If you read enough of these posts, you might start to think that everything at Walt Disney World is slowly disappearing in the name of progress and honestly, you wouldn’t be entirely wrong. Last year, Disney announced that the Liberty Belle Riverboat and the entire Rivers of America would be retired to make way for a new Frontierland expansion themed around the Cars franchise. This update will also mark the end of Tom Sawyer Island, another longtime feature of the Magic Kingdom.
It’s always bittersweet to see classic attractions go. They’re part of the park’s original charm and help define its unique character. But to be fair, some of Disney’s recent updates have been hits. Just look at the transformation of Universe of Energy into Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Change isn’t always a bad thing.
That said, while Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America hold a lot of nostalgia for longtime fans, they haven’t exactly been the biggest crowd-pullers in recent years. As the park continues to grow and evolve, this feels like a strategic move to breathe new energy into a quieter corner of the park. Still, it’s okay to feel a little sad watching these pieces of Disney history sail off into the sunset.
