-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Abandoned: The Rise, Fall and Decay of Disney’s River Country
- Thread starter gbrooks135
- Start date
French Quarter
Well-Known Member
Thanks for this. It's interesting how expensive it was for back then.
DisneyFans4Life
Well-Known Member
I never did visit, but I would have loved to! It would be cool for them to re-open it.
Brings back a lot of memories. The Ol Swimmin Hole was usually the first day of my family vacation as a kid. God I loved the Rapids. Although a lot of resorts have Lazy Rivers, the Rapids was that on steroids.
Forgot about a lot of the original plans as well. We know the Asian Resort turned into GF. Wonder if the old Venetian site will ever get built out. I think it's only a question of when. But then again it's already been a little over 40 years.
If Buffalo Junction (or something similar) ever gets built out that would be an amazing concept. And it might lead to the realization of the original plans with additional hotels and entertainment areas around Bay Lake.
Forgot about a lot of the original plans as well. We know the Asian Resort turned into GF. Wonder if the old Venetian site will ever get built out. I think it's only a question of when. But then again it's already been a little over 40 years.
If Buffalo Junction (or something similar) ever gets built out that would be an amazing concept. And it might lead to the realization of the original plans with additional hotels and entertainment areas around Bay Lake.
alissafalco
Well-Known Member
Some cool pics
French Quarter
Well-Known Member
I would have guessed the Asian resort turned into the Poly. The concept art looks so much like it.
Last edited:
The Poly was already there. The Asian occupied the land the GF was built on.
DW Aficionado
Well-Known Member
I remember going to River Country in 1979. Honestly, it wasn't as great as everyone is making it out to be (sortof like mom's apple pie). We had fun as kids, but it doesn't compare to Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon. I think if we could travel back in time, everyone would be disapointed in it.
Timon
Well-Known Member
Dig out the Lagoon, Beach, Old Pools. Contract Crystal Lagoons www.crystallagoons.com for a new Lagoon, beach etc. using their special water processing system which can take any water (Lake, Canal, Recycled etc.) and turn it into perfect water. See pictures
This water could overflow to the lakes and help restore them.
This water could overflow to the lakes and help restore them.
pumpkin7
Well-Known Member
I think in the state it's got to now, if they wanted to re open it, they would have to completely level it and start from scratch. Everything is way too decayed and rotten to save. I'm not sure how many people would want to go to a 'real' river experience now. I'd much rather go to a chlorine filled pool which I know is relatively clean (well, in comparison anyway). Unless they did what was posted above, but then that takes away from the river experience. So I think it would probably be a hit with nostalgia seekers, but not for people who have never been, like me. Funnily enough we were in the world in 1997, and we never went. I didn't even know it existed (I was only 8 at the time).
Although, I do love Adam the Woo's old video where he goes to River Country and they still have the resort music playing through all the speakers. That's creepy!
Although, I do love Adam the Woo's old video where he goes to River Country and they still have the resort music playing through all the speakers. That's creepy!
Timon
Well-Known Member
I think Ft Wilderness could use a 1st class resort hotel beach/pool setup at that end of Ft Wilderness. The Meadow pool is nice but a total zoo during pool season. Scrape the nasty swimming hole and broken pool away and build a really large lake like pool that Crystal Lagoons makes with a real sand beach and perfect water. If the rock hill the flumes are on can be restored that would be a nice salute to old River Country, if not maybe new but similar design flumes. This wouldn't be a water park just a really big-*ss pool with flumes.
Victor Kelly
Well-Known Member
Very interesting read. Still sad that Disney has left it to decay as it is.
prfctlyximprct
Well-Known Member
Such an interesting article. I was thoroughly obsessed with all things River Country for quite a good bit of time. Wish I had the chance to visit this wonderful water park. It depressed me to think of it sitting and rotting away, but it also makes me sad for time period that is no more. The good ole days have come and gone 
Miss the simple pleasure and outdoor enjoyment that "ole swimming holes" provided.
Miss the simple pleasure and outdoor enjoyment that "ole swimming holes" provided.
BalooChicago
Well-Known Member
I really think they should have done this for the bungalows at Poly...Dig out the Lagoon, Beach, Old Pools. Contract Crystal Lagoons www.crystallagoons.com for a new Lagoon, beach etc. using their special water processing system which can take any water (Lake, Canal, Recycled etc.) and turn it into perfect water. See pictures
This water could overflow to the lakes and help restore them.
THEMEPARKPIONEER
Well-Known Member
The one time I stayed at Fort Wilderness the first thin they said was no pool hopping. Well we saw the pool and said well at least river country is right there... Wrong, just closed down still clean and everything. Someone said they were going to make that the main pool for fort wilderness but obviously that never happened. In the middle of winter I want a nice resort quality pool, fort wilderness does not cut it, I'll stick with Orange Lake thank you very much.
MickeyMomV
Well-Known Member
The article mentions remnants of old attractions being around the park and that you just need to know where to look. As our first Disney trip was about 14 years ago and our frequent trips just started about 6 years ago most of the early attractions were replaced/gone before we started going. With that said what remnants do you look to see if they are still there when you go?
MMFanCipher
Well-Known Member
The reason the Meadows is a mad house is because, unless it is a holiday, they don't check if you are staying at the Fort.
You aren't suppose to pool hop, but they allow it at the Fort. That really irritates us campers.
French Quarter
Well-Known Member
Isn't that just the creepiest thing?
Raineman
Well-Known Member
I've always wondered why Disney hasn't taken the Las Vegas approach when it comes to areas/attractions that are unused and decaying-when it becomes apparent that something will no longer be used and is simply taking up space, demolish it so that the land is ready for whatever my follow it in the future. Obviously, for attractions/areas that are smack dab in the middle of one of the parks, ie WOL, Innoventions West, etc at Epcot, doing this would create a very visible eyesore, and could only be done if something else was being built in its place immediately after demolition. However, with an area like River Country, alot less people would notice that it is gone, other than the people that are specifically looking for it. Quickly removing these unused areas would also discourage much of the trespassing that is done by eager urban explorers, as we all know what has gone on with people exploring River Country, WOL, Imagination, etc.