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River country?
I some how stumbled upon a website that was talking about Disney's forgotten water park called river country. I am a pretty big disney fan and in all my years going there i never heard of River country or this water park at all. Is it on Disney property or off-site? And if it is a Disney water park what is the deal with it and where was it located?
Last edited by CanadianWDWFan; 05-04-2010 at 07:55 PM.
Reason: url in post
My laughin' place is a doom buggy
12 times at the world and counting!
Next trip: June 20 2013
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It was the original water park on Disney property. It was located in or around where Ft Wilderness Lodge is now.
~ Christine
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Yes, It was the ORIGINAL waterpark. It was themed like an old country watring hole, with a waterslide built into a hillside. Actually, some of the park is still visible, from Bay Lake. If you were on a watercraft, you can still see some of it. It was closed due to health reasons, the water used was from the lake, and has way too much bacteria in it. You can also see some of the waterpark if you use google earth.
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My laughin' place is a doom buggy
12 times at the world and counting!
Next trip: June 20 2013
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River Country is just a short walk from Pioneer Hall in Fort Wilderness. We spent some really fun times there way back when. There was a large swimming pool, a few slides that ended in another pool, and something similar to a ropes course (a misstep ended with a plunge in the water below). It was all pretty tame by today's water park standards but I really enjoyed the low key relaxation of this spot!
Linda aka: Faline
INTERCOT Staff: Vacation Planning,Trip Reports and Disney Camping
[email protected]
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You can still see the remains of River Country right by Ft. Wilderness. The WL was not built over it...it's on the opposite side of Ft. Wilderness from the WL. I absolutely LOVED River Country and went there many times over the years. I really wish they would have at least kept the pool...they could have just closed the rides/attractions that used the lake and still had another nice pool for the campground.
~Michelle~
1980, 1983-1986, 1988, 1992, 1993
1995 -Disneyland
July 2001 -POFQ
May 2006, May 2008, May 2010 -Wilderness Lodge
Dec. 2011-Port Orleans Riverside
Sept. 2012 - Port Orleans Riverside Royal Room
May 11-25, 2013 - Polynesian Resort
Next trip: Dec. 14-20, 2014 - Wilderness Lodge
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It was open for years! I wish I had gotten to go. I know when we first started going as to WDW as adults it closed...
Trips: Too Many to Count! Last Trips: April 2013 CSR; July 2013 Aloha Aulani, The Sequel, Hawaii. Multiple trips to WDW, DL, DCL!
Coming up: September 2013 "Scary September" at Disneyland/DCA/Universal Hollywood.
Proud DVC Members since 2004!
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We only went to River Country once when we were kids and we had a wonderful time. We really enjoyed it. I was so sad when I realized they closed it.
Jodi
Many, many trips as a kid with family
Last trip: November 2013
Next trip: June 2014 - Just me and my son!
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The remains of River Country is located on the west boundary of Fort Widerness, (between FW and WL). You can still see it clearly on Google maps aerial photos if you zoom in. I had the opportunity to visit RC several times as a teenager, and we though it was really cool. But it couldn't hold a candle to the newer Disney Water Parks for fun and thrills.
1971 (age 15) MK was new!
1974 off-site (Senior Trip)
1982 off-site
1988 off-site
May 2002 AS-Sports, with DW & kids
May 2004 Pop Century
Feb 2005 Wilderness Lodge
Oct 2006 Pop Century
Oct 2008 Camped at Fort Wilderness
Feb 2010 Cruise on the Wonder
Dec 2014 POFQ for Christmas!
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FYI: It is my understanding that they closed it due to the water issues. The water used for River Country was from Bay lake. As a typical lake in Florida, the shallow areas have a bacteria or something that can cause ear infections. This is why there is no swimming allowed in Bay lake. I remember while at summer camp as a kid, we had to have stuff put in our ears after every time we went swimming in the lake.
BKJ
Wilderness Lodge May '13
FW Campsite Jan '13
FW Cabins May '11
FW Campsite Dec '10
Offsite Nov '10
FW Cabins May '10
FW Cabins Dec '09
FW Cabins May '09
FW Campsite Dec '08
FW Cabins May '07
Swan Dec '06
FW Cabins May '06
Offsite June '99
FW Campsite Aug '79
Contemporary '76
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I LOVED going to River Country when I was younger. What a fun place. I saw the pictures you are talking about. Such a shame that it's gone.
Gawrsh
1979 - Polynesian Village
1988 - Treehouses
1990 - Treehouses
1997 - Disney Institute Villas/Yacht and Beach Club
1999 - Disney Institute Villas
2001 - Carribean Beach
2004 - Port Orleans Riverside
2007 - Pop Century
2010 - Offsite/Port Orleans Riverside
2014 - Offsite
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River Country really was a lot of fun. I truly expect, however, by today's standards for water parks, RC would've been considered pretty tame. But along with the tube rides, they had a lot of "old-fashioned" types of fun, like the rope swings, and even a water volleyball net - always a volleyball game going on where strangers could get together for some fun. I'm amazed how how long ago it really is since RC has been open!
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Originally Posted by CU Tiger
FYI: It is my understanding that they closed it due to the water issues. The water used for River Country was from Bay lake. As a typical lake in Florida, the shallow areas have a bacteria or something that can cause ear infections. This is why there is no swimming allowed in Bay lake. I remember while at summer camp as a kid, we had to have stuff put in our ears after every time we went swimming in the lake.
Can cause death, actually. It's an ameoba, Naegleria fowleri, that can be present and thrives in warm water lakes. It can cause amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare and deadly infection that begins when the water-born amoeba is forced up the nose and then travels to the spinal cord and the brain. That's why there's no swimming in WDW lakes and lagoons.
Sherri
Next: Aulani Celebration 10/2018 (50th)
Past Stays: Contemporary, GF, Poly, BC, POP, POR, Dolphin, AKL Kidani, BLT
1990 August Honeymoon- GF
Delighted Disney Return Guest since 1981, DVC (BLT) since 2014
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Originally Posted by SBETigg
Can cause death, actually. It's an ameoba, Naegleria fowleri, that can be present and thrives in warm water lakes. It can cause amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rare and deadly infection that begins when the water-born amoeba is forced up the nose and then travels to the spinal cord and the brain. That's why there's no swimming in WDW lakes and lagoons.
wow thats pretty intense.
My laughin' place is a doom buggy
12 times at the world and counting!
Next trip: June 20 2013
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I believe River Country closed in or around 2000. Last time we stayed at Ft. Wilderness I think I remember it still in use. It's been 10 years, so I could be wrong
Feb 2020 - FWC
Jul 2019 - Poly
2018 - WL - CL
2017 - FWC
2016 - WL
2012 - WL - CL
2010 - WL
2009 - WL
2007 - WL
2003 - WL
2001 - FWC
1974, 77, 83 & 1995 - Off site
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Great place! Lots of fun activities and just a relaxing place to spend the day with the little ones.
I won a marshmallow eating contest there...
Big claim to fame, but I don't think I will put it on my Curriculum Vitae!
It's too bad they can't reopen it. I worked at a beach years ago where we actually put up a thick canvas curtain separating the swimming area from the main watercourse and then chlorinated the whole area. It was huge - over 1400 feet long and six feet deep with floats all along the top. We never had a problem with bacteria or protozoa. The Health Department visited and took water samples every week.
Maybe I should suggest the technology to Disney next time I'm there.
Another problem from a lifeguarding standpoint was the water clarity. With the soft bottom and constant motion in the water, there was a fair amount of silt stirred up making it difficult to see people under water.
Officially too many trips to list here!
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Rc
I had great time as a kid at River Country. I think in the late 90's they also had an MTV show/water competition there too.
1979, 82, 85 & 88-Contemporary
1990-Polynesian
1995-All Star Sports
2001-Coronado Springs (Honeymoon)
2003-Offsite
2007-Buena Vista Palace
2010-Old Key West Resort
6/2012-Pop Century
11/2012-Art of Animation
11/2013-Art of Animation
11/2015-Art of Animation
11/2016-Bay Lake Tower
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Originally Posted by Davy Crockett
I believe River Country closed in or around 2000. Last time we stayed at Ft. Wilderness I think I remember it still in use. It's been 10 years, so I could be wrong
It was between 2001 and 2004. We didn't go in 1998 because we didn't have time, we went in 2001 but when we went back in 2004 we noticed there was no mention of it anywhere. We found out afterwards that it had been closed for health and safety reasons. My understanding was that by state law they would have needed to seperate it off from the rest of the lake and install a water treatment system. This would have been insanely expensive so the decision was to close it.
Wikipedia: it closed in November 2001 after 25 years, it was announced in 2005 that it would not reopen.
Disney World Visits:
1. May-June 1998 (3 weeks)
2. May-June 2001 (3 weeks)
3. October-November 2004 (2 weeks)
4. August-September 2010 (2 weeks)
5. August-September 2017 (2 weeks)
NOW APPROACHING: 6. May 2021
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River Country was supposedly fashioned after the 'ole watering hole, but was closed for health reasons. IMHO...it should be "refurbed" and enjoyed by the newer generations, and rediscovered by the older. I love watchng my old videos of River Country. (espcially the hair and fashions of the day)
1974 - Off Property
1975 - Poly
1980 - Golf Resort (Honeymoon)
1881 - Golf Resort
1982 - Poly
1983 - Contemporary
1989 - CBR (10th anniversay)
1998 - CBR (DD 1st trip )
2001 - CBR
2003 - WL
2004 - WL (25th anniversary)
2005 - WL
2006 - WL
2010 - WL
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