Walt Disney World Resort guests have noticed something unusual near Magic Kingdom Park: a growing hole in the ground. However, the pit is just one piece of the largest-ever expansion at the original Central Florida Disney park.
The ongoing Magic Kingdom expansion project includes the construction of a new Disney Villains land “beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad” and a reimagining of Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America inspired by the 2006 animated film Cars. The expansion will bring a family-friendly attraction and a thrilling rally race ride, with the goal of creating a new area within Frontierland that reflects the natural beauty of America’s national parks.
While construction on both the Disney Villains land and Piston Peak National Park began months ago, Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat just welcomed their last guests on July 6. Days later, Walt Disney Imagineers were spotted surveying the island on both boats and foot. Construction walls have now gone up around the Rivers of America, and the former dock area for the Tom Sawyer Island rafts has been overtaken by construction equipment. Several props on the island have been marked with red and green tags, identifying items to be destroyed or sent to the Disney Archives. Most notably, the water level in the Rivers of America has noticeably dropped as crews prepare to fill in much of the waterway.
However, while the changes to Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America are expected, some visitors were caught off guard by the appearance of a deep hole located just outside Magic Kingdom Park. The pit appeared after crews had bulldozed hundreds of trees and set up equipment staging areas near the Seven Seas Lagoon.
Last week, Redditor u/wheelsee shared an aerial image of the area taken after construction had begun:
What is this pit outside of the berm user for?
What is this pit outside of the berm user for?
byu/wheelsee inWaltDisneyWorld
The image prompted several theories among Disney Parks fans. Some users speculated that the pit was part of the ongoing construction, potentially for water retention during the construction of the Villains and Cars-themed areas.
“Water retention for construction runoff so it doesn’t get into the river,” said Redditor u/Ghost_Turd. “They likely pump it periodically.”
“Serious answer: Probably water retention during the Villains and Cars construction,” u/2bitCity added. “Unserious answer: It’s the hole Walt dug spinning in his grave after hearing what they’re doing to Magic Kingdom.”
Walt Disney World Resort has not publicly addressed the reason for the pit or how it fits into the larger construction project at Magic Kingdom Park.
Which part of the Magic Kingdom expansion are you most excited about? Let Disney Fanatic know in the comments!
