Rivers of America Emptied as Disney Prepares for Piston Peak Construction

Updated:

The demolishment of the Rivers of America at Magic Kingdom is about to shift into high gear. The water has been almost completely drained from the Rivers of America, and work is about to begin on demolishing the river and Tom Sawyer Island.

Friend of the site DC Baker captured some new looks at the nearly-drained Rivers of America. The end is certainly near.

Photo via DC Baker.

We always enjoyed seeing the track for the Liberty Square Riverboat whenever the river was drained for maintenance over the years. So many guests have no idea the boat ran on a track! This time feels different since this is one of the last times we’ll see the area in any recognizable state.

The new Piston Peak area will be a dramatic change compared to the Rivers of America. Disney says the land will be “an awe-inspiring wilderness filled with towering trees, snowcapped mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers and impressive geysers.”

Cartoon concept art of Piston Peak in Magic Kingdom.
Concept art from Disney.

Demo is set to begin any day now. Things will likely move extremely quickly once they get going. Disney won’t want to waste much time if the hope to open Piston Peak in the next few years. Early speculation (and note that it is just speculation) suggests the land could open in 2027, but we think that could be optimistic.

Piston Peak, formally called Piston Peak National Park, will bring the world of Cars to the Magic Kingdom. Disney previously said the land will be home to two attractions, but we’ve only seen some details about the off-road rally race attraction. We expect Disney will reveal more information about Piston Peak (maybe an opening date?) soon.

This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Thanks for the support!

David
David
David is a Disney travel expert who created Notes from Neverland in 2018 after visiting Disney theme parks countless times. Previously, David spent way too much time writing about sports, and was featured in Sports Illustrated, MSN, Yahoo!, and in many other publications. Learn more or contact us.

Trending Disney Merch

Owala Disney Princess FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle with...
  • 24-ounce insulated stainless-steel FreeSip spout water bottle with your favorite Disney Princess
  • Patented FreeSip spout designed for either sipping upright through the built-in straw or tilting back to swig from the spout opening
Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Follow Us!

Official Disney Cookbook

spot_img

Related articles

The Beak and Barrel Lounge Opens August 29, Reservations Recommended

The Beak and Barrel Lounge finally has an opening date at the Magic Kingdom! The Pirates of the Caribbean lounge will open to guests...

Disney Starlight Parade Debuts to Cheers and Critiques

Disney Starlight has finally made its highly-anticipated debut at the Magic Kingdom. The parade, which brings a nighttime parade back to the park for...

Josh D’Amaro Discusses Splash Mountain’s Transformation and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure’s Popularity

Is Tiana's Bayou Adventure a big success at Disneyland Park and Magic Kingdom? Josh D'Amaro, Chairman of Disney Experiences, spoke about Splash Mountain's transformation...

Rivers of America Closed Off by Construction Walls at Magic Kingdom

Frontierland is now a sea of construction walls as work is underway to demolish the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island. The walls...