River Country

[Padrepride]

For a while, I've been wondering what Disney is doing with the area where River Country lies on. From some research, Disney has let River Country get run down after it's closure. Does anyone have any rumors of what might be put there, or maybe a renovation or demolition of the park?

 

[MJMcBride]

Nothing is going on with the area for the forseeable future

 

[mlggator]

Gosh, that brings back memories. We used to camp a lot at FW when I was little and spent a lot of time at River Country. So much fun when we were little.
I remember one year when my dad had a conference at one of the hotels I busted my lip bad climbing up the wrong way on a playground slide. The next day we went to River Country, and I couldn't do anything because the water stung my lip so bad .

Thanks for bringing back some great memories .
Michele

 

[Parkhopper]

We were there last May as part of a Special Event right before the Opening of the new Pirates of the Carribean movie. We had a special catered dinner at River Country with Lee Arenberg (Pintel the pirate from the movies) and we watched an Art Performance by Rock DeMarco.

Suzi

 

[Padrepride]

We were there last May as part of a Special Event right before the Opening of the new Pirates of the Carribean movie. We had a special catered dinner at River Country with Lee Arenberg (Pintel the pirate from the movies) and we watched an Art Performance by Rock DeMarco.

Suzi

You were inside River Country? Well, at least Disney is using it for something.

 

[minnie61650]

A little history:
River country was once a well enjoyed water park.

WDW opened River Country on June 20,1976.
It was closed in November 2001 because of problems with the water quality (it was reported that some of the Bay Lake water contaminated the water).
Our family went to River Country October of 1976 when it was brand new and
returned several times after that. It was a favorite of our family and our son age 25 still talks about how that was his favorite water park.
Because of the water issue I do not think they will ever restore River Country the way it was.
However River Country had a really nice themed pool with a water slide and I always wondered why Disney did not at least keep the pool open for FW guests.
Upstream Plunge Pool and Slippery Slides
At the back of this clear water pool are two steep slides that drop swimmers off in a free fall splashdown.
Here is a photo:

There was a pool as part of River Country.
Here is the photo from the above mentioned website:
http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id220.htm

The pool is in the lower right corner of the photo.
River Country also had a sand bottom contained pool which was cleverly set up to make guests feel like they were swimming in "an OLE swimming hole."

River Country was 6 inches higher than Bay Lake and set up so that any overflow of water would spill into bay lake.
Here is another photo from:
http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id220.htm

---------------------------------------------

Some recent photos of River Country :

What a shame!

 

[Parkhopper]

You were inside River Country? Well, at least Disney is using it for something.

We were inside a portion of it. We took a Ferry boat over and it parked at a dock. We were met with teams of waiters carrying fruity drinks (both alcoholic and non alcoholic). We were led up a path that bent toward the right (there was a beach on our immediate right). We walked for a loooooooong way and were greeted with pirate banners hanging from a beam overhead. We ate dinner and had our meet and greet with Lee Arenberg inside what looked like it might have been a food court type area. They set up tables with the food and drinks all around and we had several tables of 8 or 10 for seating. There was a brown building that had bathrooms that we were facing. The performance by DeMarco was in the entrance to that building.

I'm sorry to say that I cannot pick out where we were from the map above. Having never been to River Country before I am at a disatvantage.

It was a great Special Event!

Suzi

 

[rebecca06261]

As with most things Disney does now, I'm wondering if it won't just be left to rot like Discovery Cove, and Legendary Years. I would think that the standing water would be a health hazzard and would warrant it to atleast be filled in Those pics look just terrible.

 

[Dznefreek]

It was closed in November 2001 because of problems with the water quality (it was reported that some of the Bay Lake water contaminated the water).

Uh no. Actually the water level for RC was higher than BL. It also had spillway that allowed water from RC to flow over into Bay Lake.
I think WDW (like many other companies) used 9/11 as a reason to make many business decisions they could otherwise not justify.

 

[KYMickey]

Uh no. Actually the water level for RC was higher than BL. It also had spillway that allowed water from RC to flow over into Bay Lake.
I think WDW (like many other companies) used 9/11 as a reason to make many business decisions they could otherwise not justify.

Yes, the water level of RC was above that of BL but water from BL was pumped into RC at a rate of 8500 gallons per minute for the slides thus any contamination in BL was pumped into RC.

Here's a link to a discussion on this subject: River Country Swimmin Hole

 

[Uncleromulus]

Always preferred River Country to either BB or TL. Those pictures look just awful.

 

[1000th happy haunt]

We were there last May as part of a Special Event right before the Opening of the new Pirates of the Carribean movie. We had a special catered dinner at River Country with Lee Arenberg (Pintel the pirate from the movies) and we watched an Art Performance by Rock DeMarco.

We were part of the Ye Swabs package as well.

And the Fort Wilderness Segway tour meets inside River Country.

 

[rwdavis2]

I think the water problem was due to some type of bacteria that lives in various Florida (or just warm) waters. I've read about some kids getting very ill when swimming in local lakes/rivers.
Bob

 

[allisonswonderland]

I was going to say that we spent a lot of time at river county and that water always tasted like a lake to me...so I was shocked to find out that it was a "pool". But saying that water was pumped in from the lake makes sense because I was definately swimming in lake water.

I loved that place and I too agree they should have left the pool for Ft Wilderness guests!

 

[Padrepride]

Disney was going through an interesting time in 2001. Not only was it after 9/11, but California Adventure and Tokyo Disneysea opened that year as well as the purchase of FOX Family. [now ABC Family] Maybe it all came down to money. As for the pictures, it's terrible to see such a fun place get so run down.

 

[myprincessgirlisa]

its SO depressing to see those pictures & see how awesome it used to be & to now see what its become!!!!

i wish theyd do something with that area

 

[foodrocksluver]

We were inside a portion of it. We took a Ferry boat over and it parked at a dock. We were met with teams of waiters carrying fruity drinks (both alcoholic and non alcoholic). We were led up a path that bent toward the right (there was a beach on our immediate right). We walked for a loooooooong way and were greeted with pirate banners hanging from a beam overhead. We ate dinner and had our meet and greet with Lee Arenberg inside what looked like it might have been a food court type area. They set up tables with the food and drinks all around and we had several tables of 8 or 10 for seating. There was a brown building that had bathrooms that we were facing. The performance by DeMarco was in the entrance to that building.

I'm sorry to say that I cannot pick out where we were from the map above. Having never been to River Country before I am at a disatvantage.

It was a great Special Event!

Suzi

Do you have any pictures from this?

 

[aliceinwdr]

What a shame. I have always wondered what happenned to it...

I got my Nick- Name "chicken of the sea" from River Country because I was so scared to get into the water with the little fish in it. They were like giant fish to me! I also remember going off the drop slide for the first time - and it scared my mom - she swore there was a current under the slide.

I miss that classic part of disney - and I think it would be great to re-open, because standard water parks get really old.

I also see someone mentioned Discovery Island - what happenned to it? When I went in 1991 I remember taking a ferry to it and hiking on trails, mostly a bird park as I remember?

 

[KYMickey]

I also see someone mentioned Discovery Island - what happenned to it? When I went in 1991 I remember taking a ferry to it and hiking on trails, mostly a bird park as I remember?

Discovery Island was closed When the Animal Kingdom was opened. The stated reason was that AK was much larger and more accessible than DI, but there were also rumors that it was closed because of the deteriorating environmental conditions on DI.

 

[mrstbalt]

Sorry to those that liked it, but looking at pictures from it was open...it's looks dirty and gross. Guess I have never been one to swim in lakes or rivers.