty by that point. It definitely seemed like more of a "pool area" for Fort Wilderness as others have described though. We stayed at Fort Wilderness or Wilderness Lodge when I was growing up.

 

[TT77]

hate to correct you but in my mind (as I remember it) it was Very Big! And Very Cool! Perhaps it is the fond memories but I still think it was 'way better' than TL or BB!

I didn't say it wasn't fun and I remember it fondly too, it just wasn't very large compared to TL and BB, you could have probably fit all of River Country inside Typhoon Lagoon's wave pool

 

[TT77]

I agree ... River Country would have made a great 'pool area' for Fort Wilderness, except for the issue with the lake water. I can remember the FW swimming area on the beach.

Yeah the lake water was the only problem there, had they built some kind of wall under the 50 foot long boardwalk, and separated the River Country's water supply from Bay Lake, they could have kept the place open

 

[amandals2007]

Yeah the lake water was the only problem there, had they built some kind of wall under the 50 foot long boardwalk, and separated the River Country's water supply from Bay Lake, they could have kept the place open

wish they would try and do that now but thats a huge undertaking

 

[GotLabradors]

you have to remember back then safety wasn't as big a thing as it is now. At River Country there was White Water Rapids (or a very similar name) where you carried your tube up to the top and got in - it was a river/ stream with turns and eddies (where you could get stuck). Many people rode down at the same time - I remember grabbing onto my brother's tubes sometimes trying to get out of an eddy. It was loads of fun. Now of course in TL and BB it is one person at a time. There was a lot more horseplay and no doubt less safe behavior that took place - as kids we LOVED it!

Nearly drowned on that ride when I was 5. However, I loved RC when I was kid.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I plain miss RC!

 

[Bluegrrl]

Considering all the other crap they have going in the parks now (Avatar, Disney Springs, DVCs, Poly reconstruction and other stuff), I don't believe it's a "Disney can't" or "it's too expensive". Disney just plain doesn't want to do it or have anything to do with it. Look at the horrible state that it's in - that's totally unacceptable for Disney standards. The LEAST they could do is bulldoze the place and make it into a park or turn it into more campgrounds. Anything except for the state it's in now. Disney probably figures that it has 2 water parks, and that's enough. But with the proper build, there could be a great DVC pool for a DVC Wilderness campground. Disney just prefers to invest their $$ elsewhere, which is a real shame.

 

[eliza61]

We went when I was probably 9 or so. It was lots of fun for a kid, but looking back and realizing it really didn't have that much to do there. I think the nostalgia is why everyone talks about it now like it was such a great place. I have a feeling if it were still open, people would be talking about it like they do Captain EO.

I don't think so. River country was great. first we loved it because it wasn't big like blizzard beach and TL. My sons were small and we rarely worried about them getting bowled over by big kids like we did at the other two main water parks.
I also like the fact that the characters would show up. We have pictures of my kids at RC with goofy.

 

[mummabear]

I am sure it wouldn't hold up as a waterpark and that not many people would choose it over TL or BB But imagine it as a pool complex for FW guests....