Look away, fans of Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America at Magic Kingdom. Demolition is progressing as Disney prepares to build Piston Peak, and the latest victim is Fort Langhorn. New aerial pictures show a demolished Fort Langhorn and a very empty, very sad river.
Big thanks to @bioreconstruct for once again providing an eye-in-the-sky view.
RIP Fort Langhorn. This fort was a great spot to visit for kids wanting to run around and get a break from the craziness that is Magic Kingdom. The fort had two levels, a guard house, lookout tower, escape tunnel, and more. It connected to underground caverns that could be accessed from the rest of Tom Sawyer Island.
Zooming out, we can see a dry Rivers of America.
Construction walls line all guest walkways near the Rivers of America, which means these aerial views might be the best we’ll get until major construction begins. The portion of the Rivers of America closest to Frontierland will become Piston Peak and the rest will eventually be used for Villains Land.
Disney has a lot of land to move and shape to create Piston Peak. They’ve described it as a land that’s inspired by America’s National Parks, complete with an off-road rally race. Disney originally mentioned a second attraction for younger guests, but it’s unclear if that will make the final cut.
Imagine an awe-inspiring wilderness filled with towering trees, snowcapped mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers and impressive geysers. 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.
Disney Parks Blog
Piston Peak will be a total transformation of Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America. Trees will line the land to keep the noise and views of the rally race away from the rest of Frontierland and rides like the Haunted Mansion.
The most recent Piston Peak concept art shows just how extensive this project is at the Magic Kingdom. We hope all of those water features actually come to fruition!
Disney hasn’t announced an opening date for Piston Peak at this time. Considering how much work there is to do, we think it’ll be at least a few years before it opens. Outside factors (the ol’ economy) could also play a role in how fast or slow Disney works on this project. We’ve seen some guesses predicting a 2027 opening, but we don’t think that’s realistic. We’re guessing a 2028 or 2029 opening.
