Latest news with #TomSawyerIsland
The Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Disney set to close Tom Sawyer Island and the famed Riverboat to make way for new attractions
Disney World will close Tom Sawyer Island and its famed Liberty Square Riverboat to make way for new attractions. Millions of guests visit the Orlando resort a year, with the Magic Kingdom the most popular of its four parks. Located in Frontierland at Magic Kingdom, Tom Sawyer Island allows guests to experience a 'secret rustic hideaway inspired by the stories of Mark Twain,' according to the resort's website. Tom Sawyer Island has been a staple at Disney World, first opening in 1973, according to D23, the official Disney fan club. To reach the attraction, visitors glide through the Rivers of America on a log raft. But from July 7, the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will permanently close, for Disney to build Piston Peak National Park, which it called 'the largest expansion in history at Magic Kingdom.' To make way for the Cars -themed expansion, Disney will also be getting rid of the Liberty Square Riverboat. The Riverboat has allowed guests to cruise down the Rivers of America in an 'authentic steam-powered paddle wheeler,' according to the resort's website. Park-goers for decades have hopped on the Riverboat at Liberty Square in Magic Kingdom to enjoy a half-mile tour around Tom Sawyer Island. Sights included 'the early days of the American frontier,' including Harper's Mill, Fort Langhorn and Wilson's Cave Inn. Disney's 'imagineers' will build Piston Peak National Park, an expansion inspired by the Rocky Mountains and the 'history and iconic sights of the American Frontier and its national parks,' the company announced in a blog post on Tuesday. 'Imagine an awe-inspiring wilderness filled with towering trees, snowcapped mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers and impressive geysers,' Disney said. The park will be set within the universe of Disney and Pixar's Cars trilogy and incorporate so-called 'Parkitecture,' which Disney said was 'developed by the National Park Service to create structures that harmonize with the natural environment.' Guests will be able to explore the visitor lodge, Ranger HQ, trails and other attractions once construction is complete. Disney has not yet announced a date for when it expects to reveal the new attractions.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Disney World fans threaten to boycott amid closing of beloved ride
Disney World fans are threatening to boycott the theme park after it unveiled the first major details on its upcoming Cars land... and finally confirmed the closing date of a beloved ride. The Happiest Place on Earth announced last year that it would be getting rid of Tom Sawyer Island in Magic Kingdom's Frontierland to make way for a new Lightning McQueen-themed area. Now, the theme park has revealed when it will officially be shut down - and the news has left hoards of Disney fans across the globe outraged. Tom Sawyer Island, as well as the Liberty Square Riverboat ride, will have its final day of operation on July 6, 2025. That means guests only have a little more than a month left to enjoy the serene island inspired by the stories of Mark Twain. Immediately, Disney park-goers took to X, formerly Twitter , to share their heartbreak over the announcement, and some even admitted that they no longer wanted to visit the park. 'Never going back,' someone else wrote. 'I have a lot of happy memories there, and I'll keep them.' 'Huge mistake. Huge,' a fourth tweet read, while a fifth said, 'Largest downgrade.' 'Sorry but I'm not going to Disney World anymore. I'm staying at my home park, which is Disneyland in Anaheim, California ,' a different user shared. 'I am heartbroken at the loss of Tom Sawyer island this is the WORST decision ever,' someone else penned. 'This is a travesty! Build new somewhere else. We want nostalgia,' urged another person. Disney shared new details about the upcoming changes coming to Magic Kingdom in a press release on Tuesday. The new Cars land will contain two dazzling attractions. One will 'be geared towards smaller guests and will be fun for the whole family,' while the second will 'invite you on a thrilling rally race through the mountains.' The company explained that the new area will be called Piston Peak National Park and described it as an 'awe-inspiring wilderness filled with towering trees, snowcapped mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers and impressive geysers.' 'To make sure these buildings fit naturally within the surrounding majestic landscapes, Imagineers are using a style of architecture called "Parkitecture," which was developed by the National Park Service to create structures that harmonize with the natural environment. '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.' Disney also promised that 'imagineers are hard at work' bringing the 'first-ever land inspired by the Disney villains' to life, which will be located behind the Big Thunder Mountain ride in Magic Kingdom. That land will feature two more new rides, dining, and shopping 'all on an incredibly twisted grand scale.' Tons of other new stuff are in the works at Disney World, including an Encanto river ride, an Indiana Jones attraction, and a Zootopia show at Animal Kingdom.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Disney World fans threaten to BOYCOTT as theme park reveals closing date of beloved ride: 'Canceling my trip'
Disney World fans are threatening to boycott the theme park after it unveiled the first major details on its upcoming Cars land... and finally confirmed the closing date of a beloved ride. The Happiest Place on Earth announced last year that it would be getting rid of Tom Sawyer Island in Magic Kingdom's Frontierland to make way for a new Lightning McQueen-themed area. Now, the theme park has revealed when it will officially be shut down - and the news has left hoards of Disney fans across the globe outraged. Tom Sawyer Island, as well as the Liberty Square Riverboat ride, will have its final day of operation on July 6, 2025. That means guests only have a little more than a month left to enjoy the serene island inspired by the stories of Mark Twain. Immediately, Disney park-goers took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their heartbreak over the announcement, and some even admitted that they no longer wanted to visit the park. 'Canceling my trip in October and sadly, will never visit that park again,' one user announced. 'This is an abomination and a real disservice to all those who booked summer trips hoping to enjoy all this one more time,' added another. 'Talk about timing. Thankful we enjoyed it recently.' 'Never going back,' someone else wrote. 'I have a lot of happy memories there, and I'll keep them.' 'Huge mistake. Huge,' a fourth tweet read, while a fifth said, 'Largest downgrade.' 'Sorry but I'm not going to Disney World anymore. I'm staying at my home park, which is Disneyland in Anaheim, California,' a different user shared. 'I am heartbroken at the loss of Tom Sawyer island this is the WORST decision ever,' someone else penned. 'This is a travesty! Build new somewhere else. We want nostalgia,' urged another person. Disney shared new details about the upcoming changes coming to Magic Kingdom in a press release on Tuesday. The new Cars land will contain two dazzling attractions. One will 'be geared towards smaller guests and will be fun for the whole family,' while the second will 'invite you on a thrilling rally race through the mountains.' The company explained that the new area will be called Piston Peak National Park and described it as an 'awe-inspiring wilderness filled with towering trees, snowcapped mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers and impressive geysers.' The Cars land will contain two attractions. One will be 'fun for the whole family,' while the other will 'invite you on a thrilling race through the mountains.' Concept art for the land is seen 'While fictional, Piston Peak is inspired by the Rocky Mountain area and the history and iconic sights of the American Frontier and its national parks,' it added. 'Inside Piston Peak, guests will be able to see and explore the visitor lodge, Ranger HQ, trails, and more - all set within the Disney and Pixar Cars universe. 'To make sure these buildings fit naturally within the surrounding majestic landscapes, Imagineers are using a style of architecture called "Parkitecture," which was developed by the National Park Service to create structures that harmonize with the natural environment. '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.' Disney also promised that 'imagineers are hard at work' bringing the 'first-ever land inspired by the Disney villains' to life, which will be located behind the Big Thunder Mountain ride in Magic Kingdom. The company explained in a press release on Tuesday that the new area will be called Piston Peak National Park. A concept art for one of the Cars rides is seen Disney also promised that 'Imagineers are hard at work' bringing the 'first-ever land inspired by the Disney villains' to life. Concept art for the villains land is seen Over in Hollywood Studios, a new Monsters Inc. land will replace Muppets Courtyard; The Muppet*Vision 3D ride will close on June 8, 2025 That land will feature two more new rides, dining, and shopping 'all on an incredibly twisted grand scale.' Tons of other new stuff are in the works at Disney World, including an Encanto river ride, an Indiana Jones attraction, and a Zootopia show at Animal Kingdom. But that means guests will have to say goodbye to DinoLand and the Dinosaur ride, which is slated to close in 2026. Over in Hollywood Studios, a new Monsters Inc. land will replace Muppets Courtyard; The Muppet*Vision 3D ride will close on June 8, 2025. The Monsters Inc. area is set to have a suspended rollercoaster that will put riders 'right in the middle of the monster action.'
