7. River Country and Discovery Island

 
Video: YouTube, User: ProgressCityPublicTV

These two names are somewhat legendary among Disney fans now, but there was a time that River Country and Discovery Island weren’t derelict mystery zones—they were the two premiere places to have fun outside of Disney parks.

I personally never went to River Country-- I was admittedly too scared of alligators and snakes to risk those suspiciously-close-to-Bay-Lake waters, but throughout the 80’s and 90’s, River Country was Disney’s premiere (er, only) waterpark. Frontier adventure films were big business back then, particularly for kids who regularly tuned in to the Disney Channel. A trip to River Country was like taking an adventure to the world of Huck Finn and Davy Crockett—not to mention the Mouseketeers seemed to enjoy it!

Video: YouTube, User: AndreaAhlers

Discovery Island was a more mysterious destination—one I absolutely fell in love with. If taking a raft to Tom Sawyer Island was a mini-adventure, a trip to Bay Lake’s Discovery Island was a mind-blowing expedition for a kid. Remember, there was no Disney’s Animal Kingdom at this time. For many families, Discovery Island was the most immersive zoo experience they’d ever seen. The animals tended to be on the smaller side, but it was just crazy how close you could get to them and the setting was gorgeous. For those who found it, Discovery Island remained one of Disney’s best kept secrets of the 80’s and 90’s.

8. The opening of Disney MGM Studios

 
Video: YouTube, User: Tim McCall

If you were a lucky kid in 1989, you may have experienced Disney MGM Studios during its opening year!

We’ve written extensively about Disney MGM Studios—the original form of Disney’s Hollywood Studios—but the arrival of Disney’s third park was a huge deal in the late 80’s. The park opened with a number of attractions that proved immediate hits with 80’s kids like The Great Movie Ride, SuperStar Video (where Disney used movie magic to place guests in classic TV shows— this was mind blowing during a time where movie making knowledge wasn’t widely known), and the absurdly fun Monster Sound Show. By the time the 80’s became the 90’s The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular and Star Tours joined the show, rounding out the park with two high-thrill experiences.

Even if the working-studio concept and backstage tour ultimately flopped, Disney MGM Studios brought a whole new element of excitement and interactivity to Disney parks at the close of the 80’s.

9. Those marvelous VHS videos

Video: YouTube, User: Central Florida Sights and Sounds

You can learn more about these in our Retro Rewind series, but Disney had some wonderful travel videos back in the day. I’ll just admit it—I used to watch them on repeat.

Were Disney’s VHS travel videos cheesy? Oh, yes. Did they offer a disproportionate amount of time to unusual attractions? Yup. What is the deal with the little girl in red wandering through a weirdly quiet Magic Kingdom? I’ve no idea.

Did they make you want to go back to Walt Disney World? Heck, yeah… and they reached the peak of their magic in the 80’s.

What was your favorite memory of Walt Disney World in the 80’s? This article is the first in a series—join us next week to learn the Things Every 90’s Kid Loved at Walt Disney World!

Enjoy this article? Keep reading to learn 8 Mouth Watering Savory Dishes from Disney Parks You Can Make at Home… or 8 Sweet Treats!