Man Found Camping On Discovery Island, Arrested and Banned

[AvidDisReader]

The Old River Country water park was empty for over 20 years. When a video historian (so they call themselves) snuck in and took massive videos and posted on the internet Disney freaked at the possible liability if some kid broke in and was seriously hurt/killed. That is the single biggest reason they decided to build Reflections, to eliminate the remains of River Country. I can only think the reason Discovery Island has been left to rot is that it is hard to get to. There are reports that Disney has one Cast member stationed on the Island with binoculars and a bull horn (when Parks are Open) to make sure no one attempts to land and explore.

 

[Tiki Birdland]

The Old River Country water park was empty for over 20 years. When a video historian (so they call themselves) snuck in and took massive videos and posted on the internet Disney freaked at the possible liability if some kid broke in and was seriously hurt/killed. That is the single biggest reason they decided to build Reflections, to eliminate the remains of River Country. I can only think the reason Discovery Island has been left to rot is that it is hard to get to. There are reports that Disney has one Cast member stationed on the Island with binoculars and a bull horn (when Parks are Open) to make sure no one attempts to land and explore.

I want to volunteer for that job. Sounds cool! It'd be like having Tom Sawyer Island all to yourself!

 

[AvidDisReader]

I read an article over a year ago when a man was in a boat fishing too close to the island and got the C--p scared out of him when the cast member used the bull horn to warn him he was too close to the island.

 

[Searc]

The Old River Country water park was empty for over 20 years. When a video historian (so they call themselves) snuck in and took massive videos and posted on the internet Disney freaked at the possible liability if some kid broke in and was seriously hurt/killed. That is the single biggest reason they decided to build Reflections, to eliminate the remains of River Country. I can only think the reason Discovery Island has been left to rot is that it is hard to get to. There are reports that Disney has one Cast member stationed on the Island with binoculars and a bull horn (when Parks are Open) to make sure no one attempts to land and explore.

They could have easily leveled River Country without building anything else there.

 

[gatour]

The Old River Country water park was empty for over 20 years. When a video historian (so they call themselves) snuck in and took massive videos and posted on the internet Disney freaked at the possible liability if some kid broke in and was seriously hurt/killed. That is the single biggest reason they decided to build Reflections, to eliminate the remains of River Country. I can only think the reason Discovery Island has been left to rot is that it is hard to get to. There are reports that Disney has one Cast member stationed on the Island with binoculars and a bull horn (when Parks are Open) to make sure no one attempts to land and explore.

I would say the major reason to build Reflections was all about the revenue potential.

 

[AvidDisReader]

Disney hates to spend money unnecessarily. The cost to remove the River Country was not an expense they wanted to incur, but including it in the budget to build an brand new resort--well now you have the best of both worlds. Did you ever ask yourself why at that location to build Reflections? You have Wilderness Lodge with the new Copper Creek and then there are the Camp grounds right there. If they wanted and new resort close to MK, they could of built on that piece of land between Floridian and the MK. Not to mention, there is not exactly going to be the easiest for transportation--all will be by bus accept the very small and slow ferry boats going to the MK. So if you want to believe it was just due to income potential, that is fine.... but not necessarily the real reason.

 

[Q-man]

Nope he used one of the Disney boats and that is what Disney security noticed and reported to the Orange County Sheriff's department.

Dave

This what what I was trying figure out. I would have guessed he left a boat visible to be found that quick unless they put surveillance equipment out there post Woo. I was also guessing a kayak as I can't see the general public being able to launch a boat on Bay Lake.

 

[RamblingMad]

The Old River Country water park was empty for over 20 years. When a video historian (so they call themselves) snuck in and took massive videos and posted on the internet Disney freaked at the possible liability if some kid broke in and was seriously hurt/killed. That is the single biggest reason they decided to build Reflections, to eliminate the remains of River Country. I can only think the reason Discovery Island has been left to rot is that it is hard to get to. There are reports that Disney has one Cast member stationed on the Island with binoculars and a bull horn (when Parks are Open) to make sure no one attempts to land and explore.

I saw those.

I miss River Country.

 

[Q-man]

Disney hates to spend money unnecessarily. The cost to remove the River Country was not an expense they wanted to incur, but including it in the budget to build an brand new resort--well now you have the best of both worlds. Did you ever ask yourself why at that location to build Reflections? You have Wilderness Lodge with the new Copper Creek and then there are the Camp grounds right there. If they wanted and new resort close to MK, they could of built on that piece of land between Floridian and the MK. Not to mention, there is not exactly going to be the easiest for transportation--all will be by bus accept the very small and slow ferry boats going to the MK. So if you want to believe it was just due to income potential, that is fine.... but not necessarily the real reason.

It was cheap to develop compared to other DVCs as Disney had to buy little to no environmental offset land as it was already developed years ago. Plus most of the utilities infrastructure was already in place. The piece between the GF and MK is reserved for any future expansion of MK.

Arriving by launch to MK is my favorite way to arrive.

 

[shafke]

Disney hates to spend money unnecessarily. The cost to remove the River Country was not an expense they wanted to incur, but including it in the budget to build an brand new resort--well now you have the best of both worlds. Did you ever ask yourself why at that location to build Reflections? You have Wilderness Lodge with the new Copper Creek and then there are the Camp grounds right there. If they wanted and new resort close to MK, they could of built on that piece of land between Floridian and the MK. Not to mention, there is not exactly going to be the easiest for transportation--all will be by bus accept the very small and slow ferry boats going to the MK. So if you want to believe it was just due to income potential, that is fine.... but not necessarily the real reason.

Since the removal is included in the DVC budget I am guessing that is factored in to the cost of the DVC ownership and Disney itself will be very little out of pocket.

I always though when RC was closed that they should have used the pool there for FW guests. That pool was better( IMO) that what they currently have ,just not centrally located.

 

[Q-man]

I always though when RC was closed that they should have used the pool there for FW guests. That pool was better( IMO) that what they currently have ,just not centrally located.

While that would have been cool it would have ended up a WDW wide guest destination with the BBQ and Hoop Dee Doo right there. People would have made an afternoon out of it.

 

[AvidDisReader]

Ok Q-man, we are not going to agree on this. So let us just agree to disagree. I still stand by my statements, and I can see you will stay with yours.

 

[Q-man]

Ok Q-man, we are not going to agree on this. So let us just agree to disagree. I still stand by my statements, and I can see you will stay with yours.

I can tell you bulldozing this and hauling it off is pennies for Disney construction.

https://goo.gl/maps/PoJ1RdJ1BbXUcD7F7

 

[AvidDisReader]

explain why they waited 20 years if it was so peanuts????? I am not the only one who has noted for years the liability and Disney should tear it down. Ok, I have said enough.

 

[axfather]

Lock me up, cut off an ear or a finger, take my first born, but PLEASE oh Lordy, don't ban me for life.

 

[Dave006]

explain why they waited 20 years if it was so peanuts????? I am not the only one who has noted for years the liability and Disney should tear it down. Ok, I have said enough.

The most logical reason is simply because there was not other need to redevelop the old River Country property until WDW decided to develop another mixed use resort. There was not liability, the property was properly identified as closed and off limits.

WDW is not required protect stupid people from injury if they trespass in restricted access areas. They provided reasonable notice that the area was not available to guests.

Dave

 

[Alicefan]

]



The most recent one that sticks with me is the white water training center in NC. A young woman died and the CDC investigated and found the water treatment and filtration system had the ameba present. The young woman died after kayaking there.

Dave

Dang, I'm glad I read this. I have been wanting to try that place out. Did they shut down because of this? Now I'm freaked out.

 

[Alicefan]

I'm guessing because Animal Kingdom opened.

I always thought that AK was built around an old something or another, and I had it in my head that it was Discovery Island. What am I thinking about? Has anyone here ever been to the island when it was open? I vaguely remember it being a thing back when I first started going to Disney but there was never enough time or money for extras back in the day. What was it?....other than a hobo resort lol.

 

[Alicefan]

More people, more urban sprawl, more everything. Locally we had an untreated lake with slides and piers built in for diving and jumping in. I never saw more than 50 folks there at once. Today its closed. The several water parks we have within an hour of us today are packed on hot days by 10am. You can't find a chair to put your stuff down and thousands of people are everywhere. Local creeks I played in and survived, now say stay out due to pollution, sewer overflow and runoff issues. My grandparents lived on some land in the country. In the 80's when I visited I could only see 3 other houses. Today it is a subdivision and golf course with hundreds of homes spaced tightly together. The creek and ponds I fished in are now unrecognizable and full of runoff and trash.

Back in my day...lol.

As I read this I wondered if you were from my hometown lol. We had the same thing. A lake called Tracy's lake was the place to be. Free to the public. When the local pool (at a motel that charged $2 to swim in) was too crowded, we loaded up and went to the creek and took a watermelon. There was a dirt road right before the little overpass bridge that you went down and parked and a big area cleared to put your chairs and such. I have always wondered why no one goes there anymore? When I ride by, I can't tell where it used to be. I don't think anyone ever went out and cut back the overgrowth back then. It just didn't have a bunch of vines and all that I can remember. It's weird how something that is being used tends to stay nicer and when you stop using something it goes downhill really fast. Like when you see an abandoned house. You would think an untouched thing would hold up better but it doesn't work that way. In no time flat things seem to run down and fall apart and not stand as tall. Odd how things work.

 

[Alicefan]

I still like the "Myst" proposal from years ago ! That could have been cool !

ooh what's that?