Cars Rides Replacing Rivers of America & Tom Sawyer Island at Magic Kingdom
Walt Disney World has announced that the Cars attractions coming to Magic Kingdom will replace the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island, fully eliminating the waterway. This post shares details, concept art, and everything we know about the plan–plus commentary about why this is happening and the good, bad and ugly of this news.
To bring you up to speed, this past weekend at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro revealed exciting new details about what’s coming to Walt Disney World. Two of the highlights were exciting news about Monstropolis and the Monsters Inc. Doors Coaster as well as Villains Land in Magic Kingdom.
Alongside that, one of the biggest announcements involved a Cars reimagining of Frontierland. According to Walt Disney World, soon you’ll be able to explore the uncharted territory of the great outdoors with an expansion in Frontierland themed around Pixar Animation Studios’ “Cars.” It’s time to leave Radiator Springs and head west into exciting new locations.
As part of a new update, Walt Disney World has now revealed that in order to make way for this completely new frontier, the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will be transformed into vast and rugged terrains for a rally race with some of the world’s most iconic racers.
In case you didn’t quite grasp it the first time, this means that the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will close. The Cars expansion is not going Beyond Big Thunder–at least, not in a material way–it’s filling in the Rivers of America and replacing the land that’s currently Tom Sawyer Island.
Here’s new concept art showing the new Cars section of Frontierland:
“We are thrilled to create this original Cars adventure and put our guests in the driver’s seat as we—quite literally—explore a new frontier in Frontierland,” shared Michael Hundgen, Walt Disney World Portfolio Executive Producer at Walt Disney Imagineering.
“Part of pioneering this new story includes tapping into the themes of exploration and adventure that inspire so many of us to keep propelling forward. Anytime we touch Magic Kingdom, we recognize the massive responsibility that exists to get it right and tell stories that connect with our guests.”
The new area will bring you along for the ride (pun intended) with a brand-new thrilling rally race through the mountains, climbing trails, and dodging geysers, in addition to a second attraction geared towards fun for the whole family.
Ahead of work revving into high gear next year, guests will have plenty of time to experience the charm and nostalgia of Frontierland as it is today.
And cruising just around the bend, guests will be able to venture Beyond Big Thunder Mountain into an all-new land dedicated to Disney Villains. Inspired by the wicked characters fans know and loathe, the multi-acre expansion will include two major attractions, plus dining and shopping. Walt Disney Imagineering is pushing creative boundaries to dark and mysterious levels to bring this new, first-of-its-kind land to life.
Together, these new additions to Magic Kingdom will represent the largest expansion in park history.
Turning to commentary, the Parks Panel at D23 felt a little too good to be true. That there were a few important details purposefully withheld, like the location of Monstropolis at Disney’s Hollywood Studios or how Cars and Villains would fit into Magic Kingdom, that would’ve sapped some of the energy from the room.
When it came to the Cars and Villains Land announcements, I had already assumed that, in order to accommodate both expansions, some of the Rivers of America will be lost in the process. That was also true with prior concepts that had been floated for Beyond Big Thunder. It was never entirely a beyond the berm expansion.
As I wrote in the Cars commentary, my guess was that a lot of the Rivers of America would be consumed by the expansion based on the potential size and scale of these two areas, along with Josh D’Amaro and Imagineers using the word “reimagining” in addition to “expansion” to describe the project. That also explains why Imagineering has yet to file the permit, despite indicating it would happen soon back in April. Because once the cat is out of the bag, as it is now, sentiment is going to sour on this project to at least some degree.
It wouldn’t have bothered me at all if Tom Sawyer Island is becoming Tom Sawyer Peninsula and the Rivers of America is shortened. Eliminating the dead ends at Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad would be hugely beneficial from a crowd flow perspective, especially with all the people these two new lands are going to draw.
However, that’s not what this is. There will be no more Rivers of America or Tom Sawyer Island. They’re goners.
It’s not exactly paving over paradise to put up a parking lot, but it’s kinda close. This will replace tranquil waters and a lush area that offered a lovely escape from the crowds and chaos of Magic Kingdom for almost the exact opposite of that. Loud cars racing around and attractions that will undoubtedly draw those huge crowds.
Disney is undoubtedly making this decision from a guest utilization perspective. These two Cars rides will be hugely popular, and effectively expand the capacity of Magic Kingdom in the same amount of space.
It’s no secret that the Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island don’t have the hourly throughput numbers as most attractions in Magic Kingdom. Eliminating them reduces operational and maintenance expenses on attractions and areas that are underutilized and don’t offer as much operational ‘bang for buck’ to the company, so to speak.
Because of this, some fans will likely be entirely okay with this decision to eliminate the Rivers of America–as is their right. Even many longtime guests have probably never even been over to Tom Sawyer Island or done a lap on the Liberty Square Riverboat. Others probably have done so infrequently over the years, and will do these new Cars attractions more. This is necessarily true–hence the ‘underutilized capacity’ term.
From my perspective, this also at least partially misses the point. Theme parks are not just the sum of their ride rosters, to be raced around and checked off one by one. They are as much defined by the spaces in between; by the absence of attractions, too.
The Rivers of America, Liberty Square Riverboat, and Tom Sawyer Island are incredible assets to Magic Kingdom not just for the guests who actively utilize these attractions. They offer serenity and delightful atmosphere even to guests who simply walk along the waterfront promenade, stopping for a moment to catch their breath and take in the view.
It’s impossible to quantify this. That’s precisely what worries me. Sometimes Disney’s decision-makers view the parks as figures on a spreadsheet, and from that perspective, it’s easy to overlook “underutilized” things that are incredibly important to the Disney theme park experience from a holistic perspective.
It’s the little moments we treasure just as much as a ride on Big Thunder, and it’s the little details or quiet moments that become indelible parts of our memories from visits to the parks over the years. These little things might seem superfluous on paper, especially when the alternative is expanding the park and growing capacity by thousands guests.
By viewing the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island as underutilized real estate that’s expendable, Disney is missing the forest for the trees. Spaces like these are what help define our days in the parks, giving us little moments to pause and absorb the big attractions and experiences we’ve enjoyed. These things and places are what keep us coming back.
There’s a long term price to be paid for viewing the parks from the perspective that every square foot must be put to its most efficient use and have its capacity maximized. That’s too myopic of a view, and ignores the practical reality that guests form impressions based on the totality of their visit, with those little things or counterprogramming adding as much as the E-Tickets.
If everything is go-go-go, the guest experience as a whole can suffer. And that’s true even if the individual attractions replacing the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island end up having higher guest satisfaction scores.
There are some things that are impossible to quantify–that guests just absorb, even without realizing it. If this sentiment sounds familiar, it’s exactly how we describe the value of atmospheric entertainment–the energy can be felt subliminally even if not consciously. It brightens the mood, even if unknowingly.
It’s the exact same idea with the Rivers of America.
There’s no guest satisfaction “metric” for how many guests per day walk along that waterfront promenade, pause for a deep breath, smile and take a photo. I mean, technically there is a metric–the ones wearing smart watches probably see their heart rate drop a little, but Disney’s survey team isn’t seeing that data. (Hopefully.)
It could be an indelible moment burned into their memory, or, more likely, a fleeting bit of happiness. But it still mattered. It was important to their day as a whole. Most critically, it was a much-needed reprieve from the often stressful nature of the world’s most popular theme park. This has long been my perspective on the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island–that they are invaluable assets that serve as counterprogramming to give guests an expand from the paved pathways and hustle and bustle of Magic Kingdom.
I speak from experience. This waterfront promenade is one of my favorite places in all of Magic Kingdom, and we have so many memories of this waterfront walk late at night with a cool breeze coming off the Rivers of America, or early in the mornings as the sun flitters through the trees. It is one of those places in the park that allows us to slow down, take a deep breath, and soak up our surroundings. Maybe that makes me biased, and overly sensitive to losing the Rivers of America when the average guest reaction will be: “Who cares? Bring on Cars!”
I don’t think that will be the prevailing sentiment among Walt Disney World diehards. And I’d also like to think I’m a realist.
That’s precisely why I would’ve been okay with shortening the Rivers of America and potentially making it Tom Sawyer Peninsula, even if that meant major modifications or a permanent docking of the Liberty Belle. Because doing so also would’ve met guests where they were, removing a ‘barrier of entry’ for Tom Sawyer Island (so many guests never visit simply because the rafts over are a hassle) and allowing more kids to burn off some steam in that play area.
Meanwhile, the waterfront promenade and the ambiance it added still would’ve been there for guests to enjoy while walking past the main drag of Frontierland. It still would’ve accomplished the same goals from a guest decompression perspective. If anything, the Tom Sawyer area would’ve been appreciated by more people since it would’ve been easier to access. All while offering up space for expansion. A win-win compromise for all.
Obviously, that’s not what Walt Disney World has elected to do. So I cannot say I’m fully on board with this idea right now.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting I’ll dislike the Cars area or I’m suddenly anti-Villains Land at Magic Kingdom because of this. My feelings about the Cars attraction remain mixed (more on that in a future post since my 4:30 am commentary didn’t properly articulate it) and unequivocally positive about Villains Land in a vacuum. But I also think: not like this. They should’ve tried to thread the needle better, not sacrificing a serene section of the park that’s more of an asset than they likely realize.
I’m also not foreclosing the idea that I’ll change my mind. It’s impossible to ascertain atmosphere from concept art. Maybe the promenade that I love so much will be present in some form, or will have a spiritual successor. There do appear to be waterfalls and waterways, so perhaps those will provide a sense of serenity, natural beauty, and kinetic energy.
This Cars area all could be great in a totally different or even similar way. There are flashes of the Cars concept art that give me National Park vibes, and I like that (even if other flashes of it remind me of extreme sports). I’m willing to ‘wait and see’ and withhold full judgment. (What other option do I even have? It’s not like I can single-handedly stop this!)
For now, though, I’m a bit shell-shocked by the decision to fully eliminate the Rivers of America, and worried about how that could irreparably damage the feel of Magic Kingdom. I really hope Disney is not making this decision lightly, is focused on more than just increasing capacity, and is giving Imagineers the resources to do this right.
If we’re losing this area of the park, it had better be worth it. The marquee Cars attraction needs to be as good as Radiator Springs Racers, the themed design of the area must be superlative and in keeping of the rugged spirit of Frontierland, and the new area must have great kinetic energy and atmosphere.
They cannot deliver two overly-short attractions, a sea of concrete and some trees, along with a concept that feels at-odds with Frontierland. This has gotta be strong. They have to make the skeptics (like me) concede we were wrong about ever questioning the wisdom of replacing the Rivers of America. And I absolutely will do that if they’re able to deliver. I would love nothing more than to eat crow. I’ve gotten used to the taste over the years.
Finally, instead of being singularly fixated on increasing capacity, I wish Walt Disney World would endeavor to eliminate stress. When it comes to this, there are the usual suspects–screen time, lines, ride breakdowns, etc. But another one is offering up lovely places to decompress that bring smiles to the faces of guests.
Some of those decision-makers should go inside one of the massive Magic Kingdom quick-service restaurants during the middle of the day and count all of the people not eating anything. Just sitting there with their heads on the tables or attempting to ‘rest and recharge’ in about the most chaotic environment possible. (Nothing says ‘recharging’ quite like the midday rush at Pinocchio Village Haus!)
I’m not kidding. One important goal should be getting these people out of the loud and unpleasant restaurants and into actual serene spaces that offer nice ambiance and actually will allow them to mentally refuel for a brief bit. Walt Disney World needs to understand that Magic Kingdom is a world-class theme park, and those two words have meanings beyond just the fanciest and most modern rides. There should be a concerted effort to not just keeping it a “park” but enhancing that angle. It may not be captured on guest satisfaction surveys, but it’s as big a part of what separates Disney from an average amusement park as the envelope-pushing attractions.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What is your reaction to this announcement that Walt Disney World is replacing the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island with Cars rides? Do you think the two all-new Cars rides coming to Magic Kingdom are “worth it”? Do you agree or disagree with our sentiment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
– First off – I’m sorry Tom. You love Disney Parks like few others, and I know how saying goodbye to places I love can really sting.
– A peaceful water area really adds to a park – EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, Islands of Adventure all benefit from them, even if they take up valuable real estate. Them Parks are not just a collection of rides like a Six Flags theme park. Hopefully Disney doesn’t forget this (Epic Universe understood this).
– That said, Ive been to Magic Kingdom like 8 times in the past 8 years, and I never once stepped foot on Tom Sawyers island. I think it is VASTLY underutilized compared to literally anything else in the park. It is such a time commitment that makes getting other attractions difficult, especially at $200/day.
– I am going to be in Magic Kingdom in September as part of park hopping celebration for a family birthday. And even knowing this is the absolute last chance I might have to visit Tom Sawyer’s island in my life, I won’t be going there.
Hi Mark,
I understand what you’re saying. We too rarely go over there anymore but you see the Park isn’t just for us or you it’s for a lot of others who do use it.
We for one no longer go on Space Mountain. Too jarring at this time in life. But I don’t think it should come down for something softer.
The big thing is that they have the land to avoid this.
I agree with Mark. I’ll take a new, visually stunning land with two new rides that will please tens of thousands of guests every day over an island that hardly anyone goes to. Yes, I’ll miss the walkway, the Riverboat, and the views, but I’m all for this change. Tom Sawyer Island and the various craft that circle it will still exist in California if anyone needs their fix. My only concern is how reliable the new E-ticket ride will be in the Florida weather.
I’m with you on this too Mark, but mine more stems from our last trip in September and knowing the bear that showed up in Frontierland while we were there came from TSI and was likely hiding out in a cave. Could have severely injured or killed an exploring child that may have startled it. I’m sure that’s at least part of the reason for this decision.
I’m sad about the river but I haven’t been on the riverboat in years either.
I’m sad to hear this is being removed, but also, I visit multiple times a year and the river boat is never running. I always ask, and I’m always told “maybe this afternoon”. I honestly just realized Tom Sawyer island was back there last year. But I do always stop and take photos of the area, be it night or day. The reflections on the water are so serene and beautiful. Now making my way to explore Tom Sawyer island is on the top of my to do list!! I’ll be there September and December, so hopefully that and the river boat is open
I agree with the sentiment and love the photography in the article. In all our trips to the MK I think we’ve done TSI twice (even when my DD was little, she wasn’t really interested) and the riverboat a similar number of times. Btu I di love walking along the RoA, particularly at night. I would have been fine with making it a peninsula and even putting an attraction on TSI, but I will miss the water.
Tom completely agree with you. On both coasts when it’s getting to crowded or hairy we make a beeline for the Riverboat. It’s always a winner. BUT the Disney guest of 2024 just does not care. The internet /social media is filled with people looking to maximize their time/dollar. How many LL? How many ride? Open to close while eating in line. Very few people take it slow anymore. And it’s really sad. I hope they will include some beautiful water features. Maybe a hint of the red wood creek forest trail with benches and places to sit or for kids to play? That would replace that aspect of the island.
When I think of the Magic Kingdom, it’s Main Street, Cinderella’s Castle and the river and Steamboat and the island that make it feel like you’ve stepped into another time. The rest is just rides. Those are the 3 iconic visual images people have of Disney, and I can’t believe they’re going to trash one. It also feels like they are destroying a historical landmark, part of Disney’s original vision.
I don’t know much about the layout of what’s adjacent to the parks and how/where they can build but I’d always thought they had tons of land. I’d love to hear why this is necessary instead of just expanding one of the parks?
And the other shoe drops… This is, ultimately, going to be a bad move for the parks experience. The loss of the river boat, just from a theming and ambiance perspective will be immense. The kinetic movement of the paddle boat, the chuffing of the steam, the whistle, the sound of the water moving, gone. No more waving at other random guests going by on the steam boat. Rivers of America and the steam boat is the thematic element that bridged Frontierland, Liberty Square and Haunted Mansion and made them connect in an organic way. The steam boat could plausibly fit with all three of those aesthetics and time periods, so the transition between them was not so jarring. Now it’s all going to feel like a hodge-podge of random theming dumped onto the ground like some hoarder’s yard.
This is just laziness and cheap-skating by WDI. They could have made it all work together and kept some of the existing elements in place, even if altered. But that would be challenging and expensive, and the parks management just don’t have the guts to try challenging and expensive after Galactic Starcruiser (alas) flopped.
Well said!
The “slower” world of our 90s childhoods simply does not exist anymore. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve tried to impose that on my kids and failed. They get bored watching scripted TV, or walking in a park, or riding a boat. American children of today live in a world where their media/products are styled around constant stimulation and vlog related trends (unboxing, challenges, commentary, etc), and everything in their social/cultural worlds reinforce that this is what’s “cool”/what they should want. If someone figures out how to fight against those waves, let me know, because I have all but given up. I am definitely not saying this is a good thing, but Disney clearly recognizes the moment they’re living in. Keeping these areas around just to prove a point isn’t going to help anyone; kids will just clamor to go somewhere “less boring.”
Love your thoughts on this and I couldn’t agree more!! My kids loved Tom Sawyer Island when they were younger and the 32-year-old missed going last year when we went. It is what I call the “old Disney” and we love it!!
I wonder how long until they replace the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse with something more profitable. The last bastion of escape.
Oh you know Swiss Family Robinson is doomed. Will Autotopia be next after they complete Cars Land or will they let it rot like Carousel of Progress?
Don’t even joke about that! Not funny. No, there would be no point in destroying the awesome Treehouse, as it takes up very little space. If kids don’t know the story and never read the book or saw the movie, that’s bad parenting.
I think the only thing that keeps Swiss Family Treehouse alive is the fact that it has such a small footprint. There just isn’t that much square footage to put something “impressive” in there should they demolish it. It’s only big enough to put something useless like a DVC lounge… Uh oh.
I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say this will dramatically and irrevocably change the character of the park as a whole. Decisions like this prove to me that the Walt Disney Company’s corporate culture and it’s leadership is just broken. They in no way understand the “sacred” thing they are supposed to be stewards of. It’s just sad.
This makes me so sad! It just won’t be the same park without the river area! Not a good idea. I’m imagining Liberty Belle posters in the Cars queue, which will just be so awful.
First, Tom, another great article and fantastic photography. But this is not in any way an expansion, but is complete and total BOOLSHEET! It’s quite stupid, for all of the reasons you noted. It’s like how the mega-hub ruined the original feel and the whole area in front of the castle with the now massive heat island pavement. I’ve been to Cars Land at DCA and while it’s…okay…it’s not superb. It’s nothing like Galaxy’s Edge on any level. This is another step towards making MK just another amusement park and less of a theme park. I think it sucks.
My grandchildren, ages 5,3,2, love Cars, and they are clueless about Mark Twain. So time marches on, but I will deeply miss the old riverboat and the tranquil walk along the Waters of America.
See, that’s kind of the point of losing this. Your grandkids (and others), who probably haven’t seen a paddleboat before, may never see one in motion now. There won’t be the chance for them to see it for the first time and ask “Hey Grandpa, what kind of funny boat is that?”, and the chance to tell them about steam boats and how rivers used connect everything won’t pop up. That’s the “under the surface” stuff that we lose because WDW management doesn’t look under the surface of guest experience. Now, it’ll just be “hurry up, Grandpa, I want to do the Cars rides, there’s nothing to look at here”.
Do you also think your local library should get rid of all books that your grandchildren are unfamiliar with?
Usually I’m all-in for upgrading and expanding the park, but Tom Sawyer’s island and the riverboats are not only a direct connection to Walt, but bring a much needed contrast to the rest of the attraction lineup.
For those with kids, after having to wait in line and stand still for hours, they can run and explore and pretend all over the island. Its the kind of play current kids don’t get enough of and sorely need. For those without kids, its a chance to decompress and get away from crowds while enjoying the views. Disney needs more areas like this, not less.
For those of you who actually know where the name Mark Twain comes from, losing the riverboats will be a blow. They are direct connection to Walt’s inspirations growing up, and have fantastic views, especially at night.
Agree 100%. I think they could use other property to build cars land! I guess they’ll get rid of autotopia too or just let it rot like Carousel of Progress!
By the way, while I’m sure you have plenty of images of this area, maybe take a few more for us who live far away? I sure will miss it if/when it goes. (Not to mention the knock on effects for the charm of Liberty Square/Haunted Mansion area.)
I could not agree more. I think total replacement of this restful area (yes, at least comparatively, even during peaks) is an awful idea. I think your beautiful photos of the vistas and reflections made possible by the Rivers of America section amply make this point. I hope they rethink this.
“It’s impossible to quantify this. That’s precisely what worries me. Sometimes Disney’s decision-makers view the parks as figures on a spreadsheet, and from that perspective, it’s easy to overlook “underutilized” things that are incredibly important to the Disney theme park experience from a holistic perspective”
YES. THIS.
Completely agree. This is the point I clumsily attempted to make on your Monsters, Inc v. Muppetvision post. Yes, both these projects make sense from a throughput and dollars per guest standpoint. Of course they do.
But do they add to the guest experience? I’m dubious.
This is also why I am a much bigger fan of the Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland v. Disney World. Though I’ll argue that putting it in Disneyland instead of DCA was weird, the transition between “the park” and Galaxy’s Edge in Anaheim feels like you’re leaving one park and entering another, AS IT SHOULD with a land as strongly themed as SWGE. In Orlando– especially from the Toy Story side, the transition is basically nonexistent and kinda jarring. The lands are virtually identical but the experiences are much different.
I fear this is what Cars Land in WDW will feel like, too. The River Boat and Island are/were essential parts of the parks experience IMO. I have a really hard time believing there wasn’t room for at least some form of the current attractions with the new land.
Why not replace the outdated smelly loud speedway with an updated cars attraction over in tomorrowland instead..ugg Do you anticipate this attraction being reimagined after cars has been put on the table?
How about…NO!
What a great article. As an out of town tourist to the Florida parks, I’ve definitely been guilty of over programming and having, “go, go, go” trips to WDW. That being said, it was all the intangibles you write about that somehow melded together to create the overall experience that made our family fall in love with the parks experience. I can’t imagine MK without Rivers of America, even though we never did take that boat ride. This is a bummer, I can’t imagine the fan reaction is going to be great.
I appreciate the nostalgia and tranquility of Rivers of America but I always thought it was a major waste of some prime real estate in a park that people have been clamoring for expansion (whether necessary or not)………I am a fan of the changes and while part of me will miss whats there now, most of me will appreciate the new offerings
I totally agree. What a complete waste of space. There’s not one good thing I can say about Tom Sawyer Island. Hot, bugs, nobody there. As for the River, the boat was charming but other than being a place for hot sweaty people to sit down I’m sure Disney can find an air conditioned lounge for that. Also the increased occurrences of people swimming in the river is enough reason for Disney to pull the plug and literally drain it. Good riddance! Chalk this one up to progress.
When I went to WDW in 2023 my wife and I visited the island, mostly because I knew it wasn’t going to be around much longer. While it was more charming than I remembered, I understand why people say it’s time to go. It’s valuable real estate that isn’t being used to it’s full potential, and it takes too much time to get there… especially when you consider the per hour cost of being in a Disney park. But Rivers of America? What happened to theme parks being about a sense of place? How does Columbia Harbor House and a mansion haunted by an old sea captain fit when the area becomes landlocked? Does the desire to have to new things have to clash with the overall story that’s being told (especially when Disney owns so much real estate!)? I suppose the same folks who decided to shove the Hatbox Ghost in it’s current place where it clashes with the narrative of the ride are the same ones who gave the thumbs-up for this decision. This isn’t progress – it’s lazy storytelling. Which, despite dog whistling that says otherwise, is the real reason Disney box office has been suffering lately. Very disappointing.