Disney Adds River Country Nod at Fort Wilderness Pool

Overview

• Disney installed a small barrel-themed display at Fort Wilderness’ Meadow Swimmin’ Pool that directly references the long-closed River Country water park.
• The display is part of a recent pool-area update that added a zero-entry pool, more deck space, and new amenities for guests.
• Disney is not reviving the old water park, whose Bay Lake site was cleared in 2019 for the Disney Lakeshore Lodge resort project.
• River Country opened in 1976 as Walt Disney World’s first water park, closed in 2001, and was confirmed permanently closed in 2005 after years of visible abandonment.
• Fans view the new touch as meaningful because it acknowledges a piece of Disney lore, fitting a wider trend of subtle callbacks that blend nostalgia with modern upgrades, with future phases expected to add tennis and pickleball courts.