Reports Revisit How a Scrapped Snorkeling Lagoon Shaped Stormalong Bay’s Lazy River
New articles explain that a 1990s fish‑swim concept, shuttered in 1999, left the river unusually deep with a sandy bottom.
Overview
- Multiple Disney-focused outlets published pieces today that corroborate the pool’s original plan for guest snorkeling with live fish.
- Stormalong Bay opened in 1990 with Disney’s Beach Club and Yacht Club, resorts themed to New England seaside towns near EPCOT.
- Maintenance issues tied to cross-contamination with nearby saltwater areas reportedly sickened fish, undermining the snorkeling concept.
- During a 1999 expansion, Disney permanently closed the snorkeling lagoon and converted that space into the lazy river used today.
- The three-acre complex remains a guest favorite for its lazy river, whirlpools, sand-bottom kiddie area, games, and a 230-foot waterslide starting from a shipwreck replica.