Construction for Now Closed Rivers of America Begins at Magic Kingdom

Rivers of America has now permanently closed at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World to make way for construction to introduce a new Cars-themed area and a new Villains Land in a reimagined section of Frontierland.

We now have the first look at construction photos of Rivers of America and it looks like work is set to begin swiftly.

READ MORE – Ever Wonder Where Disney Cast Members Eat and What They Do on Their Breaks?

Construction Begins at Rivers of America

rivers of america
Photo via bioreconstruct on X

In the photos captured on X by bioreconstruct, you can see arial footage of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad’s active construction and also where the Liberty Belle Riverboat and Tom Sawyer rafts are being stored.

Liberty Belle
Photo via bioreconstruct on X

Here is a closeup of the Liberty Belle Riverboat and Tom Sawyer Island rafts.

rivers of america
Photo via bioreconstruct on X

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You can see the construction walls that have been put up around the Rivers of America. It is typical for Disney to put up construction walls to hide active construction although it is going to be hard to completely conceal a project of this size.

Rivers of America
Photo via bioreconstruct on X

In this photo, you can see the larger construction staging area to the upper right of Rivers of America and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. You can also see how much space Magic Kingdom really does have for expansion.

READ MORE – It’s Never Good to Hear These Disney Cast Member Codes They Use to Communicate Right in Front of You

During construction, the Disney World Railroad is not doing its full loop around the park and is instead going back and forth between Fantasyland and Main Street, U.S.A. stations. Stitch has joined the Conductor as part of the narrator for the trip. We will continue to keep an eye on the Rivers of America as Magic Kingdom goes through this major construction stage.

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About Lindsay Brookshier

Lindsay has been recognized as a Disney expert since 2017 and has been featured by outlets including CNBC, SFGate, NerdWallet, and Visit Anaheim. She visits Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Universal Orlando multiple times each year, giving her first hand insight into park operations, seasonal trends, crowd patterns, and touring strategies.

Her experience also extends to Disney Cruise Line, where she has sailed on every class of ship, visited both of Disney’s private islands, and participated in specialty sailings such as Marvel Day at Sea and Very MerryTime cruises. This depth of travel allows her to provide practical, data informed guidance across Disney Parks, Disney Cruise Line, Universal theme parks, and related destinations.

As Content Director of Mickey Visit, Lindsay oversees editorial strategy and daily content, leading a team of writers who produce timely news coverage and general planning content. She leads the development and analysis of Mickey Visit’s crowd calendars, applying expert insight into crowd behavior, seasonal trends, and park operations. Lindsay writes touring plans, authors in depth reviews, and offers expert analysis on Disney experiences, while also analyzing the best and worst days to visit. She serves as an expert on Disney discounts, tracking and evaluating ticket offers, hotel promotions, and seasonal deals. She comes from a lifelong Disney family, has been visiting Disneyland since the 1990s, and is even in the middle of planning a Disney Cruise Line wedding.

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