What's the plan for River Country?

[sters]

Why did they close River Country? What's the plan for it? I never got a chance to get there, but always wanted to. The other two water parks are so crowded and my kids are younger. It would be nice to have a water park that had more emphasis on water play than thrilling slides.

 

[OnWithTheShow]

River Country was closed for several reasons. The biggest reasons of course were the financial ones. The park was showing its age a great deal and more and more funds had to be put into keeping it safe and operable (much of the wood was rotting and slide foundations were beginning to crumble). Because of the size of the park and the number of attractions a ticket to River Country was 1/2 the cost of the other water parks. (about 16.50 versus 31.75). The parks attendance capacity was also much smaller at about 3000 versus 7000. Also the number of cast members required was deemed to high for the number of guests. Besides those financial reasons there were also major problems looming with ADA accessibility (almost 0 of the attractions at River Country were accessible) and the ever present bacteria in the water rumors. The plan at the time was to seasonally close the park until it could be improved but as the financial analysts did their work they realized that the other two parks could easily cover the guests from river country and make double the revenue from it. The operating funds from river country were diverted to Typhoon and Blizzard and supposedly the capital improvements fund from River Country was pegged for the Typhoon project (which is finally on the way).
River Country will not be coming back as a water park, and it is doubted that it will ever be used again.

 

[eeyore0062]

The operating funds from river country were diverted to Typhoon and Blizzard and supposedly the capital improvements fund from River Country was pegged for the Typhoon project (which is finally on the way).

Ok, so what is the Typhoon project????

 

[OnWithTheShow]

see:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=470780

 

[Uncleromulus]

Unfortunate--River Country was the best of the 3 water parks.
A place where you could actually get on a water slide, go down, and get back on w/o a 5-mile hike back to the top.
The other 2 parks are now so congested with people that we never go

 

[AnnaS]

How sad. My whole family enjoyed this water park. Very relaxing and it was always "very crowded" when we were there. Too bad they can't open it during their busiest seasons.

 

[Planogirl]

I agree with Uncleromulus. There really isn't anywhere quieter if a person wants to take a break from the crowds. We used to visit River Country and Discovery Island for that long ago.

 

[lodgelady]

RC was a pleasant boatride away from the MK, easy to walk in and out of, big enough for fun for all- but not so big that you couldn't easily go there for a 2 hour visit. It was also reasonably priced. Our family misses it.
RC also provided the benifit of giving day visitors to the MK a convienient "legal" place to go cool off and take a break from the parks . Now, I am afraid, that there is more temptation for non- resort guests to crash the pools at the nearby resorts.