Niles: Lessons Endure After Disney Closes a Favorite Ride
MAGIC KINGDOM, WALT DISNEY WORLD, ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA, JUL 6 – The new Piston Peak National Park will replace classic attractions, marking Magic Kingdom's largest expansion and introducing themed experiences from Disney and Pixar's 'Cars' universe.
- On July 7, Disney will close Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and Liberty Square Riverboat at Magic Kingdom to make way for Piston Peak National Park.
- Prompted by Disney’s largest-ever expansion announced last month, the park is closing Rivers of America and related attractions to make way for Piston Peak National Park.
- Since 1971, Rivers of America has anchored Frontierland and Liberty Square, with the Liberty Belle steamboat and Tom Sawyer Island added in 1973 to offer narrated frontier-life rides.
- In the wake of the closures, fans launched petitions with thousands of signatures and campaigns to express frustration to Disney.
- Beyond the closures, Disney’s shift toward themed IP lands highlights a broader trend prioritizing merchandise and franchise integration over traditional park charm, raising questions about future guest experiences.
20 Articles
20 Articles

Niles: Lessons endure after Disney closes a favorite ride
Walt Disney World has closed the attraction where I learned one of the more important lessons of my life. Disney has closed its Tom Sawyer Island and surrounding Rivers of America in Florida, after 52 years of operation at the Magic Kingdom. The attractions remain open at Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland. I drove the rafts to Florida’s Tom Sawyer Island for parts of four years while I was in college and graduate school. Sign up for our Park Life …
Disney World is closing some classic rides to build its biggest land ever
Several attractions at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom park are now closed to guests in order to make room for a new land that’s being developed, Piston Peak National Park. The impacted attractions are located in Frontierland and Liberty Square. To make space for the park expansion, the following attractions are permanently closed: Rivers of America Tom Sawyer Island Liberty Square Riverboat Inspired by America’s national parks Magic Kingd…
Disney Wastes No Time: Liberty Belle Gone, Tom Sawyer Island Already Being Dismantled at Magic Kingdom
The demolition of Magic Kingdom’s historic Frontierland area has officially begun—and Disney isn’t slowing down. Just hours after the July 6th closure of Tom Sawyer Island, the Liberty Square Riverboat, and the Frontierland Railroad Station, visible construction activity is now underway The post Disney Wastes No Time: Liberty Belle Gone, Tom Sawyer Island Already Being Dismantled at Magic Kingdom appeared first on That Park Place.
Magic Kingdom Closing Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island on Fourth of July Weekend Is the Final Slap in the Face to Disney Fans
The inevitable is upon us. Whether Disney fans like it or not, Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island are on their way to extinction at Magic Kingdom. Credit: Inside The Magic No project in recent memory has stoked more anger among the Disney community than the removal of Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island. While neither attraction is considered a doorstopper, both add aesthetic value to the park and create an atmosphere of calm on an othe…
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