Inside Scoop on River Country?

[ClarabelleCow]

Does anyone have any inside information on what they are going to do with River Country?? First they shut down the Island (can't remember what the name was) I heard its a refuge for sick animals now. And then River Country???

 

[Dznefreek]

First they shut down the Island

It was Discovery Island that was closed shortly after DAK opened. It did not make much sense to have a small zoo when you could get people into AK a greater price. DI was only $7.00 or so plus tax for adults.

Several plans considered were having it becoming a full-blown version of the game "Myst" or thought was given to having it converted to a luxury honeymoon island with individual cabins. The only problem is that it would have only been accessible by boat.

As far as RC I do not think the real answer will ever be divulged.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm still hoping that they turn at least a part of River Country into a pool area for Fort Wilderness. If not, what a waste.

 

[KNWVIKING]

Wasn't RC actually in Bay Lake,not chlorinaded water ? Isn't there a fear of that "brain eating ameba" ? One rumor had it becoming the themed pool for FW, but I don't think that will happen- too costly to operate and maintain.

 

[BigTigger]

On our October visit, we were told by multiple CM's that River Country will be redeveloped at some point to lessen the amount of Bay Lake used in the park. None of the CM mentioned water quality, bit all mentioned that the cold water temperature in Bay Lake from late October to early April precluded the park from remaining open most years.

 

[Dznefreek]

Wasn't RC actually in Bay Lake

No RC actually is seperate and is built up to have a spillway into Bay Lake. The water was treated with Bromine (not as harsh as chlorine) and the rocks in RC actually hid the filters for RC.

 

[KNWVIKING]

Then why was the water always cold ?

 

[space42]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
Then why was the water always cold ?

Becasue it was not heated?

It is indeed not a part of Bay Lake. It was just a good Disney illusion that you were actually swimming in the lake.

 

[KNWVIKING]

One of the rumored reasons for RC shutdown was cold water temp in the off season. My assumption is/was that you can't heat a whole lake. But if the reality is that it truely is a "pool", then why wouldn't they just install heaters. Seems a waste if that's all it needs to keep it open year round. With each water park closing for a month of rehab each year I'd rather have two choices instead of just one.

 

[space42]

Here is a good picture of the spillway seperating Bay Lake from River Country.

http://www.disneypix.com/Recreation/River/2001a/River0505-02.htm



Here is a newer pic showing River Country in its current "drained" state.

http://www.disneypix.com/Recreation/River/2002b/RC0802-02.htm

 

[Planogirl]

Oh dear, I feel an attack of cynicism coming on but can anyone say cost cutting measure. Sigh...

 

[d-r]

Hey-

I'm remembering things from our trip a couple of weeks ago. Anyway, we heard from folks at wilderness lodge - and this was said with confidence but take it as rumor - that the reason that river country was closed had nothing to do with lake water. Back when it was first closed during the winter season two years ago, when they went to repopen it for the summer season the inspectors found that it wasn't up to current codes. For example, you may remember that one of the slides drops you several feet above the pool. Since they built river country there has been more rules and regulations concerning water parks developed (remember river country was the first water park, really). At that point, things kind of went on hold - river country was described as temporarily down for rehab while they figured out what it would take to bring it up to current code. They found out that it would take a good deal of money, at least more than they were willing to put into it, at least at the current time. That is when all mention of river country began to disapear from promotional brochures, videos, etc. It isn't technically announced as "closed" but as on "rehab" but they do not want to put the money into it to bring it up to current code. So the idea of it becoming a playground for folks staying around Bay Lake doesn't look to good - on the contrary, there would have to be some plan for it to make revenue to justify the expenses that it would take to redo it.

Anyway, I hadn't heard this anywhere (all I had heard was speculation about lake water, and cost cutting), but it was said with some conviction -

DR

 

[freediverdude]

D-R's post sounds similar to what I heard too. I heard that some of it was in such bad shape that it would take a lot of money, as well as being worried about the safety of the workers, to redo it. The example I was given was that the original supports for the slides were still there, and that they were made out of wood, not steel or some other material, and that the wood had seriously rotted away. So Disney would be looking at a whole complete reconstruction of the slides, at great expense and safety concerns about taking the supports out safely. Plus coupled with the fact that most Florida lakes aren't really swimmable anymore with all the bacteria, a more stringent contamination system would also have to be put into place- more mega bucks. They're probably trying to decide what to do with the area right now, before they either demolish it all or try to put money into it.

 

[Michelemouse]

The thing I find interesting is that they have not removed the signage for RC at Fort Wilderness. We drove by Port Orleans Resort and all of the signs had been removed...both road signs and the resort sign...and it's only closed for a limited time. I'm holding out hope that the signs mean RC just might open again someday.

 

[ftwildernessguy]

The safety concern issue for rehab seems sort of lame to me. Come on, these are construction people tearing down a lot more dangerous stuff than water slides. Do you really think some decayed supports for a water slide will prevent a company like Disney from doing a rehab????

 

[Planogirl]

You can go into River Country since only the pool areas are walled off. Everything looks clean and maintained and it's downright strange in there.

If it's just a few rotting beams and not the lake water, I can't imagine what Disney is thinking.

 

[EUROPA]

Just a guess but I bet if we saw a 20-25 % jump in attendance..you just might see RC open back up. I think the "problems" are all smoke and mirrors.

 

[KNWVIKING]

...about attendance being a major factor. If TL and BB were max'ing out they would probably reopen it to handle the overload.

 

[OhMari]

I think the water is polluted. We live in Wisconsin where MI is a fresh water lake and it is realllly polluted.

People don't want to believe our fresh water lakes can be polluted, but there are hardly any lakes in WI where you can go swimming without getting something. Swimmer's Itch is the biggest one. The Bay at Green Bay is totally polluted. You couldn't swim at Door CO last year cause one of the little towns where running their sewer system into the Bay and got "BUSTED". You think that problem went away over Winter,-NOT!

People in IL come up to WI to hunt, fish and swim, they can have it. I can't believe anyone that wants to vacation in WI. It is very rare to have a great summer nite - that is why we rave about it, it happens so seldom. Give me WDW anyday. Just not River Country.

 

[ditzy]

Originally posted by EUROPA
Just a guess but I bet if we saw a 20-25 % jump in attendance..you just might see RC open back up. I think the "problems" are all smoke and mirrors.

River Country was open before Epcot and probably needs a major overhaul but attendance is the key.