Walt Disney World Resort guests are noticing significant changes just outside the Magic Kingdom Park, with two large-scale construction projects underway. Among the most striking transformations is the full excavation of a piece of land just outside Frontierland, complete with a seemingly bottomless pit.
This major expansion project includes the creation of two new themed areas: Piston Peak National Park and a Disney Villains land. Inspired by the 2006 animated film Cars, Piston Peak will be part of Frontierland and feature a family-friendly attraction and a thrilling rally race ride. This new area aims to bring the beauty of America’s national parks to life, using some existing parts of the Rivers of America landscape. Meanwhile, the Disney Villains land will occupy an unused area near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, vastly expanding Magic Kingdom Park’s footprint.
As part of the ongoing work, construction crews have started the process of removing old attractions to make room for the new developments. Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat saw their final guests on July 6, 2025, with Imagineers spotted surveying the island shortly afterward. Construction walls have now gone up around the Rivers of America, and the dock area for the Tom Sawyer Island rafts is now filled with construction equipment. Items around the island have been tagged for either destruction or preservation, with several pieces headed for the Disney Archives. Visitors have also noticed the water level in the Rivers of America dropping as crews prepare the area for its overhaul.
While these planned changes were expected, guests were caught by surprise when they spotted a large excavation just outside the Magic Kingdom. Crews have bulldozed hundreds, if not thousands, of trees to clear space for an equipment staging area, and a bottomless pit has appeared in the construction zone. On Monday, Redditor u/wheelsee shared an aerial photo of the area, revealing the hole partially filled with water, sparking curiosity among Disney Parks fans.
What is this pit outside of the berm user for?
What is this pit outside of the berm user for?
byu/wheelsee inWaltDisneyWorld
Some fans speculated that the pit is part of the construction process for water retention during the build of the Villains and Cars areas.
“Water retention for construction runoff so it doesn’t get into the river,” said u/Ghost_Turd. “They likely pump it periodically.”
“Serious answer: Probably water retention during the Villains and Cars construction,” u/2bitCity replied. “Unserious answer: It’s the hole Walt dug spinning in his grave after hearing what they’re doing to Magic Kingdom.”
As of now, Walt Disney World Resort has not officially shared details about the pit’s purpose.
Have you noticed any effects from construction around the Magic Kingdom? Disney Dining would love to hear from you in the comments!
