Have you been keeping up with all the announcements of things to come to Disney World in the near future??
Magic Kingdom
If you have, you’ve probably probably heard the massive transformation they’re planning for Magic Kingdom. In typical Disney fashion, they’re planning big with new lands, new attractions, and fresh experiences for the next generation of Disney fans. On the face of it, all of these things sound amazing, right? Well, not everyone thinks so. Let’s talk about it!
As we were saying, there’s a TON that’ll be coming to Magic Kingdom like a new nighttime parade and two whole new lands — a Cars Land and a Villains Land!!
Villains Land Concept Art
©Disney
Now, while we can’t wait to tromp about these new spaces and enjoy all they have to offer, these announcements have definitely sparked some serious debates among Disney lovers.
©Disney
On one side, we’ve got the group of fans who are pumped for the changes, and they’re hyping themselves up for the new rides and lands. But on the flip side, some longtime Disney fans are absolutely heartbroken about what they’ll have to give up — specifically, Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America.
Concept Art
It’s nostalgia vs. new standoff, and it’s absolutely got the fandom split.
The Excitement for the New
Let’s start with the folks who are ready and raring to embrace the future. For them, Disney has a solid track record for creating immersive new lands that make guests feel like they’ve stepped straight into the movies they love. They’re referencing the mind-blowing detail of Galaxy’s Edge and the enchantment of Pandora — The World of Avatar. You can see why they’re imagining a Cars Land where you can race with your favorite Cars characters, and a Villains Land where you finally get to meet the baddies in a dark and thrilling atmosphere.
Coming Coming to Frontierland at Magic Kingdom, a new area themed to Pixar Animation Studios’ “Cars” will leave Radiator Springs and head to the wilderness with two new attractions including an off-road race.
These are the people who can’t wait and are speculating how Disney will use next-level technology to create new jaw-dropping attractions for these lands. So, all in all, for them, these announcements have been a dream come true. At the same time, however, they may have some fond memories of Tom Sawyer Island, but they’re all about trading that nostalgia for something brand new straight from the minds of Imagineers.
The Nostalgia for the Old
As we said, there’s another side to this — all the fans who are devastated about what Disney is choosing to leave behind. For many of them, Tom Sawyer Island and Rivers of America are irreplaceable pieces of Disney history. These aren’t just attractions, they’re memories. The slower pace of these areas offers a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the park, and to some, losing them feels like a betrayal of Disney’s roots.
Map of where the new Cars area will be
These fans feel like Disney could have easily built the new attractions somewhere else — maybe in another part of the park or, better yet, in a fifth park altogether. They feel that there’s plenty of space around Disney World, so why get rid of beloved classics? For them, the idea of losing these slower, more peaceful areas in favor of another high-energy land feels like the park is losing some of its unique charm.
A Divided Fandom
Like we said, if nothing else, these announcements has definitely left the Disney fan community divided. While some are eagerly counting down the days to run around the new Cars and Villains Lands, we’ve got others who are mourning the loss of some simpler and more nostalgic parts of the park. Ultimately it’s the battle of out with the old, and in with the new.
Villains Land coming to Magic Kingdom ©Disney
What are your thoughts on the matter? Are you ready for the new lands, or are you holding onto the magic of the older ones? Sound off in the comments below!
And keep following us here at Disney Food Blog, where we will continue to monitor any news about the construction that will happen in Magic Kingdom.
Cars Land Will Bring A New Shortcut To Magic Kingdom…And We LOVE IT!
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I totally agree with all of the preceding posts that object to eliminating the steamboat, the Rivers theme and Tom Sawyer’s Island. Looking to Disneyland, it’s clear that these attractions have always reflected Walt’s core vision for the Lands in the Magic Kingdom. How on earth does “Cars” fit in with “Big Thunder,” “Tiana,” “Country bears” and the overall vibe of life in another time in American history (not to mention a rare place to enjoy a beautiful and more tranquil setting)? The answer is simple – IT DOESN’T. Given the available land, “Cars” can and should be placed somewhere else. With the exception of a pandemic hiatus, my daughter and I have spent a week at Disneyworld annually since 1992; our memories of those visits are precious. Why does Disney leadership want to change the Magic Kingdom is such a fundamental and un-Disney manner? What makes Disney so special is at stake. What can be done at this point to prevent this travesty?
I agree with all the above comments. I am heartbroken with what Disney is doing! My husband and I have been coming to Disney World since the 70s! We have been to Disneyland twice. And when we had children we started taking them there and now we take our grandkids! Three generations of Disney fans!! Stop the nonsense Disney! Most of your decisions as of late are not what your fans want!
I feel like they’re trading out timeless classics for cheap shiny IP. They didn’t even have the guts to face the fans at D23, they kept the location of the new car attraction under wraps until several days AFTER it was over. If they’re so comfortable with their decision to rip out the heart of the Magic Kingdom why were they afraid to announce that part too?
We need more green spaces, not fewer. They’ve intentionally neglected maintenance and made it difficult for guests to visit Tom Sawyer island so they can say it’s run down and unpopular.
Villians Land sounds like fun, but I think it’s just something to placate fans who are upset about the rest of the plan. They don’t even have a timeline or permits for it, but they’re sure moving fast on the river and island removal…I wouldn’t be surprised if they never create a Villians Land because it was just to distract from the travesty they have planned for Magic Kingdom.
Talk about paving over paradise and putting in a parking lot!
My 34 year old daughter still remembers all the fun times she had at Tom Sawyer Island, and The Boneyard, when she was much younger. We had trouble getting her to leave. I hate to see them go. We are going to miss the Dinosaur ride and all of Dinoland. Too bad Disney couldn’t out how to make the Dinoland area more popular.
For ne. I haven’t been to Tom Sawyer Island since I was 9 years old. So it’s not a great loss for me personally.
I would rather have Carsland and Villains. Plus, I believe the change is only for Florida. You can still visit the original Tom Sawyer Island at Disneyland!
The rivers of America and the mark twain boat have such a memory place for my 2boys and myself for years!! What a sad thing that Disney doesn’t care about the past history anymore and only looks toward new stuff snd destroying the old!! Yes the new will be exciting but there is SZo much available space for expansion—why destroy such a beautiful and peaceful part of the park???disney is not at all what is used to be and I can’t even recommend for anyone to take their families there anymore because of the cost and what you get for your money!!! The quality is not there anymore and the magic has definitely disappeared!! Sadness is overwhelming when in think of losing the beautiful Tom Sawyer island—what a loss!!! Maybe Disney hiarchy should really look and listen to their guests—they are spending thousands and thousands of dollars and not getting what they deserve.. please bring back Walt’s ideals and expectations —we deserve it!!!
I’ve probably been to Disney 50 times or more. I’ve never been to Tom Sawyer island but since I heard it was going away I figured I’d pop over. I absolutely hated the fumes from the raft and honestly I wasn’t impressed with the island, some nice views but ehhh. I do agree with the point of the rivers and foliage are nice and provide some cooling for all the pavement. Can’t wait for the new cars land! Hopefully they add enough greenery and water. I feel like these things are lacking in Hollywood and Epcot. Those parks always feel hot with too much pavement. MK can feel that way in fantasy land and tomorrow land. So yeah change it but keep it green and wet is what I’m hoping for.
Will not miss it. In 50 plus visits to MK I have been on the river boat maybe twice. You can see how popular it really is by the fact that the queue house is usually just the overflow line for Haunted Mansion
I agree losing the riverboat would be the wrong move. If is a relaxing break from the craziness in the other parts of Magic Kingdom. And if Tom Sawyer Island needs some upgrades, a jungle gym type setup for the kids with ropes, ladders, swings would be great. If the rebuild of Splash Mountain is any indication of what the Imagineers can come up with then there needs to be a drastic rethink about there vision for the area. Tianna’s was a big disappointment when so much new technology is available. Let’s take a step back and improve what already exists, then look to build out.
Our next two to Disney is booked for the end of January 2025, I’m hoping that it gets delayed until after that so I can enjoy the rivers one more time. Our kids haven’t been to Tom’s island since they were very little and don’t really remember it. I wish they could have expanded the park to accommodate the new lands, but it’s not that easy to build the infrastructure for a whole new park.
I am going to Disney World in a month for the first time with 2 of my grandsons!
I wish they had decided to build new lands else where also. I know I will be looking for an area with a slower pace. Sad to see the nostalgic lands disappear. 😔
Sad to see the Rivers of America go, but every time I’ve gone in recent years, the river boats have been out of service. I haven’t been to Tom Sawyer Island in about 30 years, so not sad personally to see it go. I do think it’s unfortunate for families who go there to recharge, but I’m not upset myself. Someone’s always upset when an oldie closes and I understand why. I miss the Great Movie Ride and the Backlot Tour (especially when they had the street with the exterior house views from The Golden Girls!), but I also recognize that change is necessary in order to keep interest alive. It’ll all work out. Some people will “never return”, but others will take their place.
The reason it’s so contentious is that there is plenty of acreage to build a Cars Land or rides without taking out the Rivers of America and the Liberty Belle. I could understand a re-theme of Tom Sawyer Island but I do not support backfilling Rivers of America.
Are they replacing wheelchair accessible attractions with no wheelchair accessible attractions again
They absolutely need to keep rivers of america. It visual aspect sets apart the haunted mansion from frontier land. I can’t imagine roaring race cars next to the mansion. They could keep the front part of “rivers” and make the boat a stationary restaurant if they want. Put a bridge from frontier land to the Island and make that a playground/rest area for little kids. Then put “cars on the back part of Rivers/TSI behind the mansion and closer to Big Thunder. This would make the esthetics much better than concreting everything. “Paved paradise and put up a “cars” parking lot!”
With the addition of Cars and Villains….they could just rename Frontierland to, well….”Land”.
I agree with commenters above, the quality of what they are offering just keeps going down. The park experience has become less enjoyable. The hotels are plastic and dirty. They keep getting rid of history. Maybe they should take note that people fly to places like Egypt and Europe, to name a few, BECAUSE they want to see history and things that are old. Just because something is old, doesn’t mean it is no longer good or relevant. And the updates have all been sub-par, whereas old Disney did quality and excellence.
Instead of doing away with the nostalgia they should build on all the other land that Walt Disney invested in. He never intended his legacy to turn out like out like this. The Didney company forgets that generations of the 50’s through the 80’s supported Disney parks and would like to continue to do so. I for one will not be returning to the parks with all this change.
I agree with so many others that oppose these changes. Walt invented the “theme” park. Does the Walt Disney Company no longer understand THEMING?!?!? It’s bad enough they put a New Orleans themed ride at WDW. New Orleans Square is in Disneyland! Retheming Splash Mountain there would have been fine and appropriate. But Changing Spalsh Mountain in WDW for some woke agenda made no sense. Now they want remove Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island!!!! What the heck! Cars does not belong in Magic Kingdom! Neither does Villains Land in my opinion. The Magic Kingdom is the busiest gate in WDW, why add more to it??? These new lands should be added to the slower parks.
I would love to ask those who at disney believe they are following Walt’s path of growing the parks. My wife & I are wanting to go down ONE LAST TIME B/4 all the changes happen & then who knows. Never say never BUT hoping common sense kicks in B/4 the MK gets wrecked.
First, there is a lot of WDW decisions that I have not agreed with but this is not one of them. I totally disagree with all these nostalgia posts, especially the ones that bring politics into their replies SMH. WDW is changing so that the new rides can relate with the newer younger fans. My DD’s rarely wanted to go on Splash because, as they would say, the theme was about some barn, but once it was re-done as Tiana they loved it and wanted to ride it more (never happened with Splash), because they can relate to the movie etc. This is the same with Sawyer and the Ferry ride, when they were little they liked being able to run around on the island but never really related to the theme and we have to force them on the ferry because they say “it’s so boring”. Why would I want to force my era onto my daughters, when WDW can put in new rides that relate more to their era. A tad selfish I think!
As sad as the losses may be, Walt Disney World is not a museum. Am I thrilled to hear about the losses, no. But were these attractions seeing anywhere near the number of patrons as most of the rest of Magic Kingdom? At some point, change will come to every area of the park. Likely even my favorite attractions.
Very disappointed about this. I really feel this will change the entire aesthetic of the park and the lands will no longer feel well themed as you will have Frontierland, Cars, and Liberty Square all mashed together with no real separation. I hope this is one they realize is a mistake and change their minds on.
I really am against having Car land destroy a piece of Walt’s history. Riding the Riverboat was great way to have a bit of a rest from the crowds and Tom Sawyer Island was fun to go to. To me Cars Land need to be built in Hollywood Studios park. It’s not anything near Frontierland friendly. It’s called the Liberty Square Riverboat traveling over the River of America. Not a race car zooming around which didn’t exist in the frontier or when America won their liberty. It’s just wrong.
I will miss Tom Sawyer Island and the riverboat. Sad to see it go. I can understand Villan Land but cars could go to Hollywood Studios IMO.
I feel it’s a big mistake to do away with Tom Sawyer’s Island and The Rivers of America. It blends well with Liberty Square and Frontierland which Cars Land will not. We need to keep America’s history alive, and Walt loved this country so much that he wanted to build this area for kids old and young alike to enjoy and learn from. Due to the constant crowd levels at MK these days, it’s so nice to have a place that feels like a respite where you can relax a bit and just take in the sights and sounds that surround that part of the park. I implore upon the executives at Disney to reconsider this decision and keep this part of the park the way it is and use other available land that surrounds the park to build out Cars Land.
In addition to the “timeless classics” issue, I have a very practical concern.
Disney World is VERY short of places to sit and relax with a small child, and possibly even let the child have a brief nap. If they aren’t babies, the caretakers will chase you out of the changing station areas. We have ridden Rivers of America for a much-needed “time out” with kiddos many times. What will we do now?
DISNEY!!! DO BETTER PLEASE!!! THIS IS A PIVOTAL TIME FOR THE FUTURE OF ALL THE PARKS. YOU’RE ON THE RAZOR’S EDGE. RETHINKING THE PLANS FOR TOM SAWYER ISLAND, RIVERS OF AMERICA & THE LIBERTY BELLE RIVERBOAT COULD SWAY THE NEGATIVE OPINIONS BACK IN YOUR FAVOR. GOING THROUGH WITH THEM AND SEEMINGLY IGNORING THE OVERWHELMING PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE THAT DON’T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN COULD HAVE A HUGE NEGATIVE EFFECT GOING FORWARD. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE RETHINK THIS…. IT COULD PROVE COSTLY FOR EVERYONE.
Many good and valuable points have been raised in this comment section. I hope they leave the rivers, the riverboat and Tom Sawyer’s Island for nostalgic and aesthetic reasons. Some people have said their children are no longer small and Tom Sawyer has no appeal any longer. The last time I was at MK, kids of all ages were there, not just older ones. Tom Sawer may still hold value for other families. It’s sad that for PC reasons and some of the nouns that Mark Twain used 148 years ago, kids are not exposed to Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, Becky Thatcher and Injun Joe in many schools. Classic literature denied. Talk about book banning!
Disney world is a theme park that is losing its way. Adding new rides and new lands in the area that make it a theme park are changing it into a glorified fair that focuses on rides and what they consider new and modern When was the last Cars Movie? Years ago, so what makes it new and innovative? Nothing. Its already the past not the future. And Encanto that is all the rage today — by the time it is completed something else will have taken its place. Once again Disney will be behind the 8 ball and trying to catch up to what every other place is doing. Imaginers need to look to the future while maintain what is important from the past instead of killing so many things that make Disney Disney such as the Liberty boat and Tom Sawyers Island.
Very bad decision by Disney. They are obviously being cheap as there is plenty of space to build on, without having to deface the (arguably) best location in MK.
If they go through with this, The Rivers of America in Disneyland will most likely follow suit. What’s going to be odd, and correct me if I’m wrong here, don’t all Disney Parks worldwide have a themed area modeled after Rivers of America. They’re named differently of course, but they’re modeled after a classic area that Walt himself had a hand in designing. Let that sink in….
If they go through with this, and remove Rivers of America in Disneyland, the two Disney Parks in America, will be the only Disney Parks worldwide without an area modeled after Rivers of “America”.
Ronnie S- you said to correct you if you were wrong. No one has said Disneyland’s Rivers of America is going to be replaced. It’s kind of like comparing apples and oranges- it’s two different situations. DisneyWorld may be surrounded by land, but it’s swampland, and while it can be reclaimed, it’s very expensive to do so and there are many Florida regulations making it difficult to do so. Add to that the fact that in the Florida weather, Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America are hard to maintain. So for practical and economic reasons Disney has decided the quickest and best way to create new lands is to get rid of a marginally performing area. I know for many it is a favorite, but the statistics show you’re in the minority. Walt wanted the parks to always grow and change.
Listen up to all of these comments Disney!!
Hi Lois Pierce,
(Oh man, so sorry for this long post… I’m passionate lol.)
You’re correct, I guess I did mis-speak a bit. I did say that DL’s RoA would most likely follow suit and close. While I don’t have any proof of that, I do think it’s a possibility, imo. In asking for a correction, it was assuming “IF” they go through with this at WDW, and then “IF” DL’s RoA closes in the future….then would WDW & DL be the only parks w/o a RoA themed area?.
Assuming the land surrounding WDW is still swampland, the area tabbed for the BBTM expansion is evidently suitable. If it wasn’t they wouldn’t be building on it. My main concern is that Disney has been implying for quite awhile that the new lands (initially Coco, Encanto & Villains) would be built as part of the BBTM expansion. When Encanto was switched to AK, Cars was announced to take it’s spot in MK. I can’t remember a time in Disney’s history when they’ve taken the quickest, easiest and least expensive route in any of its projects. As for statistics showing who’s for or against the TSI & RoA issue. While there is no official poll, I would say the public’s opinion and response is largely against it. On social media, podcasts, vlogs and many many discussion forums, I’ve found for every 1 or 2 in favor of this, 10 to 15 are not. To clarify, I don’t think anyone, myself included is against either of the new lands. My opinion is that Disney pulled a fast one when he location and concept art release came well after D23 ended. They knew of the questions, concerns and eventual backlash they’d face in person. The fact that they still haven’t addressed this issue since it began after D23, is an extremely bad look.
My biggest question is – why didn’t the Disney execs use this opportunity to replace/refurbish the old, stinky, and very outdated Tomorrowland Speedway for it to become a Cars themed ride/attraction? I, plus the posts and comments from many others, do not see the need or demand for an entire Cars Land, and it definitely does not fit in Frontierland!!! This simple change could have been easily done and it would have been much cheaper and far more efficient. Plus, it would have allowed the Rivers of America, the Riverboat, and Tom Sawyer’s Island all to remain in place. This whole project just does not seem very well thought out or very “Disney-like” at its core.
Todd, I agree. The Tomorrowland Speedway may have been a better fit for a Cars attraction. The Speedway needs updating environmentally and theme-wise, and Cars seems to be an ideal replacement. Not sure about statistics, if they’re are any, but to me it seems the overwhelming response is negative. It’s crunch time, hopefully they come to their senses and rethink this.
Regarding “swamp land”, I believe (in fact, I know from documentaries regarding Walt buying and planning in Florida) Walt knew it was swamp land and intended to build on it/turning it into livable land. I know that is costly, but that was his plan. Plan and do it right. I believe California Adventure in Cali was built on the cheap and some years later they had to refurbish. PENNY WISE AND POUND FOOLISH!
Ronnie S- Shanghai Disney does not have a Rivers of America. Hong Kong Disney has Rivers of Adventure. Euro Disney has Rivers of the Far West. Tokyo Disney does have a Rivers of America. I really don’t see Disneyland getting rid of the area in California. And then both Disneyland and Disney World will be more unique. Which, in my opinion, is better.