Why is River Country just left to rot?

[civileng68]

Let me follow my question in my title with this following statement. I LOVE the cool, yet mysterious nature of attractions/parks being closed down and left untouched as I think its sort of the thing that makes you want to know more about it.

I recently saw a video that showed River Country with lights on at night (which you can see from Bay Lake) and yet the music is also still playing in the park.

I saw that in 2005 WDW officially announced RC would never reopen. My question is why is it just being left as is?

I can only summise its that its a small footprint and nothing else would go in its place so why spend the money to tear it down. Thats all I can figure but i didnt know if there was a real reason or at least rumor as to why its left as it is, even with the music running (is the music in the park attached to the area music at the Settlement maybe?).

 

[MistressMerryweather]

 

[stargazertechie]

I recently saw a video that showed River Country with lights on at night (which you can see from Bay Lake) and yet the music is also still playing in the park.

I'm assuming you're talking about the video with two guys running around, and one of them stops and drinks from the drinking fountain?

If so, that area and the "music in the background" is outside of the fenced-off area and still used for Mickey's Backyard BBQ.

There's a thread (I believe it's on the camping board) that details all sorts of exciting rumors about what may or may not be constructed near/on/over/incorporating the area that was once RC.

 

[Agri]

When I did my dine with an Imagineer lunch in early February, our Imagineer said they're ripping out RC soon. Didn't say what they were doing with the area, though. So I don't think it will be left rotting too much longer.

I would imagine that they closed it with the intention of trying to re-work the idea once the law about the water was passed, but then 9/11 happened and then the recession happened.

 

[cey]

We took the resort boat from the Magic Kingdom to WL yesterday and River country remains abandoned. It is very sad to see. Discovery Island appears completely deserted and has reverted back to its natural state.

 

[Oglet]

Becuase its cheaper than tearing it down

 

[fan1080]

The first thing that comes to mind is the money to clean it up. If they wait until an opportunity to cover the cost with a new project, the costs of the clean up are swallowed up in the new project rather than trying to find the money from another budget.

And, having said that, I think there's rumor of a new DVC property in that spot.

 

[mjohnson96]

OMG I now consider myself a Disney Idiot. I never knew this ever existed and I have been to WDW hunderds of times and even worked there. I googled it and after looking at the pictures I really wish I would have known about this place when it was open. The sad thing is that it was open when I did work at WDW and just never knew about it.

I really wish they would do something, even make it a park of FWL would be great. It does remind me of the swimming holes we used to go to around Florida when I was a little kid.

 

[stargazertechie]

And, having said that, I think there's rumor of a new DVC property in that spot.

Ding Ding Ding! This is the rumor I read about last week (all 20+ pages of the thread) and the one that seems most plausible.

 

[Altoqueenkelly]

The first thing that comes to mind is the money to clean it up. If they wait until an opportunity to cover the cost with a new project, the costs of the clean up are swallowed up in the new project rather than trying to find the money from another budget.

And, having said that, I think there's rumor of a new DVC property in that spot.

Yes, I also read about this too. Not sure if its rumor, but it seems totally plauseable to me


I'd love to see a new DVC resort over there! wooooot

 

[Planogirl]

River Country was a great attraction. It was smaller and quieter but that just made it a nice escape IMO.

I was disappointed to hear that the area might be used to house another DVC resort. It's pretty in there and I hoped that it would become something public again.

 

[n2mm]

Ding Ding Ding! This is the rumor I read about last week (all 20+ pages of the thread) and the one that seems most plausible.

THis is what I'm reading and hearing too! A frontier-type DVC complex. I think it sounds interesting, so I would surely try it. The kids and I spent many days at River Country back in the day. It is was it is, and we thought it was great and a fun day, but that was before TL or BB ever openned. I like to dig our pix outs every now and then and remember the fun times we had there.

 

[il dvc junky]

could someone ask a bus driver to see if this is true

 

[jpeka65844]

We took the resort boat from the Magic Kingdom to WL yesterday and River country remains abandoned. It is very sad to see. Discovery Island appears completely deserted and has reverted back to its natural state.

This blog was found awhile back and discussed at length on the boards. I agree that these people are INSANE for doing this (ALLIGATORS!!) but the pics and experience are super cool!

http://shaneperez.blogspot.com/2009/12/discovery-island.html

 

[Raenstoirm]

I really wish they would do something, even make it a park of FWL would be great. It does remind me of the swimming holes we used to go to around Florida when I was a little kid.

The water is contaminated , so no one can go near it (the water). If they wanted to do add something to FWL they would have to tear it down completely and restart.

 

[Music City Mama]

This blog was found awhile back and discussed at length on the boards. I agree that these people are INSANE for doing this (ALLIGATORS!!) but the pics and experience are super cool!

http://shaneperez.blogspot.com/2009/12/discovery-island.html

Thanks for sharing that! I would never have the guts to do that, but that was really cool and interesting.

 

[Disney DieHard]

Hey all,

I know this post is a little late but every now and again I notice a little bubble of interest, like this one, about River Country. While I am not a Disney employee I have gathered some information from various sites across the internet and I wanted to give people a little info on what happened to the park.

I made two YouTube videos about it:

River Country --- The Story of What Happened! - Pt. 1 & Pt. 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40BAY7LuCOo
&
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9qN0YB_Qkc

There is no need to actually WATCH the video as it is just me ... there are no pictures or diagrams it's just me talking so hit play, listen, and then continue surfing!

If you haven't seen the photos of River Country now ... you're late, where have you been ... go to the link below and check out the photos Tri-Circle-D took!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2344523

Hope it helps ... hope you enjoy my videos and Tri-Circle D's photos!!!

Take Care & Be Safe!!!

Frank
Disney DieHard
NJDizGuy81 (YouTube)

 

[Noel22]

This blog was found awhile back and discussed at length on the boards. I agree that these people are INSANE for doing this (ALLIGATORS!!) but the pics and experience are super cool!

http://shaneperez.blogspot.com/2009/12/discovery-island.html

this gave me goosebumps!!

... and I miss RC

EDIT: I guess that this is the vid you were talking about http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4JwgmPEIDQ&feature=related

 

[karice2]

Seeing those pics from Tri-Circle makes me think of that show Life After People. The earth reclaims it's place when left to its own devices.