Farewell River Country

[WEDWDW]

I hated to hear that Disney has officially announced the permanent closure of River Country.I never got to go there.I have read a detailed description of it and it sounds like it was a wonderful,laid-back water park.I have seen it from the boat on the way from Wilderness Lodge to Fort Wilderness and loved its location right on Bay Lake.I really liked the theme of the "Ol' Swimmin' Hole".Oh well,I understand they "capped" Expedition:Everest this week,so even though River Country is gone,there are great new attractions on the horizon and,of course,Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach are world-class water parks.I just hate to see the end of another Disney classic.Farewell River Country.

 

[slo]

I was there when I was a kid and it was just okay. I really really like Blizzard Beach so much better. Plus, at BB there is no bacteria in the water and alligators to be nervous about. I actually was more disappointed that we couldn't swim in Seven Seas Lagoon at the Poly because I have wonderful memories of doing that as a child. But safety first and that's what is most important.

 

[Briarprincess]

It's true about the bacteria in the water. That was a concern about River Country for a long time. The water system wasn't up to what it should have been and just the way the park worked it was not kept well cleaned.

Along the same lines as River Country being closed is Discovery Island. I got to go just a few weeks before it was closed. That was something amazing because the animals were right there and you were just walking through THEIR place. It was just a great experience.

 

[ValerieK]

We loved River Country. It was so nice to take a short afternoon break there.

 

[doodle]

River Country was my favorite of the 3 water parks. It was great for younger ones. I understand about the water safety concerns but I am still sad it is closed. I understand it was the first water park built in the USA.

 

[MsLeFever]

Visiting RC in the 70s marked the first time I'd ever even SEEN a water slide. I have such happy memories of being there.

I wonder if they are just going to sort of let it "rot" like it has been or if they will tear it down now.

Barbara

 

[zippehsmom]

When Dh and I were on our honeymoon in 98' I remember making plans to visit there, and never made it. Now I wish I had.

zippehsmom

 

[AKQJ10]

RC has actually been "permanently" closed for some time now, and there are no plans to reopen it. Sadly, problems with the water, as well as the size of the park in relation to the other water parks, have left this area in somewhat of a state of "limbo." There have been talks of converting it for use by Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness guests only, but the dollars involved to make that happen outweigh the benefits to just two resorts. I fear that with funds being directed towards new attractions (e.g. Soarin, Expedition Everest, the 50th celebration, etc.), that River Country is low on Disney's priority list.

 

[jdkdorn]

Along the same lines as River Country being closed is Discovery Island. I got to go just a few weeks before it was closed. That was something amazing because the animals were right there and you were just walking through THEIR place. It was just a great experience.

When did Discovery Island Close? We were there last year and the website shows that it is still open?

Thanks
Judy

 

[WEDWDW]

AKQJ10-I understand that Disney made the official announcement of the permanent closure on Thursday.I think everyone knew it was coming-I guess Disney thought it was time to make it "official".

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I remember RC as a kid in the 70's. It was the 1st water park, I ever visited.

 

[Penny12]

Judy, I'm not sure where you went last year, but Discovery Island has been closed for about 5 years now I think - all the animals went to Animal Kingdom when it opened.

I liked DI but I never went to River Country when I had the chance...oh well.

 

[Leota]

Farewell, RC -
I have very fond memories of RC - my DS learned to swim there on our first family WDW trip in 1993. I was so hoping they would make it the themed water area for FW. I would have brought my now 16 yo DS back to see it as a "grown up" He still remembers swimming there in the 90's when we stayed at FWC all the time.
I have some nice memories of DI too.....

 

[KilleriMac17]

When did Discovery Island Close? We were there last year and the website shows that it is still open?

Thanks
Judy

You must be talking about discovery island at anima kingdom, that it still open. they are talking about what used to be called discovery island out in bay lake near fort wilderness...

 

[Penny12]

Oh yes of course! The Animal Kingdom 'hub' around the Tree of Life is also called Discovery Island - that's still there...I imagine that it was called that in honor of the real Discovery Island that closed when AK opened.

Discovery Island was a separate ticketed attraction.

 

[my3kids]

The only time I went to WDW as a child was when River Country was just opening. I'm not sure what the year was, but it hadn't even been finished, I don't believe, when I went. It was fun and I was sorry when I took mine to WDW a few years ago that I couldn't take them there.

 

[erikthewise]

I only went to River Country once, in 1980. MK, River Country, and Discovery Island were about it back then! River Country was the kind of place you'd expect to find at a much smaller and simpler resort/campground than WDW. I miss the intimacy of River Country (and Discovery Island), but capacity, transportation and health considerations made it a no-brainer for permanent closure.

 

[smhogar]

I have some great pictures of Goofy going down the water slide at River Country. That was in June 2001.

 

[WDWLVR]

I have fond memories of both Discovery Island (or Treasure Island as it was known when I first went back in '76) as well as River Country.

 

[dcmbshafe]

River Country was such a big deal when I was a kid, particularly when there wasn't as much to do at WDW. I can't remember whether it pre-dates Epcot, but I seem to recall going there when MK was the only theme park. I sure have a lot of great memories of RC.