You ’ve believably heard about all of the raw material coming to Disney Parks over the next twosome of years — Toy Story Land , a Star Wars hotel , unexampled drive , newfangled attractor , and more . But what about all of theoldstuff ?
In the late nineties and early 2000s , Disney end the gates on two of its little property : Discovery Island , an island filled with interesting plants and animals , and River Country , a weewee park with a rustic “ swimming hollow ” theme . More than 15 years later , both remain abandoned .
DISCOVERY ISLAND
In the other 1960s , when Walt Disney was flying over the Orlando expanse to scout locations for his newest subject parking area , he noticed a little island that look peculiarly secret and peaceful . When he completed his Disney World land leverage , he made sure the island , then known as Riles Island , was included .
Walt Disney originallyplannedto call the place “ Blackbeard ’s Island ” and give it an luxuriant pirate theme . building took about a decade longer than they stand for , but in 1974 , the island did spread out to the populace under the name “ Treasure Island . ” It was n’t as heavily - theme as Walt had want — in fact , the only pirate ship " keepsake " was a wreck replica . Other than the imitation shipwreck , the main attractions were alien shuttlecock , brute demo , and various walkways , lookout points , beach , and lagoons .
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Treasure Island was clear for just two years before Disney decide to make it bigger . They brought in 50,000 cubic thousand of territory to expand the island to 11 acres , added more than 250 plants and flowers , and introduced 140 raw alien razz and animals . It was finally renamed “ Discovery Island ” and was re - mark with an bionomical report .
It was never one of Disney ’s most popular attractor , so it was a no - brainer to shut Discovery Island after the bigger - and - better zoological car park , Animal Kingdom , opened in 1998 . The island ’s animals wererelocatedto the new facilities and others were placed in non - Disney zoo across the land .
Discovery Island is still there all these years subsequently , though it ’s been completely abandoned . An urban explorer establish his mode onto the island in 2009 ( do n’t attempt this at place , by the manner ) and snapped afew picturesof what it see like these days . Though it appears middling bare now , there have been some thoughts about how to resurrect this worthful piece of real estate .
Soon after the island closed , Disney take on with Robyn and Rand Miller , the creators of the hugely democratic reckoner gamesMystandRiven , hop to recreate a substantial - life version of the dangerous undertaking plot . A sure number of guests would be admitted to the island each good morning and would have a set number of hours to search , unlocking arcanum and rule hidden passage in the process . No two experience would ever be the same . Storylines wereplottedand plan were sketched , but theMystisland never fully materialize .
In 2009,one sitesuggested that Disney had panoptic programme in place to transform the billet into aLost - themed island , but that turn out to be ahoax . Nevertheless , diehard fans now rallied to the cause , even starting an online petition that show manufacturer Damon Lindelofsigned . Unfortunately , we wo n’t be able-bodied to visit the hachure or purchase DHARMA Initiative - brand spring drinks anytime soon .
RIVER COUNTRY
River Country , a quaint little weewee park featuring tire golf shot , a barrel bridge , and two piddle slides call “ Whoop ‘ N ’ Holler Hollow , ” first opened to the public in 1976.The first riderto christen the piddle lantern slide was Susan Ford , the daughter of then - President Gerald Ford .
The Huckleberry Finn - esque swimming gob , located near the Fort Wilderness bivouac area , was a democratic holiday goal for 25 old age , and was even the focus of aWonderful World of Disneyepisode call in “ The Mouseketeers at Disney World . ” At the closing of the 2001 time of year , however , River Country was shut down for good . The hearsay has long been that the dying of an 11 - yr - old boy bestow to the closure , but the disaster — the effect of a rare amoeba found in freshwater lakes — occurred in 1980 , 21 years before the proverbial window were shutter .
What ’s close to the truth , according toYesterland , is that River Country plainly became too expensive to operate . Theme park attendance neglect after September 11 , forcing Disney to make budget cuts . Because two new , easier - to - access code urine ballpark had been opened in more late years , closing River Country was likely an comfortable determination to make .
Though a representative said that River Country could potentially reopen if there was “ enough guest demand , ” it never did . Disneydrained and filledin the 333,000 - gallon Upstream Plunge pool just last twelvemonth . There are currently no programme to demolish what remains of River Country , but there ’s been speculation that the area will finally be converted into timeshare units for the Disney Vacation Club .
Photojournalist Seph Lawlessdocumentedthe decaying park in 2016 .
