Imagineering has filed the primary permits for the not-so-Past Large Thunder venture encompassing Automobiles and Villains Lands expansions to Magic Kingdom. This publish covers particulars in regards to the permits, implications for the Walt Disney World Railroad, Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island–plus hypothesis a few future in-park lodge and extra.
In the course of the Parks Panel on the 2024 D23 Expo, Walt Disney World has introduced two all-new Automobiles points of interest in a reimagined space of Frontierland at Magic Kingdom. This isn’t Radiator Springs or a clone of Automobiles Land from Disney California Journey, however it’s sizable sufficient for us to contemplate it Automobiles miniland at minimal. Together with this, they formally introduced Villains Land growth at Magic Kingdom.
Subsequent to D23, Walt Disney World revealed that the Automobiles space will truly substitute the Rivers of America, which means that Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Sq. Riverboat will completely shut. This information let a whole lot of the air out of the tires, so to talk, from Walt Disney World’s in any other case blockbuster D23.
These first permits had been filed with the South Florida Water Administration District virtually instantly after Walt Disney World’s ‘clarification’ in regards to the location of the Automobiles land. The timing of all this was clearly purposeful. As mentioned in our Past Large Thunder publish, we had been suggested by Imagineering again in early April that the permits could be filed within the coming weeks. They presumably reconsidered, as these would’ve let the cat out of the bag that the Rivers of America could be stuffed in to a point.
The “to a point” a part of that was anticipated. As defined on the time, it was extremely doubtless that the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island would each be “condensed.” From a purely operational and crowd stream perspective, one of many apparent objectives of the ‘Past Large Thunder’ venture was eliminating the Large Thunder Mountain and Haunted Mansion useless ends. We simply didn’t know on the time that this meant utterly filling in and dropping the whole Rivers of America.
Anyway, the brand new mid-August 2024 permits filed with the South Florida Water Administration District relate to stormwater displacement modifications and development laydown yards. There are low-lying areas to the northwest of the Rivers of America, necessitating further work to ascertain usable gravel laydown yards within the first place.
Water administration permits are at all times the primary to seem for a venture of this nature. Consider approval on these as a mandatory prerequisite for starting substantive development–one of these allow is required is when waterways are going to be rerouted or water is displaced.
Principally, earlier than the Rivers of America will be drained, Disney wants to clarify how they’ll substitute the misplaced stormwater runoff capability. Such is the character of development within the swamps.
As for the gravel laydown yards, there can be three in whole across the northwestern perimeter of Magic Kingdom. Two can be positioned past the berm, which means outdoors of Magic Kingdom visitor areas, with the third laydown yard that must be seen from inside Magic Kingdom alongside the northwestern banks of the Rivers of America. These gravel laydown yards can be used for development tools, heavy equipment, supplies staging, earth-moving, and many others.
Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America haven’t any time limit at current. Walt Disney World has solely indicated that work will kick “into excessive gear” in 2025, however earlier than then, that “visitors can have loads of time to expertise the allure and nostalgia of Frontierland as it’s right now.”
If you wish to assessment the allow bundle for your self, you are able to do so on the SFWMD web site by looking for 407 Basin Stormwater Modifications. Honest warning: it’s over 1,000 pages in whole unfold out over quite a few PDFs. And this isn’t even the “thrilling” stuff. There’ll doubtless be many extra “meatier” permits filed within the months and years to return as Imagineering brings the Automobiles and Villains Lands to life.
As a little bit of coloration commentary and context, these kind of staging areas are widespread for large-scale development tasks at Walt Disney World. It might sound surprising that the gravel laydown yards are like triple the scale of the particular growth space, however that’s not unusual–particularly since this isn’t a single uninterrupted staging location.
There have been related laydown yards for all kinds of main growth tasks, from New Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom to Pandora – World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom. The one for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land was equally huge, dwarfing the scale of the growth itself.
What’s extra fascinating about these staging areas, in my view, is that they need to lead to land that was beforehand marginally appropriate for development to grow to be appropriate for constructing. Which means that the staging areas themselves might be development websites sooner or later.
This might merely imply this space is an growth pad for the Villains Land. Ought to it’s nicely obtained, Walt Disney World would possibly greenlight one other attraction to be constructed on this area. That will surely make sense, particularly with Villains Land being extra of an open idea land as an alternative of one other single mental property growth.
Equally doubtless, from my perspective, is an in-park lodge overlooking the Villains Land. To be clear, that is purely speculative–I’ve heard zero credible rumors a few lodge being a part of the ‘Past Large Thunder’ venture. I simply know the way Walt Disney World administration salivates on the prospect of extra high-dollar lodge stock, and this would definitely test that field–and in a extremely fascinating location.
This strikes me as a option to ‘promote’ the venture internally, because the room capability could be extremely beneficial and assist recoup the prices of the growth. In actual fact, there’s already just about a blueprint for this: Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea, which can also be in the back of that park and has a lodge overlooking the brand new land. Though such a Magic Kingdom lodge wouldn’t be on the monorail line, it may most likely dethrone Grand Floridian because the flagship Walt Disney World resort.
Talking of hypothesis, it’s additionally secure to count on that the Walt Disney World Railroad will shut for one more few years.
In case you missed it, Walt Disney World Railroad closed for the development of TRON Lightcycle Run in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom. It went down on December 3, 2018 and didn’t reopen till December 22, 2022 after being closed for 1,481 days (however who’s counting?!).
It’s solely potential that the Walt Disney World Railroad closes longer this go-round. Again with the final closure, we heard so many followers complain that it was poor planning by Disney to take the trains offline so lengthy. That’s incorrect. It was solely by design–a function, not a bug.
Taking the Walt Disney World Railroad down beneath the pretext of development provided the corporate appreciable operational cost-savings. It additionally resulted in minimal pushback from visitors and followers because it was visibly apparent that constructing the brand new curler coaster interferes with the railroad.
To be clear, I’ve zero perception into Walt Disney World’s plan for closing the railroad to accommodate development of the Automobiles and Villains Lands. I’m merely sharing what occurred up to now, as that’s most likely one of the best predictor of the long run.
What we do know is that beginning in 2025, the railroad tracks can be between the gravel laydown yards and the development web site on Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America. It’s solely potential, if not possible, that the WDW Railroad will should be taken out of service to facilitate work and vehicular visitors forwards and backwards throughout the tracks from the staging space to the positioning.
Long run, the development of Villains Land will virtually definitely necessitate a closure. Not solely is there the identical subject with staging to web site entry, however the Villains Land will truly be constructed instantly alongside the Walt Disney World Railroad. Whereas it’s potential this new land manages to remain contained in the berm, we wouldn’t financial institution on it.
That might imply {that a} observe re-routing is critical to accommodate Villains Land. Extra optimistically, there might be one other station added on the far again of Magic Kingdom, about midway between the present Frontierland and Storybook Circus stations. Getting tremendous speculative and mixing the 2 factors above, having an in-park lodge with a railroad station (just like Disneyland Paris, however on the bottom) could be savvy.
Finally, it’s good to see these ‘Past Large Thunder’ tasks kicking into excessive gear so quickly after their official bulletins on the 2024 D23 Expo. Whereas we are able to definitely debate whether or not Automobiles must be changing the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island within the first place, it’s good to see them shifting in an expeditious method regardless.
At the least for me, it might be worse to announce all of this, then have Disney sit on their palms for a couple of years, solely to have one of the best a part of the venture–Villains Land–fall via because of the delays. The second part of Disney tasks is notorious for by no means occurring, and that’s often as a result of work doesn’t begin till the primary part is open. I’m glad that isn’t occurring right here.
Sadly, this does imply that “saving” the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island is an absolute misplaced trigger. We’ve had readers ask us whether or not petitions, contacting Walt Disney World Visitor Communications, and many others., are good concepts. Our response is that we at all times suggest respectfully expressing your disappointment and explaining how the corporate’s selections and practices will influence your holidays and future enterprise (or lack thereof) with Walt Disney World.
So contacting them over this can be a good thought. But it surely’s not going to change the trajectory of the venture. It’s method too late for that. The wheels are already in movement, and have been since 2022. This resolution isn’t going to be undone.
On a optimistic notice, listening to from diehard followers who’re displeased by tasks like that is exactly what offers them pause and critical consideration earlier than continuing. Which means that contacting the corporate is not going to change this resolution, however it might be what helps save Carousel of Progress, Journey into Creativeness, or Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room (random examples–not suggesting any of them are at present on the chopping block).
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Your Ideas
Excited that Imagineering has already filed permits for the Automobiles and Villains Lands in Magic Kingdom? Or had been you hoping that there was nonetheless time for a change of plans if sufficient followers voiced their displeasure with the closing of Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America? Are you optimistic that this can usher in an period of growth at Walt Disney World? Excited or underwhelmed by the plan? Or, are you in wait and see mode with this? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions—even whenever you disagree with us—is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
