Inside Disney’s eerie abandoned park left to rot for decades after string of deaths…before fans spot signs of ‘comeback’
DISNEY’S first ever water park has been left to rot for decades after a tragic string of deaths caused the cursed grounds to be abandoned for good.
Thrillseekers have spent the last two and a half decades exploring the remains of the dumped park with a potential huge comeback now on the brink.
The once beloved River Country park first opened its doors in 1976 as Disney‘s flagship water based day out.
It featured dozens of water rides and huge pools with one being described as a “Huckleberry Finn old-fashion swimming hole”.
The park proved to be a massive success in Walt Disney World Resort, Florida with two more water parks being opened across the next decades in the Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach.
But after 25 years of welcoming an average of 4,700 daily guests through it’s golden gates, the park was forced to close.
The tragic end came in 2001 but the closure was only expected to last for 12 months so work could be done on the park.
Hearts were quickly broken however, as in 2005 Disney announced the park would remain permanently closed.
River Country was always known as a family-friendly environment full of happy memories but it also had a dark and twisted past.
The attraction was hit by a number of incidents across a troubling decade after three teenagers died between 1980 and 1989.
An 11-year old boy contracted amebic meningoencephalitis – a usually fatal disease commonly found in freshwater – when enjoying the pools.
Disney was absolved of the blame but just a year later they were hit by a second death in 1982.
A 14-year old boy tragically drowned at the bottom of a slide which resulted in a settlement with the family of £289,000.
In 1989, a third death saw a 13-year-old also drown in the park.
River Country remained a popular park in the 12 years after the teen died up until its eventual closure.
Instead of demolishing the park completely, the owners simply locked up the front gates and let nature take its toll on the land.
The park’s reputation for having a pristine and upbeat appearance made the decision to allow the rides to rot both confusing yet fascinating.
Images of the ruined park over the past few years shows festering green ponds have taken over the old crystal clear waters which once flowed through the amusements.
Overgrown weeds have even taken over the footpaths inside.
The dismal remains of old buildings left behind with the sudden shut down shows just how deserted the resort has become.
Many rickety wooden structures and towering park models remain in tact but with the colour and life now completely drained out of them.
They have been swallowed by nature with moss and vines tangled around them – desperately needing to be cut away.
Due to the once bustling resort being visited by children across Florida during its prime years, many have since returned to the park as eager urban adventurers.
Many have tried to illegally make their way in past the park’s gates as they try to document the dwindling water park and solve the mystery of why it was ever closed in the first place.
But in recent times, a glimmer of hope has emerged for the forgotten fortress with eagle-eyed fans noticing the park is still a key part of Disney’s history.
In a past video, Disney announced it plans to expand its Fort Wilderness resort and build luxury log cabins on the Walt Disney World site.
Fort Wilderness used to operate alongside the park and even after River Country closed it kept running as a campsite.
Footage showing off the flashy cabins revealed one small detail which had fans of the abandoned park very excited.
The huts included a clear reference to Disney’s oldest water park with a postcard on a bedroom wall being from River Country.
The addition sparked huge excitement from fans that it could mean a revival is firmly on Disney’s mind.
A sensational return to Disney’s unrivalled collection of parks has been on the cards in the past.
An attempt to breathe life back into River Country was made in 2022 as developers said the ruins would be transformed into a new “nature inspired” park with more than 900 beds, according to an Orlando Sentinel report.
And the latest update has seen huge works get underway at the site as developers aim to create a brand new Disney world.
Disney Lakeshore Lodge is said to be in the works as the latest vacation club run by the beloved company across the US.
It is set to open up in 2027 and is rumoured to feature over 900 rooms.
The top 10 highest-rated US theme parks
THESE are the top ten highest-rated US theme parks, according to Nieuwe Casinos:
1. Discovery Cove, Florida
2. Knoebels Amusement Resort, Pennsylvania
3. Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster, Tennessee
4. Universal Islands of Adventure, Florida
5. Disney California Adventure, California
6. Magic Kingdom, Florida
7. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Florida
8. Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Florida
9. Universal Studios Florida, Florida
10. Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, Indiana