Frontierland has always been one of Magic Kingdom’s most atmospheric lands. It wasn’t just about attractions. It was about the setting. Between the rustic walkways, the distant music, and the water stretching alongside the land, Frontierland felt like a space designed to slow guests down and pull them into a different world.
Now, that feeling is starting to disappear.
Magic Kingdom is currently undergoing two major construction projects, and one of them is already making Frontierland feel completely different. Disney has permanently closed Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island after 54 years, and construction is already underway on a Cars-themed expansion titled Piston Peak National Park.
Guests are not waiting until the project is finished to feel the impact. Many are noticing the changes right now.
Unlike some Disney construction projects that stay hidden behind walls, this one feels impossible to ignore. Guests walking through Frontierland can actually see evidence of construction activity in the area. In some locations, they can even hear it, which is especially noticeable because Frontierland has traditionally felt quieter and more removed from the chaos of the park.
The sound alone is enough to shift the experience. Rivers of America used to provide a calm atmosphere, with water acting as both a visual centerpiece and a buffer that made the land feel cooler and more open. It gave guests a place to pause, take photos, and enjoy a classic part of Magic Kingdom without feeling rushed.
Now, the absence of the water is creating a different kind of environment.
Some guests have even pointed out something unexpected: Frontierland has a different smell than it used to. Without the water, and with construction actively disturbing the ground, the air feels drier. Dust is being kicked up in the area, and the natural moisture that used to linger near Rivers of America is no longer there. For a park that is built on carefully crafted details, that is a major shift.
It may seem like a small thing, but it adds to the growing feeling that Frontierland is becoming something else entirely. The land is still technically there, but its identity is already changing.
At the same time, Disney is also working on another major project in Magic Kingdom. Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin is being fully reimagined, and Disney is even updating the exterior of the attraction. That project is expected to refresh Tomorrowland in a noticeable way.
But Frontierland is where the most dramatic transformation is happening.
This is not a simple refurbishment or a temporary closure. Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island are permanently gone, and the new Cars expansion is already shaping the future of Magic Kingdom.
For guests who have visited for years, it feels like they are watching a piece of the park’s history disappear in real time. And with the sights, sounds, and even the air itself changing, Frontierland is quickly starting to feel unrecognizable compared to the version guests have known for more than five decades.
