River Country

[quack arf squeak]

I know that River Country has been closed for years but wasn't it used at one time as a kind of water park just for the people staying at the campgrounds? It's such a waste that they don't do something with it.

[Capt_redshirt]

Yes it was used as a water park for those on the disney resort... You're right that its a shame that they cant do anything with it but given how dangerous their pond water is it would cost too much to treat it to make it swimmable again

[faline]

It was located at the campground but its use was not restricted to those staying at Fort Wilderness. It came before Disney's current water parks and was quite a lot of fun. There were two pools as I remember it. One was a regular pool, I believe; the other used the same water as the lake beyond. The area was compact - no lazy river like the current water parks and much smaller but rather cozy. I'm not sure if Disney will do anything with the space at some point but, for now, it just sits and continues to deteriorate.

[mickeywdw1254]

You should check it out on Google maps! It looks pretty spooky. There are a few YouTube videos of it too.

[GAN]

I'm glad I got the chance to visit when I did -a LOONG time ago! It was a lot of fun and I thought way ahead of its time.

[SBETigg]

I visited when I was a kid, fun time. They had some slides and activities. You can still see the slides if you look on Google Earth, and also youtube, as mentioned. They had a boat launch to take resort guests over from the Contemporary, where I was staying at the time.

[Janmac]

We managed one visit to River Country before it closed - January of 1998. Most of the water was open to the bay and was a bit natural - murky and chilly, in January. One pool was heated and filtered - much better swimming experience.

What I have heard was that with the opening of Typhoon Lagoon and then Blizzard Beach, and the better (warmer and prettier water) experiences there, River Country was underutilized and not economically viable to continue operating.

I have yet to understand how the bay had unhealthy water and yet folks were tubing and water skiing in it.

It is sad that River Country just sits there. Especially when, for many years, Fort Wilderness had plain pools.

Jan

[Capt_redshirt]

We managed one visit to River Country before it closed - January of 1998. Most of the water was open to the bay and was a bit natural - murky and chilly, in January. One pool was heated and filtered - much better swimming experience.

What I have heard was that with the opening of Typhoon Lagoon and then Blizzard Beach, and the better (warmer and prettier water) experiences there, River Country was underutilized and not economically viable to continue operating.

I have yet to understand how the bay had unhealthy water and yet folks were tubing and water skiing in it.

It is sad that River Country just sits there. Especially when, for many years, Fort Wilderness had plain pools.

Jan

If i remember correctly there was also a health reason that arose around the same time... an amoeba that is found in stagnant lakes and ponds in florida was starting to explode in population. it wasnt as bad before but when it started to affect the young thats when they realized that it was unsafe to keep the natural part of the water park open...

[GAN]

If i remember correctly there was also a health reason that arose around the same time... an amoeba that is found in stagnant lakes and ponds in florida was starting to explode in population. it wasnt as bad before but when it started to affect the young thats when they realized that it was unsafe to keep the natural part of the water park open...

Yes... When entered through the nose it is lethal -people die every year from this. The amoeba live in the mud and when the bottom is disturbed they become active in the water and it becomes a risk -at least this is how I understand it(which isn't very scientific).

[AndrewJackson]

It was located at the campground but its use was not restricted to those staying at Fort Wilderness. It came before Disney's current water parks and was quite a lot of fun. There were two pools as I remember it. One was a regular pool, I believe; the other used the same water as the lake beyond. The area was compact - no lazy river like the current water parks and much smaller but rather cozy. I'm not sure if Disney will do anything with the space at some point but, for now, it just sits and continues to deteriorate.

There was only 1 pool. It was nice, with 2 slides that dropped about 10 feet into the water.

There was a splash area called Tom Sawyer's Swimmin' Hole. The rest was an inlet off of Bay. Lake, where all the other water slides and beach was located. It had a large area for families, and a smaller area for the little ones.

The best ride was the inner tube ride. It was extremely long, and an absolute blast.

It was a great water park.

[Lindsey310]

I read somewhere that one of the reasons they closed (besides the health reasons) was bc there were gators coming into the swimming area?? Or getting close?? Not sure if it's true or not. I looked on Google earth and all I saw was trees, no slides.


20 days!!!!

[disneykidsince1970]

I feel so lucky to have enjoyed River Country as a kid. We went several times and I have great memories (and pix) of picnic-ing there. Doing the tubes - SO FUN!! - and my Dad managed to snap the best pix of us "falling" that last 10 feet into the water of those great slides. They scared the **** out of me but I managed to get up the courage to do it a few times so he could get the picture.

There I am - terrible teeth (before braces), terrible Dorothy Hamill haircut (before puberty) but cute bathing suit (before kids!).... having so much family fun.

**and, do I dare say it... several years ago, Nikki and I snuck in to take pix of the place. It is SO eery... you could film a horror movie in there. We managed to walk up the stairs on the backside of the pool, to reach the slides...and there was a sign, just hanging by a thread. It was just BEGGING us to take it home. So, we did. It has the River Country "pool rules". Woa.... did it smell!! Like swamp. But, it now hangs proudly at Nikki's house, by her pool.

....not that I condone such behavior!!

[NJGIRL]

It has been sitting there so long, I always wonder why they haven't dismantled it and cleaned up the area. It's so unlike Disney to let it just fall apart and leave it there.


Speaking of River Country.....they did the same thing to Discovery Island....now that would be a great place to film a horror movie.

[NJGIRL]

I would also suggest that people don't go into that area. It's gate is locked (not very good) and is trashed and looks unsafe. Also, looking through a few you tubes on Disney I have learned that Disney has been Banning People for LIFE that trespass into areas that are backstage or locked up. It's not worth it.

[disneykidsince1970]

I agree... I wouldn't sneak in now.

We snuck in probably 10 years ago, early 30s... before kids. My "safety" and my "acceptable behavior" meters were different then.

Kids - Don't Try This at Home!

[NJGIRL]

My "safety" and my "acceptable behavior" meters were different then.

So True.

[justice11]

Wasn't there also a petting zoo before you got to the water? We really were excited to go there in the day.

[EpcotFan182]

You should check it out on Google maps! It looks pretty spooky. There are a few YouTube videos of it too.

Yes! I was watching YouTube videos recently of what it looks like now - creepy how they just abandoned the park and didn't formally "demolish" it.

[Figaro]

I used to work in that Region at the resorts and a lot of the cast members, myself including, would wish they'd open it back up. Backstage in the offices there's still lots of stuff left on the walls from those days. I've had small peaks of the park from walking thru cast member areas, but a good way to see it is also to rent a Pontoon from WL or FW and take a slow motor by. I used to take people by it on the fireworks cruises that I would drive.

[Davy Crockett]

Stayed at FW in 2000 and we were able to go and enjoy one last time before it was closed.

As for why it closed I researched it a few years back as it made no sense in the manner of how WDW went about closing it down. It was literally was open one day and closed the next. What I read which lends credibility to a post above with the amoeba concern, is that the state of Florida passed a water quality law directed at water parks and being that the water supply for River Country was Bay Lake it would never meet the new state standards. So when the law came in to effect the park closed.

Personally I think this is why our immune systems are so compromised these days everything around us is Pasteurized, Homogenized and Disinfected WAY TOO MUCH. We need to get a little more DIRT in our lives to keep us healthy!