Top 8 in Top 10 10 Eerie Abandoned Animal Parks.
We discussed the bankruptcy park of Warner Brothers, but people might be surprised to see Disney on this list.
The Discovery Island is a wildlife and nature attraction in the Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, consisting of a variety of native birds and plants, as well as a sandy beach for guests to walk. It operates from Apr. 1974 to Apr. 1999.
Walt Disney was exploring the island while buying the land would become the Disney world and had great plans for the 11.5 acres. The first was named Blackbeard Island, he wants it to be a pirate-themed attraction complete with shipwrecks, Forts, and a inn, but as the construction on the park begins, he decides to turn it into a more tropical region, introducing exotic birds and plants to the island and renaming the Treasure Island.
Many years have passed, the island is more concentrated into the wild animals. A bird's barn was built on the basis to feed the birds, and the island was again renamed to the Discovery Island.
Controversy occurred at the Discovery Island in 1989, when a two-month investigation by state and federal officials led to accusations against Disney and five employees for shooting the rifle into Hawks, fighting the vulture to death with sticks and destroying nests and eggs. State reports indicate that many employees think they have taken action under the Disney World Licence, and are performing illegal activities under the direction of the park's manager, Charlie Cook. Disney settled out of court.
Following the bad language and with the opening of Animal Kingdom, Disney decided to shut down the Discovery Island in April 1999, moving things to the Animal Kingdom Resort and let the vegetation grow.
In 2009, urban explorer Shane Perez and a number of friends were swimming, under the cover of darkness, to the island and to photograph the abandoned buildings and trees that grew luxuriant. They found leftover office supplies and many different specimens in jars. Although they were not accused of crew for infringement, Disney had threatened to ban them from all Disney parks.
At present, there is no plan to recover the Discovery island, making it one of two abandoned parks at Disney World.