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Rivercountry returning?
- Thread starter Videoteck
- Start date
Pioneer Hall
Well-Known Member
Disney officially announced last year that River Country will no longer be opening.
Disneyfanman
Well-Known Member
Stories vary, depending on the source, as to why they closed. Some say the bacteria levels in the water, some say the newer water parks dropped the crowd levels to an unprofitable level. It's probably more the latter than the former, but Disney has never published the exact reasons for the closure. Around the time of the closure Disney also permanently stopped people from swimming anywhere but in pools.
Never say never (especially with Disney), but most people think that River Country has forever joined Yesterland. Once and awhile you will see back stage photos published from behind the fences. It certainly doesn't look like they are doing anything to maintain the facilities. They would probably build a third water park long before re-opening River Country.
I was only there one time, back in 1980. I enjoyed it very much. I also have an old Guidebook from the 1990s that still has River Country listed.
Oh well.
Never say never (especially with Disney), but most people think that River Country has forever joined Yesterland. Once and awhile you will see back stage photos published from behind the fences. It certainly doesn't look like they are doing anything to maintain the facilities. They would probably build a third water park long before re-opening River Country.
I was only there one time, back in 1980. I enjoyed it very much. I also have an old Guidebook from the 1990s that still has River Country listed.
Oh well.
billybluenose
Member
Rc
It is closed permanently.
I believe that it was closed due to the (lack of) quality of the lake water that flowed through the park from Bay Lake. Perhaps it was difficult to properly regulate it.
Also, with Typhoon Lagoon & Blizzard Beach (not to mention Wet & Wild) attracting most water park guests and the new theme pools that have popped up at the resorts, River Country became redundant and less appealing to all but the most nostalgic guests.
-Billy
It is closed permanently.
I believe that it was closed due to the (lack of) quality of the lake water that flowed through the park from Bay Lake. Perhaps it was difficult to properly regulate it.
Also, with Typhoon Lagoon & Blizzard Beach (not to mention Wet & Wild) attracting most water park guests and the new theme pools that have popped up at the resorts, River Country became redundant and less appealing to all but the most nostalgic guests.
-Billy
disney princess
New Member
Rivercountry.
Rivercountry was closed because the water was becoming to polutted with all the boats running. That is also why you can not swim in the lake.
Rivercountry was closed because the water was becoming to polutted with all the boats running. That is also why you can not swim in the lake.
Iakona
Member
disney princess said:
Sorry, not true.
This link has some good info.
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=68823&page=3
The pollution is nacteria that is natural to FL.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/naegleria/factsht_naegleria.htm#when
GothMickey
Active Member
Not going to happen, sorry... But I can see them opening another water park... Maybe they can convert the old River Country area to a brand new water park... Who knows.. Maybe the rumored Pirates themed water park can go there.
uglybug2005
New Member
The reason for the closure is the FL Lake Water Act, which prohibits swimming in lakes that are not spring-fed. The closure was not a result of pollution/bacteria levels in Bay Lake (Bay Lake is not more polluted now, in fact it was cleaned when WDW bought the property because it was too polluted then to meet Disney standards), rather it was a result of new guidelines brought about over a concern about bacteria levels in lakes across FL in general. Because RC essentially ran using water from the lake, and runoff went directly into the lake (preventing chlorination due to pollution concerns) over the edge of a rubber bladder rather than an actual wall. Making RC into a self-contained system (like BB and TL) would require completely rebuilding it. That's too expensive for something with such a low capacity, and you can bet that wetlands construction restrictions also make it pretty much impossible (Disney can't buck the EPA).
Nobody said "Bay Lake is too dirty to swim in" they said "Lakes that aren't spring-fed may be dangerous from a bacterial standpoint, so you can't swim in any of them if the average temperature is over 80* degrees."
*I don't recall the actual temp, but it's around there.
Nobody said "Bay Lake is too dirty to swim in" they said "Lakes that aren't spring-fed may be dangerous from a bacterial standpoint, so you can't swim in any of them if the average temperature is over 80* degrees."
*I don't recall the actual temp, but it's around there.
GothMickey
Active Member
I remember a few years ago in Florida there was that bacteria outbreak that did kill some people.. They all swam in lakes.. Anyone from Florida, please correct me if I am wrong... But wasn't that also the time RC closed? So, in essence, it did close because of bacteria concerns.
uglybug2005
New Member
Read above post... Yes, those illnesses (none of which happened at WDW) led to the FL Lake Water Act.
surfsupdon
Well-Known Member
Kind of related, but off topic...
My "20 Magical Years" picture book shows roped off swimming areas in Seven Seas Lagoon for Guests of the Polynesian. It is off of their sandy beaches, and there were many people enjoying the lake to swim.
Does anyone know if Guests swimming in the lakes and River Country's closure happened simultaneously, or was one before the other? Because I can remember River Country being operational, but never remember being able to swim in any Resort's lake (even though the pictures clearly point my memory as wrong).
My "20 Magical Years" picture book shows roped off swimming areas in Seven Seas Lagoon for Guests of the Polynesian. It is off of their sandy beaches, and there were many people enjoying the lake to swim.
Does anyone know if Guests swimming in the lakes and River Country's closure happened simultaneously, or was one before the other? Because I can remember River Country being operational, but never remember being able to swim in any Resort's lake (even though the pictures clearly point my memory as wrong).
MickeyTigg
New Member
surfsupdon said:
I believe you used to be able to swim in the Seven Seas Lagoon.
surfsupdon
Well-Known Member
aeillill said:
That was why I posted, because I had always thought I swam in the shallow area of Barefoot Bay as a really little kid with oither people. Then I saw the roped off areas in Seven Seas Lagoon in that book I spoke of, and knew I couldn't be that crazy.
At Caribbean, it was more like wading in the water as opposed to swimming.
ClemsonTigger
Naturally Grumpy
I'm old enough to report that I used to swim off the the beach at the Poly before it was closed. River country did stay open for years after, because as Marni said, it was thought to be isolated from the lake.
I'm glad people weighed in with the correct information rather than the pollution stuff again. There is one minor correction however, it is not bacterial contamination that is the problem, it is a parasitic amoeba called Naegleria fowleri:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/naegleria/factsht_naegleria.htm#what
I'm glad people weighed in with the correct information rather than the pollution stuff again. There is one minor correction however, it is not bacterial contamination that is the problem, it is a parasitic amoeba called Naegleria fowleri:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/naegleria/factsht_naegleria.htm#what
surfsupdon
Well-Known Member
ClemsonTigger said:
Exactly the answer I wanted to my question--thanks!!
I also notice several Resorts do not have nearly as many (or none at all) sunfish sailboats or canoes for rent. Were they just not popular, too labor intensive for the average Guest, or did Disney not want these in operation b/c of tipping, and then the swimming and bobbing in the lakes that followed?
wild01ride
Well-Known Member
I've read a ton of these threads which discuss swimming in Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon, but I've never heard anyone mention the watersports that still take place.
At least in the case of waterskiing, people enter the water to begin and end their activity, so what gives? :veryconfu
How is it that it is OK to this day to be able to waterski in the lakes?
At least in the case of waterskiing, people enter the water to begin and end their activity, so what gives? :veryconfu
How is it that it is OK to this day to be able to waterski in the lakes?