Big changes are coming to Walt Disney World — and not everyone is happy about it.
This week, guests at the Magic Kingdom witnessed something longtime parkgoers never thought they’d see: the draining of the Rivers of America. The quiet, scenic waterway — a nostalgic fixture connecting Liberty Square and Frontierland — is being permanently removed to make way for something very different: a Cars-themed land.
Disney says the new area will be called Piston Peak National Park, inspired by the Cars universe, featuring “towering trees, snowcapped mountains, breathtaking waterfalls, roaring rivers and impressive geysers.” It will host two major attractions: a high-speed off-road rally ride and a family-friendly indoor adventure inside a rustic lodge.
But to longtime Disney fans, this transformation feels like a gut punch. The Liberty Belle Riverboat — an opening-day attraction from 1971 — and the tranquil Tom Sawyer Island experience are being retired for good. Construction walls are already up, phased demolition has started, and the area will undergo a full infrastructure overhaul, including removing the river system entirely. Disney projects the new land will open by 2028.
For many Disney die-hards, it’s the end of an era. “Just plain wrong,” one fan wrote in response to photos of the drained Rivers of America. Another added: “Nature being wiped out by industrial ugh… it’s just like real life whyyyyy.”
“This probably shouldn’t be making me as sad as it is, right?” another fan asked. One simply wrote: “I hate Disney now. Used to be my favorite place. Haven’t been in years. No plan to ever go back.”
This Cars project is just one part of Disney’s sweeping transformation. Magic Kingdom is also set to get a Disney villains-inspired area, while Animal Kingdom will see new attractions including an Encanto river ride, an Indiana Jones adventure, and a Zootopia show. Over at Hollywood Studios, Muppets Courtyard will be replaced by a Monsters Inc. land, anchored by a suspended roller coaster.
But these updates come at a cost. In addition to the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island, fan favorites like the Dinosaur ride at Animal Kingdom and Muppet*Vision 3D are closing or already gone.
Disney’s aggressive overhaul comes as Universal Studios continues to build hype around its new Epic Universe theme park, which opened in May 2025 and is already teasing more expansions.
