April
22, 1998 (with the rest of the Animal Kingdom)
Origins:
Discovery Island
was originally named Safari Village when
the Animal Kingdom opened in
1998. By early 2001, the name was changed
to Discovery Island.
Originally, guests could
ride a boat called the Discovery River Taxi
to and from Safari
Village.
Updates:
In September, 1998
the Discovery River Taxi temporarily closed,
but reopened briefly in November (only to close
again by 1999). In March of 1999, the attraction
was modified and reopened as the Disney Radio
River Cruise, with DJs on board to add some
entertainment. By August, 1999, however, the
attraction was permanently closed. It turns
out that one of the primary reasons for the
small crowds was the fact that guests could
walk along the river trail and get the same
view (the journey would take about the same
amount of time and of course you didn't need
to wait in line to walk!).
