Creepy, Unknown, and Abandoned Disney

Discovery Island- The Lost-Island

Sitting on the same lake River County was exposed to, Discovery Island can be seen from Animal Kingdom.

Discovery Island is one of the creepiest Disney places. It makes the Top 5 for
Let's Scare the Life Out People!

Anyway Disney's Discovery Island can be seen from Disney Camp Grounds, The Contemporary Resort, and Animal Kingdom. It was bought in 1965 and in 1974 made into "Treasure Island".

In 2009 Disney thought about making Discovery Island A Lost-themed island, but they never started the idea.

The goal for Discovery Island was to educate others about animals. It was a 15-20 minute boat ride from Animal Kingdom to the island, but there really wasn't much to do on the island.

There were animals, both rare and common, Wildlife talks, a series of rope bridges leading from one enclosure to another, etc.

When Discovery Island closed in 1999 as a "strict business decision" and " lack of public interest" (Maybe because of Naegleria Foleri...?). It has been abandoned ever since.

Disney decided not to keep using Discovery Island so like it's twin, River County, it became abandoned. Disney still used the River Boats to do water parades and transport supplies from one side of the lake to the next.

In 2009, several people tried to use a blow up raft and paddle from The Contemporary to Discovery Island. Patrolling guard boats stopped them. So they thought of a new plan.

At night they camped at the Disney Camp Grounds. They then decided to swim 300 meters to the abandoned island, avoiding patrol boats along the way.

Once on the island, an even more unsettling experience awaited them. Much more unsettling then River County.

The paths and bridges around the island were all lit up, like they were waiting for people to walk through. But inside no lights were on, it was pitch black.

All the records, cages, signs, and buildings were all still on the island. Disney didn't demolish any of it.

Walking into one of the buildings a Pluto stuff animal sat on the dusty old couch, like a little girl had just left it to play with it later.

In another building records of animals and old colored pictures of cast members were scattered on a desk, as if someone had just carelessly left them sitting around.

Snakes preserved in jars (and even a Diet Coke bottle), sat on shelves against the walls.

In one of the buildings, several baby vultures tried to attack the group. Before Discovery Island closed, they had a bad vulture invasion problem. Apparently when the island went abandoned, the vultures took over.

(My profile has links to pictures and video).

Discovery Island had many different species of animals. They had the biggest colony of Scarlet Ibises in the United States, five Galapagos tortoises, flamingos, lemurs, swans, brown pelicans and the last known dusky seaside sparrow all made their home there.

Once the island closed the animals were all relocated. Most were kept in Animal Kingdom, others were sold.

The group would have loved to explore more but the sun was coming up and they needed to swim back before the patrol boats caught them. Thankfully they made it back in time.

A few years later they posted their photos online.
Disney threatened to ban them from the park for 4 years. But since they went to the island in 2009 and released the photos more then 3 years later, Disney couldn't do anything.

THE FACTS: Discovery Island was closed either because of lack of interest, vultures, and (maybe) Naegleria Foleri.

QUESTION: Why did they close the island?

WHAT I THINK: Any of the reasons about could be plausible or all of them could be why it closed. But you have to admit old cast photos, preserved snakes in jars, old records, vulture babies, erie lighting, and the cages are all pretty creepy. Especially at night.

NOTE: There are guards and boats patrolling 24/7. If caught trespassing, you could be subject to 4 years banishment from any Disney-owned property. It is best not to explore the ruins but to analyze pictures and video.