Retro I-4: River Country

River Country was by far the simplest attraction I think Disney ever built. Its whole selling point was it just a simple water hole to have fun in. Nothing fancy, no big rides, it was literally just part of a the lake fenced off with some rope swings and a few small slides. It was more of what one would expect to see at summer camp or maybe at a friends cabin in the woods. Then with the addition of Typhoon Lagoon and then Blizzard Beach, the good 'ole swimming hole wasn't cool enough, the mouse (or should I say a certain mouse leader *cough Eisner *cough) got greedy and this swimming hole was axed. Sure having people jump off of the docks into alge filled lake water was an insurance nightmare, sure the water was hot in the summer and cold in the winter making this water park not that enjoyable anytime of the year, sure it was way to small, but still this small swimming hole helped keep Disney World and the Florida cracker of the property's past together. It reminded those on vacation that not everything needs to be fancy and big, sometimes fun can be had with just a rope, a lake, and some good friends.

I visited River Country many times before it finally closed (mostly due to its extremely low admission costs) and was sad to see it close. What has bothered me the most though is that now it just sits there, rotting away. It is a huge eyesore, with rotting docks, overgrown weeds, and pools filled with sand. It now looks worst than ever. I wish Disney would at least tear it down and do something with it, though I still hope that one day their senses come back to them and they reopen it, maybe even just a small part of it. I would like to see it opened as a swimming area for Camp Wilderness (which it shares its property with). This simplified water park would go great with the Camp Wilderness theme, maybe one day we will see revived.

(Though I have heard from some insiders that this property will be linked with Discovery Island and used at part of the now infamous Night Kingdom. But you didn't hear that from me.)

Do you remember River Country? I would love to share some photos, videos, or stories of this forgotten jewel of Disney's past