Construction in Frontierland: Big Changes Coming to Magic Kingdom

We said goodbye on Sunday to Rivers of America at Magic Kingdom, including Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Belle Riverboat, marking the start of a major transformation. A brand-new themed area is replacing these sentimental attractions, Piston Peak National Park,  inspired by Pixar’s Cars. You can see more about what’s coming here, but let’s take a look at what we’re seeing in the park right now, and what you might need to plan around.

Construction Crews Spotted At Tom Sawyer Island

After the final rides of the Tom Sawyer Rafts and the Liberty Belle, we were looking forward to checking out what Frontierland looked like this morning. Walls are a given, and there are some, but there are also some surprises. And a lot of orange vests!

Walls, Bushes, and Doors?

There are small walls at the entrance and exit of Tom Sawyer Island and around the Riverboat Landing. And the famous bushes are inside the former queue for Liberty Belle. The most curious thing is a grey door standing all on its own at the exit of the Riverboat area. Clearly designed to allow construction crews access and keep out any wandering guests.

Here’s a list of everything we noticed this morning.

• The wooden path along Rivers of America remains open, offering excellent views of the construction zone.
• The Tom Sawyer Rafts are gone, replaced by modern pontoon boats transporting construction workers.
• Liberty Belle’s entrance is blocked by rope, bushes in rolling planters, and some walls with quotes relating to progress.
• Workers are visible throughout Tom Sawyer Island, suggesting they are ready to roll.

The Haunted Mansion queue will be an excellent spot for checking out the progress. We spotted two crewmen checking out the barrel bridge from there.

Walt Disney World Railroad: Temporary Changes

Due to ongoing construction, the Walt Disney World Railroad is currently unable to complete a full loop around Magic Kingdom.

We were tickled to move backwards from the Main Street USA station to the Fantasyland Station. Disney added a playful touch by adding new narration. The conductor calls this new route, causing the train to go backwards, an experiment. So he introduced Experiment 626 – Stitch, as a tour guide. Stitch is largely more interested in the train whistle, but does manage to help introduce Tomorrowland to the passengers.

On the route from Fantasyland to Main Street USA, you move forward, and the audio is essentially the same as before. The only change is informing passengers that they will return directly to Fantasyland after visiting Main Street USA. There is no mention of the lonely Frontierland station.

Planning Around Construction Throughout Disney World

Disney World is constantly evolving. In addition to Piston Peak, we are looking forward to Tropical Americas in Animal Kingdom, Monstropolis in Hollywood Studios, and even further out, the new Villains Land. Plus, rides are evolving or closing for lengthy refurbishments. With all this change, you may be wondering how it affects your vacation. TouringPlans is in the parks daily to make sure you have the latest information. We will ride Haunted Mansion and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure as often as it takes to bring you the latest updates (we know, such a tough job). Visit TouringPlans.com and create a custom itinerary tailored to your family’s needs.

Are you excited about the changes? Do you love watching the progress throughout a project? We love to hear all about it in the comments!