Its so sad to see such a beautiful place that was filled with so much joy be left behind, abandoned, letting nature consume the park with bacteria, plants, fungi, etc.😔
So incredibly sad. Every year from the mid-70's on, my parents would put me on a plane to visit my grandparents every summer. One of the highlights of my summers was River Country! Grandpa quietly sitting in the shade where he could watch the pretty girls and my grandma and I would visit every inch of that magical place. So many awesome memories of R.C over the years - makes me heart-sick to see what its become...
I was born in 2001. I'm 13 and I have never been to a disney park, water park excetera but if there was one place I would pick it would be river country. I learned about it in 2012 I still think its sad what happened. I wish time travel existed. Since you were going from 70s on. Did you ever go to discovery island. That closed in 1999.
I have probably watched hundreds of these abandoned places videos. I have to tell you, this is by far one of the best. Haunting images and breath takingly beautiful music. The nostalgia is so thick in this video, it almost made me cry. I'm proud to say I've been to River Country. Thanks for making me feel like a kid again.
So sad to think this place had to close down. A lot of happy memories there with my family. This video shows an eerie quality to what is left behind of the old River Country. Thank you WDW for this and plenty of other memories!! And thank you for the memories
Thank you for making and posting this video. It is a true testament to "never put off what you can do today". We took our children to Disney for their first trip in 1999, River Country was on my list of things to do, but my husband said we should wait for another trip since our youngest was only 14 months old. Sadly, we waited until it was too late. We have been to Typhoon Lagoon, but it just hasn't sated that longing for River Country :(.
just learned about river country and discovery island its very sad how they just let it rot there very first water park makes me sad i was born in 2005 wished i was able to go here but its all in the past all we have now is memories and if it re-opened it would not be the same as we all remembered rip river country and discovery island u will never be forgotten
During "Past River Country" it's "Missing Vassar" by Ricky Skaggs & The Kentucky Thunder During the "Speculations" it's "Above Stoneship" by Robyn Miller from the soundtrack to the video game "Myst" During "Sad River Country" it's "Dora Mae's Funeral" by Jeff Beal from the soundtrack to the HBO show "Carnivalè"
this made me a little teary eyed. its like the park was a person that brought joy to so many people, and then it was closed, abandoned, forgotten, and decaying as nature enshrouded it. and the music just gave it this sense of emotion that showed how sad it feels, or felt :(
This is so sad to see that Disney just left it there to rot away and disappear under all the overgrown plants. It's so sad to see all the family memories just disappear one day for no real reason and with the fun attractions that brought people over, the memories of family's good times have just been left to decay. It's so horrible. I hope one day this is more recognized and people realize that the loving memories still live here. Now we just have to wait till it's torn down or reopened hopefully for a better fate than it is facing right now. I never got to go to this but I've heard of the fun stories there from my dad and grandparents. This place deserves to be remembered forever but not because of the haunting scenes it puts on today but for the memorable times it holds. Ugh idk why this messes me up so bad but maybe because it doesn't deserve to be left like this. I hope this place is loved forever for the past times
Heh, kind of agree, but I've got many happy memories of visiting this place as a kid and I think it's the fact that those same attractions are now overgrown and sad, rather than just torn down and replaced, that makes it a bit more poignant for those who once enjoyed it. So thanks to the uploader for taking the time...
This is the only disney water park I've ever been to. I used to live near Orlando growing up. I loved this place, it was so fun! I remember they had really high drop off water slides...so fun!!
When i was around 8 i went to disneyworld for the first time with my family. My dad took us (me and my siblings) to River Country while my mom stayed at the hotel since she was sick. Good memories!
This was the first water park I ever visited ~1980. It was so cool. Last time I visited The World before 2001 we saw one of the new water parks. I was so sad when I saw all the photos, but River was outdated, dirty and was very limited for rides and space. It was probably unsafe by current laws - I had a very scary moment on the Rapids when I got stuck *under* a human log jam. No one was going anymore. Money to demolish and to update. Melancholy to look back. One day it will be re-purposed.
being a central Florida native, our church and school would do frequent trips to River Country. We had so much fun. It was truly depressing to see it closed down. I preferred River Country to Wet n Wild.
This is so sad i grew up going to River Country. I have a lot of fond memories there. In 2005 we went to take my son there only to realize it was closed. Then, they said it was under renovation:( We ended up going to Blizzard Beach. It was a very unique place because it was the novelty of swimming in an "ol waterin hole". I remember it very vividly of going on the flumes through the trees. The other day i found a towel in my closet that i bought at River Country:(
Nicely made video. I went here as a kid in 2000. We had already been to Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon and I can remember thinking it was quite dated and lame even back then. It ran its course I think. It would have been something really special in the 70's, 80's and 90's but by the time the new millennium rolled around it was tired and dated. I hope Disney do something with the site, its quite sad to see it all overgrown and derelict knowing that so many people made so many memories there.
We live in Orlando. Went out to Fort Wilderness Saturday and slipped in to have a look around. Very sad, very creepy. I remember having been there as a teenager in the late 70's. So run down and falling apart.
@magicwill25 I'm glad you liked it. Yeah, the last song is from the short lived series on HBO, "Carnivale". The OST is filled with a lot of haunting tracks like that one.
I remember watching goofy come down the slide, me going on the zip line, (cables shown in your video) and a bird stealing my sisters hot dog off our table here in June 2001. I was only 5 years old at that time. And I still today remember the fun time we had here. R.I.P river country.
Agreed... When I read that, I was dubious so I added "over". Everytime I was there, it was packed, and if it was like that most of the year, I would think that number would be more of a annual rather than overall.
Not only was RC Disney's first and only waterpark for many years, it was the world's first themed waterpark. Before that, waterslides had been concreted creations built into hillsides and scattered along the interstates, usually at campgrounds.
Thanks for uploading this. It's so crazy to see how up and running and full of life it once was and now it's so desolate and empty. But the lights are still on and the music is still playing..TEN years later.
There is potential brain eating Amoeba in an warm body of fresh water in Florida not just in Bay Lake.The rest of the lake is still open for fishing, boating, skiing. If those rumors were true the whole area would be shut down. The real truth is Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard beach made River Country almost obsolete and then 9/11/2001 happened. Disney business dropped off because people were afraid of potential terrorist attacks at a theme park and Disney closed River Country due to deep budget cuts at this time in 2001. They flipped flopped about potentially reopening it and just never did. It is also located in a awkward place where you could only be bussed or ferried in on a boat.
I spent a lot of time at River Country. Really cool place (for its time). Froze my butt off everywhere (that Bay Lake is COLD!), except the twin slides off the rock ledge (the pool you dropped into was heated). I don't know if Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon (both excellent water parks) would be what they are if it wasn't for River Country. The new parks are GREAT, but River Country was something special. It's sad to see what it looks like today. I prefer my memories. Thanks for posting.
River country was amazing and its really close to my parents and I because River country is where my parents met it did not deserve to close I love river country it will always have a big place in my heart /3
It is still there. I was just at Ft. Wilderness and you can see it from the ferry ride to the Magic Kingdom. I can't say whether or not the music and stuff is still playing but if you look at other youtube videos of people who actually snuck into the area, its still playing. Rather cool. The place is just blocked off by a big fence.
Thanks for posting this. When I was a 10, my dad booked a cabin at Fort Wilderness with the intent to take us to my very first water park: River Country. I was excited, as I loved water rides but had been too young when we went to the other water parks years before. The day arrived when we could finally go, so we walked over. I was heart broken. It had closed several months prior. We jumped the turnstyle so I could see the slides..bummed out my vacation. I still haven't been to a water park heh.
I listed them in the credits of the video in the order they are played. I have it for you though. I agree, it's one of my favorite pieces from that soundtrack. During "Past River Country" it's "Missing Vassar" by Ricky Skaggs & The Kentucky Thunder During the "Speculations" it's "Above Stoneship" by Robyn Miller from the soundtrack to the video game "Myst" During "Sad River Country" it's "Dora Mae's Funeral" by Jeff Beal from the soundtrack to the HBO show "Carnivalè"
Excellent point. I agree, it was outdated, for sure. All things come to an end, sadly. But it just makes room for new things to come and start things anew. Thank you, ; )
The last song is called "Dora Mae's Funeral". It's from the soundtrack to the short lived show on HBO "Carnivalè" The artist is Jeff Beal. It's a great soundtrack. Haunting.
I saw that too, about Discovery Island. It was spooky that the paths are still lit at night, but some of the trails and bridges are like partway submerged in muddy water. It was really spooky looking. I think that the fact that it's an island makes it seem more unsettling.
I have never been to River Country but I bet it was so much fun for those who got to go besides it always breaks my heart to see amusement parks and theme parks go abandoned like this it's very sad.
Yes, they closed Discovery Island as well. There are some spooky videos of a group of people sneaking onto the island. Some of the paths are still lit up at night, but the walkways are unkempt so it's really eerie.
The plants crawling up the stairs at 5:08 really struck me for some reason...I guess the look of a path into the unknown where there was once so much fun?
I have been going to Disneyworld about every 2 - 3 years since I was a kid in the 70s. I never went to River Country. I stayed at the Contemporary Resort a few times and could see it across Bay Lake. There is a huge (nice) water park near me in NH, so just never went to any of the water parks in Disney, preferring to spend the time in the parks. I think there was a nature island in the area as well that closed....will have to look it up. Times change.
Yes they do. There's a resort called Fort Wilderness not to far from River country. If you wanted to get to the parks from Fort Wilderness you needed to travel by boat across Bay Lake. When you cross the lake you use to be able to see River Country. But when I was there (last summer) They said they we're going to demolish it the next day. So it's gone now.
From the people that have previously responded, I've heard that it is and isn't still there. The people that said it is still there usually include the spooky detail that the music is still playing inside the decaying complex. When you're in Fort Wilderness, go to where the ferry to the rest of the resorts are. If you're looking at the ferry dock, turn right and head Southwest along the shore, you'll run into it eventually. If you take the Ferry, you should be able to see it to for a moment.
Thank you. I think I just decided what my next video is going to be. Action Park met a similar demise, but unlike River Country, it's death was suited.
I remember when I went to a VERY small amusement park that ran for 3 years. It was a while back and I cant remember the name of the park but I went onto the lands while it was abandoned and I pushed a button for the roller coaster and the I heard a really loud rusty squeaky gear run and the thing took off. Not long or fast it only made it about 40 yard just before the ascension (thank goodness) and it went about 5 mph. It still scared the crap out of me.
I was there in my teens in '94, it seemed perfect for Ft.Wilderness. The other water parks are nice and big and all but they're 15 road miles and 4 buses away round trip. I can't believe the prices for campsites and cabins now, wow. Seems hard to justify.
Loved this place more then the park itself.. But it ran it's coarse.. This place would be way to small by today's standards and the only ones that would really love it would be the adults that were here as kids.. The teenagers of today would want more thrill rides... River Country has a very special place in our hearts because it had a sense of freedom for a 10yr old kid.. But if they opened it now it would never be the same as we all remember it.. It would be a cool thing to see but personally I wouldn't want to go and try and revisit it.. It would ruin the memory of what it was.. Much simpler times.. Less people and the feeling of actually being out in nature and not at an amusement park.. It really felt like we all found this place that no one knew about waaaay down there around the corner over the bridge.. Lol.. Anyway RIP River Country.. Yull always have a lil piece of my heart and a sliver of time in my life.
+Baby Malone Hey Baby.. Dont think Ive ever answered back to someone this fast before on YT (Lol).. Jst happen to be on computer early cause of the - 2 Temps here in the NEast... But Thnks.. This really was a special place and special time... The other place I could very easily put into the same category was Action Park in NJ... Theses a small documentary on it here on YT.. AND Ironically IT jst has been reopened by The original owners son after being closed since I believe 92...If your old enough to remember RC I'm sure you have at least herd of Action Park.. The Doc. Is Hysterical.. If you get a chance I really suggest it.. Will bring bck a ton of great memories.. Take Care My Friend
That all was told to me by a former Disney employee, who also worked for the county as a marine biologist, and was in charge of testing the water in River Country.
River Country closed in 2001 during the normal winter shutdown cycle for the waterparks that Disney uses to refurbish them. Two of the three would remain open while the third was serviced. However this was right after 9/11 and all tourist attractions suffered attendance problems. Disney left RC closed to the public, sometimes opening it for private events, intending to fully reopen it once attendance was back up to normal levels...cont'
here was my letter to reopen the park: Dear Disney Parks, I have a suggestion to save the abandoned park River Country. To stop the Amoeba from getting in the pool you can use a wall made out of some painted concrete not wood because it will soak through. Also to make the capacity bigger instead of using the north west area of Fort Wilderness you should use the entire north area of Fort Wilderness. But to save the park you should first make the wall, second drain the water so there is no bacteria (also get someone to get rid of the gators), then you get rid of all the old plants that have been laying around the park, then you build the park expansion, then you open it to the public. But if you can’t bring it back then let it be a tourist destination because it was Disney’s first water park and the first fully themed water park in the world because it shouldn’t deserve this much misery. Also many people on the internet said that they want this park back and it should please do this, Sincerely, Noah Slepcevic
I really wish the law never changed on Florida, cause looking at River Country now is so sad, but I hope one day, Disney will make another water attraction that will be something similar like River Country, the only thing we can do now is wait until River Country gets ripped to shreds, or wait till it may or may not open. And I never went to River Country before but I would've loved to be there since it was such a happy and fun place, until then, I hope Disney will find a way to reopen River Country, or make another water park that will be something to remember this beautiful Water park.
Yes, you can access that "utility hub" via an exercise trail that leads from Wilderness Lodge to the Fort Wilderness Campgrounds. After you follow that trail for a while, you'll get to a fork in the road. On one side is a trail that leads to the Campgrounds, on the other is a trail marked with a sign that says "Cast Members Only Please." That's the trail that leads to river country. This method is more risky however, because Disney Secruity is right there. However, there is a much easier way...
I never even knew this existed. Of course, I didn't go to Disney World until 2005. It's always weird to me that people just abandon this stuff and never have it torn down or anything.
Yeah, as soon as I wrote that, I began to gather clips and pics when I learned that it's still open. They actually showed it on a show on Travel Channel... something to do with WaterParks. It stalled the idea I had for the video...
Circa 1986 my 10 year old brother was climbing out of the pool via ladder. His foot slipped off the step and his chin slammed down on the next step and split him open. He got about 7 stitches by WDW doctors. Good times!
River Country closed on November 2nd, 2001. I think anything that is knocked down was either knocked down due to the elements or because of vandals. I'm not sure the exact process of accessing River Country today, but from what I gathered when putting this together, it's not hard, it's just tricky. Apparently there is a utility hub for Fort Wilderness that is right next to River Country. If you get in, you have to be aware of the workers that may be next door.
I wish River Country was still open, that way I can experience that park. But, if they would have kept it open today, the death toll would be up by a significant amount.
The state regulations that indicate that the water must be from a treated and sustained source pretty much sealed River Country's fate. They would have to redesign the lagoon part so that it's not connected to Bay Lake, and I think it would cost more to do that than it's probably worth doing. Disney probably also figures that they have 2 other major water parks to choose from as well as each resort has it's own mini themed water park practically. It's a damn shame.
I just re-read your post... I forgot all about the Lodge... You would need to go Northeast along the coast of Bay Lake. I'm not sure of the actual landscape so I think it would be best to take W Wilderness Rd into Fort Wilderness and then go to their docks and then walk Southwest from there.
discovery island closed because of disneys animal kingdom,river country was closed due to 2 bigger disney water parks that had opened,plus they were using unsanitary water from the lake that disney parks are built around :)
Disney’s River Country closed in September 2001, due in part to new Florida Laws prohibiting the use of natural water bodies, requiring chlorination and only municipal water supplies, for water park use. “The deadly Naegleria Fowleri (amoeba) bacteria is said to be alive in the (River Country) park’s water during the hot summer months. This could also have added to the reasoning of the park’s final season.”~ Martin County Time Sad to see it go. It was a huge part of my childhood growing up
I've watched a number of videos like this and they are all interesting but they all are somewhat sad. It's ashame that one day something is treasured and brings fun and joy to countless people and the next day it's just abondoned and forgotten. This seems to be a theme with the government, business and people as well. We've become very short sighted and wasteful and as a result are facing many difficult challenges as a country.
Disney Jungle cruise "fake" ruins went to Water World in Tucson & now it is also on the Abandoned places channel. The curse of another water park in decay featuring a forgotten tube ride thru Disney "Ruins"....civilization swimming in cycles of closure.
Agreed! My mom took me there. I remember BEGGING to do the loop slide. She said yes (knowing it was closed). Smart mom. I survived! Twisted ankle and black and blue elbows, but I survived...
What man creates will eventually be consumed by this Earth, or any other. It was a really nice watering hole for families. I remember my times there, but I also remember running into all the chopped-up fish, presumably caused by all the motorboats from Bay Lake. I even almost swallowed the decapitated head of what looked like a minnow. This and Wet & Wild were my go-to water parks back in the day. Both gone, along with many other magical places. Memories are simultaneously wonderful and terrible.
They do still allow rental boats from the hotel on the lake. However, if the amoeba really WAS the problem, it would have been much more concentrated in the small pools rather than in the wide open lake. If the concentration in the lake was scattered to levels which were not harmful, the pools would have stored the bacteria in a much more concentrated fashion which could make it harmful. I don't know if that's the reason, but it's a logical theory. Maybe I'll ask when I visit this summer!
