PHOTOS: Construction Begins on Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America
An important chapter in Magic Kingdom history came to a close yesterday when Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America were permanently closed to make way for Piston Peak, a new Cars-themed area coming to Frontierland.
For over 50 years, the Rivers of America served as the beating heart of Magic Kingdom, setting the stage for the attractions of Frontierland and Liberty Square.
On the other hand, Tom Sawyer Island was a place to get away and explore.

Just hours after both iconic attractions closed, Disney is already getting to work on the land’s transformation.
Construction Is Already Underway
When visiting Magic Kingdom this morning, we were surprised to see that construction walls have already gone up around the Frontierland dock.

This is where the Tom Sawyer Island rafts previously embarked from.

Additionally, the signs directing guests to the rafts have been removed.

Across the river, we were able to see that construction crews have already descended upon Tom Sawyer Island.

Clearly, Disney is wasting no time in getting the project underway!

The Liberty Square Riverboat
Over in Liberty Square, the signage welcoming guests to the Liberty Square Riverboat has also been removed.

Additionally, construction walls have gone up near the Haunted Mansion.

Additionally, we also have this very important door.

Frontierland Train Station
Finally, with Frontierland set to undergo a massive transformation, the land’s train station has been closed.

This means that the Walt Disney World Railroad will not make round trips for the foreseeable future.

Here is a look at the current status of the station.

As always, be sure to check back with MickeyBlog. We will continue to update you on all the news coming out of Magic Kingdom as work begins on Piston Peak.


