What happened to River Country?

Iv'e been visiting Walt Disney World for almost 30yrs now. I remember back in the 80s visiting the water park "River Country" at Disney World. It was a natural water park. It felt like I was in the woods at home swimming at the local water hole. And I was just wondering if someone could tell me what ever happened to that park.

It died!

There are some VERY disturbing pics floating around on this site. It was basically left to rot and it is nasty.

Davidsplanet said:

Iv'e been visiting Walt Disney World for almost 30yrs now. I remember back in the 80s visiting the water park "River Country" at Disney World. It was a natural water park. It felt like I was in the woods at home swimming at the local water hole. And I was just wondering if someone could tell me what ever happened to that park.

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Yeah it died out a while ago

p.s. I live in West Palm Beach too

I absolutely LOVED River Country as a kid! I cannot believe that it is just sitting around rotting to the ground...very sad. It would take minimal effort to fix this place up and you can't tell me that the operating costs for this are anywhere near the costs for Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. The slides here were not as threatening for little kids as the slides at typhoon and Blizzard. I would love to see River Country back on the Disney World map. No ,I demand it!

And I don't want to hear "you might be a redneck at WDW if you actaully miss River Country" This place was very cool in its own way and anyone who actually visited there (not just heard about it) would feel the same way!

The fact that it all still there bugs me!!!

I know leaving it to rot is cheaper than pulling it down, but still, part of me thinks that there may be hope in the very long long run for this coming back in some form or other. Maybe its hopeful thinking, but it all seems odd to me.

tink81 said:

I absolutely LOVED River Country as a kid! I cannot believe that it is just sitting around rotting to the ground...very sad. It would take minimal effort to fix this place up

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You're kidding right? Have you seen the state that it's in?

tink81 said:

and you can't tell me that the operating costs for this are anywhere near the costs for Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach.

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Probably not, but they would have nowhere near the profit margins due to intense upkeep. Let me explain this. Say RC costs $20,000 a month to operate, but BB cost $66,000; now consider that BB can accommodate more people and run more efficiently, so it would cost more to run, but make much more money than it takes to operate, as opposed to RC, which does not have the same capabilities and would not have the same kind of turn around.

tink81 said:

The slides here were not as threatening for little kids as the slides at typhoon and Blizzard.

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Hence why the children's areas where built in both...

tink81 said:

I would love to see River Country back on the Disney World map. No ,I demand it!

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Well, that's going to do a lot...

tink81 said:

This place was very cool in its own way and anyone who actually visited there (not just heard about it) would feel the same way!

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I have been there and I do not share that opinion, thank you...

Connor002 said:

You're kidding right? Have you seen the state that it's in?




Probably not, but they would have nowhere near the profit margins due to intense upkeep. Let me explain this. Say RC costs $20,000 a month to operate, but BB cost $66,000; now consider that BB can accommodate more people and run more efficiently, so it would cost more to run, but make much more money than it takes to operate, as opposed to RC, which does not have the same capabilities and would not have the same kind of turn around.



Hence why the children's areas where built in both...



Well, that's going to do a lot...



I have been there and I do not share that opinion, thank you...

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thanks for the lesson in theme park operations 101, teach. Is that part of the 8th grade academic adgenda? Opinions are all that are discussed here and they vary between generations you should try to remember that.

Are you even old enough to remember this place? Visits en utero do not count....

tink81 said:

thanks for the lesson in theme park operations 101, teach. Is that part of the 8th grade academic adgenda? Opinions are all that are discussed here and they vary between generations you should try to remember that.

Are you even old enough to remember this place? Visits en utero do not count....

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You know what? Let me say this: if you honestly think you're better than I because you're older, perhaps you need to take a look at your own ignorance. I will not dignify this with a proper response. Your post will be reported, and I sincerely hope you will one day see your own faults. May I point out instead of refuting my post in a respectful manner, you have chosen to bring up to irrelevant topic of my age in a personal attack on my character. Clearly someone here is acting immaturely, and oddly enough, it is the one who is expected to be the mature one.



Post Script: Yes, actually, I have been to River Country.

chill out man.. I was being dramatic. Didn't know you were so sensitive to the age thing...

tink81 said:

chill out man.. I was being dramatic. Didn't know you were so sensitive to the age thing...

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Just a quick note:

Dramatic is what you DON'T want to be on the internet. Especially at these forums.

:wave: Have a good day.

EDIT: Oh, and Connor is in ninth grade.

tink81 said:

chill out man.. I was being dramatic. Didn't know you were so sensitive to the age thing...

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Actually, Connor did have some truth in his post.

I would first like to preface this with the fact that I have never actually been to River Country. I have been to Blizzard Beach, however.

However, from what I have heard about the water park, I heard that it actually would take a lot to fix it. There was something about the water being contaminated (I don't know the exact specifics, but if you search for River Country, I'm sure you will find it.) and that it cannot be fixed. Or if it could, it would cost an extremely large amount of money.


I can honestly tell you that I don't think (from all the specualtion and rumors I have heard on this site) that River Country will ever be open again and to think that it will is wishful thinking. I know that may be disappointing to hear and trust me, if I had found out that one of my favorite things had been shut down too, I would be very upset. (for example, I'm not that thrilled that they got rid of Mr. Toads, but I know that it was for the best.)

The most important thing to note is that at least you still have the option of going to another fantastic water park.

(And as a side note: just so you know, it is not the best thing to think that just b/c someone may be young in years, means that they are young in wisdom. I have known Connor for quite some time now and can tell you that he is extremely bright for his age...brighter than a lot of people I know who are our age. (I am assuming you were born in 81 from your name.) Also, just so you know, I am not attacking you, just stating that maybe you shouldn't jump to conclusions.)

My apologies, just making an empassioned plea. I guess I took the disection of my post (with snippy comments inserted) as being a smidge harsh... for a 9th grader (sorry about the grade mix up too buddy).

:lookaroun

nibblesandbits said:

Actually, Connor did have some truth in his post.

I would first like to preface this with the fact that I have never actually been to River Country. I have been to Blizzard Beach, however.

However, from what I have heard about the water park, I heard that it actually would take a lot to fix it. There was something about the water being contaminated (I don't know the exact specifics, but if you search for River Country, I'm sure you will find it.) and that it cannot be fixed. Or if it could, it would cost an extremely large amount of money.


I can honestly tell you that I don't think (from all the specualtion and rumors I have heard on this site) that River Country will ever be open again and to think that it will is wishful thinking. I know that may be disappointing to hear and trust me, if I had found out that one of my favorite things had been shut down too, I would be very upset. (for example, I'm not that thrilled that they got rid of Mr. Toads, but I know that it was for the best.)

The most important thing to note is that at least you still have the option of going to another fantastic water park.

(And as a side note: just so you know, it is not the best thing to think that just b/c someone may be young in years, means that they are young in wisdom. I have known Connor for quite some time now and can tell you that he is extremely bright for his age...brighter than a lot of people I know who are our age. (I am assuming you were born in 81 from your name.) Also, just so you know, I am not attacking you, just stating that maybe you shouldn't jump to conclusions.)

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Actually, I think the contamination thing is a fallacy. I'm almost positive that RC was built ABOVE the level of Bay Lake, so the water fell from RC into BL. To get into RC, the water had to go through a filtering process, which I think I've seen from behind when I got lost while running through FW once.

I think the main reason for closure was the cost thing. Also, having a water park at the back of the campsite was NOT very efficient for guests and added an extra hour to the day just by going from the front to the back of FW.

tink81 said:

My apologies, just making an empassioned plea. I guess I took the disection of my post (with snippy comments inserted) as being a smidge harsh... for a 9th grader (sorry about the grade mix up too buddy).

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I know that a disesction of one of my posts would hurt too, but sometimes when that happens, I need to take a step back and think about whether what was said to me was true (or had some truth to it) or not before I respond. It usually works out better and then I don't get people who are upset with me later. :wave:

Pongo said:

I think the main reason for closure was the cost thing. Also, having a water park at the back of the campsite was NOT very efficient for guests and added an extra hour to the day just by going from the front to the back of FW.

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Thats what i read, that and the fact that the other newer parks were stealing RC business, so it made no sense in Disneys eyes to keep a water park open that was 'generally' only used by people staying in WL, or so i heard?!!?:veryconfu

But its before my time is Disney, the closest ill ever get to RC is old holiday brochures from when I used to Dream of WDW. Ah good old times.

There was just a discussion on this:

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showpost.php?p=1421799&postcount=1

I agree that the current state is an eyesore and needs to be removed. I also don't doubt that there is a significant economic component to the initial closure, but a primary reason as I sited in the other thread is the same reason there is no swimming allowed (anymore) in any Disney lake.

There is an ameboa called Naegleria fowleri that is found in these waters. The infection and likely death it causes can't be risked with the millions of people visiting. Just think of the press over 1 such death.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/naegleria/factsht_naegleria.htm#when

I don't think there was any one reason that lead to RC closure but a combination of many factors.

First water quality had to be an issue if any water was used from Bay lake which from my understanding part of the swimming area did use water from Bay lake. In todays day and age that is a big health concern due to a number of single cell organisms that can be adsorbed through the mucus membranes, some of which can actually be fatal. There was a lake at Hanna Park here in Jacksonville that was closed for that very reason.

Second reason staffing. A former software consultant at my office worked his way through college as a life guard at WDW. According to him there was always a major shortage of life guards in the Orlando area due to the vast number of water parks and hotels in the area.

Third simple economics. As pointed out by Connor earlier RC small size and poor location really limited its profit producing capability.

Lastly changes in the market. When RC was first built the mild swimming hole was the in thing. Now guests want 2000' tall water slides that have you breaking the sound barrier before you splash down.