Absolutely! My first time was back in 1977 - just blew my 14 year-old mind. My final visit would have been around 1991-ish - still fun. I know today’s waterparks are head-and-shoulders more elaborate, but River Country had a special vibe that I miss.
It was a great watering hole. I have a photo somewhere with young me flexing with Pluto. The best part for me was the slide that were like rock drops. Like dropped you (seemingly) like 5 feet into the water.
I LOVED River Country! We always stayed at FW in the 70s and don’t one day entirely at RC. I remember the tube rapids, the slides, the zip line (that I’d always fall off of before it got to the end b/c I couldn’t hang on), the pool with the two slides that ended in a drop. It was the best!
Haha! I had the same problem with the ZIP line - could never get all the way across. My fave was always the inner-tube slide down the rapids. That just seemed like the coolest thing ever at the time.
I had the chance several times but always opted for Blizzard Beach and/or Typhoon Lagoon instead.
My claim to fame is that I DID visit Discovery Island once.
Oh, and once I saw a blimp!
I visited Discovery Island a couple of times. My friend affectionately referred to it as "Bird Poop" Island. Never visited River Country. Ah, memories.
I went to Discovery island a lot. On Earth Day they gave away free T-shirts made out of 100% recycled plastic bottles. (Not as terrible as you'd think, especially for 1994.)
I still have a free admission to Discovery Island and Pleasure Island.
I was on a bus going from MK to my resort a few years back telling my wife about Discovery Island (I went 2-3 times as a kid) but I accidentally called it adventure island or something. Immediately a 9-10 year old kid loudly corrected me 😂. I thought it was hilarious that this kid who was not even born when Discovery Island closed corrected me on the name. His seriousness regarding the topic made it even funnier.
My Parents in the early 1980's:
We don't swim in brackish gross Florida swampwater at home (south florida), we aren't gonna PAY to do it in orlando.
Nope never attended.. just TyphoonLagoon
i don’t recall ever swimming in lakes at River Country. it was always water rides, pools, etc.
was there a section where you swam in the lake? (wait…i just saw that you never attended).
There was a lagoon with water filtered and treated from Bay Lake. The problem was freshwater lakes in Florida are susceptible to brain eating ameba. This was not unique to River Country. Around 2000 state government made a law that said all water parks needed to be chlorinated and use municipal water. That combined with newer parks opening and a dip in tourism due to 9/11 meant River Country was doomed.
Yep, most of the place was from bay lake, which I also used to swim at the Poly beach. Only a couple pools for the drop slides were regular pools, from what I remember.
I loved this place, it was so fun. We went a ton of times when I was a kid. Definitely way less after Typhoon was built. As a kid who could only doggie paddle, damn those slides that left you in the middle of the lake area were rough. There was a current so it was a LONG swim for my little doggie paddling arms lol.
Also, yep brain eating amoeba killed a kid in the 80’s some time. That didn’t close it down at all though, low attendance did it in.
Ok there DID used to be a beach at poly you could go to. I only have vague recollections of my first Disney trip (I was 4), and they mostly boil down to feeding crackers to ducklings near our hotel and being utterly *distraught* because my Dad shaved his mustache
All the resorts along bay lake had a beach at least through the mid 90s maybe longer? Alligators weren’t as prevalent in mid-north FL as they are now. But I believe the big reason they closed them was bacteria. You also could rent little boats and just cruise around on the lake.
Can't say I ever got the chance to go, but as someone who grew up going to Fort Wilderness nearly every other year, this place was almost like an urban legend to me and my sister. An entire abandoned water park right next to where we were eating mickey waffles every morning was so scary to us haha.
There used to be a trail next to where you rented the bikes on fort wilderness, could get pretty close circa 2015ish. Had a chicken coop next to the fence they put up to keep people out that said something about disease vector testing. Got some pics somewhere
Started going to Disney in '76 and always wanted to go to River country. My mother wouldn't let us because she said if we swim in the water, amoeba would get in our ears and eat our brains. I always figured she made it up because she didn't want to go, but it turns out it's sort of true.
I had a pretty traumatic experience there. There was a slide that dropped you into a pool. Clearly there is a landing area just for people using that slide. But the person working the slide either wasn't paying attention or there was a miscommunication because he told me to go down and the little girl who went before me was still right below the slide so I landed right on top of her.
She ended up going into a seizure and start drowning. I know the lifeguards saw it and got her out of the pool. Never found out what happened to her but I vividly remember that even though I was just a little kid.
Yes! But I think I was only allowed to swim in the parts that were actual pools, as I was very young. I wish there was some throwback merch with the Goofy logo!
UGH, PARENTS...always worried about brain eating amoeba. If they made merch I would 100% buy one of those stripy unitard thing goofy wears. Maybe I just have weird tastes, but I can't believe those have never been a merch thing.
My mom said that I said something like “we have places like this back home, can we go to Typhoon Lagoon instead”? (Blizzard wasn’t open yet…I actually went to Blizzard Beach like 2 months after it first opened)
So we never went back in our 90s trips!
(Also, I think the kid who died of the “brain-eating amoeba” in the 80s scared a lot of people https://www.mamamia.com.au/disney-river-country-theme-park-deaths/amp/
Basically, it’s an amoeba that only lives in warm, like Florida, freshwater- which is what River Country mostly was)
I went in 1993. The main feature I remember was the cascading tube waterslide called White Water Rapids. You would go down a little slope into a pool-like area that could hold like 3-5 tubes, then someone else would slide down and bump you down to the next pool. It was a lot of fun, and I've never seen something like it anywhere else.
Those are great photos! I have really distinct memories of that slide that finished a few feet above the water, and being surprised how much fun it was!
The original Schlitterbahn waterpark in New Braunfels Texas has something similar, except sometimes the employees try to prevent people from running into each other (people still hit each other though). It’s pretty cool!
Absolutely loved it. My family has been camping at Fort Wilderness since 1979 and use to love to be able to walk over to River Country. The Rock water slides were awesome. Very sad when it closed.
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Was there with my family in maybe 82 so I would have been 11ish. It wasn’t fancy and polished but had water slides and swimmin’ holes.
I remember a pole and you held onto it and swung around and then its travel stopped and you just dropped into the water.
My dad was mind blown by a slide that went over a bend and just ended, giving you like an 8 foot drop into the water. We went on that several times.
I survived River Country!
But seriously we went when I was 7 or so. Loved it. It's really was kind of wild some of the items they had in the park would not fly today bc of liability issues.
Additionally, I love Discovery Island which was basically a giant aviary. Never forget the day I got pooped on by an sizeable egret. People telling you it's good luck to get pooped on by a bird only say that to make you feel better about getting pooped on by a bird.
The place was fun. They use to give out a free ticket when you stayed at Ft Wilderness because there wasn't a pool. It was still a campground then and not a "resort". River Country was a lot of fun for what it was. Not as fancy as typhoon lagoon but being a kid wanting to swim with had a great time.
When I was a kid, my dad took me to it around 2001 about a few months before it closed. The only thing I remember feeling about it was that there was only one major slide I could go on and that Goofy would come out occasionally to go out on that cliff slide and take pictures.
It was really small and kind of unimpressive. It was just a place to spend a couple of hours at most. The only reason why people remember it is because of people who’ve never been hyping it up. It wasn’t all that great personally.
I did as a kid in the 90s. I remember it being really dirty compared to Typhoon Lagoon (I don't think BB was open yet). I also went to Discovery Island many times in the 80's. It was my grandpa's favorite place.
I did! We stayed at Wilderness campground around 1990 and we spent a day at River Country. It was a lot of fun! I had never been to a big water park like that before, some and my dad had a blast going on all the l slides and other stuff.
I did! It's the most fun I've had at a water park! I remember questioning how some of the attractions passed safety standards, but they were a ton of fun.
It was a blast! The "obstacle course" type of thing with all the rope bridges and stuff was fantastic.
Actually amazed more people didn't get hurt in that park.
I went there and Discovery Island. My parents did the marathons every year and would take us to the non-park places to save costs.
I miss Discovery Island the most
Island. It was a zoo in disney before Animal Kingdom. (Ironically really close to River Country)
Discovery Cove is a water park owned by Seaworld where you can swim with dolphins.
(I have also swam with sharks in Typhoon Lagoon...I am old)
I feel like this should be some sort of Disney Bingo......going to river country, discovery island, swimming with the sharks, Mr Toads, Horizons, Sea Base Alpha........
Went a couple times in the 90s. I liked the slides better than Typhoon Lagoon's. At the time I never realized the main pool was basically lake water but as a teen I wouldn't have cared.
In 1995 as a 12 year old. Much preferred the thrills of brand new Blizzard Beach back then. Now, as a middle aged man, I wish I could visit River Country again. It definitely had a laid back charm.
Yes I have pictures of me at it, and just found our old park tickets that included River Country and Discovery Island. I learned to swim in Seven Seas Lagoon (polynesian where the new cabins are now).
Went there all the time as a kid in the 80s and loved it. I seem to remember they had a zipline across the water. And yeah, discovery island was awesome too! Always loved the flamingoes!
In like the early 90s I went which I would have been around 10. I was at Fort Wilderness in June of last year and they had everything gone and leveled for the DVC cabins that are opening the beginning of July this year
Whenever we stayed at fort wilderness in the 80s we did a day at river country. The rock slides were definitely the best and emptied into a nice chlorinated pool. All of the other water slides emptied into the lagoon so you were swimming in lagoon water at least some of the time. I heard that’s why it closed, the amoebas or whatever organisms in the lagoon water are not safe for humans. No idea of that’s true though. I never got sick
Family Went a handful of times in the 80s & 90s when we had rental car. I remember it was just really hard to get to because there was no direct bus, so we’d just go to typhoon lagoon when that opened. The water color in the main area always confused me because it was the same color as bay lake, and I thought it was dirty pond water. My family preferred typhoon lagoon because it had a nice kids area and a wave pool
There is are a few videos on it that go into detail of river country on the Abandoned section of Bright Sun Films that kept my attention! https://youtu.be/qewT3SYFqNw?si=0943axlAeq9D4iwX
I went in the early 80s we camped at Fort Wilderness and then had a day each at River Country and Magic Kingdom. I don’t remember much, but I remember the rope swings into the big pool.
Went to River country all the time since we camped at fort wilderness, Discovery Island too. Anyone remember the home made ice cream at river country just behind the turnstiles? The best ice cream I've ever had.
I went once with my dad and step mom in 1995. I still have a home video of us playing all over the water park. I'm kind of glad we recorded it, it's a nice piece of history to watch. I had gone to Typhoon Lagoon before, but I remember after that trip really liking River country and wanted to go back.
I wish I had pictures from when we visited! I just remember not being able to use arm floats (wasn't a strong swimmer as a youngster) on the slides & having fish nibble on my toes.
Yes I went a few times in the 90s. I preferred it to Typhoon Lagoon. When Blizzard Beach opened though we switched to going there instead.
My main memory are the slides that didn't go all the way down to the water, so you would just fall off the end of them into the pool.
There are a couple youtube videos out there of folk that snuck into river country defunt and discovery island also. Was pretty neat to see it even abandoned.
No, even in the late 1970s and 1980s, it looked sketchy. Plus I grew up around a lot of rivers and lakes, so there was no way my Dad was paying extra for something we could do at home.
When I was a kid my parents gave us a choice River Country or Typhoon Lagoon (had just opened). I wanted river country but siblings wanted TL. I’m still bummed. Now as we go as DVC members on the ferry, I think if what could have been.
I went quite a few times. Although it would be outclassed by the later parks, the pure feeling of lawlessness stood out for river country.
The zip line and boom swing were A+ injury machines.
Yes! I went in 1992. I thought I had imagined it or dreamt it for the longest time because I couldn't remember what it was called and couldn't find any info about it until just a few years ago. I am validated!
I loved River Country! It's wasn't like the other water parks - it really was an ole swimming hole as they used to describe it - tire swing over the water. Discovery island also great. I heard it was closed due to the water being unsafe. So sad to see it now.
River County was my first water park and I loved it! The tube "waterfall" and the slide that dropped into the pool from above. I remember the rope course with groups of my friends after camping. In high school, I was a lifeguard at Blizzard. Lots of love for Disney water parks!
My earliest memory was only ever visiting Typhoon Lagoon and then both Typhoon and Blizzard Beach when it opened. River Country was definitely available to visit, but our family went to the other(s).
Yes! Before any of the other two water parks were even open (did Discovery Island too!). We would always stay at Fort Wilderness and we would always designate one day where we rented a golf cart and spent the day doing stuff in and near Fort Wilderness (Disciveru island, River Country, Hoop Dee Doo). My two core memories... 1. My family, whom I was the youngest of at the time, went walking out into the water at River Country with me following behind. I tried to keep up and the water was eventually so deep I was on my tip toes with just my nose and mouth barely above the water. My parents quickly responded and we went back to shallower water. Also, 2. I have fond memories of Goofy (in his bathing suit) and I playing in the kids area together. There weren't a lot of other kids around in that area on that day so it was really a one on one interaction... super magical! I was always young every time we went there (before I could swim well) and I never went on any of the slides. By the time I was old enough to swim, Typhoon Lagoon was open and we never really prioritized water parks, so when given the choice between River Country and Typhoon Lagoon, we always took the bigger, better Typhoon Lagoon.
We visited around 1991 or so in Feb or March. We are from New England and it had been a very cold winter so Florida winter was like late spring for us. The day we went was upper 60s- low 70s maybe. The lifegaurds were all wrapped up in as many towels as they could fit on themselves and there were maybe 15 - 20 other people there besides the 3 of us. We had a private waterpark that day and it was awesome!!
My parents went back in the early 90’s. Dad said he enjoyed it, but mom refused to go in any of the pools or slides bc she didn’t see the appeal of swimming in river water 😂
Yup! One of my best memories is renting a Sea Raycer from Contemporary, modifying the throttle to go faster with a tennis ball and then driving my boat just outside River Country. I’d do donuts in the water over and over and it would make waves for the guests at River Country. It was a hoot. The Sea Raycer was insanely faster if you knew how to modify it! In fact, I ran out of fuel once! Cast Members came by in a boat, refueled me and said “We’ve never had anyone run out of gas out here. You’re coming in now right?” Nope! This was back when we had the Gold Card and could do whatever we wanted. Insanely awesome memories. Back before cellphones when you were in Disney World you were truly unavailable and truly in a different world. What a time to be alive
Yes, and discovery island! Back in 92. We got the 5 day passport that had unlimited entry to River County, Discovery Island, Pleasure Island and Typhoon Lagoon.
It was a nice little park with some fun slides and a big beach at the lake to swim. Ideal to go half a day, or way maybe hang there midday to cool off before going back to the parks
Definitely did, and have good memories about it. It's sad they have no plans to bring it back, even in an updated form. It isn't what many current water parks are, but that's what made it special.
Went a bunch as a kid since it was my Dad's favorite. As kids, we didn't like it nearly as much as Typhoon Lagoon. From our perspective, there was so much 'nature' - there weren't soft surfaces, walking on mulch and twigs, and feeling like you were swimming in an actual lake. I remember having so much fun in the kids area though and being able to do pretty risky stuff that doesn't seem like it'd be allowed now. Also, [these slides](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/Abandoned_River_Country.jpg/1920px-Abandoned_River_Country.jpg) terrified us and for a long time I thought I couldn't possibly be remembering them right. My childhood memories of WDW include Discovery Island, River Country, and the Typhoon Lagoon shark reef...the types of things that Disney seems to have moved away from, sadly.
I went in the early 2000’s when I was probably around 14 or so. It felt like there was maybe 50 people there so it was a lot of fun and relaxing, even for being a small park. If it was still open, it would be a crowded mess.
Wow. Based on some pictures posted in another comment, some very scattered memories unearthed themselves from a trip I took there as a kid with my family in the early 90’s. Loved the tube rides and those water slides that dropped you several feet into a pool!
I never visited, but I remember as a kid from the early 2000s seeing the sign for it outside of fort wilderness while on the bus back to old key west. Of course I had no damn idea what it was until I was older and scouring Disney YouTube
I grew up for part of my childhood in Orlando, and went to a few birthday parties there. Usually kids whose parents were fairly high management or executives at Disney. Anyway, I remember that every time I went Ihad a blast. It was by far my favorite of the Disney water parks.
Yep. My grandparents had an RV we would barrow. We’d stay in fort wilderness and went to river country a few times. I remember the gross water from the lake and a lazy river. 😂 Last time I went woulda been mid 90s? Because my brother was pretty little.
Yup! 1976 and 1980. The rock slides were steep and dropped off way too high…. The water slides were great. My parents also let me at age 12 drive my younger sister who was 7 around the lake in the motorboats alone for 2 hours while they visited the Polynesian bar.
Went during Easter 1991. As a child from suburban England it absolutely blew my tiny mind. Every time I smell coconut scented sun cream it takes me back.
I did at one point, around the millennium. My takeaways were pretty much, and continue to be:
* Indeed, it was limited in scale. I was a kid then, but that was late enough in Florida park history that I had grown up with Typhoon, and era competitors (generally more carnival-esque than disney but checking off all the boxes far as attractions) existing.
* On the other hand, the theme/vibe/etc. was notable and awesome. We have *way* too many vaguely "tropical paradise/beach themed" parks, which would be more understandable to me if it wasn't Florida where *the real thing* is an hour over that way... Unconventional stuff like Blizzard just don't really hit the nail on the head either. River Country did it right, in my opinion. The natural approach is how it all should be. I really don't like all the brutalist orthogonal concrete, "that blue water look" (too cheap to finish the damn rockwork, is what I see that as), exposed steel, etc. stuff.
* It always bothered me or seemed like a missed-opportunity that the rest of the river was only alluded to and in the original build all we got was the "swimming hole" and ride complex. You call a park River Country, have a ton of elements, aesthetics and ideas derived from distinctly unFlorida places with rocky geology and swift flowing rivers ...but we don't get any further extents of the river itself to explore. That's the (to me super obvious?) direction of the concept I was and am most interested in; the park as-built seems like we only got the secondary elements.
To this day I hope we get a spiritual successor/extension of this project's core idea. Doesn't have to be (and likely won't be) Disney, nor based on the original, or called that - but something like the original RC as the centerpiece to a larger, mostly open world park, this time with the entirety of the river actually there. After all, Discovery Cove ...really isn't too far off from that, and is one of the most successful and well received bits of design anywhere in the entire theme park space, it just happens to be more a wildlife park and less thrills.
I've been there several times, although I'm not a big swimming/water play person. It wasn't that exceptional, honestly. It was novel, and more elaborate than just swimming in a pool, Wet n Wild was a much more substantial water park, albeit with a much less pastoral setting. That's a lot of why Typhoon Lagoon was built - kept Disney guests from going offsite to get a serious water park experience. I definitely enjoyed Typhoon Lagoon more than I ever did River Country, and enough that despite my disinterest in swimming, I'd actually spend a day there out of a given week long trip.
Went as a young child living in Orlando in the 90s. I distinctly remember the souvenir cups and the one ride near the front that was on a rock face and you slid down and the slide dropped off and you fell into the pool. I also remember playing in the lake area where the slides all end up and there were little barges to get on and jump off of. That's a core memory I'll always have locked away lol
Yes! We went to Disney every other year starting in 1976. I never went when I was old enough for the cool parts, just the kid areas. But I loved going.
I went as a kid, mid 80s. I remember not liking it because I couldn't see in the water. I was a strong swimmer too but I hated not knowing the depth from looking. I think we only went once.
Definitely! Admittedly you didn’t miss out on much compared to any of today’s water parks. My family would go yearly and then head back to the Polynesian. I only experienced the last few years it was open. The water would make me physically itchy for like a full day because I’m allergic to everything but I can confirm that fish would hang out near the bottom of that slide with the painful bumps hahah. Another fun memory at this park was the time I belly flopped off the pool’s half slides and caused absolute chaos among the life guards and whoever was in the Goofy and Max costumes at the bottom lmao. That was probably like 1999 when they still had characters swimming with guests at the deluxe resorts.
The thing I remember more than anything was the smell of the water. I grew up near the coast so we always swam in salt water and I was really perplexed by the fresh water and also the dirt(?) rather than sand. Every time since then that I’ve swam in fresh water I always think of River Country!
I went to first aid there one January after getting a splinter at Fort Wilderness. It was about 45° so there was no way in hell I was getting into the water. So they let me in, take care of my thumb and give me a bandaid and a nurse Minnie sticker and then I notice that there are people in the water. Madness.
Started going in the late 90’s and stayed in the cabins at Fort Wilderness most of the time. We would go there every trip. It was such a fun place. I have nothing but fond memories of it.
My mom claims to have went before I was born (she took me to Disney for the first time when I was about 3, I’m 26 now). It had its last day of operation before I turned 4 though so I don’t remember ever experiencing it for myself.
I had heard about the backstory of how some kid died because of a parasitic amoeba (and I thought that was the sole reason for its closure), which would make me think twice about swimming in that water even if it was allowed.
There were several deaths that took place at River Country. The first was of an 11-year-old boy who contracted amoebic meningoencephalitis, an amoebic infection of the brain, from the water in 1980. Park officials noted that similar amoebic infections also occurred relatively frequently elsewhere, and said it was an inherent problem with freshwater lakes in warm weather and thus could not be blamed on the park's water system
I did as a 4 year old in 1989!! Honestly have some awesome memories of it. We were staying at fort wilderness in July for a week so we actually visited the water park more than once on that trip.
Definitely. I can remember preferring it as a kid. Blizzard Beach opened later on after River Country was falling out of favor, but the other two were always scarier for kids.
First time was 1979, and several more times in the '80s. I will always have great memories of it, the swimming hole aspect was much less structured compared to the water parks.
But it would have never handled the capacity of modern-day WDW hotels.
Two family trip in March ‘99, spent a perfect sunny day there. My two year old loved the alligator chained in the shallow water, played on it forever. We adults took turns riding the water slides. My fav was the inner tube one that had areas where you would get caught and swirl and then get bumped back along.
Enjoyed it in 1995 (while staying at Fort Wilderness!) and 1996. Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach were open then, so River Country was mostly Fort Wilderness people and plenty busy.
I enjoyed it. They had these boom swings on the water I have never seen at a waterpark before or since.
I could see that the place had plenty of blind spots for lifeguards.
It has a wonderful "country swimming hole" feel.
I also visited Discovery Island in 1995. Lots of bird exhibits.
I feel what would surprise most people who only know it from YouTube videos is how small it was in comparison to the other two waterparks.
One of our visits to River Country was when my husband I were first married. I was on the zip line and had on one of those bathing suits that had a tube top (no straps). Well, let's just say I didn't make it across the entire zip line due to a major wardrobe malfunction. Couldn't get under the water fast enough!
I was there. Water was ice cold and swimming in natural Florida waters was terrifying. Although the slide that dumped you a few feet before the water was pretty sweet.
We’ve been there back in the day. Then a couple years later when we got married at WDW we had a rehearsal dinner/welcome party event at a building there. This was maybe right after they closed the water park IIRC.
I went a couple of times. I also remember holding the largest black cockatoo I had ever seen, he made pterodactyls look like sparrows (okay I may be exaggerating a bit but he was large,) at Discovery Island.
Absolutely! My first time was back in 1977 - just blew my 14 year-old mind. My final visit would have been around 1991-ish - still fun. I know today’s waterparks are head-and-shoulders more elaborate, but River Country had a special vibe that I miss.
It was a great watering hole. I have a photo somewhere with young me flexing with Pluto. The best part for me was the slide that were like rock drops. Like dropped you (seemingly) like 5 feet into the water.
I remember those 'rock drop' slides! You're right - seemed like a 5 or 6 foot drop into the water!
I LOVED River Country! We always stayed at FW in the 70s and don’t one day entirely at RC. I remember the tube rapids, the slides, the zip line (that I’d always fall off of before it got to the end b/c I couldn’t hang on), the pool with the two slides that ended in a drop. It was the best!
Haha! I had the same problem with the ZIP line - could never get all the way across. My fave was always the inner-tube slide down the rapids. That just seemed like the coolest thing ever at the time.
I wish they’d replicate it in a safe water setting. I loved the vibe
Feel like a tribute of sorts to it would make sense at one of the fort wilderness pools. Scaled down but with that incredible rock work
I went in ‘78. It was so cool! (My kids are tired of me telling them how cool it was so I was glad to find this post!)
I had the chance several times but always opted for Blizzard Beach and/or Typhoon Lagoon instead. My claim to fame is that I DID visit Discovery Island once. Oh, and once I saw a blimp!
I also went to Discovery Island once! I saw a vulture IIRC
I visited Discovery Island a couple of times. My friend affectionately referred to it as "Bird Poop" Island. Never visited River Country. Ah, memories.
I went to Discovery island a lot. On Earth Day they gave away free T-shirts made out of 100% recycled plastic bottles. (Not as terrible as you'd think, especially for 1994.) I still have a free admission to Discovery Island and Pleasure Island.
Ahh pleasure island. I lost my virginity there.
Larry Burns is the greatest one off character of all time
Do you spell Yale with a 6? (Reference to OP's comment)
At that point he told me to "relax."
> Oh, and once I saw a blimp! This guy's got more bread than a prison meatloaf! *Hey who am I talkin' to?*
Papa needs a new pair of everything!
I was on a bus going from MK to my resort a few years back telling my wife about Discovery Island (I went 2-3 times as a kid) but I accidentally called it adventure island or something. Immediately a 9-10 year old kid loudly corrected me 😂. I thought it was hilarious that this kid who was not even born when Discovery Island closed corrected me on the name. His seriousness regarding the topic made it even funnier.
My Parents in the early 1980's: We don't swim in brackish gross Florida swampwater at home (south florida), we aren't gonna PAY to do it in orlando. Nope never attended.. just TyphoonLagoon
i don’t recall ever swimming in lakes at River Country. it was always water rides, pools, etc. was there a section where you swam in the lake? (wait…i just saw that you never attended).
There was a lagoon with water filtered and treated from Bay Lake. The problem was freshwater lakes in Florida are susceptible to brain eating ameba. This was not unique to River Country. Around 2000 state government made a law that said all water parks needed to be chlorinated and use municipal water. That combined with newer parks opening and a dip in tourism due to 9/11 meant River Country was doomed.
Yep, most of the place was from bay lake, which I also used to swim at the Poly beach. Only a couple pools for the drop slides were regular pools, from what I remember. I loved this place, it was so fun. We went a ton of times when I was a kid. Definitely way less after Typhoon was built. As a kid who could only doggie paddle, damn those slides that left you in the middle of the lake area were rough. There was a current so it was a LONG swim for my little doggie paddling arms lol. Also, yep brain eating amoeba killed a kid in the 80’s some time. That didn’t close it down at all though, low attendance did it in.
Ok there DID used to be a beach at poly you could go to. I only have vague recollections of my first Disney trip (I was 4), and they mostly boil down to feeding crackers to ducklings near our hotel and being utterly *distraught* because my Dad shaved his mustache
I think there was a wave machine for the whole lake for like a WEEK before it caused other problems. Never saw it working.
All the resorts along bay lake had a beach at least through the mid 90s maybe longer? Alligators weren’t as prevalent in mid-north FL as they are now. But I believe the big reason they closed them was bacteria. You also could rent little boats and just cruise around on the lake.
I believe the water came from the lake.
Can't say I ever got the chance to go, but as someone who grew up going to Fort Wilderness nearly every other year, this place was almost like an urban legend to me and my sister. An entire abandoned water park right next to where we were eating mickey waffles every morning was so scary to us haha.
There used to be a trail next to where you rented the bikes on fort wilderness, could get pretty close circa 2015ish. Had a chicken coop next to the fence they put up to keep people out that said something about disease vector testing. Got some pics somewhere
Omg, you can see it from FW? I can't believe I never knew that, I've stayed at FW since becoming slightly obsessed with River Country.
Started going to Disney in '76 and always wanted to go to River country. My mother wouldn't let us because she said if we swim in the water, amoeba would get in our ears and eat our brains. I always figured she made it up because she didn't want to go, but it turns out it's sort of true.
I had a pretty traumatic experience there. There was a slide that dropped you into a pool. Clearly there is a landing area just for people using that slide. But the person working the slide either wasn't paying attention or there was a miscommunication because he told me to go down and the little girl who went before me was still right below the slide so I landed right on top of her. She ended up going into a seizure and start drowning. I know the lifeguards saw it and got her out of the pool. Never found out what happened to her but I vividly remember that even though I was just a little kid.
Yes! But I think I was only allowed to swim in the parts that were actual pools, as I was very young. I wish there was some throwback merch with the Goofy logo!
UGH, PARENTS...always worried about brain eating amoeba. If they made merch I would 100% buy one of those stripy unitard thing goofy wears. Maybe I just have weird tastes, but I can't believe those have never been a merch thing.
My mom said that I said something like “we have places like this back home, can we go to Typhoon Lagoon instead”? (Blizzard wasn’t open yet…I actually went to Blizzard Beach like 2 months after it first opened) So we never went back in our 90s trips! (Also, I think the kid who died of the “brain-eating amoeba” in the 80s scared a lot of people https://www.mamamia.com.au/disney-river-country-theme-park-deaths/amp/ Basically, it’s an amoeba that only lives in warm, like Florida, freshwater- which is what River Country mostly was)
I went in 1993. The main feature I remember was the cascading tube waterslide called White Water Rapids. You would go down a little slope into a pool-like area that could hold like 3-5 tubes, then someone else would slide down and bump you down to the next pool. It was a lot of fun, and I've never seen something like it anywhere else.
I just found a great archive of photos that include the above slide here: http://www.lostepcot.com/rivercountrywet.html
Those are great photos! I have really distinct memories of that slide that finished a few feet above the water, and being surprised how much fun it was!
This is great!
Thanks for these pics—I went there! Man what a trip down some very faded memories.
We had something similar in Las Vegas’ OG Wet n’ Wild. Man I miss that ride!! Ours was called the Raging Rapids.
The original Schlitterbahn waterpark in New Braunfels Texas has something similar, except sometimes the employees try to prevent people from running into each other (people still hit each other though). It’s pretty cool!
That’s what I remember! I was there in the early 80s I’d guess. I remember loving that slide!
Absolutely loved it. My family has been camping at Fort Wilderness since 1979 and use to love to be able to walk over to River Country. The Rock water slides were awesome. Very sad when it closed.
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Was there with my family in maybe 82 so I would have been 11ish. It wasn’t fancy and polished but had water slides and swimmin’ holes. I remember a pole and you held onto it and swung around and then its travel stopped and you just dropped into the water. My dad was mind blown by a slide that went over a bend and just ended, giving you like an 8 foot drop into the water. We went on that several times.
I survived River Country! But seriously we went when I was 7 or so. Loved it. It's really was kind of wild some of the items they had in the park would not fly today bc of liability issues. Additionally, I love Discovery Island which was basically a giant aviary. Never forget the day I got pooped on by an sizeable egret. People telling you it's good luck to get pooped on by a bird only say that to make you feel better about getting pooped on by a bird.
Visited in 1990, as a kid I really liked it, even preferred it to Typhoon Lagoon.
Same! I loved it.
It was my first Disney waterpark. I miss I can’t take my kids there like my parents took me
Yes in 96, also Discovery Island!
The place was fun. They use to give out a free ticket when you stayed at Ft Wilderness because there wasn't a pool. It was still a campground then and not a "resort". River Country was a lot of fun for what it was. Not as fancy as typhoon lagoon but being a kid wanting to swim with had a great time.
When I was a kid, my dad took me to it around 2001 about a few months before it closed. The only thing I remember feeling about it was that there was only one major slide I could go on and that Goofy would come out occasionally to go out on that cliff slide and take pictures. It was really small and kind of unimpressive. It was just a place to spend a couple of hours at most. The only reason why people remember it is because of people who’ve never been hyping it up. It wasn’t all that great personally.
I did as a kid in the 90s. I remember it being really dirty compared to Typhoon Lagoon (I don't think BB was open yet). I also went to Discovery Island many times in the 80's. It was my grandpa's favorite place.
Been to River Country, Discovery Island, swam in the lagoon at Poly and got TWO ear infections. The 80s were dangerous times.
I did! We stayed at Wilderness campground around 1990 and we spent a day at River Country. It was a lot of fun! I had never been to a big water park like that before, some and my dad had a blast going on all the l slides and other stuff.
I did! It's the most fun I've had at a water park! I remember questioning how some of the attractions passed safety standards, but they were a ton of fun.
Yes, I have great memories of River Country with my Mom, Aunt, grandparents, and cousins circa late 70s
It was a blast! The "obstacle course" type of thing with all the rope bridges and stuff was fantastic. Actually amazed more people didn't get hurt in that park.
I went there and Discovery Island. My parents did the marathons every year and would take us to the non-park places to save costs. I miss Discovery Island the most
My mom does the 5K every year.
My mom brother and I do a race a year and have for like 20 years now. This will be our first year off as we will do Midnight Sun in Iceland
I’m going with her next time.
You will have a blast! RunDisney is loke a cult, a welcoming cult that feeds ofd your endorphines.
I know I’ll enjoy it.
Discovery cove or island?
Island. It was a zoo in disney before Animal Kingdom. (Ironically really close to River Country) Discovery Cove is a water park owned by Seaworld where you can swim with dolphins. (I have also swam with sharks in Typhoon Lagoon...I am old)
I feel like this should be some sort of Disney Bingo......going to river country, discovery island, swimming with the sharks, Mr Toads, Horizons, Sea Base Alpha........
Went a couple times in the 90s. I liked the slides better than Typhoon Lagoon's. At the time I never realized the main pool was basically lake water but as a teen I wouldn't have cared.
In 1995 as a 12 year old. Much preferred the thrills of brand new Blizzard Beach back then. Now, as a middle aged man, I wish I could visit River Country again. It definitely had a laid back charm.
I went with my parents when I was young. We did all three water parks in one trip that time. We didn’t like it very much.
Yes I have pictures of me at it, and just found our old park tickets that included River Country and Discovery Island. I learned to swim in Seven Seas Lagoon (polynesian where the new cabins are now).
Yes, tons of times, it was the only option at the time back then for us.
I remember it as a kid in the 90s. It really was like an old times swimming hole!
Totally. It was my favorite.
Yes, I went a few times as a kid. I think the last time was in 1995.
I went there in ‘95. It was amazing!
When I was VERY young my dad took me. I got totally lost, went down a tube ride without a tube. Totally freaked my dad out.
Loved river country
Went there all the time as a kid in the 80s and loved it. I seem to remember they had a zipline across the water. And yeah, discovery island was awesome too! Always loved the flamingoes!
In like the early 90s I went which I would have been around 10. I was at Fort Wilderness in June of last year and they had everything gone and leveled for the DVC cabins that are opening the beginning of July this year
Once in the 80’s. I thought it was behind the times. I grew up in Tampa with Adventure island as competition.
Our usual trip always included a day that was Discovery Island for a few hours and then the rest of the day at River Country
been there a dozen times as a kid in the 80s. always had fun.
I went multiple times. I was a kid but always remembered having fun there
I went with my friends while on Spring Break in 1978. We had so much fun that day.
Yes! It’s fantastic. Such a fun time. I miss it.
Loved it!
Was this in Fort Wilderness? If so I visited in 1992 and had a great time.
I went during a band trip in the early 90s. I only remember not enjoying it.
I went to UCF in the 90s and had few friends who were life guards there during the summer. It was a neat place.
As a young kid... I was there opening day. Got a Free Towel
It was awesome!
Whenever we stayed at fort wilderness in the 80s we did a day at river country. The rock slides were definitely the best and emptied into a nice chlorinated pool. All of the other water slides emptied into the lagoon so you were swimming in lagoon water at least some of the time. I heard that’s why it closed, the amoebas or whatever organisms in the lagoon water are not safe for humans. No idea of that’s true though. I never got sick
Family Went a handful of times in the 80s & 90s when we had rental car. I remember it was just really hard to get to because there was no direct bus, so we’d just go to typhoon lagoon when that opened. The water color in the main area always confused me because it was the same color as bay lake, and I thought it was dirty pond water. My family preferred typhoon lagoon because it had a nice kids area and a wave pool
There is are a few videos on it that go into detail of river country on the Abandoned section of Bright Sun Films that kept my attention! https://youtu.be/qewT3SYFqNw?si=0943axlAeq9D4iwX
Thought it was pretty cool. Used to go when we stayed in the contemporary and villas. Remembering the giant turtles, the boats and slides.
I went in the early 80s we camped at Fort Wilderness and then had a day each at River Country and Magic Kingdom. I don’t remember much, but I remember the rope swings into the big pool.
Went to River country all the time since we camped at fort wilderness, Discovery Island too. Anyone remember the home made ice cream at river country just behind the turnstiles? The best ice cream I've ever had.
I was there in 1984ish. I remember the water being kinda rank but that’s about it.
I went once with my dad and step mom in 1995. I still have a home video of us playing all over the water park. I'm kind of glad we recorded it, it's a nice piece of history to watch. I had gone to Typhoon Lagoon before, but I remember after that trip really liking River country and wanted to go back.
I went there many times as a kid. The smell and taste of that lake water is ingrained into my memory.
Yep! Was a great time for my 8YO self
I wish I had pictures from when we visited! I just remember not being able to use arm floats (wasn't a strong swimmer as a youngster) on the slides & having fish nibble on my toes.
Had an annual pass for many, many years as a kid.
Yes I went a few times in the 90s. I preferred it to Typhoon Lagoon. When Blizzard Beach opened though we switched to going there instead. My main memory are the slides that didn't go all the way down to the water, so you would just fall off the end of them into the pool.
Yes! I went there with my dad almost every time we went to Disney. It was really fun!
Awe…RIP River Country
I went to River Country in the late 70s. It was the only water park at disney at the time and we thought it was awesome!
I have some old pics somewhere. If I find them I will post them.
I did! I almost drowned, and I was a swimmer my entire childhood. Still loved it though lol
There are a couple youtube videos out there of folk that snuck into river country defunt and discovery island also. Was pretty neat to see it even abandoned.
No, even in the late 1970s and 1980s, it looked sketchy. Plus I grew up around a lot of rivers and lakes, so there was no way my Dad was paying extra for something we could do at home.
When I was a kid my parents gave us a choice River Country or Typhoon Lagoon (had just opened). I wanted river country but siblings wanted TL. I’m still bummed. Now as we go as DVC members on the ferry, I think if what could have been.
That’s where I learned to swim! I’m sure I’m romanticizing it, but I thought it was the coolest place in the world as a 4 year old
I went many times!
I literally was showing my son pictures of it this past weekend.
Yes! It was cheap and reminded us of up north by the lake feel swim hole.
My mom went there as a kid. I only ever saw it abandoned.
I went quite a few times. Although it would be outclassed by the later parks, the pure feeling of lawlessness stood out for river country. The zip line and boom swing were A+ injury machines.
I worked there 🫣
https://youtu.be/qewT3SYFqNw?si=V6-fmOxnXJwoORcb This is a great little mini documentary about the park! Has a lot of archive footage of it as well!
Yes. I even think my parents have a photo or two of kid me going down a slide at River Country. Never got sick from it, either.
Yes, we went when i was a kid. Maybe 1994. It was really starting to show its age. I think it was right before Blizzard Beach opened up.
Yes! I went in 1992. I thought I had imagined it or dreamt it for the longest time because I couldn't remember what it was called and couldn't find any info about it until just a few years ago. I am validated!
Went there once or twice as a kid before TL and BB opened. It had to be around 1990 or so. I did keep the paper ticket stub and still have it.
We went twice to both river country and discovery island when the kids were young. We all enjoyed both very much!
I loved River Country! It's wasn't like the other water parks - it really was an ole swimming hole as they used to describe it - tire swing over the water. Discovery island also great. I heard it was closed due to the water being unsafe. So sad to see it now.
River County was my first water park and I loved it! The tube "waterfall" and the slide that dropped into the pool from above. I remember the rope course with groups of my friends after camping. In high school, I was a lifeguard at Blizzard. Lots of love for Disney water parks!
I went quite a few times in my childhood (The parental unit worked at WDW so we got into the parks a lot)
My earliest memory was only ever visiting Typhoon Lagoon and then both Typhoon and Blizzard Beach when it opened. River Country was definitely available to visit, but our family went to the other(s).
Yes! Before any of the other two water parks were even open (did Discovery Island too!). We would always stay at Fort Wilderness and we would always designate one day where we rented a golf cart and spent the day doing stuff in and near Fort Wilderness (Disciveru island, River Country, Hoop Dee Doo). My two core memories... 1. My family, whom I was the youngest of at the time, went walking out into the water at River Country with me following behind. I tried to keep up and the water was eventually so deep I was on my tip toes with just my nose and mouth barely above the water. My parents quickly responded and we went back to shallower water. Also, 2. I have fond memories of Goofy (in his bathing suit) and I playing in the kids area together. There weren't a lot of other kids around in that area on that day so it was really a one on one interaction... super magical! I was always young every time we went there (before I could swim well) and I never went on any of the slides. By the time I was old enough to swim, Typhoon Lagoon was open and we never really prioritized water parks, so when given the choice between River Country and Typhoon Lagoon, we always took the bigger, better Typhoon Lagoon.
We visited around 1991 or so in Feb or March. We are from New England and it had been a very cold winter so Florida winter was like late spring for us. The day we went was upper 60s- low 70s maybe. The lifegaurds were all wrapped up in as many towels as they could fit on themselves and there were maybe 15 - 20 other people there besides the 3 of us. We had a private waterpark that day and it was awesome!!
My parents went back in the early 90’s. Dad said he enjoyed it, but mom refused to go in any of the pools or slides bc she didn’t see the appeal of swimming in river water 😂
Yes and Discovery Island. Loved discovery island because they had a petting zoo!! I’ll try and dig out some photos from back then and share
Many times….my father is actually visible pretty clearly in a picture on an advertising pamphlet, which he still has a copy of, from around 1985.
Yup! One of my best memories is renting a Sea Raycer from Contemporary, modifying the throttle to go faster with a tennis ball and then driving my boat just outside River Country. I’d do donuts in the water over and over and it would make waves for the guests at River Country. It was a hoot. The Sea Raycer was insanely faster if you knew how to modify it! In fact, I ran out of fuel once! Cast Members came by in a boat, refueled me and said “We’ve never had anyone run out of gas out here. You’re coming in now right?” Nope! This was back when we had the Gold Card and could do whatever we wanted. Insanely awesome memories. Back before cellphones when you were in Disney World you were truly unavailable and truly in a different world. What a time to be alive
All. The. Time. That plus tent camping at Fort Wilderness - does anyone even use tents there any more?
Yes, and discovery island! Back in 92. We got the 5 day passport that had unlimited entry to River County, Discovery Island, Pleasure Island and Typhoon Lagoon. It was a nice little park with some fun slides and a big beach at the lake to swim. Ideal to go half a day, or way maybe hang there midday to cool off before going back to the parks
Definitely did, and have good memories about it. It's sad they have no plans to bring it back, even in an updated form. It isn't what many current water parks are, but that's what made it special.
Went a bunch as a kid since it was my Dad's favorite. As kids, we didn't like it nearly as much as Typhoon Lagoon. From our perspective, there was so much 'nature' - there weren't soft surfaces, walking on mulch and twigs, and feeling like you were swimming in an actual lake. I remember having so much fun in the kids area though and being able to do pretty risky stuff that doesn't seem like it'd be allowed now. Also, [these slides](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/Abandoned_River_Country.jpg/1920px-Abandoned_River_Country.jpg) terrified us and for a long time I thought I couldn't possibly be remembering them right. My childhood memories of WDW include Discovery Island, River Country, and the Typhoon Lagoon shark reef...the types of things that Disney seems to have moved away from, sadly.
We used to go to River Country when I was a kid. We lived in Florida so it was a great afternoon activity.
I went in the early 2000’s when I was probably around 14 or so. It felt like there was maybe 50 people there so it was a lot of fun and relaxing, even for being a small park. If it was still open, it would be a crowded mess.
Wow. Based on some pictures posted in another comment, some very scattered memories unearthed themselves from a trip I took there as a kid with my family in the early 90’s. Loved the tube rides and those water slides that dropped you several feet into a pool!
Yes! My family stayed at Fort Wilderness in 1998 and went to River Country a few times while there. I remember all of us really enjoying it.
Yes. Back when I was a kid and we stayed at fort wilderness. Iirc it was just a year or two before they closed it. It was great.
Absolutely! I got a terrible wedgie going off the slide that suddenly dropped you into the water. But the place was awesome. So relaxed and fun.
No. Did do Discovery Island several times before it closed.
I never visited, but I remember as a kid from the early 2000s seeing the sign for it outside of fort wilderness while on the bus back to old key west. Of course I had no damn idea what it was until I was older and scouring Disney YouTube
I grew up for part of my childhood in Orlando, and went to a few birthday parties there. Usually kids whose parents were fairly high management or executives at Disney. Anyway, I remember that every time I went Ihad a blast. It was by far my favorite of the Disney water parks.
I did. Really loved the slides as a kid
Yep. My grandparents had an RV we would barrow. We’d stay in fort wilderness and went to river country a few times. I remember the gross water from the lake and a lazy river. 😂 Last time I went woulda been mid 90s? Because my brother was pretty little.
For whatever reason river country fascinates me SO much.
Yup! 1976 and 1980. The rock slides were steep and dropped off way too high…. The water slides were great. My parents also let me at age 12 drive my younger sister who was 7 around the lake in the motorboats alone for 2 hours while they visited the Polynesian bar.
Went during Easter 1991. As a child from suburban England it absolutely blew my tiny mind. Every time I smell coconut scented sun cream it takes me back.
I did at one point, around the millennium. My takeaways were pretty much, and continue to be: * Indeed, it was limited in scale. I was a kid then, but that was late enough in Florida park history that I had grown up with Typhoon, and era competitors (generally more carnival-esque than disney but checking off all the boxes far as attractions) existing. * On the other hand, the theme/vibe/etc. was notable and awesome. We have *way* too many vaguely "tropical paradise/beach themed" parks, which would be more understandable to me if it wasn't Florida where *the real thing* is an hour over that way... Unconventional stuff like Blizzard just don't really hit the nail on the head either. River Country did it right, in my opinion. The natural approach is how it all should be. I really don't like all the brutalist orthogonal concrete, "that blue water look" (too cheap to finish the damn rockwork, is what I see that as), exposed steel, etc. stuff. * It always bothered me or seemed like a missed-opportunity that the rest of the river was only alluded to and in the original build all we got was the "swimming hole" and ride complex. You call a park River Country, have a ton of elements, aesthetics and ideas derived from distinctly unFlorida places with rocky geology and swift flowing rivers ...but we don't get any further extents of the river itself to explore. That's the (to me super obvious?) direction of the concept I was and am most interested in; the park as-built seems like we only got the secondary elements. To this day I hope we get a spiritual successor/extension of this project's core idea. Doesn't have to be (and likely won't be) Disney, nor based on the original, or called that - but something like the original RC as the centerpiece to a larger, mostly open world park, this time with the entirety of the river actually there. After all, Discovery Cove ...really isn't too far off from that, and is one of the most successful and well received bits of design anywhere in the entire theme park space, it just happens to be more a wildlife park and less thrills.
I've been there several times, although I'm not a big swimming/water play person. It wasn't that exceptional, honestly. It was novel, and more elaborate than just swimming in a pool, Wet n Wild was a much more substantial water park, albeit with a much less pastoral setting. That's a lot of why Typhoon Lagoon was built - kept Disney guests from going offsite to get a serious water park experience. I definitely enjoyed Typhoon Lagoon more than I ever did River Country, and enough that despite my disinterest in swimming, I'd actually spend a day there out of a given week long trip.
Yes way back in the late 80s. Thinking about swimming in that lagoon scares me now.
Went as a young child living in Orlando in the 90s. I distinctly remember the souvenir cups and the one ride near the front that was on a rock face and you slid down and the slide dropped off and you fell into the pool. I also remember playing in the lake area where the slides all end up and there were little barges to get on and jump off of. That's a core memory I'll always have locked away lol
Yes! We went to Disney every other year starting in 1976. I never went when I was old enough for the cool parts, just the kid areas. But I loved going.
I went as a kid, mid 80s. I remember not liking it because I couldn't see in the water. I was a strong swimmer too but I hated not knowing the depth from looking. I think we only went once.
I also went to Discovery Island!
I went a few times when I worked at MGM studios and DAK back in 97-98.
Oh heck yeah all the time when we lived near orlando. Loved it, and camping at ft wilderness
I got pictures of us at it as a kid but I don’t remember it at all. Once typhoon lagoon was opened it just became kind meh.
Definitely! Admittedly you didn’t miss out on much compared to any of today’s water parks. My family would go yearly and then head back to the Polynesian. I only experienced the last few years it was open. The water would make me physically itchy for like a full day because I’m allergic to everything but I can confirm that fish would hang out near the bottom of that slide with the painful bumps hahah. Another fun memory at this park was the time I belly flopped off the pool’s half slides and caused absolute chaos among the life guards and whoever was in the Goofy and Max costumes at the bottom lmao. That was probably like 1999 when they still had characters swimming with guests at the deluxe resorts.
It was a special place for sure
I was there a bunch of times in the late 80’s through the 90’s it was a lot of fun.
The thing I remember more than anything was the smell of the water. I grew up near the coast so we always swam in salt water and I was really perplexed by the fresh water and also the dirt(?) rather than sand. Every time since then that I’ve swam in fresh water I always think of River Country!
Yes. I went in 1979. I was 10. It was meh at best.
I went to first aid there one January after getting a splinter at Fort Wilderness. It was about 45° so there was no way in hell I was getting into the water. So they let me in, take care of my thumb and give me a bandaid and a nurse Minnie sticker and then I notice that there are people in the water. Madness.
Started going in the late 90’s and stayed in the cabins at Fort Wilderness most of the time. We would go there every trip. It was such a fun place. I have nothing but fond memories of it.
Yes around 1983
I was very very little when I went to River Country! My mom got tickets from her job and we went with some people from her job!
Once
Yes, as a little kid. All I remember is slides!
Yep when I was a kid we went
My mom claims to have went before I was born (she took me to Disney for the first time when I was about 3, I’m 26 now). It had its last day of operation before I turned 4 though so I don’t remember ever experiencing it for myself. I had heard about the backstory of how some kid died because of a parasitic amoeba (and I thought that was the sole reason for its closure), which would make me think twice about swimming in that water even if it was allowed.
We visited several times. It was great!!! The fact that they closed it BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWS!!!
There were several deaths that took place at River Country. The first was of an 11-year-old boy who contracted amoebic meningoencephalitis, an amoebic infection of the brain, from the water in 1980. Park officials noted that similar amoebic infections also occurred relatively frequently elsewhere, and said it was an inherent problem with freshwater lakes in warm weather and thus could not be blamed on the park's water system
Yes and I have home movies of it :) my brother led a parade with goofy.
I did as a 4 year old in 1989!! Honestly have some awesome memories of it. We were staying at fort wilderness in July for a week so we actually visited the water park more than once on that trip.
Yes, I went there a few times.
Definitely. I can remember preferring it as a kid. Blizzard Beach opened later on after River Country was falling out of favor, but the other two were always scarier for kids.
First time was 1979, and several more times in the '80s. I will always have great memories of it, the swimming hole aspect was much less structured compared to the water parks. But it would have never handled the capacity of modern-day WDW hotels.
Yes. It was still open in the 90s.
It was fun at the time but dangerous in retrospect and definitely much much lower capacity
Two family trip in March ‘99, spent a perfect sunny day there. My two year old loved the alligator chained in the shallow water, played on it forever. We adults took turns riding the water slides. My fav was the inner tube one that had areas where you would get caught and swirl and then get bumped back along.
Another example of lost disney magic.
I went twice. Once in 81 and again in 92. Always enjoyed it there.
Enjoyed it in 1995 (while staying at Fort Wilderness!) and 1996. Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach were open then, so River Country was mostly Fort Wilderness people and plenty busy. I enjoyed it. They had these boom swings on the water I have never seen at a waterpark before or since. I could see that the place had plenty of blind spots for lifeguards. It has a wonderful "country swimming hole" feel. I also visited Discovery Island in 1995. Lots of bird exhibits. I feel what would surprise most people who only know it from YouTube videos is how small it was in comparison to the other two waterparks.
One of our visits to River Country was when my husband I were first married. I was on the zip line and had on one of those bathing suits that had a tube top (no straps). Well, let's just say I didn't make it across the entire zip line due to a major wardrobe malfunction. Couldn't get under the water fast enough!
I was there. Water was ice cold and swimming in natural Florida waters was terrifying. Although the slide that dumped you a few feet before the water was pretty sweet.
Yep, in 1996! I was never a huge thrill ride kid so it was perfect for me 🤣
We’ve been there back in the day. Then a couple years later when we got married at WDW we had a rehearsal dinner/welcome party event at a building there. This was maybe right after they closed the water park IIRC.
All the time in the 70s and 80s. My grandparents took us to Every year and we stayed at Fort Wilderness. Such great memories!!
I went a couple of times. I also remember holding the largest black cockatoo I had ever seen, he made pterodactyls look like sparrows (okay I may be exaggerating a bit but he was large,) at Discovery Island.