Roughly two months after getting the inexperienced mild to demolish Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island, Walt Disney World has filed a flurry of permits pertaining to an Imagineering area places of work within the Automobiles and Villains Land mission website in Magic Kingdom. This particulars the most recent on this multi-month saga, what this might imply for time limits and development, and why we (nonetheless) consider it is a mistake.
By the use of recap, this follows the earlier allow issued by the South Florida Water Administration District (SFWMD) in mid-February 2025, giving Imagineering till February 17, 2030 to redevelop the world and modify utilities, make updates to the drainage system, facility renovations, stormwater administration enhancements, and extra. The underlying SFWMD allow is large in scale and scope, encompassing over 300 acres round Magic Kingdom and past the park.
The mission website itself is about 14-plus acres, and can start with the removing of the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island. Instead of these areas, Walt Disney World introduced two all-new Automobiles sights in a reimagined space of Frontierland at Magic Kingdom and Villains Land enlargement at Magic Kingdom, basically behind Automobiles Land, and between/behind Huge Thunder and Haunted Mansion.
Shortly in spite of everything of that was introduced ultimately summer time’s D23 Expo, Walt Disney Imagineering started working submitting permits for the expansive mission. That concerned forwards and backwards between Walt Disney World, Imagineering, Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (on behalf of Walt Disney World), and the SFWMD for a stretch between August and December.
This was lastly resolved, as famous above, in Disney’s favor with the issuance of the mission approval nearly precisely two months in the past. As we famous when that was accepted, it was not the ultimate allow for the Villains and Automobiles Lands initiatives as an entire (not by a protracted shot), but it surely was the one which posed the best diploma of problem and scrutiny from the state. The remaining ought to largely be rubber-stamped–together with the 6 permits that have been simply filed. That SFWMD allow was the hurdle that mattered–the one materials obstacle to the Automobiles and Villains Land initiatives.
Which brings us to mid-April 2025, with Disney now submitting rather more pedestrian permits that lay the groundwork for the substantive work on the mission to start. Walt Disney Imagineering filed new development permits to “set up trailers” with an tackle similar to a backstage space behind Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad and Tiana’s Bayou Journey in Magic Kingdom.
Essentially the most vital of those permits is assigned to McGrath RentCorp, an organization with a ‘Cell Modular’ phase that rents and sells modular buildings designed to be used as short-term places of work adjoining to current services, development area places of work, and numerous different functions. The opposite 5 permits all relate to this–providing hearth suppression, HVAC, plumbing, and different unexciting stuff to those trailers.
If all of this sounds acquainted, it’s as a result of there have been very related permits for a trailer park and staging space behind Kali River Rapids in help of the Tropical Americas mission final spring. I’m certain Walt Disney World would like this known as a “development mission compound” or “area places of work” or perhaps one thing flowery like “Magical Cell Modules of Magic.” However that is, in essence, a trailer park. A trailer park by means of which a billion-plus greenback mission will circulation, however a trailer park, nonetheless.
This trailer park joins the aforementioned one in Tropical Americas, in addition to a latest enlargement on the STOL Port area workplace and repurposing of the previous Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser behind Disney’s Hollywood Studios into area places of work for the Monstropolis enlargement there.
All of those are expansions to Imagineering’s presence at Walt Disney World within the final 12 months, above and past longstanding area places of work in Florida. This follows the cancellation of the Lake Nona Artistic Campus, which might’ve relocated Imagineering’s headquarters to Florida (or not less than made Lake Nona their largest location).
Regardless of that, Imagineering at present has its largest presence ever at Walt Disney World. That is vital–and essential, in our opinion–because it means these initiatives are being helmed by Floridians with selections being made on the bottom in Florida as a substitute of from the consolation of Burbank. I don’t say this to disparage Californians, however as a visitor who has typically been perplexed by doubtful design selections at Walt Disney World that made me marvel: “was the selection to not have shade or shelter from rain made by a Californian?!”
This is only one of many, many the explanation why it’s nice to listen to that Imagineering has been staffing up in Central Florida. And it’s a course of that ought to be occurring pretty organically, particularly with growth on Common’s Epic Universe being performed and releasing up these inventive assets (expertise bounces forwards and backwards between Common Artistic and Imagineering on a project-by-project foundation). Significantly better than Chapek’s compelled relocation plan. However I digress.
By way of what’s subsequent, institution of the trailer park, clearly. That ought to be a reasonably fast and painless course of, particularly as in contrast with Animal Kingdom. It in all probability could be completed briefly order, permitting for substantive work to begin this summer time.
That may start with drainage, demolition, and plenty of filth shifting–not essentially in that order. There are low-lying areas to the northwest of the Rivers of America, requiring further work to ascertain the aforementioned gravel laydown yards. These are a needed prerequisite to demolishing and filling within the Rivers of America.
There will probably be three gravel laydown yards in complete across the northwestern perimeter of Magic Kingdom. Two will probably be situated past the berm, that means exterior of Magic Kingdom visitor areas, with the third laydown yard that ought to be seen from inside Magic Kingdom alongside the northwestern banks of the Rivers of America. These gravel laydown yards will probably be used for development gear, heavy equipment, supplies staging, earth-moving, and so on.
Along with the laydown yards, Disney wants someplace for the displaced stormwater capability misplaced from infilling the Rivers of America. Such is the character of development within the swamps. This entails creating a brand new retention pond for water administration that’s roughly three-quarters of a mile to the northwest of Magic Kingdom. It’s probably that the bottom eliminated when digging the brand new pond will probably be used for filling the Rivers of America. Circle of life and all that.
As soon as stuffed in, the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will kind the muse of Automobiles Land and a portion of Villains Land. The laydown yards will then themselves finally be used for future growth, together with a portion of Villains Land. The water administration permits are step one forward of starting substantive development on account of waterways being rerouted and displaced.
As mentioned in our newest version of Walt Disney World’s 5-12 months Building Plan, the location prepwork alone for Automobiles Land and Villains Land will probably be a herculean endeavor that can take many months–if no more than a 12 months. Followers will bemoan the prolonged timeline, however Automobiles Land debuting in 2029 really appears pretty aggressive given the dimensions and scope of labor. I’d be stunned if we see something go vertical till late 2026 on the earliest.
As you’re probably conscious, Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America haven’t any cut-off date at current. Walt Disney World did point out that “friends could have loads of time to expertise the allure and nostalgia of Frontierland as it’s at present” earlier than development kicks into excessive gear. However that assertion was final August, and loads of time has already handed since then.
As for when development might begin, any time after Easter wouldn’t shock me. That is what we’ve been saying for months (for the reason that first permits have been filed final August). Now that Easter is sort of right here, I nonetheless suppose this is kind of correct.
As we’ve additionally been saying since then, Magic Kingdom would possibly attempt to get by means of Summer time 2025 earlier than closing Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America. Disney Starlight Parade goes to be massively well-liked upon debut and can want ample viewing house throughout its opening summer time alongside the promenade in Frontierland. Building partitions up on one aspect of the walkway would scale back viewing capability.
Beginning the guest-facing portion of the mission shortly after Labor Day 2025 is thus what strikes me as most believable. That provides Walt Disney World all summer time with the Rivers of America working as regular, which is likely to be needed at a time when lots will probably be down in Magic Kingdom. Park management might need to push off the mission so long as attainable provided that.
As instructed above, there’s quite a lot of backstage prep and website work that may very well be undertaken to ascertain the laydown yards and new retention ponds. All of this might take months, that means a protracted runway earlier than the Rivers of America is drained or Tom Sawyer Island is demolished.
Disney might even set up a cofferdam to protect entry to Tom Sawyer Island and the view of the Rivers of America for the entirety of 2025. They’ve performed this with cofferdams earlier than–and it might delay the period of time followers should say goodbye to those areas whereas additionally decreasing visible blight till it’s completely needed. (See picture above of the final time a coffer dam was used throughout a refurbishment a couple of years in the past.)
In such a situation, the Liberty Sq. Riverboat could be first to shut, and that may in all probability occur by Fall 2025. On the very least, Walt Disney World will need to get shifting on the again half of the Rivers of America whereas Huge Thunder Mountain Railroad is closed for refurbishment till 2026. Nevertheless it might imply that the entrance half of the Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island, and the gorgeous vista is preserved by means of the vacation season and into early 2026. I wouldn’t guess on that, however I wouldn’t guess in opposition to it, both.
On a distinct notice, this sends one more sign that Walt Disney World is not pumping the brakes on the Automobiles Land mission. There was quite a lot of hypothesis, wishful pondering, and “rumors” (heavy air quotes) that this mission is being reconsidered on account of fan backlash.
I’ve but to listen to something credible to corroborate this. All the pieces I’ve heard suggests the precise reverse. The ultimate plans would possibly differ barely from the idea artwork on the prime of the publish, however this mission is occurring. I’m not attempting to be a debbie downer or no matter to followers nonetheless holding out hope that their campaigns to save lots of the Rivers of America will show fruitful. Only a realist.
The one time I’ve had any pessimism about this mission shifting ahead got here when Bob Iger Warned of Tariffs’ Impression on Disney’s $60 Billion Growth Plans. However as I famous there, it was (and is!) a “watch out what you want for” situation. The more likely final result is that Disney would proceed with its deliberate investments, however lower corners on account of rising prices or stretch the initiatives into much more fiscal years. That means that the almost certainly final result in such a situation is the worst of all and a repeat of one thing we simply endured at Walt Disney World’s second gate–the creation of a Big Magic Kingdom Filth Pit for the subsequent ~5 years.
I’ll wrap this all up by as soon as once more reiterating that eradicating the Rivers of America is a mistake. That is regardless of the fact that only a few friends go to Tom Sawyer Island or journey the Liberty Sq. Riverboat. Old skool sights are not the irreplaceable worth being misplaced right here. It’s not in regards to the admittedly low hourly capability being misplaced–it’s the serenity, charming, and distinct sense of environment.
That is one thing we lined beforehand in Actually Horrible Choices Made by Walt Disney World and at size within the commentary to our unique publish about Automobiles Land Changing Rivers of America. When you’re struggling to know why followers are upset about this, think about studying a type of. I’m not going to fixate or belabor the purpose right here because it’s already been made repeatedly, however this waterway is a part of the guts of Magic Kingdom and not only for the friends who actively make the most of these sights.
I’ll miss this peaceable promenade and nonetheless suppose it’s a mistake that Disney isn’t retaining the waterfront whereas redeveloping the again half of Tom Sawyer Island and the world that’s really past Huge Thunder. However with the inexperienced mild to proceed with the mission and it being clear that Disney intends to take action as deliberate, I’m nonetheless hoping for one of the best with Automobiles Land. It’s going to be a troublesome needle to string, however Imagineering can create a Nationwide Parks-inspired Automobiles space with mountains, water, and extra that slot in Frontierland. Right here’s hoping they will pull it off.
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Your Ideas
Ideas on one more Imagineering trailer park being constructed at Walt Disney World? Completely happy that WDI already has its largest-ever presence in Florida and what which means for future mission selections? Disenchanted that the Automobiles Land continues to be changing Rivers of America? Provided that that is going to occur regardless at this level, do you hope it’s full steam forward so we don’t should endure a repeat of the Big EPCOT Filth Pit fiasco? Excited or underwhelmed by the plan to interchange Rivers of America with Automobiles land? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions—even if you disagree with us—is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
