Parts of the Frontierland area are now officially blocked from Magic Kingdom Park guests. As of Monday, September 29, 2025, the former Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island are fully concealed from view. Disney Park guests can now see nothing but construction walls, scrims, and barricades surrounding the entire riverwalk area in Liberty Square and Frontierland.
At D23 Expo 2024, Walt Disney World Resort revealed plans to replace both the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island with a new area inspired by the Cars (2006) movie franchise. This expansion, named Piston Peak National Park, will introduce two exciting new attractions: one family-friendly experience and a thrilling rally race ride.
In July, the Rivers of America, the Liberty Square Riverboat, and Tom Sawyer Island said their final goodbyes to Magic Kingdom Park guests. Shortly after, Walt Disney Imagineers were seen tagging props on Tom Sawyer Island, likely for archival preservation or destruction. At the same time, the drained riverbed was slowly filled with construction equipment that stretched from the Haunted Mansion to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
Seeing the Rivers of America like this at Magic Kingdom makes me feel really sad. It wasn’t just about the beautiful Riverboat, it was the amazing atmosphere that it added to the this area of the park. Very sad to see it drained and closed for good! #magickingdom #waltdisneyworld
Seeing the Rivers of America like this at Magic Kingdom makes me feel really sad. It wasn’t just about the beautiful Riverboat, it was the amazing atmosphere that it added to the this area of the park. Very sad to see it drained and closed for good! #magickingdom #waltdisneyworld pic.twitter.com/LeqliRXheg
— Theme Park Worldwide (@ThemeParkWW) September 11, 2025
Over the course of September, guests observed the gradual concealment of the Frontierland area. Scaffolding and scrim began to appear around the edge of the dried-up Rivers of America, and it was clear that Disney was preparing to shield the remaining demolition and construction from view. As of this week, according to WDWNT, construction walls and scrims have surrounded the area, with gray walls connecting to a tall brown scrim near Frontierland.
However, even though much of the area is hidden, some parts of Tom Sawyer Island are still faintly visible from certain vantage points, especially from slightly uphill near the entrance to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Wooden structures, netting, and rustic theming are visible in areas where the scrim-covered scaffolding is situated in the dry riverbed.
Walt Disney World Resort has not announced a grand opening date for Piston Peak National Park. At the same time, Imagineers are working on a new Disney Villains land “beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad,” expanding the footprint of Magic Kingdom Park.
Have you noticed any other construction-related changes at Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? Share your experience with Disney Dining in the comments!
