Disney has released new information and concept art about the two Cars attractions that are coming to Magic Kingdom. We now know that the two Cars rides will replace the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island, completely transforming Frontierland as guests know it today.
The Disney Parks Blog announced the closure of both the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island with the statement below:
It’s time to leave Radiator Springs and head west into exciting new locations. To make way for this completely new frontier, the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island will be transformed into vast and rugged terrains for a rally race with some of the world’s most iconic racers.
To fully grasp the changes coming to Frontierland, we’ll compare the concept art with a Google Earth view of the area as it stands today. Key landmarks are marked with red letters in both images. We considered this one of the biggest changes announced at D23, and that’s fitting the bill.
- A: Liberty Square Riverboat loading building. It’s a bit surprising to see this building still present in the new concept art.
- B: Haunted Mansion outdoor queue. It sort of looks like there’s a water feature of some sort still running alongside the Haunted Mansion, but that remains to be seen.
- C: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. The Cars addition is more next to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad rather than beyond it. The beyond it land apparently belongs to the Villains land.
- D: The current Pecos Bills, Country Bear Musical Jamboree, and more. We wouldn’t be surprised to see changes at Pecos Bills.
Disney has always said Walt Disney World has the blessing of size. But, as we’ve seen numerous times in recent memory, Disney is electing to replace rather than build new. We believe the decision to remove the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island is multifaceted.
Tom Sawyer Island provides peace, tranquility, and nature in what’s normally a very busy and very crazy theme park. It’s a nice respite from the concrete spaces that make up a lot of Magic Kingdom. Unfortunately, not many guests utilize the space and it takes up a large footprint. That’s a recipe for a replacement.
The bigger blow, in our opinion, is the loss of the Rivers of America. And we’re not even talking about the departure of the Liberty Square Riverboat. As nice of an attraction as the Riverboat is, it too lacks the popularity we imagine Disney wants for the space it demands. We lament the loss and ambiance that a large body of water provides around both Frontierland and Liberty Square.
Ultimately, ambiance and aesthetics are difficult to measure financially. You can’t add up pretty and peaceful views in a revenue spreadsheet. If you could, the nighttime feels around the Rivers of America are second to none. That means a lot to Disney fans (especially older fans), but doesn’t mean as much to Disney based on their recent decisions. The new Cars land will have plenty of revenue opportunities – Lighting Lanes, gift shops, dining kiosks – and that likely drove a lot of these decisions.
It’s also important to understand long-term operational goals. Disney has committed (again) to building a new Villains lands beyond Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. That land is going to attract a lot of guests, and as it stands there’s no easy way to get back to that plot of land. Killing off the Rivers of America and making new pathways that can eventually lead back to where the Villains land sits makes a lot of sense.
Frontierland is changing in a big way. What do you think of the upcoming Magic Kingdom developments?
