Discovery Island is one of Disney’s most widely-recognized abandoned attractions. Upon Walt Disney World’s opening, the island was known as Blackbeard’s Island and was intended to be a pirate-themed attraction across the lake from River Country. The island officially opened to the public in 1974 under the name of Treasure Island, a tropical zoological paradise full of exotic animals such as toucans, flamingos, lemurs, and monkeys.
From the beginning, Treasure Island struggled with low attendance with many guests deeming it a half-day attraction. Two years into operation, Treasure Island underwent a refurbishment to really hone in on the zoological aspect of the park. It reopened under the name of Disney’s Discovery Island.
However, low attendance would soon be the least of Discovery Island’s problems, as in the mid-90’s, Disney was already looking for a replacement for the attraction. It was around this time that Disney announced the creation of a new theme park that would focus on zoological studies and conservation–essentially Discovery Island but on a much larger scale. This new theme park would become known as Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and officially opened to the public in 1998.
Rumors began circulating that Disney would be permanently closing Discovery Island after the opening of the new park, as attendance was now lower than ever and many of the animal species housed on the island were now being transported to Animal Kingdom. Less than a year after the new park opened, Disney announced that Discovery Island would be permanently closed on April 8, 1999–exactly twenty-five years after opening.
True to their word, the attraction was closed, but remnants of the attraction and its history remain in Disney parks to this day. Animal Kingdom’s central hub that houses the Tree of Life opened under the name of Safari Village, but after the closure of the original, it was renamed to Discovery Island as proof that the original dream of a zoological park attraction lives on in the heart of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
To the surprise of many Disney fans, no work ever took place on the island itself beyond its closure. The structures left on the island were simply left behind to rot and be taken over by vegetation. To make things even creepier, the island’s electricity remained operational for some time after its closure. After dark, the island was illuminated by electric lanterns, giving the impression that the park was still in use despite being shrouded by trees and overgrown shrubbery. However, it seems as though sometime in 2008 the electricity was finally disconnected, submerging the island in darkness for good.
Very few people have attempted to reach Discovery Island since its closure to see the current state of things, and even fewer images exist on the internet. Those who attempt to visit must ignore numerous warnings of trespassing and risk being permanently banned from Disney parks.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a man was arrested on Discovery Island for attempting to camp in the “tropical paradise”. Police body cam footage shows perhaps the most recent state of the attraction and the dilapidation of the buildings still in place and has become somewhat of a gem to urban explorers interested in abandoned Disney properties. Do you remember Discovery Island? Let us know by leaving us a comment below.
