In a bittersweet growth, Imagineering has filed the primary allow to demolish Tom Sawyer Island, forward of development on the ‘Piston Peak’ Automobiles challenge in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom. This particulars the newest information, and what we’re anticipating from the Rivers of America substitute at Walt Disney World.
Slightly than beginning by bringing you up to the mark on the Automobiles saga, let’s begin with the information earlier than backtracking. Walt Disney Imagineering filed a brand new Discover of Graduation on June 25, 2025 for “demo, infrastructure prep and utility modification” to an deal with that corresponds with Tom Sawyer Island in Magic Kingdom.
Disney lists NorthStar Contracting Group, Inc. because the contractor for the challenge. NorthStar has some spectacular bona fides within the demolition world. In keeping with the corporate’s web site, NorthStar has been ranked within the high 10 Demolition & Wrecking Contractors in america since 1999. NorthStar was even ranked #1 in Wrecking & Demolition for 2020 by ENR Journal–are you able to consider it?! (I don’t know what that’s.)
Level being, it could appear that Walt Disney World is assembling the dream workforce for the Automobiles challenge, first calling on one of many world’s main cellular modular companies for the Imagineering subject places of work and now an all-star within the demo house. It’s just like the Avengers, however for paving over paradise to place in a cartoon Automobiles race.
In any case, Walt Disney World goes to wish the demolition all-stars who “convey solutions” as a result of the Discover of Graduation lists the default expiration interval of 1 yr–that means it expires on June 25, 2026.
As we’ve talked about in latest allow protection, it’s by no means noteworthy when these Discover of Commencements go along with the default, as new permits can all the time be filed for extensions. It’s illuminating when the interval is shorter or longer, as that’s usually (however not all the time) reflective of the inner challenge timeline.
For these preserving rating at residence, that is the primary substantive demolition allow that we’ve noticed for the Rivers of America substitute following the allow issued by the South Florida Water Administration District (SFWMD) in mid-February 2025, giving Imagineering till February 17, 2030 to redevelop the realm. The underlying SFWMD allow is huge in scale and scope, encompassing over 300 acres round Magic Kingdom and past.
The challenge web site itself is about 14-plus acres, and can start with the removing of the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island. Rather than these areas, Walt Disney World introduced two all-new Automobiles sights and Villains Land growth at Magic Kingdom, basically behind Automobiles Land, and between/behind Massive Thunder and Haunted Mansion.
As we famous when that was authorized, it was not the ultimate allow for the Villains and Automobiles Lands initiatives as an entire, however it was the one which posed the best diploma of problem and scrutiny from the state. The remaining ought to principally be rubber-stamped–together with this one for the demolition Tom Sawyer Island. That SFWMD allow was the one hurdle that mattered–the final materials obstacle to the Automobiles and Villains Land initiatives.
Subsequent to the SFWMD allow however previous to this, Walt Disney Imagineering started laying the groundwork for this challenge by submitting development permits to put in trailers in a backstage space behind Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad and Tiana’s Bayou Journey in Magic Kingdom.
The first allow then was assigned to McGrath RentCorp, an organization specializing in development subject places of work adjoining to work websites. These have been very related permits for a trailer park and staging space behind Kali River Rapids in help of the Tropical Americas challenge final spring. Additionally they repurposed the previous Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser behind Disney’s Hollywood Studios into subject places of work for the Monstropolis growth there.
There’ll probably be dozens extra demolition and development permits for the Piston Peak ‘Automobiles’ miniland within the subsequent few years. We don’t plan on overlaying the extra pedestrian of these (simply as we haven’t with Tropical Americas). That is solely being reported on as a result of it qualifies as a serious milestone. And since there are nonetheless some followers deeply in denial about this challenge taking place (it’s).
As a reminder, Walt Disney World formally introduced that the Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and Liberty Sq. Riverboat will all shut on July 7, 2025. The final day to expertise any of those sights and areas at Magic Kingdom will probably be July 6, 2025.
Together with that, “shuttle mode” operations of the Walt Disney World Railroad will start on July 7, 2025. That’s additionally when the Frontierland Station will shut on a brief foundation for Automobiles and Villains Land development. Because of this the final date to expertise the Grand Circle Tour of the WDW Railroad (or cease at Frontierland Station) is July 6, 2025.
As soon as the rivers cease flowing and are stuffed in, they’ll kind the inspiration of the Automobiles land (now generally known as Piston Peak Nationwide Park) in Frontierland and a portion of Villains Land.
Walt Disney World has additionally shared that development partitions is not going to go up in a single day on July 7, 2025 in Frontierland obstructing the challenge web site. Slightly, partitions will go up steadily over the course of a few weeks, so anticipate to see them by late July–simply in time for the debut of Disney Starlight: Dream the Night time Away.
That’s a joke. Once we inquired, a Walt Disney World spokesperson suggested us that development partitions is not going to affect viewing areas for the brand new Starlight Night time Parade in Magic Kingdom. Additionally they shared that development partitions is not going to affect crowd stream or bypasses in Frontierland for individuals who do not need to ‘Dream the Night time Away.’
Because of this the waterfront promenade in Frontierland will stay open for the foreseeable future. Presumably, development partitions will go up on the opposite aspect of the boardwalk. That is at the very least a small victory for these of us who admire this Frontierland ‘shortcut’ or have been/are fearing the worst with crowdflow for Starlight.
Personally, I’m actually curious to see how this may all unfold, what sort of visible blight will exist in Frontierland, and the way the challenge web site will evolve. When the Rivers of America has been drained previously for refurbishment and repairs to the riverbed, there haven’t been partitions in any respect (see above).
My assumption is that it was deemed to be too herculean of a job to put in partitions throughout the perimeter of the Rivers of America in Frontierland and Liberty Sq., and arguably counterproductive. Which is worse: a view of a dry riverbed with some work automobiles driving round and the pure surroundings of Tom Sawyer Island past it, or development partitions that make the land really feel smaller and extra claustrophobic?
Clearly, that is a lot completely different in period, scale and scope. For one factor, it’s not only a multi-month challenge to restore the riverbed–it is a multi-year development challenge that’ll materially alter the surroundings. For an additional, there received’t be the gorgeous pure vista of Tom Sawyer Island within the distance. As this allow brings into sharp reduction, that play space is being demolished.
I’ve additionally been questioning what’s subsequent with the demolition of Tom Sawyer Island, razing of the Rivers of America, and Automobiles development. Particularly, whether or not this work goes to occur in phases or be a large all-at-once endeavor.
Previous to deadlines being introduced, we speculated that Walt Disney World might probably protect the Frontierland-facing half of the Rivers of America for some time–probably so long as a yr–utilizing cofferdams. That crews may begin backstage and work their solution to the entrance half over time.
That clearly shouldn’t be going to occur given the deadlines (together with Frontierland Station), and in gentle of the permits which have now been filed. It’ll nonetheless be fascinating to see simply how rapidly the Rivers of America stops flowing and demolition begins. It appears to be like like we in all probability have a few weeks after the sights shut on July 7, 2025 to benefit from the view, however I wouldn’t essentially rely on that. Except the all-stars at NorthStar are consummate professionals and plan on ferrying bulldozers over on the rafts. Now that will be a sight to behold!
Suffice to say, we must always begin to see drainage and plenty of filth transferring by Fall 2025–perhaps as early as August. My guess could be there’s seen demolition of Tom Sawyer Island within the coming weeks. Whereas I used to be giddy about seeing the carnage in Dino-Rama, it’s going to be a gut-punch the day when Harper’s Mill comes down.
Inside the final month, work has already started backstage. That’s all what’s publicly seen from Floridian Approach, the part of highway to the northwest of Magic Kingdom. It’s troublesome to discern how far alongside progress is on this space nearer to on-stage areas and the guest-facing aspect of the Rivers of America. It’s additionally potential that extra is completed backstage earlier than work begins in earnest on infilling the Rivers of America.
Zooming out, there will probably be three gravel laydown yards in complete across the northwestern perimeter of Magic Kingdom used for development tools, heavy equipment, supplies staging, earth-moving, and so forth. Disney additionally must create a brand new retention pond for stormwater administration that’s roughly three-quarters of a mile to the northwest of Magic Kingdom. It’s probably that the bottom eliminated when digging the brand new pond will probably be used for filling the Rivers of America.
As heartbreaking because it’ll be to see Harper’s Mill demolished, Rivers of America drained and stuffed in, my hope is that Imagineering is fast-tracking all of this and plans to do as a lot as concurrently as potential. We’ve been in opposition to the substitute of the Rivers of America from the beginning, and keep that perspective to this present day.
Nonetheless, now that it’s crystal clear that this challenge is going on, we would like it to be fast-tracked. Reduce the period of time there’s development blight in Magic Kingdom, avoiding a repeat of the Big EPCOT Filth Pit fiasco. The longer any challenge drags on, the extra probably it’s that to be budget-cut or worth engineered into oblivion.
That’s what makes this bittersweet. I nonetheless don’t love this concept, however it’s going to occur and there’s nothing I can do to alter the course of this challenge. Accordingly, I might love nothing greater than for the future-former Rivers of America to be unrecognizable by January 2026, and cranes showing on web site to start vertical development. (That’s in all probability approach too quickly–however the level stands that I need this transferring full-steam forward.) Get this completed rapidly to attenuate the visitor affect and have Piston Peak open ASAP.
As mentioned in Walt Disney World’s 5-Yr Building Plan, the positioning prepwork alone for Automobiles Land and Villains Land will probably be a herculean endeavor that can take many months–if no more than a yr. Followers will bemoan the prolonged timeline, however Automobiles Land debuting in 2029 really appears pretty aggressive given the dimensions and scope of labor.
On the very least, Walt Disney World will need to get transferring on the groundwork for the walkway connecting Massive Thunder Mountain and Haunted Mansion, working behind Piston Peak Nationwide Park and in entrance of Villains Land, in the course of the present closure of Massive Thunder Mountain Railroad.
That year-plus refurbishment is slated to wrap up someday within the first half of 2026 (probably earlier than spring break), and we’d anticipate progress on a pathway by then (it received’t be wherever close to able to open in 2026–simply began and to a degree the place BTMRR received’t have to shut once more later to accommodate development).
As all the time relating to the subject of changing the Rivers of America, I’ll reiterate my view that eradicating the Rivers of America is a mistake (my small technique of ‘protesting’ this and making clear that reporting on the information shouldn’t be construed as endorsing the choices).
Whereas I’m very a lot reassured by the brand new idea artwork and what the Imagineering challenge workforce has shared about Piston Peak Nationwide Park, my view continues to be that it’s making lemonade out of lemons. It sounding like the most effective case state of affairs given the circumstances continues to be not the most effective case state of affairs, interval.
That is one thing we coated beforehand at size within the commentary to our authentic submit about Automobiles Land Changing Rivers of America. Should you’re struggling to grasp why followers are upset about this, think about studying a type of. I’m not going to fixate or belabor the purpose right here because it’s already been made repeatedly, however this waterway is a part of the guts of Magic Kingdom and not only for the friends who actively make the most of these sights.
Whereas Piston Peak appears to be like pretty (assuming the completed product matches the recently-released ‘Enjoyable Map’), it nonetheless strikes me as a mistake that Disney isn’t retaining the Rivers of America waterfront whereas redeveloping the again half of Tom Sawyer Island and the realm that’s really past Massive Thunder.
I’m nonetheless hoping for the most effective with Piston Peak Nationwide Park. It’s going to be a tricky needle to string, however it appears like perhaps Imagineering can create a Automobiles space impressed by U.S. Nationwide Parks with mountains, water, and extra that slot in Frontierland. I like what I’ve seen so far, particularly the variety of water options and the preservation of the waterfront promenade. Right here’s hoping they’re as much as the duty and may pull it off.
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