Disney Acknowledges Abandoned Theme Park in New Announcement

Disney officially acknowledges its abandoned water park in its latest expansion in Walt Disney World.

Related: Disney’s Extensive Pirates of the Caribbean Change Officially Closes Attraction

It’s an exciting time to be a Disney Vacation Club Member, with Disney sharing a first look at the new cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. These new cabins will be opening on July 1, 2024, at Walt Disney World and provide a refreshed look for one of the older Disney World hotels. The cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness are perhaps the most iconic and fun places to stay during a Walt Disney World vacation, and these new DVC exclusive resorts look incredible.

A new video shows off the upgraded cabins, complete with new amenities, decor, and an entirely new aesthetic. However, one of the most interesting pieces of this remodel is the inclusion of a reference to Disney’s River Country water park.

A picture frame filled with postcards, notes, and photos can be seen on one of the walls inside the new cabins. It’s a great piece of decor that will surely provide Disney fans with something interesting to look at between trips to the four theme parks. However, this frame includes something that totally surprised us: a reference to River Country!

River Country opened in 1976, becoming Walt Disney World’s first-ever water park. Though it pales in comparison to the size and scale of future water parks like Disney’s Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, or even Universal’s Volcano Bay, River Country managed to be one of the most popular spots in Walt Disney World for several years.

However, Disney decided to close the water in November of 2001, assuring fans it would be returning the following year. Unfortunately, River Country never returned, with Disney abandoning the water park in its entirety. The park sat empty for nearly two decades, with wildlife, vegetation, and Mother Nature herself taking control of the former park.

Interest in the abandoned water park remained high, with multiple rogue adventurers making their way into the park, capturing photos and video evidence of the park’s status. This was highly illegal and resulted in a few bans from the Walt Disney World Resort, but it provided fans with some absolutely unbelievable footage of the former water park.

In 2019, Disney completely demolished the abandoned park as part of a massive new resort expansion called Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge, which was ultimately canceled.

It’s super exciting to see Disney acknowledge such an interesting and important part of its history, an indication that Disney does not wish to totally forget the water park.

Did you get a chance to visit Disney’s River Country water park?

This post Disney Acknowledges Abandoned Theme Park in New Announcement appeared first on Inside the Magic.