Say Goodbye to All Disney World’s Water Features

Disney fans were downright giddy when they heard this year’s D23 Expo announcements. The Walt Disney World Resort was finally getting some new attractions and lands.

Credit: Disney

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The Magic Kingdom was set to get new Cars and Villains Lands, while Animal Kingdom was getting its new Encanto-theme Land. But after that excitement, Disney fans quickly realized that they would have to give something up.

Fans were concerned that MuppetVision 3D would be removed at Hollywood Studios to make room for the new Monsters, Inc. Land. However, Disney World has yet to announce where the new land will be placed in the park, leaving fans on edge.

However, on Monday morning after the event, Disney announced that Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island were closing to make room for the new Cars Land. Fans were immediately angered by this decision and the removal of one of Magic Kingdom’s main water features.

Credit: Brittany DiCologero, Inside the Magic

While neither Rivers of America nor Tom Sawyer Island are overly popular, they add ambiance to the park and offer outstanding views and photo opportunities.

Guests started to wonder why Walt Disney World would remove one of its signature water features for pavement, but this has been a trend for Walt Disney Imagineering for some time. At EPCOT, the fountain behind Spaceship Earth was removed and replaced by pavement and a small park.

Guests are not overly thrilled with the new EPCOT, and there is an expectation among Disney fans that the new additions will take away the ambiance and the pavement will be drenched in the Florida sun, making it unbearable.

Credit: Disney

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But why take away all the water? Turns out Walt Disney Imagineering has a specific reason for removing all the water.

Imagineer Tom Morris was being interviewed for episode four of The Imagineering Story. While talking about Hong Kong Disneyland, Morris said no rivers are in the park. He continued:

Water is expensive and water doesn’t pay the bills, you know. It’s a cost. It’s not a revenue generator. 

So, there it is. It doesn’t matter that these fountains and waterways provide guests a nice place to relax and watch the world pass them by for a minute.

We’re watching The Imagineering Story (episode 4) and this quote (re: Hong Kong Disneyland) caught my attention. Maybe this is why we’re losing so many fountains and Rivers of America at WDW? pic.twitter.com/HM25bKgk1O

— Mariann Bell (@mariannwolfebe1) September 13, 2024

Water is not a revenue generator for the Walt Disney World Resort, so it must go.

Does this mean guests should be worried about the World Showcase Lagoon leaving in the near future? Possibly. If Disney can fit another eight countries in that space, why not remove the water that is just taking up space?

As Disney fans feared, money is the driving force behind all of the changes at the theme parks, and that never ends well for anyone.

What do you think about Disney World removing its water features?