![]() ![]() ![]() This rumor likely grew out of the death of of an 11-year-old boy who did in fact contract a fatal case of amoebic meningoencephalitis from the park’s water. One of the primary theories revolves around the idea that the closure was due to a brain-eating amoeba that was present in the park’s water. There have been many theories bandied about online as to why River Country closed. The park remained closed in 20 before Disney officially announced in 2005 that River Country was closed for good. ![]() Disney initially remained silent on the issue for months before releasing a statement in 2002, which said the park would be closed for the remainder of the year. The proverbial “other shoe” dropped on November 2, 2001, when River Country closed for its annual winter refurbishment… and didn’t reopen with the other two water parks. In turn attendance began to suffer, and by 2001, Disney’s first water park was living on borrowed time. Up against those heavily themed thrill parks, the comparatively tiny River Country felt positively quaint. While River Country was revolutionary when it opened, by the turn of the century, the park had not only been surpassed by outside competitors, but also by Disney’s own Typhoon Lagoon (opened 1989) and Blizzard Beach (opened 1995). By 2001, that roster had expanded to include three more theme parks, over 30 hotels, and – perhaps most damaging to River Country in the long run – two more water parks. When the park opened, the entire complex was made up of the Magic Kingdom theme park, two resort hotels, a campground, and a small shopping village. River Country was a staple of the Walt Disney World attraction lineup for 25 years, and over that period it was witness to the evolution of the vacation kingdom. This aerial photo shows the now-abandoned River Country, bottom center, Discovery Island, right, the Contemporary resort, top center, and Shipwreck Island, located between the Contemporary and Wilderness Lodge properties. The water was cleaned and filtered and used in the park’s attractions, meanwhile the he park’s water sat at a higher level than the lake’s, which ensured that unfiltered water from the lake couldn’t enter the park. The park was also known for its unique filtration system, which used fresh water from the adjacent Bay Lake. These included large water slides, an inner-tube river, a sand-bottom lake, and a play area featuring tire swings and bridges. Themed as a “Tom Sawyer swimmin’ hole,” the park – which was originally known as Pop’s Willow Grove in development – continued numerous water-based attractions that would become industry standard at water parks in future decades. The park was one of the first major additions to Walt Disney World after its 1971 opening, and was one of the earliest fully-themed water parks ever built. River Country opened on June 20, 1976, near the grounds of the Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. This is the story of that park – River Country – from its construction to its awkward closure and what the future holds for the land. Would you believe that the Walt Disney Company allowed a full theme park to rot away in the middle of Walt Disney World for nearly two decades? We’d forgive you for being skeptical, as the story sounds completely antithetical to Disney’s usual M.O. ![]()
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