![]() Storylines were plotted and plans were sketched, but the Myst island never fully materialized. No two experiences would ever be the same. ![]() A certain number of guests would be admitted to the island each morning and would have a set number of hours to explore, unlocking secrets and finding hidden passages in the process. Soon after the island closed, Disney met with Robyn and Rand Miller, the creators of the hugely popular computer games Myst and Riven, hoping to recreate a real-life version of the adventure game. Though it appears pretty desolate now, there have been some thoughts about how to resurrect this valuable piece of real estate. An urban explorer found his way onto the island in 2009 (don’t try this at home, by the way) and snapped a few pictures of what it looks like these days. The island’s animals were relocated to the new facilities and others were placed in non-Disney zoos across the country.ĭiscovery Island is still there all these years later, though it’s been completely abandoned. It was never one of Disney’s most popular attractions, so it was a no-brainer to close Discovery Island after the bigger-and-better zoological park, Animal Kingdom, opened in 1998. It was eventually renamed “Discovery Island” and was re-branded with an ecological theme. They brought in 50,000 cubic yards of soil to expand the island to 11 acres, added more than 250 plants and flowers, and introduced 140 new exotic birds and animals. Treasure Island was open for just two years before Disney decided to make it bigger. Other than the fake wreck, the main attractions were exotic birds, animal demonstrations, and various walkways, lookout points, beaches, and lagoons. Construction took about a decade longer than they intended, but in 1974, the island did open to the public under the name “Treasure Island.” It wasn’t as heavily-themed as Walt had wanted-in fact, the only pirate "relic" was a shipwreck replica. When he completed his Disney World land purchase, he made sure the island, then known as Riles Island, was included.ĭisney originally planned to call the place “Blackbeard’s Island” and give it an elaborate pirate theme. In the early 1960s, when Walt Disney was flying over the Orlando area to scout locations for his newest theme park, he noticed a little island that looked particularly secluded and peaceful. More than 15 years later, both remain abandoned. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Disney closed the gates on two of its smaller properties: Discovery Island, an island filled with interesting plants and animals, and River Country, a water park with a rustic “swimming hole” theme. ![]() You’ve probably heard about all of the new stuff coming to Disney Parks over the next couple of years-Toy Story Land, a Star Wars hotel, new rides, new attractions, and more.
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