Walt Disney World has officially closed the Rivers of America at Magic Kingdom, a feature that opened with the park in 1971, to pave the way for new attractions themed around Pixar‘s Cars and an entirely new Disney Villains land. This significant transition raises questions about the fate of the Rivers of America and the upcoming attractions that will take its place. We’ve gathered inquiries from our readers across social media, and in this article, we’ll answer the most frequently asked questions regarding this development.
Is the Rivers of America completely closing?
Yes, the Rivers of America at Magic Kingdom is permanently closed. This closure affects both the Liberty Square Riverboat (the Liberty Belle) and Tom Sawyer Island attractions, which last operated on July 6, 2025. Although these attractions—the riverboat, island, and the river itself—will not be part of the redevelopment, the new Cars area will include water elements, like roaring rivers and waterfalls.
What will happen to the Liberty Belle?
Disney has not revealed what it intends to do with the riverboat. Currently, the Liberty Belle is docked backstage at Magic Kingdom in a canal behind Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
Can the Liberty Belle be repurposed?
The Liberty Belle could potentially be repurposed for specific functions, but its uses are limited. As is, it does not have the necessary space or equipment to operate as a full-scale restaurant. Furthermore, it cannot transport guests beyond the Rivers of America, as it was designed to run on a fixed track, so it lacks steering capabilities.
Additionally, the riverboat is not large enough to accommodate a sufficient number of guests for transportation purposes, specifically shuttling between the Transportation and Ticket Center (the Magic Kingdom parking lot) and Magic Kingdom. Other factors also impact the Liberty Belle’s ability to transport guests between these two locations, including the boarding area for the riverboat and the fact that it has only one pilothouse. In contrast, the current ferryboats that operate between these two locations feature boarding locations and pilothouses at both the front and back.
For the Liberty Belle to effectively fulfill either of these roles, whether it be a restaurant or for transportation, may not be feasible without costly modifications. However, the Liberty Belle could potentially serve as a basic lounge focused on serving beverages. To clarify, Disney has not disclosed any plans for the riverboat.
How will the closure of the Rivers of America impact surrounding attractions?
The redevelopment of the Rivers of America impacts the operation of the Walt Disney World Railroad. As a result of the construction, the train is unable to complete its full circuit around Magic Kingdom. Instead, it is following a modified route, serving solely as a shuttle between the Main Street station and Fantasyland station, while excluding the Frontierland station. The closure of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is unrelated to the Rivers of America project; this attraction has been closed for refurbishment since January 2025 and is not expected to reopen until 2026. Other nearby attractions, like the Haunted Mansion, are still operational.
How long will it take to build the new Cars and Villains areas?
Disney has not disclosed a specific timeline for the completion of either the Cars or Villains developments. Given that Disney has released more details about the Cars area, known as Piston Peak, we can assume that they plan to finish this section first. For context, the construction of Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios took approximately 2 years, while Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge was built in about 3 years. In comparison, the construction of Tron Lightcycle / Run at Magic Kingdom took around 5 years for just one ride.
It’s important to note that the development of the Cars and Villains areas presents unique challenges compared to these previous projects, primarily due to the need to drain and fill in the Rivers of America. The overall size and intricacy of each area will also contribute to the timeline, along with economic factors. Experts estimate that the Villains land may not be completed until 2029 or later, while the Cars area could possibly open slightly before then. However, this is pure speculation, and numerous variables could influence and potentially delay the completion of these new attractions.
Will any existing features of the Rivers of America remain?
Based on concept art for Piston Peak, the Cars-themed area, it seems Disney intends to keep the riverboat landing dock and the boardwalk along the water in Frontierland. Despite having a different setting, it also appears that Piston Peak will feature barrel bridges similar to those on Tom Sawyer Island. These details are based exclusively on artist conceptual renderings released by Disney and may be subject to change in the final outcome. Additionally, as previously noted, although the Rivers of America will cease to exist, a river feature will not, as this development will include roaring rivers instead.
Is Walt Disney World building a Cars Land?
Not exactly. Magic Kingdom’s Cars area will not resemble the Cars Land at Disney California Adventure, which is themed to Radiator Springs. Magic Kingdom’s version is a new concept called Piston Peak National Park and will be part of a reimagined section of Frontierland. Piston Peak draws inspiration from the Rocky Mountains as well as the history and iconic sights of the American Frontier and its national parks.
What attractions will the new Cars area feature?
Disney has announced that the Cars area will include two attractions: a thrilling rally race ride and a family-friendly attraction, although details about the latter attraction have not yet been revealed.
What can we expect from the rally race ride?
This new off-road rally race ride will allow guests to take on wild terrain as they race across the landscape, climbing mountains and dodging geysers. Disney has designed a new type of ride vehicle to create an experience that captures the sensations of racing on various terrains.
What else can guests do in the Cars area?
In addition to the details we already discussed, Disney announced that within Piston Peak, guests can explore the visitor lodge, Ranger HQ, trails, and more, all situated within the Cars universe.
What attractions will the new Villains land feature?
The Disney Villains-inspired land is set to feature two major attractions, though Disney has not shared specifics. Concept art suggests that a new roller coaster will be part of the land.
What else can guests do in the Villains land?
Disney has confirmed that this land will also include dining and shopping options. However, they have provided very limited information about the land. Apart from announcing that the land will have two major attractions, along with dining and shopping, Disney has not disclosed any specific details about them or the setting of the land. Since the official announcement in August 2024, Disney has only shared a single artist conceptual rendering of the land.
How will these new areas blend in with the existing area?
The Villains land will primarily be situated “beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad,” as Disney refers to it. This means it will be positioned at the back end of the park, potentially minimizing sightline concerns with the existing Frontierland and Liberty Square. We suspect that the features in the Cars area will obscure the Villains land from these areas, but that’s merely speculation. It remains to be seen, however, how the transition from the Cars area to the Villains land will take place.
As for the Cars-inspired area, Piston Peak, it will occupy a prominent location, taking up the front section of what used to be the Rivers of America. Disney plans to implement natural barriers: “From the outside, trees will provide a natural barrier between the off-road rally and other parts of Frontierland and Liberty Square. Rugged mountains with dramatic peaks will be nestled along a calming waterway across from Grizzly Hall and soaring geysers from the famed Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will stretch into the trails of our off-road rally. ”
A recent image Disney shared, attached above, offers a look at how Piston Peak will blend in. In this image, Disney included Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and the rest of Frontierland to illustrate how they plan to incorporate the new area to coexist with existing landmarks. The Haunted Mansion is not pictured, but would be located at the bottom right of the image, with the rest of Liberty Square at the bottom.
Why didn’t Disney place these new attractions elsewhere to keep the Rivers of America?
Only Disney can provide the official answer regarding why these new attractions are being built in place of the Rivers of America, but we can speculate on numerous factors that could have influenced this decision.
First and foremost, Walt Disney World has not committed to adding another theme park to accommodate these developments. Instead, the focus has been on enhancing its existing parks. It seems Disney selected Magic Kingdom for this project as it hasn’t undergone any significant changes since the opening of “New Fantasyland” more than a decade ago. The addition of Tron Lightcycle / Run represents just one new attraction, while Tiana’s Bayou Adventure was merely a retheming of an existing ride.
In contrast, other Walt Disney World theme parks have experienced more drastic changes over the past decade, with some of them having ongoing redevelopment plans. Moreover, the Rivers of America is expensive to maintain, and its attractions, the Liberty Square Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island, have not performed as well in terms of attendance as other attractions in the park. Whether you agree with the decision or not, like any competitive theme park, it becomes necessary to replace underperforming attractions to draw in more guests. The expansive size of the Rivers of America also makes it prime real estate for new developments.
Furthermore, Disney likely opted to utilize existing space within Magic Kingdom rather than expanding beyond its existing borders for cost-effectiveness. Replacing current attractions is typically less expensive than developing entirely new land. Since Walt Disney World is situated on swampland, not all areas on the property are suitable for construction because of the possible sinking risks. While this may not apply to this case, any land around Magic Kingdom that is buildable would still require significant preparation to ensure it can support new construction. This process could prove to be more expensive than repurposing the already developed spaces.
As new details emerge about the redevelopment of the Rivers of America, we’ll keep you informed.
Please note that the information in this post will not be refreshed with new updates, so be sure to stay tuned to AttractionInsight.com and follow our social media channels for the latest coverage.
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