The Remains of River Country

[jhaig]

I never got to do River Country while it was open, but my wife was able to experience it in 1982 on a school trip and loved it. She asked me the other day "River Country has been closed for so long. Why hasn't Disney done anything with the location?". I had no answer for that one. Disney's first water park has been closed for almost 15 years and yet it has been allowed to rot away. You would think that if Disney had plans to develop this site that it would have been started by now.

Is something going to be done with the RC site or will it continue to waste away?

 

[Robo]

I never got to do River Country while it was open, but my wife was able to experience it in 1982 on a school trip and loved it. She asked me the other day "River Country has been closed for so long. Why hasn't Disney done anything with the location?". I had no answer for that one. Disney's first water park has been closed for almost 15 years and yet it has been allowed to rot away. You would think that if Disney had plans to develop this site that it would have been started by now.

Is something going to be done with the RC site or will it continue to waste away?

Plenty of other places to develop on property that are more practical and easier to access.

 

[truck1]

If Im not mistaken, whats left of River Country is now part of the Wilderness Lodge DVC. I know from another thread that RC was in the process of being demoed about a year or 2 ago.

 

[Revf]

My wife and I went to RC right before it closed. We loved it.

My guess is they will eventually develop it as part of the Wilderness Lodge DVC in a similar way that they developed the treehouse villas (also an old favorite of mine) into part of saratoga springs resort.

 

[NavyDad]

I think that nature will continue to reclaim it.

I don't see Disney every trying to develop that particular site for a few reasons.

I guess the only thing I could see it being used for is if they wanted to use that area to build something similar to the new water-front units at the Poly but connected to WL - but I honestly don't see that happening.

We will be staying at Fort Wilderness this June and taking DD to Mickey's BBQ which uses part of the old RC site I believe. I am looking forward to seeing that area in person and getting a better feel for it...

 

[Robo]

River Country in Decay -

 

[Reddog1134]

It's rumored that a few years ago, Disney was very close to dusting off the old Buffalo Junction plans and building it as a DVC resort in that area. Instead, they went with the Grand Floridian DVC (and then the Poly). When the Poly is finished, I wouldn't be surprised if Disney went back and looked at those plans again.

http://www.disneydrawingboard.com/WDW/MKArea/Wilderness Junction/WildernessJunction.html

 

[LENNON500]

Plenty of other places to develop on property that are more practical and easier to access.

...while true, doesn't mean they should let it rot away....

 

[OKW Lover]

If Im not mistaken, whats left of River Country is now part of the Wilderness Lodge DVC. I know from another thread that RC was in the process of being demoed about a year or 2 ago.

I don't quite understand what you are saying here. Its certainly not part of Wilderness Lodge Villas (adjacent to WL).

 

[JimmyV]

...while true, doesn't mean they should let it rot away....

Any action that they were to take would cost money. Demolition costs money. Infrastructure removal costs money. Waste disposal at a landfill costs money. Letting something sit in place does not cost money. Unless and until they are ready to or need to repurpose that land, there is no reason to spend a dime on it. Suppose they demolished it and returned it to its natural state, but nothing was placed on that piece of land. How would that enhance your visit? Is there some greater good that needs to be accomplished that will make us all sleep better at night knowing that an unused piece of land has been plowed clean as opposed to having an old water slide on it? If it were an environmental hazard, or a threat to wildlife, I could see the need to remediate the land. But unless that is true, it is easier and more efficient to do nothing.

 

[perditax]

It certainly impacts their reputation for attention to detail.

 

[truck1]

I don't quite understand what you are saying here. Its certainly not part of Wilderness Lodge Villas (adjacent to WL).

I guess about 2-3 years ago someone on the board had gone back from WL or FtW towards RC and a lot of it was being removed. There was survey markers, pipes and infrastructure for something in and around the RC property. Speculation at the time was that it was a WL DVC expansion or a stand alone DVC on the property.

There was lengthy thread on it.

 

[OKW Lover]

I guess about 2-3 years ago someone on the board had gone back from WL or FtW towards RC and a lot of it was being removed. There was survey markers, pipes and infrastructure for something in and around the RC property. Speculation at the time was that it was a WL DVC expansion or a stand alone DVC on the property.

There was lengthy thread on it.

OK, I vaguely remember that discussion. No, nothing further came of it.

 

[truck1]

OK, I vaguely remember that discussion. No, nothing further came of it.

Didn't think so since I hadn't much more about it.
Im really not sure what they are doing back there but last summer my wife and I were horseback riding, and we walked back to where the old main entrance was and you could see and hear heavy machinery working back there. That and the old STOLPORT was taken over by what looks like construction trailers.

Btw I found one of the threads, and it dates back to 2010.

 

[Reddog1134]

I guess about 2-3 years ago someone on the board had gone back from WL or FtW towards RC and a lot of it was being removed. There was survey markers, pipes and infrastructure for something in and around the RC property. Speculation at the time was that it was a WL DVC expansion or a stand alone DVC on the property.

There was lengthy thread on it.

OK, I vaguely remember that discussion. No, nothing further came of it.

http://dvcnews.com/index.php/resorts/other--proposed-resorts/2480-ft-wilderness-dvc-plans-leaked

 

[TagsMissy]

http://www.disboards.com/threads/possible-new-resort-coming-to-river-country-area.3218847/ I am certain there were others but I found that.. and of course this...

http://dvcnews.com/index.php/resorts/other--proposed-resorts/2480-ft-wilderness-dvc-plans-leaked

 

[jhaig]

By the looks of those overhead shots - what a great place it would be to exile misbehaving guests....

 

[jhaig]

But seriously, DVC at Fort Wilderness? Seems kind of impractical considering Disney is developing DVC at the deluxe resorts, not the mods.

 

[Lord Fantasius]

But seriously, DVC at Fort Wilderness? Seems kind of impractical considering Disney is developing DVC at the deluxe resorts, not the mods.

Have you priced the cabins recently? Definitely in the Deluxe price range.

Yes, I admit it is kind of eery and unkept looking having the remnants of RC still standing there. I remember the great times we had there (though it doesn't seem that long ago)! Unfortunately, it will never be able to become a lake-filled waterpark again since they found those microbes in the beaches (the reason they don't allow swimming in Bay Lake/Seven Seas Lagoon anymore), and the land is pretty boggy so building on it full-scale might be more expensive than Disney wants to spend. But hey, you never know, when it comes to building another DVC resort, that's all Disney seems to care about these days when it comes to lodging.

 

[grecorj]

Have you priced the cabins recently? Definitely in the Deluxe price range.

Yes, I admit it is kind of eery and unkept looking having the remnants of RC still standing there. I remember the great times we had there (though it doesn't seem that long ago)! Unfortunately, it will never be able to become a lake-filled waterpark again since they found those microbes in the beaches (the reason they don't allow swimming in Bay Lake/Seven Seas Lagoon anymore), and the land is pretty boggy so building on it full-scale might be more expensive than Disney wants to spend. But hey, you never know, when it comes to building another DVC resort, that's all Disney seems to care about these days when it comes to lodging.

They did finish Art of Animation resort to pretty positive reviews. A value resort.