RIVEeRCOUNTRY

[kathyjacks]

I was watching the travel channel today and it had the top 10 water parks in the usa . blizzard beach was second. they meantioned disney had a 3rd waterpark called rivercountry. how do you get into this one . whats it like?

 

[e4ymod]

You don't. It's closed.

 

[Pongo]

It's no longer open. But it is still located at the back of Fort Wilderness.

It was the best water park.

 

[peter11435]

It was WDW's first water park. However it has since been closed. It was very small compared to the other two.

 

[Laura]

It's no longer open. But it is still located at the back of Fort Wilderness.

It was the best water park.

What? You really think it was the BEST water park? I think it was mediocre compared to Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach.

 

[kathyjacks]

i wonder if they are ever going to open it again? that sucks:zipit: lol
wonder what they are going to do with that land.

 

[ErickainPA]

River Country will never be reopened as it's been laid in ruins for years now. The other 2 water parks are open all year, where River Country was only opened from like May - August (or something like that) Attendance didn't make it worthy to keep open.

The land is just getting reclaimed by nature.

 

[beez]

They might as well build another water park then reopen River Country. Knock it down and build from the ground up.

 

[Pongo]

What? You really think it was the BEST water park? I think it was mediocre compared to Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach.

I thought it had the bst atmosphere and you hardly had to wait for anything. There wasn't a TON to do, but eveything had the classic "swimming hole" feel to it. Like the slides: i could ride those over and over. And the fact that you had to swin through the lake to get to the steps leading to the slides was really unique, in my opinion.

 

[Connor002]

Even way-back-when, I really wouldn't consider it a water park. More like a fancy swimmin' pool. :animwink:

 

[timkelmom]

Those of us who stay at Fort Wilderness or even Wilderness Lodge would love to have something close by. Maybe they'll do something else with the land.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Those of us who stay at Fort Wilderness or even Wilderness Lodge would love to have something close by. Maybe they'll do something else with the land.

More than likely they will put a playground or meet and greet there...

 

[DME]

River Country was open from the beginning of WDW. It was good enough back then since since all they had was one park, two hotels, fort wilderness, and a shopping area. I am sure it may have been crowded years ago before the other parks opened and there were more guests on property. My wife and I visited it in 1998 and it was fun. Of course it was smaller but that was also part of it's charrm. It totally fit in with the whole fort wilderness area.

 

[peter11435]

River Country was open from the beginning of WDW. It was good enough back then since since all they had was one park, two hotels, fort wilderness, and a shopping area. I am sure it may have been crowded years ago before the other parks opened and there were more guests on property. My wife and I visited it in 1998 and it was fun. Of course it was smaller but that was also part of it's charrm. It totally fit in with the whole fort wilderness area.

Actually River Country was not open from the beginning of WDW. River Country opened on June 20, 1976.

 

[Jiminy wishes]

Hey all,

This is my first posting on here, but I thought you might find this interesting so I jumped in on this one. I was just looking at this the other night and found it depressing, but interesting.

Take a look at: http://thedisneyblog.typepad.com/tdb/2005/02/a_river_country.html

By the way.....LOVE the site!

 

[Feta]

Can anyone confirm or correct me? I heard River Country was the nations first true "water park".

 

[Pongo]

Can anyone confirm or correct me? I heard River Country was the nations first true "water park".

Pretty Much.

 

[Mimi]

I thought it had the bst atmosphere and you hardly had to wait for anything. There wasn't a TON to do, but eveything had the classic "swimming hole" feel to it. Like the slides: i could ride those over and over. And the fact that you had to swin through the lake to get to the steps leading to the slides was really unique, in my opinion.

Hear hear!! :sohappy:

 

[FigmentJedi]

Wasn't it that River Country's connection to Bay Lake become part of its eventual downfall? And another thing, Travel Channel really needs to update its stuff on Disney(though I do like that the Beach Club special still retains the ToD footage)

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Wasn't it that River Country's connection to Bay Lake become part of its eventual downfall? And another thing, Travel Channel really needs to update its stuff on Disney(though I do like that the Beach Club special still retains the ToD footage)

Yes, but we also used to be able to swim off of the beach in Polynesian...and there was this lovely island to visit, Discovery Island.

Fond memories that will never return!