Remodeling River country with concrete swimming holes

[old lady]

There was a concrete swimming hole in River country so it doesn't make sense to have it shut down. I heard they were going to make a swimming attraction based on "Where my water?" and an area where guests can eat pizza, burgers, sandwiches and desserts while swimming in a pool while characters sing. There was a rumor that there was going to be a boat ride like Maelstrom there.

 

[Teamubr]

With the shape the old RC site is in, any redevelopment back into a water park would require a complete demo/reconstruction. The last rumors I heard for the space was a DVC expansion. Either connected to Ft Wilderness or WL. Plans filed a few years ago showed building out over the water. Similar, but different, to the Poly.

j

 

[Alice Royal]

There was a concrete swimming hole in River country so it doesn't make sense to have it shut down. I heard they were going to make a swimming attraction based on "Where my water?" and an area where guests can eat pizza, burgers, sandwiches and desserts while swimming in a pool while characters sing. There was a rumor that there was going to be a boat ride like Maelstrom there.

This is the second or third time this poster has asked a question about a ridiculous, impossible rumor. I'm just gonna leave this here...

 

[rteetz]

There was a concrete swimming hole in River country so it doesn't make sense to have it shut down. I heard they were going to make a swimming attraction based on "Where my water?" and an area where guests can eat pizza, burgers, sandwiches and desserts while swimming in a pool while characters sing. There was a rumor that there was going to be a boat ride like Maelstrom there.

Did you hear this from a third cousin whose neighbor went to Disney and heard this from a bus driver?

 

[BlackMagicWoman]

There was a concrete swimming hole in River country so it doesn't make sense to have it shut down. I heard they were going to make a swimming attraction based on "Where my water?" and an area where guests can eat pizza, burgers, sandwiches and desserts while swimming in a pool while characters sing. There was a rumor that there was going to be a boat ride like Maelstrom there.

Sounds totally believable

 

[Collin WK]

With the shape the old RC site is in, any redevelopment back into a water park would require a complete demo/reconstruction. The last rumors I heard for the space was a DVC expansion. Either connected to Ft Wilderness or WL. Plans filed a few years ago showed building out over the water. Similar, but different, to the Poly.

j

I've also heard this too, and actually seen a claimed proposition for the plans for the resort. Here they are... (see below). No idea if this is fake or not, but seem to be extremely plausible plans. They are very well detailed and well thought out.

The reason river country closed was due to a safety issue and an assumed parasite of sorts in the lake it was connected to. The site is still there and is very very rundown. You can see in many youtube videos of people who seek past the gates from fort wilderness. I bet its just one of many many rumors that have come out about river country since it was strangely abandoned and not demolished, just like discovery island in the middle of the lake(at least i think thats what it was called) which has a weird story of its own. Ill let you google that one if you want theres a news story and images of a swim to the island and some outrageous, but real pictures of the island itself including the extent of its abandonment. There was everything from pictures of employees to certain electrical things still being active which was very strange, but it is all mostly rumor about the island that was confirmed.

 

[rteetz]

I've also heard this too, and actually seen a claimed proposition for the plans for the resort. Here they are... (see below). No idea if this is fake or not, but seem to be extremely plausible plans. They are very well detailed and well thought out.

The reason river country closed was due to a safety issue and an assumed parasite of sorts in the lake it was connected to. The site is still there and is very very rundown. You can see in many youtube videos of people who seek past the gates from fort wilderness. I bet its just one of many many rumors that have come out about river country since it was strangely abandoned and not demolished, just like discovery island in the middle of the lake(at least i think thats what it was called) which has a weird story of its own. Ill let you google that one if you want theres a news story and images of a swim to the island and some outrageous, but real pictures of the island itself including the extent of its abandonment. There was everything from pictures of employees to certain electrical things still being active which was very strange, but it is all mostly rumor about the island that was confirmed.

There have been several mock ups leaked out the project is one of those internal on again off again projects. Right now it's not happening.

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

River Country was shut down because the two new water parks are BETTER than River Country, and would have "shut it down" anyway... not because of some parasite. That parasite problem happened years before the place was mothballed.

 

[LunarDistortion]

From all that we know, there was no point in keeping River Country alive any longer after 9/11 cut down tourism a whole bunch. They shut it down "temporarily" like a lot of things at the parks in order to cut costs (Pop Century was one of them, the planned 10's-50's area where Art of Animation is today was completely scrapped as well), and due to a lot of reasons regarding revenue, location, safety, and competition, it never reopened.

River Country is completely irreparable in it's current state. It would need a complete rebuild and it doesn't make any sense financially for them to do that. So I severely doubt the legitimacy of this rumor.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

RIVER COUNTRY has been closed and left to rot for 20 years, give or take. There is nothing salvageable. What ever water park or resort pools that will be built will be totally new.

AKK

 

[Andrew015]

I've also heard this too, and actually seen a claimed proposition for the plans for the resort. Here they are... (see below). No idea if this is fake or not, but seem to be extremely plausible plans.

The plans are real and authentic, but that doesn't mean that this is ever going to take shape. Disney often develops detailed plans / drawings and even goes so far to obtain permits for construction, only for the project to be put on hold or "killed" due to a variety of reasons (namely budgets). I would venture to say that far more plans are drawn up and "killed" than ones that actually make the cut. One example comes to mind is the site of the Venetian resort (spot between the Contemporary and TTC) that obviously never came to fruition in the 1970's. Eisner wanted to develop this land in the 1990's (I believe the proposed resort was to be called the Mediterranean). Plans were developed, permits obtained and Disney even began to clear land... only to find out through soil samples that the ground was not suitable for building without incurring incredible costs. Thus, the project was scrapped.

IMHO, the plans that you posted will be shelved in favor of converting existing WL rooms into DVC. It is far more economical to repurpose an existing structure than it is to build brand new, so that will most likely be the path forward. We've already seen evidence of this approach at the Poly, where a large, stand-alone DVC tower was very far down the development path, only to be "nixed" in favor of converting the existing longhouses into DVC. Only when "conversion" has been maxed out will we see all new construction. At that point, the River Country DVC project might make sense. Again, this is only my opinion, so take it for what it's worth.

 

[The Uh-Oa!]

While I agree that the WL rooms into DVC may be the next step, I still think the FW DVC is the next one after that. It's the only MK area resort to not have DVC property yet, and it makes the most logical sense. But I don't think it's going to happen until they need it.

(Though I wish they'd put in more campgrounds but....that's another subject all together.)

 

[Andrew015]

While I agree that the WL rooms into DVC may be the next step, I still think the FW DVC is the next one after that. It's the only MK area resort to not have DVC property yet, and it makes the most logical sense. But I don't think it's going to happen until they need it.

(Though I wish they'd put in more campgrounds but....that's another subject all together.)

I think we'll still see more conversion even after WL. I've already heard that the "suits" are talking about adding more DVC rooms at GF (conversion). Yacht Club stands as the only untapped Deluxe resort without DVC - another very possible next step for conversion. And also, I don't believe they're anywhere near finished with DVC at the Poly. As far as new construction goes, I think the DVC tower at the Poly will make the cut before the River Country project. The Poly is the hottest thing that DVC has ever offered, and interest in the resort is huge. Don't think they're anywhere near done milking those overpriced, over-the-murky-water bungalows just yet... Again, my opinion only.

 

[The Uh-Oa!]

Yeah...You are probably right. I love DVC rooms, I'll admit (we've rented them) but the prices from Disney bum me out....

 

[Andrew015]

Yeah...You are probably right. I love DVC rooms, I'll admit (we've rented them) but the prices from Disney bum me out....

Not sure if you are aware, but you can purchase DVC "second hand" (also known as Resale). I never would have purchased DVC direct through Disney, as the direct prices are out-of-sight. But purchasing via the resale market made the value proposition much more reasonable. If interested, check out the DVC sub-forums for more info on resale. You can even PM me if you're interested and I can share more about my experience.

 

[The Uh-Oa!]

Indeed....that would be lovely, but it will still be many moons before we could afford that, even at the resale rates. But I also feel like....DVC rooms, even at resale are out of the range of most families, and the average WDW visitor doesn't know you can rent. So while I understand as a company wanting to make more money...the idealist in me just wishes that things were more affordable for more families. We are blessed in what we can afford (and are willing to do on the cheap at Disney!) but many of our friends either can't afford it - or look at rack rates and immediately decide they can't (when they could in other ways). I just love Disney and wish more folks could understand why! (Not that I want bigger crowds than we already have of course.)

Just me ranting.

 

[Planogirl]

I think that the WDW resort could support a third waterpark but it's gone now. We spent some fun times at the place. The other parks might be fancier but RC was the most attractive for what that is worth.

I remember at one time talk of expanding the offerings for Fort Wilderness in that area too. I planned to stay there once that was done. We have never stayed there.

 

[VikkiLilyBee]

I don't think they'll ever bother touching the old river country area until they run out of other land. The way it's been abandoned means it's not impacting the environment in any way. The recession may be the published reason for it's closure, but 3 case of hospitalization due to the parasite in the water were a major factor as well! The way discovery island was abandoned is the same. While those dead places aren't costing Disney any money, or pulling any bad press from environmentalists, there's no reason to re-do them, especially when it's cheaper to start on a fresh piece of land!

 

[Yellowstonetim]

The problem with river country is that it was built - obviously - in a water area and used lake water. Construction there would be very difficult and very expensive. Also, River country was doomed by the times. A natural water park was never going to last. And changes to laws and regulations pushed things over the edge. I think Disney knew it was on its last legs anyway. It is not cost effective to even dismantle it now. Someday as part of a larger plan the area might be used, but never as a water park of any kind.

 

[mickeyway]

Those plans look awesome. Horses out front, nice slide, two nice pools. I hope they do build this I would want to stay there!