As of Monday, July 14, the water levels in the Rivers of America have noticeably dropped, signaling the beginning of some major changes to one of Magic Kingdom Park’s original features. This update comes just days after Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat bid farewell to their final guests on July 6, 2025.
This is all part of Walt Disney World Resort’s plan to make way for a new era in Frontierland, which will soon be home to Piston Peak National Park, a new land inspired by the Cars (2006) franchise. But the changes to the Rivers of America go far beyond just a bit of landscaping—Disney is laying the groundwork for what will likely be a complete reimagining of this area of the park.
At D23 Expo 2024, Walt Disney Imagineering unveiled plans for two new Cars-themed attractions in Frontierland, including a rally race attraction and a family-friendly ride. These attractions will take guests through a revamped landscape inspired by America’s national parks, with its name inspired by Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014). Tom Sawyer Island’s barrel bridges and parts of the Rivers of America waterfront will be incorporated into the new area, preserving part of the original Frontierland area.
Days before the attractions closed, construction crews began prepping the land outside of Magic Kingdom, clearing hundreds of trees and pouring gravel in preparation for what will eventually be an equipment staging area and office trailer lot. By July 7, guests at Magic Kingdom began to notice the installation of construction walls around various parts of Frontierland and Liberty Square.
Disney Park guests also noticed Imagineers and construction crews exploring Tom Sawyer Island, taking inventory of items that would be preserved. One week later, even more construction walls appeared around much of the Rivers of America, and the water level visibly decreased, suggesting that Disney was beginning to drain it.
For anyone curious to see what a drained Rivers of America looks like, the photo below offers a glimpse at the exposed Liberty Square Riverboat track during a past refurbishment project.
X (formerly known as Twitter) user @pplcallmeblue shared photos and video footage of the construction in action:
You can still enjoy Rivers of America at WDW!!!!
…er…well… in some of its glory. Water levels coming down… (The single door got a wall attached at least!).
You can still enjoy Rivers of America at WDW!!!!
…er…well… in some of its glory. Water levels coming down… (The single door got a wall attached at least!) pic.twitter.com/n5HxTqVrnt— Aaron (@pplcallmeblue) July 13, 2025
Along with this visible water reduction, scaffolding and scrims have begun to appear near the Haunted Mansion queue, which will likely block guests’ view of the construction when it’s completed. According to Laughing Place, construction equipment has been stored on the docks that once served as a launching point for guests riding the raft to and from Tom Sawyer Island.
The changes aren’t just affecting the Rivers of America, though. In Frontierland, wooden walls now surround the Walt Disney World Railroad station, which is now closed. However, guests can still ride the steam train on “shuttle mode,” with the route only running between Fantasyland and Main Street, U.S.A.
Nearby, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is currently undergoing a year-long refurbishment, including a complete track replacement. The ride is expected to reopen with “new magic” in early 2026, taking on increased traffic as the Piston Peak National Park construction continues.
This new area in Frontierland is just one part of a broader expansion project that includes another highly anticipated Disney Villains land, coming soon, “beyond Big Thunder Mountain.” These developments, all announced at D23 Expo 2024, mark the largest expansion ever at Magic Kingdom Park.
How should Imagineers honor the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island in Piston Peak National Park? Share your ideas with Disney Fanatic in the comments!
